"Tal Baum (Aziza, Atrium) opens Rina at Avalon. It’s the second location of the Atlanta restaurant known for its mezze, hummus, pita sandwiches, falafel, and kebabs paired with frozen cocktails and boozy milkshakes. Lunch and dinner are available daily, along with the option to order food and drinks via a to-go counter inside and a takeout window outside. Billed as a “breezy beachside oasis,” Rina is named for Baum’s grandmother, the person she credits for her passion for cooking. She’s also the inspiration behind the design and menu for Rina, with food taking cues from family recipes and childhood favorites Baum enjoyed at beach cafes and street vendors in Tel Aviv. The falafel recipe is based on those served at a falafel and street food stand the family owned during the 1950s. Baum opened Rina three years ago at the Ford Factory Lofts along the Eastside Beltline trail on Ponce De Leon Avenue in Atlanta. The opening in Alpharetta not only marks an expansion of Rina, but the first restaurant Baum has opened outside the city of Atlanta." - Beth McKibben