NW Metro Atlanta is growing fast, and that growth brings exciting changes. In every corner of our service area, new restaurants are opening, major developments are breaking ground, and communities are investing in parks, schools, and infrastructure. Whether you are a current resident or planning a move, here is what you need to know about what is new across all seven communities we serve.
Marietta
New Restaurants and Dining
Marietta's dining scene keeps getting better. Asher & Rose Grocers opened January 19, 2026 at 45 W Park Square, replacing the former Piastra space. Led by Chef Greg Lipman and Betty Bahl, it is a specialty grocery and cafe concept that has quickly become a favorite on the Square. West Park, a new wine room, moved into the former Red Hare Brewing & Distilling space at 29 West Park Square. Antika, a new food-service concept, is opening soon at 34 Powder Springs Street near the Square. 7 Tequilas Mexican Restaurant opened at 115 Church Street. And Whataburger opened a location at 3550 Sandy Plains Road.
Housing and Development
GreenHouse by Beazer Homes is a 600-townhome development on 174 acres at 150 Laura Lake Road north of downtown Marietta. First homes were released for sale in fall 2025. The development features miles of nature trails, pocket parks, and gardens. It is one of the largest residential projects in Marietta in years. The 183-room Moxy by Marriott hotel is under construction at 329 Marietta Street. New townhomes at Promenade at the Square and the gated Bluffs at Bells Ferry community by Traton Homes are also delivering in 2026.
Parks and Infrastructure
Larry Ceminsky Park received over $1.5 million in improvements, celebrated with a ribbon-cutting on May 4, 2026. Upgrades include a new picnic pavilion, playground equipment, restrooms, and stormwater drainage. Glover Park underwent irrigation repairs and received new sod, keeping the iconic square looking its best for its 40th season of concerts.
School News
Marietta City Schools showed significant literacy gains in the 2024-2025 Georgia Milestones results, improving in reading across most grade levels. The Marietta City Schools Board of Education approved Fall Break calendar adjustments for the 2026-2027 and 2027-2028 school years. The Marietta High School Class of 2026 graduated 570 seniors who earned $5.3 million in scholarships, with 80 percent college-bound.
Acworth
New Restaurants
Whataburger opened its first Acworth location on July 22, 2025 at 3558 Cobb Parkway NW near Mars Hill Road, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Mayor Tommy Allegood. Chick-fil-A opened a new location on February 12, 2026 at the I-75 and Acworth interchange, creating approximately 120 jobs. Tap Town, a new lakehouse-style gathering space with self-pour tap walls and a full bar, opened in spring 2026 at 4443 Cherokee Street in downtown Acworth. Goldfish Swim School opened a 9,240-square-foot swim lesson facility in Acworth in early 2026, offering year-round swimming instruction for children.
Developments
A 100-room Springhill Suites by Marriott broke ground downtown in July 2026, within walking distance of the Acworth Community Center along Cherokee Street. The Novare Group broke ground on a 20-acre luxury apartment community at 5950 Highway 92. Caldwell Companies consolidated four affiliated businesses into a new headquarters at 3102 Cobb Parkway NW. The Due West/Ragsdale Road Multi-Use Trail project is also advancing, adding connectivity across the city.
Community Recognition
The City of Acworth was designated a 2025 PlanFirst Community by the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, recognizing its dedication to community planning. Megan Strange was recognized as the 2025 Acworth Citizen of the Year by the Cobb Chamber in December 2025. Chattahoochee Technical College launched its FAA-approved Airframe and Powerplant aviation maintenance training program at its Acworth campus in April 2025.
