Atlanta restaurant celebrates France’s 'big summer festival'

ATLANTA - If you don’t know how Atlanta restaurant Cooks & Soldiers celebrates Fêtes de Bayonne by now, you clearly haven’t been watching Good Day Atlanta!

Since 2017, we’ve made it a point to stop by the popular West Midtown restaurant in late July, as executive chef John Castellucci and his team prepare for their annual Fêtes de Bayonne celebration. Now, just in case you’re new to town (in which case, we’ll give you a pass), here’s a primer: Cooks & Soldiers — owned by Atlanta’s Castellucci Hospitality Group — specializes in flavors from the Basque Country in Spain and France, and every year, the restaurant hosts its own version of what has become the largest festival in France.

According to the Cooks & Soldiers website, the history of Fêtes de Bayonne (also known as "the big summer festival") dates back to July 1932, when the French city’s rugby team decided to create a celebration similar to the one surrounding the running of the bulls in Spain. Revelers traditionally dress in red and white during the five-day festival, which is why diners at Cooks & Soldiers are encouraged to do the same!

This year’s Fêtes de Bayonne celebration at Cooks & Soldiers is happening on Sunday, July 31, starting at 1 p.m. and continuing until 6 p.m. — general admission tickets are $48 and include all-you-can eat, and VIP tickets are $68 and also include drinks. To purchase tickets, click here.

Of course, we couldn’t resist spending another morning at one of our favorite restaurants, taking a "vacation" to France without ever leaving the city. Click the video player in this article to check out morning at Cooks & Soldiers.