Roaming with the Robertsons

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Complete Guide to My Favorite Neighborhoods in Atlanta

Romie Robertson

Atlanta, Atlanta, Atlanta…I was born and raised here, but once I moved back after 8 years of being away, I was amazed at how this city felt like a brand-new place! As such, I’ve been “re-discovering” the place I call home. This blog post includes information about some of my favorite neighborhoods in Atlanta. For each neighborhood, I’ve included some historical background, things to do, and food/drink recommendations. This list is not exhaustive, however, and at the bottom I’ve included some honorable mentions. Read on to plan your next outing in Atlanta!

Old Fourth Ward

Brief History

The Old Fourth Ward (O4W) is the quintessential example of how gentrification turned a historically Black, low-income community into, uh, one of “America’s Hottest Neighborhoods.” O4W is located just west of Atlanta’s downtown and is home to arguably the most desirable dining, entertainment, nightlife, shopping, real estate, and outdoor spaces in all of ATL right now.

Historically, O4W was a community comprised of lower- and middle-class African Americans. Most notably, it’s where Dr. Martin Luther King was born and raised. O4W is also where his family’s church — Ebenezer Baptist Church — is still located. In fact, his childhood home and Ebenezer Baptist Church are historically preserved structures and now function as museums. Like many other predominately Black neighborhoods across the U.S., decades of redlining, police violence, and disinvestment brought urban blight to O4W by the mid 20th-century. Poverty begets crime and further disinvestment. It wasn’t until the 2000s and 2010s when O4W’s gentrification really kicked in. To this day, you can drive down Boulevard (the name of a major thoroughfare through the neighborhood) and still see public housing multi-family apartments sandwiched between modern luxury townhouses.

Despite all of this gentrification, I do still enjoy hanging out in O4W. It truly is poppin’, after all.

Things to Do

Food and Drink

Inman Park

History

Inman Park was the first designated suburb in Atlanta, one that was designed to be a community just for White Atlantans. First becoming popular in the 1910s and 20s, it was dubbed as one of the first “streetcar suburbs” in the city as many residents commuted for work to downtown Atlanta using the street car system (this was before personal cars became ubiquitous starting in the 1950s). It was and has typically always been a more affluent area in Atlanta, though there was a period of blight in the 1950s and 60s due to White Flight in further suburbs. The neighborhood is filled with preserved Victorian homes from the turn of the 20th century, so if Victorian homes are your thing, you’d love driving or strolling through Inman Park. Inman Park has had a long history of community organizing in order to preserve their community, especially against entities such as the Georgia Department of Transportation as it tried to build highways through the neighborhood in the 1980s.

Inman park is located right next to Old Fourth Ward and the Eastside Trail of the Beltline connects the two neighborhoods.

Things to Do

  • Eastside Beltline (because it runs through Inman Park, too)

  • Illuminarium (cool multi-sensory experience; they offer adult-only nights with drinks)

    Krog Street Market (another dope food hall with local boutiques)

  • Krog Street Tunnel (a street tunnel filled with graffiti on every inch of surface)

  • FETCH Dog Park (came here with my dog and husband; it was a cute time. Even if you don’t have a dog, you can enter for free and hang out with friends. There’s even a full bar!)

Food and Drink

  • Del Bar (the prettiest, nicest restaurant I’ve EVER been to. I highly recommend. Persian food.)

  • Beetlecat (very popular with locals; great for seafood)

  • Ladybird (restaurant/bar right off of the beltline; casual camp-fire style vibes & has live music; very busy on weekends)

  • Fritti (brick oven pizza and other Italian delights)

  • Victory Sandwich Bar (lots of casual outdoor seating, picnic table style; affordable sandwiches)

West Midtown

History

West Midtown is a cool, hip, and bustling neighborhood. This district is filled with modern office spaces, apartments/condos, retail, coffee shops, and some of the city’s best dining experiences. Notable for being an area that attracts a lot of creatives, the neighborhood is known for its four art centers: the Goat Farm Arts Center, Westside Cultural Arts Center, Atlanta Contemporary Art Center, and the King Plow Arts Center.

But what was here before? I certainly don’t remember all of the hype as a child or teenager. This is because West Midtown really took off in the 2010s. Prior to that, the area was mainly industrial and comprised of warehouses, factories, and brownfields. Many of these industrial sites were abandoned and decrepit. Around 1999 and 2000, a few small companies used old warehouses as office space. Next, came the artists and art centers. Then private developers and Atlanta Commerce organizations saw the potential of the neighborhood, and here we are today.