Kennesaw
New Restaurants and Businesses
Downtown Kennesaw continues to attract new businesses. Smash Hit Burgers opened in February 2026. Prohibition Co., a speakeasy, opened in July 2026. Reformation Brewery opened a downtown Kennesaw taproom. Brown Dog Books and Caribou Coffee both opened, adding to the downtown retail scene. Raising Cane's also arrived in late 2025. Chamblee Tap and Market purchased a historic downtown building and plans to open in 2026. Asian Wok opened May 4, 2026 in the former Penang Malaysian Cuisine space, bringing Chinese staples and Beijing roast duck to Kennesaw. Joupe Jeht, offering authentic Cambodian cuisine, celebrated its grand opening on May 30, 2026 in Jiles Plaza. The Academy for Innovation in Medicine, a new State Charter Schools Commission school, opens in fall 2026 at 3010 Cobb Parkway North, serving multiple metro Atlanta counties.
Major Developments
Eastpark Village, the largest land assemblage in city history, has assembled 65 parcels along the Cherokee Street corridor for 850 residential units and 300,000 square feet of commercial space. BRP, the maker of Can-Am and Ski-Doo vehicles, is relocating its U.S. headquarters from California to Kennesaw. Yamaha Motor Co. also announced it is relocating its U.S. headquarters from Cypress, California, to Kennesaw in a multi-year transition beginning in late 2026 and continuing through 2028, ending nearly 50 years of California operations. KSU broke ground on Summit II, a new residence hall adding 460 beds, and The Standard at Kennesaw, a 656-bed student housing community by Landmark Properties, broke ground in June 2026 near the KSU campus. The city acquired a historic 10,000-square-foot building downtown for mixed-use redevelopment.
Park Changes
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park closed Mountain Road to private vehicles on January 6, 2026, replacing car access with a free shuttle service. The change improves safety and the visitor experience. The park also gained 21 acres of protected land in June 2025. The Cobb BOE approved the FY 2026 budget. The Northwest Georgia region expects 27,000 new jobs and $9 billion in capital investment in the coming years.
Woodstock
New Restaurants
Fire & Stone Italian Pizza Kitchen opened December 16, 2025 in the historic freight depot, adding wood-fired pizza to Woodstock's already strong dining scene. Catalina Cucina opened at Adair Park in spring 2025. Coming in 2026: Paloma Tequila and Tacos (spring 2026), Isabella's Mediterranean (later 2026), and Oishii Sushi Noodle Bar (approved).
Major Developments
Little River Park, a 110-acre destination that will be the city's largest park, broke ground in August 2025 with an $8 million construction contract. The Woodstock Mill District, an 11-acre Publix-anchored retail development delivering in late 2026, will bring 118,000 square feet of retail space. The City Center project, a 4-acre mixed-use redevelopment on Main Street, will feature a boutique hotel and a 647-space parking deck. The 200-acre Buice Lake master-planned community is adding hundreds of single-family homes and townhomes. Sutton Row, a 290-unit luxury apartment community within Buice Lake, broke ground in October 2025 and will begin leasing in late 2026.
School News
Woodstock High School is undergoing a nearly $18 million, 50,000-square-foot expansion with a three-story addition and 20+ new classrooms. The Cherokee County School District updated its Career Pathway programs. School bus stop-arm cameras began issuing citations on May 4, 2026. Woodstock High student Rylie McCormick earned a $25,000 scholarship as part of the Class of 2026.
Canton
New Restaurants
Canton's dining scene is booming. Whataburger opened August 28, 2025 at 6021 Hickory Flat Highway. The Cajun Menu moved from Jasper to Canton at 140 Keith Drive, opening July 2025. Hilltop Pizza opened March 2025 at the Free Home Shopping Center. Flatlands Bourbon and Bayou, a new Cajun restaurant, opened in downtown Canton in July 2026. Stitch Coffee (135 Reinhardt College Pkwy) and Cafe Floralia (149 Prominence Pkwy) have added new coffee shop options. Tumi Peruvian Restaurant opened at 190 E Main Street in late 2025, bringing authentic Peruvian cuisine to downtown Canton. Bully Run (smashburgers) opened at The Mill on Etowah in early 2026. Culver's is under construction in the Hickory Flat community near the Kroger shopping center.
