Atlanta Neighborhood Guide

DRUID HILLS

Our beloved University is situated in a heavily residential, wealthy area known as Druid Hills. While Emory might have an Atlanta postal address, we’re actually outside the city limits of Atlanta in unincorporated DeKalb County – also known as the quasi-suburbs (seriously, Druid Hills was historically Atlanta’s second established suburb). While we live in a pretty quiet area, take advantage of Druid Hills’ gems.

Beautiful greenspaces, like the on-campus Lullwater Park and the forested Olmsted Linear Parks near Ponce de Leon Ave.
Award-winning dining, like the General Muir, a Jewish deli-style restaurant in the newly minted (and upscale) Emory Point, or Rise-N-Dine and Falafel King, every college student’s favorite hangout in Emory Village.
Fernbank Museum of Natural History. Seriously. Go. It’s cool.

DECATUR

O Decatur, the perfectly-planned city alternative to the urban planning nightmare that is Atlanta. Located a few miles east of Atlanta city limits, Decatur’s a neighborhood very close to Emory and was also a suburb that’s undergone heavy gentrification in the past decades. Now, it’s home to some of the best dining and drinking options in Atlanta.

Check out:
Victory Sandwich Bar. With $4 gourmet sandwiches and a cocktail menu to knock your socks off (see the famous Jack & Coke slushie), what other place could you take your late-night cravings?
Java Monkey. Along with Dancing Goats, Java Monkey represents the best coffee that Decatur has to offer (although the wi-fi could use some help). Stop by to get some reading done in a laid-back atmosphere – especially on Sunday nights, where some of the best slam-poetry in the city happens.
Decatur CD. Crotchety old men sell you an awesome collection of new and used CDs and records. Can’t beat that.
Most every other restaurant and bar. Chai Pani, Brick Store, Leon’s Full Service, Cakes & Ale – you really can’t go wrong when it comes to eating out in Decatur. Just check the menu before you go out if you’re looking to save money, since they be a bit pricey (see: gentrification).

LITTLE FIVE POINTS

The mini-version of the “big” Five Points in Downtown, Little Five is close to Emory – especially via Marta – and one of the weirdest, coolest neighborhoods in Atlanta. Booming with 1960s and 70s counterculture (if you look closely, you’ll still see some hippies), Little Five is brimming with locals and some of the best bars and food around. It’s strange and homey, and you may want to become a neighborhood regular.

The Best of Little Five:
BEER. The Porter Beer Bar has a menu with more beer than you could ever try, and Wrecking Bar Brewpub has some of Atlanta’s best beer – brewed in-house. Both have food to die for. If you’re looking for a grungier experience, try Star Bar (which has local music most nights) or Elmyr, everyone’s favorite Mexican dive bar with great food and cheap liquor. (Pro-tip: if you want more weird, dive bar excellence, check out East Atlanta Village).
COFFEE AND PIZZA. One of the oldest coffee shops in town, Aurora Coffee has great coffee, good music, and a nice patio. You can get all different types of iced and chocolatey stuff you want (even fresh coconuts), and if you’re hungry, just go next door to Savage Pizza.
MUSIC. Criminal Records is your go-to stop for records. They’ve got a huge selection of vinyl and CDs (and comics!), great recommendations, and they host a number of *free* in-store performance (Chvrches came a few months ago). For even more music, you can head over to Wax N’ Fax just next door.

VIRGINIA HIGHLANDS
By far one of Emory’s most popular neighborhoods for nightlife, VaHi (or “the Highlands”) has got a pub-crawl sort of charm, and it’s full of young professionals and new families. It’s very walkable and, like Druid Hills, it has a lot of old houses. Other than that, it’s kind of a peaceful, reliably decent area of town with a couple of good spots:

Blind Willie’s. It’s Atlanta’s best blues bar, and it’s a great alternative to EDM/sweat-filled clubs. Come for the drinks, stay for the always soulful live music.
Atlanta Cupcake Factory and Alon’s Bakery. The first offers gourmet cupcakes with flavors like Butterfinger and chocolate salted caramel, and Alon’s provides the best fresh breads and pies around.
The plethora of pretty good bars like Hand in Hand and Dark Horse Tavern, but Manuel’s Tavern is probably the best of the bunch, with a history of being a Georgia Democrat leader hangout and a local favorite.

BUCKHEAD

Okay, if you want to go to Buckhead, just know that it’s pretty widely regarded as the most ritzy, pretentious area of town. It’s Atlanta’s financial district, and apparently Justin Bieber lives there now. That’s all I’m saying. A begrudging list of the few things that are “ok” or at least have some vestige of character in Buckhead:

Because You’re Fancy:
Prohibition. Once rated as one of Atlanta’s douchiest bars (not kidding), Prohibition is a speakeasy-style establishment where you technically have to give a password to get in. It’s trying to replicate the exclusivity (and elitism) of the 1920s with fancy cocktails and cigars. Ugh.
Anis Cafe & Bistro. Located in a cute house, it serves a blend of French and Mediterranean cuisine on a peaceful patio.

MIDTOWN

One of three city centers in Atlanta (between Downtown and Buckhead), Midtown has lots of tall buildings, 9-to-5 white-collar workers, and young people, often from the nearby Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech).

Go See:
Piedmont Park is one of the most iconic, beautiful parts of the city. Atlanta’s answer to Central Park (both were actually designed by the same person), Piedmont is huge and great for running, walking your dog, or just having a picnic and reading with a friend. Check out the nearby Midtown Art Cinema if you want to catch a flick afterward.
Flying Biscuit Cafe. It may not necessarily be the best breakfast in Atlanta, but you’ve got to go at least once. The original Flying Biscuit is in Candler Park (close to Emory), but the Midtown location has the best people-watching. Both have mouth- wateringly good biscuits and that sweet, sweet strawberry jam.
The culture. The High Museum, Atlanta’s biggest art museum with some good college nights, and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra are both located in Midtown’s Woodruff Art Center. Additionally, the Alliance Theatre and the Fox Theatre are nearby for stage performances. And if you like clubbing, Ponce’s MJQ offers the best Wednesday night out.

DOWNTOWN

Atlanta’s Downtown is in the midst of change. While parts have been often vacant after work hours are over, the heart of the city is being swept with new life as affordable housing crops up and as Georgia State University, the city’s biggest university located in the “concrete campus” of Downtown, keeps growing.

Places to Go While You’re There:
The Mammal Gallery. It’s a new, community-oriented performance space that hosts some killer (and cheap) live shows, as well as open mic nights, game nights, and art-focused events that welcome all types of people.
Anatolia CafeÌ & Hookah Lounge. Into hookah? Not? Doesn’t matter – Anatolia has both great Mediterranean food and good drinks and hookah, and it’s usually filled with other college students from around Atlanta. Meet people!
Downtown’s surrounding neighborhoods. They’re not on this list but, every neighborhood in Atlanta has something to offer. Like bars? Edgewood Avenue is probably the bar district in the city. Into coffee? Check out Condesa Coffee off of Boulevard Drive. Love nature? The Southwest Atlanta Beltline makes you forget you’re in a city with its hiking trails and urban forest.

– By Sonam Vashi, Executive Editor