How many of Medley's opening-day restaurants have you already eaten at?
If you've spent a few evenings in downtown Alpharetta or Milton, the answer is probably more than you'd guess. Toro Development Company is opening Medley, its $560 million, 43-acre development at Johns Creek Parkway and McGinnis Ferry Road, with nearly 30 retail and restaurant openings over a three-day celebration, according to Metro Atlanta CEO. A good share of that list is places North Fulton already knows, now one exit closer. The concepts nobody here has tried yet are fewer, and several of them won't open until after the ribbon is cut.
That changes how opening week plays out. Oct. 29 is mostly about shorter drives to familiar tables. The places that are actually new to the area show up over the following months.
Three Days, Three Different Crowds
The opening runs Wednesday through Friday of next week, and each night is built for a different crowd. All three are listed in Toro's announcement:
- Medley Unveiled, Wednesday, Oct. 28, 6 to 10 p.m. This is a ticketed preview night that benefits the Johns Creek Symphony Orchestra. Guests sample food from Medley's restaurants with cocktails, beer, wine and nonalcoholic drinks. The orchestra brings a string quartet, a DJ, a violinist under the lights of the Tree Bar and dueling pianos. Valet parking comes with the ticket.
- Ribbon cutting, Thursday, Oct. 29, 10 a.m. This is the official public opening, held in The Plaza. It's free and open to everyone, and the morning is promised to include some surprises.
- Party on The Plaza, Friday, Oct. 30, 6 to 10 p.m. This is a free, family-friendly Halloween night with live music and activities. Costumes are encouraged.
Mark Toro, the company's founder, described the project to Metro Atlanta CEO as "your front porch, your gathering space and your Third Place." Where those gatherings happen has names. The Boulevard is the main street, The Tree Bar is the outdoor bar under the lights, and The Plaza covers 25,000 square feet. Atlanta artist Greg Mike is leading the property's art program.
The Opening-Day List, Sorted by Where You've Seen It Before
Toro says 28 businesses will welcome the public on Oct. 29, and that count includes Trader Joe's. The grocery store has been open at 1000 Medley Blvd. since June 11, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily, as The Johns Creek Magazine reported. The table below uses tenant details from Business Debut's Oct. 1 roundup and the city's Town Center announcement.
| Opening-day tenant | Where it comes from | Already nearby? |
|---|---|---|
| Rena's Italian Fishery & Grill | Original opened in Alpharetta in February 2021 | Yes, Alpharetta |
| CRÚ Wine Bar & Bistro | Third Georgia location, after Alpharetta and The Battery in Smyrna | Yes, Alpharetta |
| Lily Sushi Bar | Existing locations in Alpharetta and Milton | Yes |
| Minnie Olivia Pizzeria | Established in Alpharetta, apparently a second location | Yes, Alpharetta |
| 26 Thai Kitchen | Atlanta-area group with 10 locations, including Alpharetta | Yes |
| The Nest Cafe | Started in Roswell | Yes, Roswell |
| The Commodore | An Atlanta barbershop staple | Intown |
| STIR | Chattanooga concept, first Georgia location | No |
| Hollow Oak | New shop founded by a Johns Creek native | No |
| Amorino | International gelato brand, third Georgia store | Rare |
Rena's is the clearest example. Business Debut reports the Johns Creek restaurant "will closely mirror the original Rena's in Alpharetta," with about 6,000 square feet, around 140 indoor seats and a patio for another 50 to 60 guests. If you've driven up Old Milton for dinner there, Medley gives you the same restaurant without the drive.
The national names follow the same logic. Shake Shack, Sephora, Drybar, Playa Bowls and Five Daughters Bakery are brands most residents have already met somewhere else. Knuckies counts Medley as its 10th location, and Summit Coffee already runs shops in Georgia and both Carolinas.
The Short List of Real Firsts
Against all those familiar names, the genuinely new arrivals stand out.
STIR is the biggest restaurant debut of opening day. It comes from Chattanooga, and Medley is its first Georgia location. Business Debut, quoting Toro, describes a raw bar with rotating oysters and seafood, a scratch kitchen, and a weekend brunch with a house-made Bloody Mary and a mason jar mimosa. Tonic House, the cocktail concept connected to STIR, opens the same day.