Some have argued that West Midtown falls under gentrification, though others aren’t sure if land that wasn’t being used or inhabited by people can be considered as gentrified. I personally think the reality is much more nuanced than “yes” or “no;” what’s really at the center of the issue is the “Old Atlanta vs. New Atlanta” conversation. I’m sure many other cities in the U.S. are experiencing similar conversations.

BUT…West Midtown is the BEST place in Atlanta if you’re a foodie, in my opinion.

Things to Do

  • Window shop at the cool stores at Westside Provisions (there’s even an entire specialty store dedicated to honey)

  • Puttshack (not unique to Atlanta, but a good time nonetheless)

  • Slingshot Social Game Club (a lowkey, casual adult arcade with food and drinks)

  • Take photos on the bridge above the train tracks at Westside Provisions

  • Rooftop L.O.A (a sexy rooftop pool and restaurant that brings Miami and L.A. to the center of ATL)

  • Atlantic Station (huge commercial, residential, and retail area built on top of old train tracks)

Food and Drink

  • Rock Steady (sleek, sexy restaurant with a caribbean fusion menu; upstairs turns into a lounge at night)

  • Little Trouble (dark restaurant den that serves Asian street food; lots of vegan options)

  • Urban Grind Coffee Shop (black-owned coffee shop with lots of weekly events)

  • Food Terminal (casual Asian street food restaurant with a focus on Malaysian/Singa

  • West Egg Cafe (popular, low-key Atlanta brunch staple)

  • Upbeet (counter restaurant serving up healthy bowls and smoothies)

  • Orsmby (dark, speakeasy-like tavern with pub menu and old-school games like darts)

  • Snooze, an A.M. Eatery (amazing breakfast/brunch food with vegan options; founded in Denver and has locations across the country)

Little Five Points

History

One of my favorite (maybe my #1 favorite?) neighborhoods in Atlanta. Little Five Points (L5P) is the heart of the counter-culture in Atlanta and is one of the most unique places I know. In the early 20th century, the area that L5P sits on used to be a commercial center for the nearby Inman Park (yes, the first three neighborhoods on this blog are all right next to each other). Beginning in the 1980s, L5P became a haven for the alternative/rock/punk counter-culture once a team of local merchants formed the Little Five Points Partnership to lead revitalization of the area. Now, the neighborhood is filled with amazing novelty shops, restaurants, cafes, and performance venues. I frequented this place all the time as a teenager and still enjoy visiting as an adult.

Fun fact: It’s called Little Five Points because the center of the neighborhood is an intersection of 5 streets.

Things to Do

  • The Junkman’s Daughter (one of my favorite places in ATL; super eclectic store selling clothing, jewelry, shoes, books, decorations, and unique gifts; there’s even a smoke shop in the back)

  • Pyscho Sisters (longtime ATL thrift store staple that specializes on reselling rock/pink aesthetics)

  • Rag-O-Rama (large thrift store that offers the latest trends)

  • The Honey Pot Art and Energy (Black-owned spirituality store that sells crystals and other metaphysical items; also hosts weekly events)

  • Crystal Blue (another spirituality shop that has been a longtime presence in L5P and is very popular; not black-owned)

  • Criminal Records (a huge and beloved independent record shop; just browsing the store is fun in and of itself)

Food and Drink

  • The Vortex (Atlanta classic staple; American food in a punk-rock environment; 21+ for entry)

  • Aurora Coffee (local, independent cafe with cool art; their frozen coffee drinks are great)

  • Savage Pizza (local pizza restaurant with a superhero comic book theme; nicely themed and unique interior)

  • Thai 5 & Sushi Bar (L5P veteran; classic Thai and Japanese dishes)

  • Elmyr (Mexican cuisine, affordable and delicious drinks; restaurant ambiance is punk rock; vegan options)

  • Java Lords (independent coffeeshop that also offers an array of teas and pastries; cool art on display)

  • Niramish Indian Cuisine (family-owned, unassuming Indian restaurant serving heaping portions)

Midtown

History

If you imagine Atlanta — tall office skyscapers, modern luxury high-rise condos, trendy restaurants, commercial and retail centers — chances are, you’re imagining Midtown. Midtown is just north of ATL’s downtown area and has an energy that’s a mix of business, refinement, and modernity. Midtown is also a super LGBTQ-friendly neighborhood with many local gay bars. In recent years, Midtown has boomed with growth and popularity. Midtown was home to a huge hippie movement in the 1960s. Like many other neighborhoods on this list, the 1980s saw Midtown under a lot of disinvestment and urban blight. And — also similarly to other neighborhoods - residents, local vendors, and developers (collectively called the Midtown Alliance) banded together to revitalize the area. Midtown is also home to residential neighborhoods with beautiful, historical homes.

