Great evening options in Atlanta this week
June 18, 2013 5:10 AM Subscribe
I'm in Atlanta for two and a half days for some training. I do not have a car, and I'm about a mile away from both the Buckhead and Lindbergh MARTA stations. I have the evening free after 5 PM today and tomorrow night. What are some good vegetarian-friendly dining options nearby or easily/safely accessible via public transit where a lone casually-dressed traveler wouldn't feel too weird? Is there a nice walkable neighborhood somewhere where I could wander alone, or go for a run? Any other good ideas for entertaining myself in the evening today and tomorrow?
I'm not sure where you are exactly in Buckhead, but should you be close, I can heartily recommend Cafe Sunflower on Peachtree.
posted by Kitteh at 5:24 AM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Kitteh at 5:24 AM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: If it helps, I'm staying at the Marriott Fairfield on Piedmont- the training is at the Atlanta International School on North Fulton Dr. I can take taxis as well but don't want to spend a ton of money doing that.
posted by charmedimsure at 5:31 AM on June 18, 2013
posted by charmedimsure at 5:31 AM on June 18, 2013
Best answer: I love the Buckhead Diner which is just down the street from you; not so much for the atmosphere but for the tasty food. Convenience wise it would be ideal, but I am not familiar with how vegetarian friendly their menu is. If you could get over to the Botanical Gardens - the Hotel might be able to help with that - I think that would be quite the treat, they are gorgeous this time of year, it'll be a much nicer walk than most neighborhoods you could find.
I travel to Atlanta a lot for business and my favorite restaurant there is probably Miller Union, which you'd need to take a cab to. If you go you should get the farm baked egg, it is ridiculous.
posted by lydhre at 5:42 AM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
I travel to Atlanta a lot for business and my favorite restaurant there is probably Miller Union, which you'd need to take a cab to. If you go you should get the farm baked egg, it is ridiculous.
posted by lydhre at 5:42 AM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
Best answer: Ah! Okay.
FWIW, you are practically on top of Ocean Prime, in fact, the Marriott is where they put up their visiting folks. It's a fish place and a steak house, but if you're into amazing sides, you can check it out. The bar is outrageously great. It's a bit spendy though.
The Buckhead Diner on Pharr has lots of lovely veggie options and is upscale, but still casual. It's more normally priced than Ocean Prime.
Now here's an idea that's going to sound mad to a vegetarian, but Fogo De Chao is also really close to you. It's a Brazillain Churrascaria place, but they'll have the massive salad bar and rice and beans and plantains.
As for the run, try Frankie Allen Park.
Have fun!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:44 AM on June 18, 2013
FWIW, you are practically on top of Ocean Prime, in fact, the Marriott is where they put up their visiting folks. It's a fish place and a steak house, but if you're into amazing sides, you can check it out. The bar is outrageously great. It's a bit spendy though.
The Buckhead Diner on Pharr has lots of lovely veggie options and is upscale, but still casual. It's more normally priced than Ocean Prime.
Now here's an idea that's going to sound mad to a vegetarian, but Fogo De Chao is also really close to you. It's a Brazillain Churrascaria place, but they'll have the massive salad bar and rice and beans and plantains.
As for the run, try Frankie Allen Park.
Have fun!
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:44 AM on June 18, 2013
Best answer: I was going to recommend Cafe Sunflower as well. As you may have noticed, vegetarian food is not as easy to come by in Atlanta as food full of bacon, but Cafe Sunflower will do you right.
For evening activity options, you're walkable to Oxford Comics and Games which is a pretty great comics and rpg/board games store, if you're interested in such things.
As for MARTA, I have to disagree with Ruthless Bunny. I regularly ride MARTA at night (7-11 pm), and it's generally pretty full of people, like not being able to get a seat on a train full of people--there are an awful lot of people who are coming home from working second shift, or taking night classes, or who are out for the evening who ride MARTA. I'm a perfectly non-threatening looking mid-30s white woman and I've never felt unsafe on a MARTA train or bus, including at night. In the area where you are, I would say that's only going to be more true--you're going to be sharing the bus or train with folks getting off work at the mall and Buckhead shops and restaurants.
The biggest problem with MARTA these days is that budget cuts have greatly increased the time between trains or buses (hence, the very full trains), so it's sadly not necessarily convenient. Google maps knows the bus and train schedules, so you can plan and not be stuck standing at a stop for 30 minutes, and there is also a MARTA phone app which theoretically will tell you when a bus will actually arrive.
posted by hydropsyche at 6:16 AM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
For evening activity options, you're walkable to Oxford Comics and Games which is a pretty great comics and rpg/board games store, if you're interested in such things.
As for MARTA, I have to disagree with Ruthless Bunny. I regularly ride MARTA at night (7-11 pm), and it's generally pretty full of people, like not being able to get a seat on a train full of people--there are an awful lot of people who are coming home from working second shift, or taking night classes, or who are out for the evening who ride MARTA. I'm a perfectly non-threatening looking mid-30s white woman and I've never felt unsafe on a MARTA train or bus, including at night. In the area where you are, I would say that's only going to be more true--you're going to be sharing the bus or train with folks getting off work at the mall and Buckhead shops and restaurants.
