Ford Fry to open Early American concept restaurant in January in Buckhead space Nava will be vacating

Hot news from the Peachtree Road Farmers Market this morning: Nava definitely is closing—likely in August—and Chef Ford Fry has already signed a lease and has his design completed for a new restaurant concept to move into the space, with a projected January opening.

Chef restaurant owner Ford Fry

Fry, who was the demonstration chef at the Peachtree Road Farmers Market this morning, confirmed the rumor for BuckheadView and said the new restaurant would be a completely new concept, with a Colonial America motif and early American open oven cooking.  

Fry said the Nava space will be completely gutted for the new, yet unnamed restaurant. But he said he has had his part of the lease signed for some time now and has the entire space redesigned for the new concept. He said a formal announcement will be made Monday.

BuckheadView first published a story on July 7 about the possible closure of Nava and Fry opening a new restaurant in the space. At the time, one of the managers of Nava discounted the rumor, saying he would know if the restaurant was closing.

Ford Fry said the interior of the current Nava restaurant,
above, will be completely gutted for the new concept. 

Fry said the Buckhead Life Group has not been forthcoming about announcing the closing of Nava, because employees have not been told. The restaurant is located at 3060 Peachtree Road, in the Buckhead Plaza office building at the corner of Peachtree and West Paces Ferry roads.

Fry was recently quoted as saying he was looking to open a restaurant in Buckhead since "they haven't had anything new in a long time. Fry and his backers now have the relatively new restaurants The Optimist, No. 246, JCT Kitchen and a couple of other projects.   

Giving a hint to the design, Fry said the entrance will set the tone with dark, hardwood bookcases in the interior. Although he has not picked a name for the restaurant, he said the private dining room will be called “The Drawing Room,” reaching back to Colonial days when the men would retire to the drawing room after dinner for a drink and cigar.

Fry said he is looking for a restaurant name that will reflect the early American motif of this new concept restaurant for Buckhead.  BuckheadView proposes that our followers send suggestions for the restaurant name to BuckheadView@gmail.com and we will forward the emails on to Fry for consideration. Or, send them to Fry’s public relations person at Melissa@melissalibbypr.com.