Things to Do

  • Piedmont Park (though not the largest, ATL’s most popular greenspace for everyone to gather)

  • HIGH Museum of Art (ATL’s premier fine art museum; Second Sundays of the month are free!)

  • Woodruff Arts Center (our city’s main theater, orchestra/opera hall; HIGH Museum is technically included in this)

  • MODA [Museum of Design Atlanta] (I haven’t visited here yet, but it looks really cool!)

  • Colony Square (food, retail, and entertainment area with a nice green lawn for relaxing outside; includes an IPIC Movie theater)

Food and Drink

  • 26 Thai Kitchen and Bar (located in an old Victorian house; food is delicious and they have cute patio seating)

  • Mary Mac’s Tea Room (Atlanta southern food STAPLE; it’s the last kind of “tea room” that was popular in ATL in the mid 20th century)

  • Tabla (Indian fine dining; went here last year and *chef’s kiss*)

  • Rumi’s Kitchen (sleek, Persian fine dining right by Colony Square)

  • 5 Church (popular New American restaurant with a rooftop lounge; located at Colony Square)

  • Politan Row Food Hall (absolutely love this place; tons of food vendors in a modern and upscale atmosphere; includes a central bar)

  • Serena Pastificio (fine Italian dining at Colony Square; beautiful interior)

  • Flying Biscuit Cafe - Midtown (a beloved southern-style breakfast cafe of mine where I met up with friends for years; includes vegan options)

  • High Note Rooftop (rooftop bar with a small food menu; pretty decent views of the city)

West End

History

Man, do I love the West End. I live about 10 minutes away from the neighborhood, so my fondness for the community has grown even more. The West End is rooted in history and was founded in 1835 as another one of Atlanta’s original “streetcar suburbs.” Its original name White Hall and, like many other streetcar suburbs, was a neighborhood for well-to-do White people. Like Inman Park, the West End has many preserved homes in the Craftsman bungalows, Queen Anne, and Folk Victorian styles. Around the same time that school integration was made federal law, the West End began to shift into a predominately Black neighborhood in the late 1950s and early 1960s (this is occurring parallel to white flight for the suburbs). By 1980, the West End was pretty much an entirely middle-class African-American community where notable Black public figures, leaders, and business people resided. Because of this, the West End is a hub of African-American culture with numerous black-owned business, black art museums, and black heritage festivals still taking part to this day. The Atlanta University Center (which includes a consortium of Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Clark Atlanta University) is also located here. The community is also home to many vegan, holistic black-owned businesses.

Now in the 2020s, the West End is slowly but surely being affected by the rapid gentrification taking over all of Atlanta. I hope that this neighborhood preserves its afro-centricity through it all.

Things to Do

  • Lee + White (open-container district with loads of breweries, restaurants, and other small shops; located right off of the Westside Beltline trail)

  • Beltline - Westside Trail (great greenspace trail that’s not nearly as packed as its eastside counterpart)

  • West End Park (lovely large greenspace located in a historically Black neighborhood)

  • Hammonds House Museum (a small, private museum dedicated to fine art created by African Americans; located in a historical Victorian house once owned by a prominent Black Atlanta physician)

  • Howell Park (a smaller park located in the heart of the West End; often has live-music bands and festivals throughout the year)

Food and Drink

  • Wadada Healthy Market and Juice Bar (LOVE this place; Black-owned health food store and cafe; they offer so much here)

  • Tasili’s Raw Reality (another popular black-owned joint loved by vegans and non-vegans alike; the best wraps you’ll ever have)

  • Hebrew Bakes (black-owned vegan bakery; they have $1 cupcakes on Tuesdays! The red velvet is my favorite)

  • Vegan Dream Doughnuts (another black-owned vegan joint that specializes in doughnuts, smoothies, and juices)

  • Bakari’s Plant-Based Pizza (Vegan pizza, burgers, and other American-style food at this black-owned joint with a cool parking-lot patio)

  • World Taste (Black-owned restaurant and lounge that offers Liberian fusion cuisine; offers brunch and has a club-like ambiance)

  • Boxcar at Hop City (lovely American restaurant off of the Westside Beltline in the Lee + White district; has a nice balcony patio)

  • Best End Brewing (in-house brewery with a full bar and a huge menu with vegan options; has ample indoor and outdoor seating and a fun atmosphere; offers lots of events throughout the week