The biggest problem with MARTA these days is that budget cuts have greatly increased the time between trains or buses (hence, the very full trains), so it's sadly not necessarily convenient. Google maps knows the bus and train schedules, so you can plan and not be stuck standing at a stop for 30 minutes, and there is also a MARTA phone app which theoretically will tell you when a bus will actually arrive.
posted by hydropsyche at 6:16 AM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
As for MARTA, I have to disagree with Ruthless Bunny. I regularly ride MARTA at night (7-11 pm)
I was thinking specifically of the train, and specifically the train from Hartsfield to the Brookhaven Station. I've done it, and sometimes it's been great in that I've had neat conversations with interesting people, and sometimes it's just creepy.
I've never seen it crowded in the evenings. But that's me, and every ride is different.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:20 AM on June 18, 2013
I was thinking specifically of the train, and specifically the train from Hartsfield to the Brookhaven Station. I've done it, and sometimes it's been great in that I've had neat conversations with interesting people, and sometimes it's just creepy.
I've never seen it crowded in the evenings. But that's me, and every ride is different.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 6:20 AM on June 18, 2013
In addition to Cafe Sunflower there is R. Thomas on Peachtree. It's very eclectic, strangely adorned, and open 24 hours. They serve meat but have lots of vegetarian/vegan/health options. There is a bus that runs up and down Peachtree pretty often so if you want to ride the bus it's not bad at all.
There are plenty of restaurants in Atlanta that have excellent vegetarian/vegan options but not necessarily right there in the Buckhead area. I would say that almost all nicer Thai places have good options. And then also Indian, of course. There are a good number of Ethiopian restaurants in the very general area which also have good vegetarian options.
So while Atlanta doesn't have as many restaurants dedicated to vegetarian foods there are tons of restaurants that take the time and care enough to offer very good vegetarian choices. (I heap praise because right now I'm in a small town in East Texas and not only are there not any vegetarian restaurants but most of the restaurants offer nothing other than salad and beans cooked in pork.)
posted by bfootdav at 6:24 AM on June 18, 2013 [3 favorites]
There are plenty of restaurants in Atlanta that have excellent vegetarian/vegan options but not necessarily right there in the Buckhead area. I would say that almost all nicer Thai places have good options. And then also Indian, of course. There are a good number of Ethiopian restaurants in the very general area which also have good vegetarian options.
So while Atlanta doesn't have as many restaurants dedicated to vegetarian foods there are tons of restaurants that take the time and care enough to offer very good vegetarian choices. (I heap praise because right now I'm in a small town in East Texas and not only are there not any vegetarian restaurants but most of the restaurants offer nothing other than salad and beans cooked in pork.)
posted by bfootdav at 6:24 AM on June 18, 2013 [3 favorites]
Best answer: Do you like Indian food? Bhojanic has just opened a Buckhead location near Lenox Mall on the Buckhead MARTA station side and they have many tasty veggie options. Great drinks too. Great stuff, not gloppy buffet style but many fresh things, both bug & small plates.
I'm not a shill, just a very happy diner.
posted by pointystick at 9:17 AM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
I'm not a shill, just a very happy diner.
posted by pointystick at 9:17 AM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]
Seconding R Thomas for the food and the quirky atmosphere.
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 9:19 AM on June 18, 2013
posted by The Wrong Kind of Cheese at 9:19 AM on June 18, 2013
Anis
Short walk from your class. Don't know how sensitive you are about dining alone, but it's not a pick-up joint or anything like that. A favorite of mine.
posted by LonnieK at 12:08 PM on June 18, 2013
Short walk from your class. Don't know how sensitive you are about dining alone, but it's not a pick-up joint or anything like that. A favorite of mine.
posted by LonnieK at 12:08 PM on June 18, 2013
Response by poster: Thanks, all. Thoroughly enjoyed walking to dinner at the Buckhead Diner bar and Bhojanic, a hotel shuttle to the Botanical Gardens, a walk to the game store and drinks/dessert at Ocean Prime. I'm sure the other suggestions were awesome, too.
If only had I enjoyed the training a tenth as much this would have been a good trip. :)
posted by charmedimsure at 5:40 PM on June 19, 2013
If only had I enjoyed the training a tenth as much this would have been a good trip. :)
posted by charmedimsure at 5:40 PM on June 19, 2013
« Older In general, what does it feel like to be loved? | Group volunteer opportunities in Boston Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
That said, you're going to want to be more towards Buckhead and less towards Lindbergh in the evenings, although neither are what I'd call 'walkable'. Check with your hotel to see if they have a shuttle, often those folks will be happy to take you somewhere and bring you back.
It's a stumper because the places I'd recommend are either the Atlanta Fish Company or Ocean Prime (which is an upscale chain.)
As for MARTA, it doesn't bother me, but it's disquieting to be on it after rush hour. There aren't a lot of folks and if you get a weirdo in your car it can be uncomfortable.
Where exactly are you going to be? Buckhead spans miles and miles and it's a big difference between the Ritz Carlton across from Lenox and Phipps and some place down more towards Pharr.
posted by Ruthless Bunny at 5:19 AM on June 18, 2013 [1 favorite]