Good vibes, good food. New restaurant and lounge to open in Warner Robins this fall
Warner Robins businesswoman Gwenkeia Simmons is gearing up to open her first restaurant.
Simmons is the owner of Simmons Tax Prep at 105 N. Davis Drive.
She expects to open Bon Vivant Restaurant and Lounge at nearby 511 N. Davis Drive on Oct. 17.
“I love cooking. I love food. I love to travel. I love experiencing,” Simmons said. “So, the name Bon Vivant, that’s what that means: You love good food, good life, good vibes, good drink, traveling.”
The French phrase bon vivant translates into English as “good living.”
The 7,000-square-foot building includes a bar area, dining area, a banquet room and a kitchen. The venue is capable of accommodating about 200 people, she said.
The building previously has housed other restaurants over the years, including a Chinese spot and a couple of steakhouses, according to Houston County property tax records.
Katrina Johnson, owner of Suite 616 Event Venue in Warner Robins, is designing the interior for the Bon Vivant Restaurant and Lounge.
The vision is to create “something sleek and eloquent with a fun atmosphere,” Johnson said.
For a “sophisticated” and “upscale” look, Johnson plans to use a black and white and gold and red color scheme.
Self-taught chef Gerard Atkinson also is helping Simmons launch the new restaurant as its chef.
Atkinson co-owns Greenwood Barbecue in Macon with business partner and barbershop co-owner, Brandon Harris. The barbecue spot opened earlier this year at 1087 Martin Luther King Blvd., Suite D.
Atkinson also has served as chef at two downtown Macon spots: Churchills on Cherry and the Barefoot Tavern, which is temporarily closed for roof repairs.
“For lunch, we are doing soul food — mac and cheese, collard greens, fried chicken,” Atkinson said. “It’ll be a different menu each day, but we’ll always have fried chicken on the menu every day of the week.”
Simmons added that they expect to serve tapas at night in which patrons can pick and build their meals from options such as seafood, lamb chops and pasta.
A brunch is expected to be served on the weekends.
But nothing is set in stone, she said.
Weeks away from opening, Simmons is fine tuning details and working to get everything just right.
“A lot’s coming,” she said.
Simmons said people should try the new spot when it opens “for the good vibes and the good food, good drinks and the great experience.”
Tentative hours are expected to be 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and then 5 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday and possibly 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. The restaurant’s number is 478-308-2829.
This story was originally published September 20, 2024 at 8:25 AM.