  • Cultured South Kombucha (one of my favorite places in ATL; offers kombucha on tap that’s made in-house; has vegan and non-vegan snacks and other refreshments (such as coffee); beautiful space that’s great to work in)

Downtown Decatur (City of Decatur)

History

The City of Decatur prides itself on being a “city within a city.” In fact, it’s pretty much a simulacrum of classic White, middle-class America values. It’s a gorgeous and safe neighborhood filled with greenery, a sense of community, and family-orientation. The City of Decatur even has its own school district apart from the larger Dekalb County Public Schools. Even though I enjoy visiting downtown Decatur, I still find it a bit eery because the city gives off an exclusive, better-than-thou energy. I mean, what better way to say “I want to hoard all of my resources” than having your own tiny school district with 4 or 5 schools? Besides this, I still recommend downtown Decatur as a place for visitors and locals to venture into because there’s still some great things to experience there.

Things to Do

  • Decatur Town Square (Shop at the cute, unique boutiques around the Square or lay out a blanket and relax on the turf; sometimes there’s live music)

  • The Dekalb History Museum (you know I love a history museum, though I personally haven’t visited this one yet)

  • Decatur Farmers Market (cute, family-friendly)

  • Decatur Ghost Tour (just learned that these are offered but haven’t done it myself)

  • Go beer-tasting at the many local breweries (because who does’t love local, craft beer?)

Food and Drink

  • The Iberian Pig (popular Spanish tapas restaurant)

  • noodle (casual, affordable joint offering Asian stir fry dishes)

  • no. 246 (Italian restaurant with beautiful outdoor seating complete with string lights)

  • BOHO115 (hip seafood restaurant in a modern, airy space)

  • Butter and Cream (local ice cream parlor with vegan options!)

  • Calle Latina (small, intimate Latin American street food restaurant)

Buckhead

History

Buckhead is THE aristocratic Atlanta neighborhood. Think: Hollywood Hills, but in north Atlanta. Driving through some of the main thoroughfares in Buckhead, you’ll see sprawling mansions on top of acres of manicured lawns, all behind automatic gates. By the early 1900s, Buckhead started off as an out-of-city destination for Atlanta’s White, wealthy residents. The growth of the interstate system and spread of personal cars transformed Buckhead from a rural relaxation spot to a part of Atlanta’s sprawl. Buckhead was annexed into the City of Atlanta in 1952, and the neighborhood boomed in development for the rest of the 20th century.

Until quite recently, Buckhead was an extremely White, affluent, politically conservative, and family-oriented community. Since the 2010s, though, Buckhead has been seeing residents move in with more diverse racial, ethnic, political, and age identities. To this day, the public revenue generated in Buckhead makes up the biggest portion of the City of Atlanta’s budget.

Things to Do

Food and Drink

  • South City Kitchen (another beloved ATL joint; modern southern food)

  • Bistro Niko (fine French dining; getting pretty popular)

  • Yebo Beach Haus (currently one of the sexiest and hottest restaurants on the ATL scene; South African fusion)

  • Gypsy Kitchen (another cute and modern Spanish & Mediterranean fusion joint)

  • The Blind Pig Parlor (Speak-easy bar that has multiple themes throughout the year; also offers small bites)

  • Canoe (the fanciest restaurant I’ve ever been to! Technically in the Vinings neighborhood, but still)

  • The Garden Room (the most gorgeous, plant-filled open air space)

  • Cafe Sunflower (awesome full service vegetarian and vegan restaurant)

East Atlanta Village

History

During the Civil War, the area that is now East Atlanta Village (EAV) was the site of many notable battles. It also became a streetcar suburb at the turn of the 20th century. During the mid-20th century, it was the site of a lot of Civil Rights activity. Strange but interesting fact: a local Ku Klux Klan chapter had a headquarters in the neighborhood, though EAV was a majority Black community. Because of this, many Black residents lived under constant fear and numerous social justice leaders advocated for the residents of this community. Along the same stream of history like many other places in Atlanta, EAV was stricken by urban blight until developers took advantage of low real estate values and young people started moving back into the area. Now, EAV is home to eclectic storefront boutiques, restaurants, dive bars, and street art. It’s a cool place to stroll through and grab a bite to eat!

Things to Do

Food and Drink

Honorable Mentions

  • Kirkwood

  • Virginia Highland

  • Grant Park

  • Cabbagetown

  • Druid Hills/Toco Hills

  • Brookhaven

  • Chamblee

  • Vinings (including The Battery)

What did I miss? Let me know your favorite neighborhoods and things to do in Atlanta in the comments!

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