Good Day Atlanta viewer information: December 8th, 2022

Cherokee Chophouse sizzles with new name, renovated look

The Cherokee Cattle Company, an icon of the Marietta dining scene since the early 1980s, is back with a new name and a new look. Paul Milliken got the chance to take a tour - and check out the food - at the new Cherokee Chophouse.

ATLANTA - Where’s the beef? There’s plenty inside Cherokee Chophouse: 

Longtime Marietta residents know that Cherokee Cattle Company was a staple of the city’s dining scene, serving up perfectly-cooked steaks since the early 1980s. So, when it closed down in March 2020 and then remained closed long after other restaurants had reopened, fans were worried.

Well, worry no more: there’s a new name and a sleek new look, but the prime rib, filet mignon, and New York strips are still on the menu and as delicious as ever!

This morning, we spent some time with our good friend Gus Tselios, who reopened the iconic restaurant as Cherokee Chophouse last month. Tselios has owned the steakhouse since 2007, when it became part of his group of Marietta Family Restaurants (along with Good Day favorites Marietta Diner, Marietta Fish Market, and Casa Grande, among others). 

Tselios says shutting the restaurant down due to the pandemic presented a good opportunity to refresh the business — and if you know anything about Gus, you know he never does anything on a small scale! So, the "refresh" became an interior and exterior renovation, including a spacious lobby area and massive wine cooler in the center of the dining room!

And while Tselios also updated the menu a bit — adding some Marietta Family favorites — he says he also knew he needed to leave customer favorites intact. So, you’ll find plenty of cuts of beef, along with house specialties like braised beef short rib, baby back ribs, and the Cherokee Cheese Burger. 

Cherokee Chophouse is located at 2710 Canton Road in Marietta, and regular hours are 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Sundays through Thursdays and 4 p.m. to 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. For more information and to check out the menu, click here. And for a look inside the "version 2.0" of this Marietta favorite, click the video player in this article!

New Atlanta United midfielder Derrick Etienne, Jr. guest stars on Fox's "Welcome to Flatch": When a documentary crew sets out to explore the lives of residents in a small American town -- their dreams, their concerns -- it stumbles upon the Midwestern town of Flatch, which is made up of many eccentric personalities. It's a place one would want to visit and maybe even stay if there was a decent motel, which there is not. The documentary crew finds worthy subjects in cousins and best friends Kelly Mallet and Lloyd "Shrub" Mallet, who let the documentary crew in on their lives and local current events. Father Joe is the local minister who also attempts to guide Kelly and Shrub. He moved to Flatch with former girlfriend Cheryl Peterson, the editor of the local newspaper The Flatch Patriot. Other Flatch residents include Mickey St. Jean, who relentlessly attempts to become Shrub's best friend; Kelly's frenemy, Nadine Garcia-Parney, who runs the Flatch Historical Society; and Mandy Matthews, a magnetic force of nature who lives life on her own terms. Watch welcome to Flatch tonight at 9 on Fox.

Chef Sophia 'SJ' Thomas' holiday drink ideas for the whole family

Sophia 'SJ' Thomas is just 13 years old, but the teen chef is already making waves with her cookware line and cooking tips. Thomas hangs out with Good Day's Alyse Eady to share some holiday cheer with four drinks everyone in the family can enjoy together.

Teen Chef "SJ" gives fun holiday drink ideas you can make with your kids or for yourself: Sophia "SJ" Thomas started SJ Savory Kitchen, a company that focuses on providing food recipes and tips to families. Since the start of the company, Sophia "SJ" Thomas has received praise from celebrity chefs such as Rachel Ray, Carla Hall, and Sugar Chef! She has also received praise from Oscar winner Octavia Spencer. For the recipes and instructions click here.

Actress Melissa L. Williams on 'Tyler Perry's Ruthless'' explosive third season

Melissa L. Williams stars as Ruth, a woman who becomes entangled in a cult and is trying to free herself and her young daughter, on BET Plus' 'Ruthless.' The actress talks with Brooke Zauner about what viewers can expect on the intense third season and coming back to Atlanta to work on the series.

Melissa L Williams returns as 'Ruth' in Tyler Perry's "Ruthless": Ruth Truesdale becomes entangled in a scandalous cult of powerful sex-crazed fanatics with whom she must play along until she can find a way to free herself and her young daughter. The second half of the third season returns to screens and BET+ tonight. 

Tressa Smallwood and Vanessa Bell Calloway cast bewitching spell in 'Wicked City'

ALLBLK's new show 'Wicked City' centers around a coven of five modern-day witches in Atlanta unearthing secrets of the past while dealing with the complications of their own lives. Actresses Tressa Smallwood and Vanessa Bell Calloway star in the show, and they sat down to talk with Sharon Lawson about the new project.

Tressa Smallwood and Vanessa Bell Calloway talks "Wicked City" on ALLBLK: Calloway is a legendary actress who has spent several decades providing iconic moments on tv and on the big screen. Calloway stars in new sci-fi series "Wicked City" on ALLBLK. The show follows a coven of five young, modern-day witches in Atlanta unearth secrets of the past and attempt to defeat a powerful wraith, while dealing with their complicated personal lives. This project is spearheaded by Black directors, executive producers, writers and actors in a genre which has never been done.  Watch the series here. 

Food blogger Erica A. Thomas' picks for dining during the holidays

If you're planning to let restaurants do the cooking during the holidays, metro Atlanta has some amazing options for you. Food blogger Erica A Thomas suggests some of the great eateries to try for lunch or dinner this holiday season.

Erica A. Thomas gives tips on where to enjoy holiday dining for lunch and dinner: It's the holidays, and some restaurants have all the vibes. Erica A. Thomas gives us some locations we can visit for food and fun around metro Atlanta. Keep up with her on social @eatingwitherica