Sushi, Wine, and Pickleball Come Together at the Painted Pickle

Ready to play with your food? Dining and gaming combo restaurants are a growing trend in Atlanta — think Your 3rd Spot, Puttshack, Revery: VR Bar — and now there’s a new player joining the fray.

The Painted Pickle, a pickleball restaurant and bar, is now open at Armour Yards. It comes from the same group behind bowling venues the Painted Pin in Buckhead and the Painted Duck in West Midtown. Justin Amick, CEO and President of Painted Hospitality, says this venue is a new take on a country club with a faux indoor green space, athletic training for pickleball on the eight individual courts, and food. There are classic bar games of ping-pong, cornhole, and darts, too.

Heidi Harris

The menu, overseen by executive chef Thomas Collins, includes small plates like Pickle Balls (cheeseburger pickle poppers), Korean spiced wings, and pressed sandwiches, including a play on a peanut butter sandwich made with almond butter and bacon jam. There are plenty of salads and bowls to choose from, though it is the sushi offering that stands out.

Heidi Harris

Heidi Harris

Pairing shuffleboard and sushi is an unusual combo, but could be a fun way to experience the Japanese specialty as pub fare. Amick says the restaurant hired a sushi consultant to build the rolls, but wouldn’t offer specifics on who they hired. Rolls include Painted the Line with shrimp tempura and mango, Firefight with a spicy snow crab, and Top Dog with a trio of yellowtail, salmon, and tuna, for $16 to $28.

Additionally, there is no shortage of beverage professionals at this restaurant. Amick is an advanced sommelier and wine educator. Robert Nonemaker, Director of Operations, is a certified sommelier. They’ve also brought on Julian Goglia as the Beverage Director, who was formerly at Pinewood Tippling Room, the Mercury, and Rumi’s Kitchen.

The wine list floats from an approachable Raventos I Blanc cava for $50 a bottle, to a mega-hitter Krug Grande Cuvee Brut 171eme Edition Champagne for $350. Californian Sandhi Chardonnay by sommelier Raj Parr, Slovenian skin contact Pinot Gris Harvest Moon by Gonc, and Spanish La Rioja Alta Vina Arana Gran Reserva are fun finds. The vintages are not listed on the menu.

Beyond wine, the cocktails take center stage with nearly 30 varieties, including five non-alcoholic options, all between $10 and $16. There are two signature cocktails, two frozen ones, and the rest are listed under a category called “Classy.”

“Instead of classic, we wanted to call it classy because of the venue here. We think this place is super classy,” says Amick. “These cocktails are tried and true classics with our riff on it.”

Heidi Harris

Find a Mother of Pearl gin and tonic with celery bitters, a French 75, Moscow Mule, and Whiskey Sour on the list. Local beers are also available on draft and by the bottle.

Pickleball courts can be booked by the hour, costing between $30 to $50 depending on the day. Don’t know how to play? A pickleball gold medalist is on staff to teach you. Athletic Director Ivan Vizcaya is a certified pickleball instructor and played on the University of Georgia club tennis team. The Painted Pickle courts reportedly have “rubberized sub-layers” to protect knees, and other joints.

Pickleball courts have gained popularity in Atlanta over the years, with a number of public courts opening around the city. Rail Park in Pullman Yards has pickleball courts, bocce ball, and cornhole leagues. It is situated next to dining spots including Fishmonger II, Dailies and Sides, Filipino pop-up Zarate Kitchen, and bar Alcohall, slated to reopen on May 19th. Pickle and Social is another pickleball restaurant in Buford.

“We don’t think pickleball is a trend,” says Amick. “We think it’s a lifestyle.”