Hollow Oak is new in a different way. Johns Creek native Katie Bossie founded it as a shop, bookstore and community space "centered around life offline." It carries books, stationery, art and home goods, and it plans to host classes and events.
Amorino is technically a chain, but an uncommon one around here. The European gelato brand's Johns Creek store is its third in Georgia.
The Most Distinctive Tenants Open Later
Several of the concepts that would change a regular weeknight in Johns Creek aren't on the Oct. 29 list. Toro names seven more openings "in the coming months" and gives no individual dates: 13 Hub Lane, Fadó Irish Pub, CT Taqueria, Warby Parker, Northern China Eatery, Fogón and Lions, and Tabla.
From the city's Town Center announcement, three of those seven look likely to shape how The Plaza feels once they open:
- Tabla is opening its first suburban location next to The Plaza. It's an Indian restaurant with an indoor/outdoor bar, a refreshed cocktail program and weekend street food pop-ups.
- CT Cantina & Taqueria is a family-owned taqueria that will overlook The Plaza, with a walk-up window for food and drinks to go.
- 13 Hub Lane is a lifestyle boutique with furniture, décor, apparel and gifts, plus a design studio with fabrics for custom furnishings.
Even the Oct. 29 list comes with a caveat. The North Atlanta Star reported that tenants are opening in stages as spaces and staff come together. If a particular restaurant is the reason you're going, check its own channels before you make the trip.
The longer timeline goes further still. Medley's second phase, Encore, broke ground this spring. It adds 20,000 square feet of ground-floor retail and is scheduled to open in 2027, with a 150-key Marriott Tribute Portfolio hotel anchored by Chops Lobster Bar following in 2028. New names will keep arriving at Medley through at least 2028.
A Holiday Season Split Between Two Gathering Places
Medley's calendar starts right away. Toro plans about 100 events a year, and the holiday season overlaps with the city's own events at the Boardwalk at Town Center behind City Hall. Here's how the calendar looks through early December:
- Saturday, Nov. 7, 4 to 8 p.m. The city's free Diwali Celebration at the Boardwalk, 11362 Lakefield Drive, with vendors, food, performances and a drone and light show at 7 p.m.
- Monday, Nov. 23. The Plaza becomes what Toro calls a "Rockefeller Center-inspired" outdoor ice rink. Medley's own events calendar lists a Skate the Plaza event on Nov. 27 and describes skating as a November-through-February attraction. The Johns Creek Magazine's schedule gives Feb. 7, 2027, as the last day.
- Friday, Nov. 27. Merry Medley, with a holiday concert, performances and fireworks.
- Friday, Dec. 4, 6 to 8 p.m. The city's Holly Jolly Block Party at the Boardwalk, with Santa, hot cocoa, local choirs and the lighting of the city's 40-foot Christmas tree.
Medley holds the rink and the fireworks, and the Boardwalk keeps the city's civic traditions. Medley's skating season, which runs into February, overlaps with the city's Dec. 4 tree lighting.
Getting Between Them
The Boardwalk runs about a mile, from Johns Creek Parkway north to McGinnis Ferry Road. City Hall at 11360 Lakefield Drive has public and ADA parking for it, and the city points walkers to the path left of City Hall's front entrance. In August, the city announced that the pedestrian tunnel under Medlock Bridge Road, just north of Johns Creek Parkway, is open. It connects Town Center and the Boardwalk with the shops and restaurants on the west side.
At Medley itself, the FAQ mentions both surface parking and garages. Visitor rates and validation details hadn't been made public as of late September, according to the North Atlanta Star's resident guide. For the free nights, arriving early is the simplest plan until Medley publishes its routine parking details.
Medley's opening will shape the Johns Creek calendar well into 2027. If you want to talk through how Town Center is changing this part of North Fulton, or just compare notes on which new spot is worth a reservation, I'm always glad to hear from neighbors. Matthew Evans | Let's Connect.
