Atlanta/Midtown

Midtown is a large area of Atlanta immediately north of Downtown. The skyscraper district aligns Peachtree Street. To the east of Peachtree Street is Piedmont Park, and to the west is Spring Street and West Peachtree Street. This area is rapidly growing with new high-rise apartments and condominiums, creating an urban living experience.

Midtown is where Interstate 75 and Interstate 85 join a single corridor of I-75/85, also known as the Downtown Connector. Midtown can also be accessed by MARTA trains and several bus routes. Both the red and gold lines (the North-South lines) of the MARTA rail stop at three stations in Midtown: North Avenue Station (N3), Midtown Station (N4), and Arts Center Station (N5). MARTA bus 110, "the Peach," runs North-South on Peachtree Street through the entire length of Midtown (connecting to Downtown to the South and Buckhead to the North), running approximately every 15 or 30 minutes depending on the time of day.
Atlantic Station is accessible by a free shuttle provided that departs from the MARTA Arts Center Station approximately every 5-15 minutes. The MARTA Bus Route #113 also serves Atlantic Station. By car, from Interstate 75/85 Northbound exit at 14th Street, from Interstate 75 Southbound exit at 16th Street, and from Interstate 85 Southbound exit at 17th Street.

• Atlanta Botanical Gardens

  phone: +1 404 876-5859
  address: 1345 Piedmont Ave. NE
  This peaceful oasis includes 30 acres of garden, an urban forest, wildflower trails, the Dorothy Chapman Fuqua Conservatory and a 10,000 square-foot Fuqua Orchid Center. The Garden also offers visitors a wealth of year-round special events, exhibits, and educational workshops.

• Fox Theatre

  phone: +1 404 881-2000
  address: 660 Peachtree St, NE
  A fabulous and historic Moorish style cinema and theater dating from the 1920s and now designated a National Historic Landmark.

• High Museum of Art

  phone: +1 404 733-HIGH
  address: 1280 Peachtree St, NE
  The High Museum of Art is one of the leading art museums in the South, where visitors can see a variety of works from 19th and 20th century American, European, African and African-American artists, as well as decorative arts, photography, and modern and contemporary art.

• Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)

  address: 1315 Peachtree Street, NE
  A small, but densely packed museum. Offers various rotating design exhibits that are quite good. Check the website for regular special events, including "Drink in Design" Thursdays where the museum opens in the evening with special talks, drinks, and music.

• Atlanta Contemporary Art Center

  address: 535 Means Street NW
  Rotating contemporary art exhibitions. Check the website for closures due to installation.

• Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia (MOCA GA)

  address: 75 Bennett Street, Suite A2
  Hosts both a permanent collection and temporary exhibitions with a focus on artists from the state of Georgia.

• William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum

  phone: +1 678 222-3700
  address: 1440 Spring St, NW
  Through its exhibitions, publications, and resources, the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum of the Atlanta Jewish Federation explores Jewish heritage in general and as it relates to other cultures and religions.

• Margaret Mitchell House and Museum

  phone: +1 404 249-7015
  address: 990 Peachtree St
  A museum dedicated to Margaret Mitchell, the author of Gone with the Wind featuring her original home where she lived from 1925 to 1932 and wrote her Pulitzer Prize-winning novel. Those looking for a more complete Gone with the Wind experience should check out the Gone with the Wind Museum in Marietta.

• Rhodes Hall

  phone: +1 404-885-7800
  address: 1516 Peachtree Street, NW

• Federal Reserve Bank Money Museum

  address: 1000 Peachtree Street, N.E.

• Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking

  address: 500 10th Street NW

• Center for Puppetry Arts

  phone: +1 404-873-3391
  address: 1404 Spring St. NW
  The Center for Puppetry Arts is the largest organization in North America dedicated to the art of puppetry. Located in Midtown, the center offers performances from the Family Series for everyone and New Directions for adults. An interactive museum, Puppets: The Power of Wonder, is the largest puppetry museum in the United States.