Major Developments
The Mill on Etowah, a 30-acre mixed-use destination at 225 Reformation Pkwy, is bringing retail, restaurants, residences, and office space to the riverfront. Tenants include Kilwins, Le Macaron, and Bully Run. The North Street Redevelopment Project will feature a boutique hotel, four-story office building, courthouse expansion, and ground-floor retail. Academy & Main is revitalizing historic buildings for a live/work/play experience. Century Communities launched Brookshire Manor, a 50-home community with prices from the mid-$600,000s. The city is advancing a $70 million Water Pollution Control Plant expansion. The new Cherokee High School, a $179 million state-of-the-art campus designed for 3,000 students, opens in August 2026 on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The 473,761-square-foot facility features 152 classrooms and will serve families in the RiverStone and surrounding communities.
Cartersville
New Restaurants
Chick-fil-A North Cartersville opened July 2, 2026 at 2000 Highway 20, across from the Savoy Automobile Museum. It is the third Chick-fil-A in Cartersville and created approximately 140 jobs. Culver's is coming to Cartersville at 5000 GA-20, across from the Savoy Automobile Museum, with a 4,300-square-foot restaurant featuring a drive-thru. Olive Garden opened in Cartersville in 2025. Element, a healthy dining concept, opened its doors in early 2025.
Major Developments
Splashville, a new water park, is under construction with a targeted opening later in 2026. The new City Hall and Founders Oak Park broke ground in February 2026, centralizing municipal services and creating new public gathering spaces downtown. A new Cartersville Primary School is under construction on Carter Grove Boulevard, a 224,800-square-foot facility on a 33-acre campus. Piedmont Cartersville Medical Center received approval to add 20 more patient beds and is expanding specialty services. The Cass-White Road corridor widening project is underway, with $2 billion in industrial development attracted to the corridor. Rivulet Energy opened a solar panel manufacturing facility in January 2026.
Dallas and Paulding County
New Restaurants
Dallas Grill on Main opened at 214 Main Street in Downtown Dallas in May 2025. Melt Yard, the popular restaurant, bar, and retro arcade, is opening a second Paulding County location at 300 West Memorial Drive in Dallas in 2026, converting a former car dealership into a dining and entertainment destination.
Major Developments
Costco broke ground on a new Paulding County location. WellStar Paulding Medical Center broke ground in September 2025 on a $300 million expansion, the largest healthcare investment in county history. The project includes a seven-story hospital tower and 467-space parking deck, with Phase 1 adding 56 beds by November 2027. Automann, a global distributor of truck and trailer parts, completed its 367,000-square-foot southeastern headquarters in Paulding County with a $60 million investment creating 150 jobs. Interroll, a material-handling solutions company, announced it is transferring production from overseas to Hiram, Georgia, creating 30 jobs.
Infrastructure and Policy
The county awarded a $458,008 contract for the Winndale Road Trailhead Project and a $1,053,025 contract for the Gulledge Road Improvement Project. The Ridge Road Widening Project and Bobo Road Intersection Improvement are also under design. A developer proposed nearly 700 new single-family homes on Cole Lake Road, seeking annexation into the city. The Paulding County School District approved an elementary school boundary realignment (Plan Blue) in January 2026 and established its own police department beginning with the 2026-27 school year. All five Paulding County high schools were named AP Honor Schools for 2026. In August 2026, the Paulding County Board of Commissioners voted to halt all new data center projects until January 1, 2027, following months of resident pushback over neighborhood-scale data center development. The county also received a AAA bond rating from Moody's, signaling fiscal strength for attracting business investment.
What This Means for Home Buyers
The developments listed here are more than just news. They are signals about where a community is heading. New restaurants and retail improve quality of life and property values. Infrastructure investments make commuting easier. Healthcare expansions add long-term stability. When you work with us, we track all of these changes and factor them into the advice we give you about where and when to buy.
Ready to Make a Move? Let's Talk
Whether these developments have you excited about a particular community or you are just starting to explore your options, we would love to help. With 360+ homes sold across Cobb, Paulding, Cherokee, and Bartow counties, we know exactly how each community is evolving and what that means for buyers and sellers. Schedule a no-obligation consultation to start the conversation.
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