Healthy, fast casual Maepole restaurant to open in Cumming | Forsyth Herald

FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Maepole, an Athens-borne fast-casual restaurant, is expanding into Cumming.

Backed by Tony Townley, Zaxby’s co-founder and principal investor in the company, Maepole is planning to open a location at Bethelview and Castleberry roads in late 2026.

The Cumming restaurant will be Maepole’s fourth Georgia location, joining two restaurants in Athens and one in Atlanta’s Summerhill neighborhood. The company is developing additional Georgia locations as it builds a repeatable standalone model.

The restaurant will be the company’s first purpose-built standalone location with a full dining room, outdoor patio. It will also mark the brand’s first drive-thru pickup lane.

Maepole features a menu offering modern Southern flavors and build-your-own bowls. Customers build their own bowls from a selection of never-frozen, scratch-made bases, vegetables, proteins and sauces.

That approach creates a menu that is accessible to a wide range of dietary preferences.

The restaurants offer gluten-free, vegan and keto-friendly choices, and hormone- and antibiotic-free meats, while operating a 100 percent peanut- and tree-nut-free kitchen.

Ingredients include spicy chicken, sweet potato, black bean salad, sriracha honey sauce and more.

Chef Peter Dale, Maepole founder and culinary director, said the menu caters to growing families, those living active lifestyles and people who want better, more convenient food.

“We want to be just as useful on a busy Tuesday night as we are for lunch on Saturday. Sometimes that means sitting down with your family, and sometimes it means picking up a great meal on your way home,” Dale said.

For menu information and updates on the Cumming opening, visit Maepole.com.

Appreciate the work?

Help us keep this reporting available to all by joining the Appen Press Club. Your support makes all the difference.

Chip in!

Jon Wilcox is a reporter for Appen Media Group. He covers Alpharetta, Johns Creek and Forsyth County. Email him atjon@appenmedia.com.