• Georgia Institute of TechnologyVisit the Georgia Tech campus to watch the Yellow Jackets play a football or basketball game, attend a robotics competition, or check out the latest showing at the Ferst Center of the Arts.

• Piedmont ParkFounded in 1904 and comprising more than 180 acres, Piedmont Park is situated between 10th Street and Piedmont Avenue in Midtown. The park features woods, sports fields, Lake Clara Meed, picnic spots, walking and skating paths and annual events including the Atlanta Dogwood Festival and Bark in the Park.

• Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse

  phone: +1 404 874-5299
  address: 499 Peachtree St, NE
  They tout themselves as "a place out of time" which only begins to describe the atmosphere at the Shakespeare Tavern. Live music, hand-crafted period costumes, and outrageous sword fights sweep the visitor into the passion and poetry of the spoken word. An authentic British Pub Menu and a broad selection of British and Irish ales and premium brews will help keep your physical soul nourished as well.

Midtown has stores catering to young urban professionals and to the gay crowd, including hip furniture stores and a few trendy clothing boutiques. The city has planned the "Midtown Mile," a mile-long retail shopping district on Peachtree Street, and retail shops are popping up all over midtown, seemingly on a weekly basis. A few notable stores are:

• Fab'rik

  phone: +1 404 881-8223
  address: 1114 W Peachtree St.
  Adorable clothes for men and women at affordable prices.

• Twelve

  phone: +1 404 541-2357
  address: 860 Peachtree St, Ste F.
  Unique gift shop carrying a mix of original artwork, home accessories, handbags, and handcrafted jewelry.

Budget

• Fat Matt's Rib Shack

  phone: +1 404-607-1622
  address: 1811 Piedmont Ave
  Tourist-favorite BBQ destination located toward the Midtown side of the industrial section of town between Midtown and Buckhead where heaping portions of cheap ribs and chicken are served up in a literal shack.

• Joe's on Juniper

  phone: +1 404 875-6634
  address: 1049 Juniper St
  Fun bar and grill blaring 80s music with energetic gay servers (though clientele is mixed) and juicy burgers.

• J.R. Crickets

  phone: +1 404-881-1950
  address: 129 North Ave NE
  Their status as "best wings in Georgia" is debatable — they're definitely more "homestyle" than "gourmet", if that helps swing your vote — but they're probably the most well-known. Their new location (after a 2013 fire destroyed the old one) is brighter and more spacious, but retains the dive bar feel that makes J.R. Crickets so characterful. The traditional order used to be plain buffalo wings (hot, medium, or mild; get them "swimming" in extra sauce for $0.75). Thanks to a very quotable scene from the popular TV show Atlanta, the new popular order is "lemon pepper wet" (actually a questionable combination of buffalo sauce and lemon pepper seasoning).

• Las Palmeras

  phone: +1 404 872-0846
  address: 368 5th St
  Charming local Cuban favorite tucked away in a residential neighborhood.

• Spoon

  phone: +1 404 522-5655
  address: 768 Marietta St
  Authentic Thai food in a classy setting.

• The Varsity

  phone: +1 404 881-1706
  address: 61 North Ave
  As the world's largest drive-in restaurant, to some people the Varsity is the last bastion of chili cheese dogs and onion rings, staying true to their heritage with their brusque "What'll ya have?" greeting. To others, it's a overrated place that serves greasy, heartburn-inducing food on a dodgy street corner troubled by thugs and panhandlers. But everyone agrees that the F.O. (Frosted Orange, a sort of orange creamsicle slushie) is unbeatable.

• Willy's Mexicana Grill

  phone: +1 404 249-9054
  address: 1071 Piedmont Ave
  This Atlanta chain serves California-style burritos that are rolled up in front of you and has a popular outdoor seating section (where it is not uncommon to see dogs leashed to the tables).

