Italian, sushi, more: Here’s a list of new restaurants open or coming soon in Middle GA

Multiple restaurants have opened shop throughout Middle Georgia in the first quarter of this year, with more expected to open soon.

Among those coming, coffee and tea shops are in the mix of restaurants offering Italian and Mediterranean fare, sushi and fried chicken. Here’s a look:

• Wrap & Kebab —A new restaurant featuring Mediterranean food and housing a hookah cafe and Mediterranean grocery store is expected to open at 103 Gunn Road in Centerville by the end of April.
• Popeyes — The Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning Commission recently approved the site plan for the fried chicken restaurant at 5590 Thomaston Road west Macon near Lake Tobesofkee.
• Starbuck’s — The first Starbucks location in the city of Forsyth is going up at 318 Russell Parkway.
• Dunkin’ — Construction is underway of the national coffee shop at Ga. 49 and Cane Drive in Byron.
• Fresco Italiano — A second location of this popular Tifton-based, family-owned Italian restaurant known for its steaks is planned for 1208 Russell Parkway in Warner Robins.
• Culver’s — A Midwestern fast food restaurant chain is expected to open a store this year in the Metro Diner’s former location at 3710 Northside Drive in Macon.
• Rock N Roll Sushi — A second Warner Robins location is going into a newly constructed building at 3010 Watson Blvd.
• Sonny’s BBQ — The Macon-Bibb Planning and Zoning Commission has approved plans for the Southern barbecue restaurant across from the Lofts at Zebulon at 5811 Zebulon Road but construction has not started yet.
• Old Mill Market Co. — This new business is coming to 98 Adams Street in downtown Forsyth and is expected to have a bakery and offer fresh produce, fresh meats and some gift items. It could open in April.
• Century Market Plaza Phase I I— A tea cafe, possibly a pizzeria and other businesses are coming with expansion of this shopping center at 810 Ga. 96 in south Warner Robins, said Roger Patel, shopping center owner.

• Huey Magoo’s chicken tender restaurants expects to hold the grand opening for its first Middle Georgia franchise in Milledgeville at 1972 N. Columbia St. in April, a company spokesman said.

Newly-opened restaurants

Multiple restaurants that have already opened this year include a mix of Mexican, Tex-Mex, Italian flavors along with dessert shops and a catering business. They include:

• Macon Water Ice — Four friends are serving up this “signature Philadelphia frozen treat,” the namesake of the restaurant, in The Shoppes at River Crossing 5080 Riverside Drive, Suite 208, in Macon.

• Romo’s Pizza — This new restaurant offers Neapolitan pizza cooked in a wood-burning oven in The Prado in Macon at 4123 Forsyth Road. It’s named after the son of restaurant owner Natasha Phillips.
• Chili’s Bar & Grill — This Texas-based restaurant chain opened a Warner Robins location in the former Toys R Us site at 3000 Watson Blvd.
• Chick-fil-A —The popular chicken-sandwich restaurant opened next door to the Chili’s. It’s the third Chick-fil-A to open in Warner Robins.
• Graffiti’s Pizza — A Greek Taverna - This family-owned restaurant offers freshly-made pizza, calzones, gyros, sandwiches, wings and salads is located at 5577 Thomaston Road, No. 500, in the Tobesofkee Crossing shopping center. It is the second location for its Henry County owners.
• Morrow 41 — A neighborhood bar and grill offering comfort food at 7248 Alexander Court in the unincorporated community Bolingbroke in Monroe County just north of Macon.
• The French Market & Tavern — Billed as a bakery and bistro with New Orleans-style food, craft beers and a boutique, a popular Locust Grove eatery opened a location in historic downtown Forsyth at 22 West Main St.
• Cake ‘n Shake — A family-owned dessert shop at 115 Margie Drive, Suite A, in Warner Robins known for its “extreme milkshake.” The first location opened in Locust Grove.
• One Night Stand Catering — A storefront eatery for takeout that offers rotating daily menu, hence it’s eyebrow-raising name. It’s located 6009 Watson Blvd., Suite 420, in the Gunn Battle Shopping Center anchored by Publix.
• Dynamic Pastries by Campane — A pastry shop that offer all sorts of homemade goodies by order and at the store inside the Macon Flea Market at 3670 Eisenhower Parkway.
• Gregg’s Mexican Restaurant 2.0 — A Warner Robins Mexican restaurant that was first popular in 1980s was resurrected by family members of the original owner at 312 South Armed Forces Blvd. across from Robins Air Force Base.
• Stevi B’s Pizza Buffet — More than 20 years since opening a Stevi B’s in Warner Robins, the original owner returned to breathe new life into the pizza buffet at 2907 Watson Blvd., Suite 13.

This story was originally published April 5, 2021 at 5:00 AM.