• Taco MacLocal bar chain featuring rotating taps and excellent wings. Multiple locations throughout Atlanta.

• Eats

  address: 600 Ponce de Leon Avenue
  This is in a nearby neighborhood, between Poncey Highlands and Midtown, but sort of in a grey area. Cheap ($8 meat and three veg with cornbread included), amazing, Caribbean-leaning soul food. Get the jerk chicken or the chicken chili, as those are their most distinctive dishes. Go for a ginger beer as well if you get the jerk chicken.

• Rreal Tacos

  phone: +1-404-458-5887
  address: 6th Street NE, Suite 110
  Fast-casual Mexican restaurant, owned by Chef Adrian Villarreal. Features authentic tacos, along with sides and rotating specials.

Mid-range

• RA Sushi, 1080 Peachtree Street #8. A trendy, lounge-like sushi restaurant great for its inventive sushi rolls and cocktails. Has a great outdoor patio and excellent happy hour deals.

• Baraonda

  address: Peachtree and 3rd St
  This little Italian restaurant just a few steps away from the Fox Theatre offers some of the best pastas and gourmet thin-crust pizzas in town.

• Mary Mac's Tea Room

  address: 224 Ponce De Leon Ave NE
  A landmark of old Atlanta cooking, this meat-and-three on Ponce has become an old Atlanta institution.

• Flying Biscuit CafeServes breakfast all day everyday and famous for brunch. Great place for kosher and vegetarian eaters as they have no beef or pork products - just free-range chicken, "soysauge", and turkey bacon. Long waits on the weekend so get there early when they open at 7AM.

• Cypress Street Pint and Plate

  address: 817 West Peachtree Street
  Nice burger and beer place with pub food and a good beer selection.

• Pasta da Pulcinella

  address: 1123 Peachtree Walk
  Great little Italian restaurant.

• Babs

  address: 814 Juniper Street
  Amazing brunch spot with some creative dishes and exceptionally friendly service. Cute, cozy spot as well.

Splurge

• Nan Thai Restaurant

  phone: +1 404 873-7358
  address: 1350 Spring St, NW
  One of the most beautifully appointed restaurants in the city, where sexy Asian servers attend to elegantly-dressed couples and businessmen. The food served up by the husband and wife chef team of Charlie and Nan Niyomkul, who run both Nan and its more casual sister restaurant, Tamarind, is a favorite of many celebrities, including Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, and Brooke Shields.

• South City Kitchen

  phone: +1 404 873-7358
  address: 1144 Crescent Ave
  South City Kitchen provides an accurate reflection of contemporary new Southern cuisine with a sophisticated spin. The restaurant is consistently recognized for its award-winning food, wine list and service including being listed in the top 10 of Atlanta’s best 100 restaurants by Jezebel Magazine as well as Best Restaurant in Midtown by Atlanta Magazine.

• Empire State South

  address: 999 Peachtree Street
  Empire State South is another promising option for those seeking contemporary Southern cuisine.

• Ecco

  address: 40 7th Street
  Great contemporary American food and cuisine with “European-inspired” influences with especially nice atmosphere inside, a large wine list, and some interesting cocktail selections,

Midtown is the destination for trendsetters and fashionistas, though due to increasing pressures to keep the area more upscale and to reduce noise at night, the legislature has begun to enact ordinances which have had the result of pushing club activity downtown. Several bars and clubs are within hopping-distance of one another on Crescent Street, and others are scattered about the area.

• Park TavernRelax on the largest patio in Midtown, bordering Piedmont Park. This popular spot offers hand-crafted beers, $1 pints when it rains and live music events.

• Twisted TacoTasty Tex-Mex, margarita pitchers and late-night snacks.

• Loca LunaKnown for its Latin influenced house band, tropical decor and diverse Brazilian menu, including 30 different tapas.

• Smithe's Olde BarLaid-back bar and music venue that has showcased great musicians before they became famous; features a MTV Unplugged-like circular stage.

• Churchill GroundsSerious live jazz, laid-back locals, and a knowledgeable bartender makes this bar worth visiting.

Clubs

• Ravine. Midtown's newest club which opened in 2018. Often hosts big name DJs such as Steve Aoki.

• CompoundAn Atlanta hotspot and was voted by aolcityguide.com as the “Best Dance Club in Atlanta 2006,” and “Best Conversation Bar” by cityguide.com.

• CosmoLavaA three-level club with a VIP floor, a dancing floor and cocktail lounge floor, offering the most intimate spot to relax in town.

• Leopard LoungeHere guests can enjoy the patio area for mingling with Atlanta’s party crowd. Popular among the early 20s crowd.

• OperaA unique club inside what used to be Atlanta's Opera house. The new and improved Opera boasts a $2 million renovation with bigger dance floors, second-floor opera boxes and a new DJ booth.

• PrimalA large club with a variety of rooms, including a stage area for live music, the Guitar Bar, and the Sky Bar at the top.

• Sutra LoungeSexual and seductive lounge for singles to mingle and flirt.

Gay and Lesbian

Midtown is arguably the heart of gay life in Atlanta, particularly centered around the corner of 10th and Piedmont/Juniper.

• Blake's on the Park

  phone: +1 404 892-5786
  address: 227 10th St
  Serves gay southern hospitality like no other with two levels serving food, DJs and drag shows.

• Bulldog Bar

  phone: +1 404 872-3025
  address: 893 Peachtree St, NE
  A Midtown institution that draws a largely African-American crowd.

• Oscar's

  phone: +1 404 874-7748
  address: 1510 Piedmont Ave, NE
  Glam Midtown bar offers a throwback to old Hollywood.

Budget

Mid-range

• Crowne Plaza Atlanta - Midtown

  address: 590 West Peachtree St NW

• Hotel Indigo

  phone: +1 404 874-9200
  address: 683 Peachtree St, NE
  Hip midtown hotel with nouveau New England decor across from the Fox Theatre and close to the MARTA train. Includes events like a doggie happy hour.

• Twelve Hotel

  phone: +1 404 961-1212
  address: 361 17th St, NW
  Located in Atlantic Station, this sleek, contemporary all-suite hotel features stainless steel appliances and LCD televisions, and is located amidst the Atlantic Station shopping district. WiFi, 24-hour room service, and swimming pool.

• Regency Suites Hotel

  address: 975 West Peachtree St
  A boutique hotel in the heart of midtown with a mix of European charm and down-home southern hospitality.

• Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center

  phone: +1 404 347-9440
  address: 800 Spring St, NW
  Located in the pedestrian-friendly area of Midtown on Tech Square surrounded by shops and restaurants. Features extensive state-of-the-art meeting and conference facilities.

Splurge

• Four Seasons Hotel Atlanta

  phone: +1 404 881-9898
  address: 75 14th St, NE
  This luxurious Midtown hotel is in the lower third of the GLG Grand tower and within walking distance of Piedmont Park.

• Georgian Terrace Hotel

  phone: +1 404 897-1991
  address: 659 Peachtree St, NE
  Southern charm abounds at this grandly-appointed historical hotel across from the Fox Theatre.

• W Atlanta Midtown

  phone: +1 404 892-6000
  address: 188 14th St, NE
  This new hotel offers luxury rooms with post-modern decor, and a short walk to Piedmont Park and numerous pubs, bars, and clubs.

• Hyatt Atlanta Midtown

  phone: +1 404 443-1234
  address: 125 10th Street NE
  The Hyatt Atlanta Midtown is a luxury hotel in Midtown Atlanta adjacent to 10th Street Park.

• Stonehurst Place

  phone: +1 404-881-0722
  address: 923 Piedmont Ave NE
  Stonehurst Place is a luxury boutique hotel and bed and breakfast in Midtown Atlanta. The hotel features six suites, and wedding facilities.