East Atlanta
East Atlanta is the hot spot for Atlanta’s artsiest countercultural crew. If you’re one for witches, hippies, street performers, and vintage shopping, Little Five Points is a must-visit. Here, you can shop for vinyl at Criminal Records, Moods Music, or Wax ‘n’ Facts; vintage clothing at The Clothing Warehouse; secondhand streetwear at Rag-O-Rama; over-the-top costumes and fashion at Psycho Sisters; and crystals, tarot cards, and other witchy wares at Crystal Blue.
When it comes to nightlife, East Atlanta Village is the place to be. Mary’s has been the hip bar of choice for alt gays and self-proclaimed queers for several years. Proudly called East Atlanta’s gay dive bar, they host Mary-oke every Tuesday and Saturday evening and massive theme parties almost every weekend.
EAV is also the spot for live music. Check out local bands (and the edgy locals they attract) at 529 and The EARL. As for grub, check out Emerald City Bagels for yummy breakfast sammies and Gaja Korean Bar for dinner. This tucked-away spot is uber hip with a focused menu of traditional Korean dishes given a contemporary spin. If you want to look cool and in-the-know when taking out a date or some friends, it’s a great choice.
East Atlanta also consists of Candler Park, Kirkwood, and Reynoldstown. Some of the best spots in these neighborhoods include El Tesoro for Mexican food on an expansive and eclectic patio (expect long lines on the weekends!); Dulce Vegan for some vegan sandwiches and baked goods; Home Grown GA for a classic meat-and-three made with local ingredients; and Sun in My Belly for a delish breakfast.
If you’re looking for some fresh ingredients from local farmers, East Atlanta has some great farmers markets throughout the year: in EAV at the EAV Community Park every Thursday from 4-8pm from March 30 through November 16 and in Grant Park at The Beacon ATL on Sundays from 9am-1pm from January 8 through December 17. Learn more at cfmatl.org/markets.
Fun Facts
- Little Five Points gets its name from the five-pointed intersection between Moreland Avenue, Euclid Avenue, and Seminole Avenue at the center of the neighborhood.
- Know whose land you’re on: before East Atlanta Village was colonized, it was home to one of the Creek Nation tribes.
- East Atlanta first became annexed to the greater city of Atlanta in 1915, a decision residents voted on to gain fire protection and public education in the area.
- While it might be sizeable now, East Atlanta wasn’t always so big! During the 1890s, the town (not yet officially part of Atlanta) was home to just five businesses: a grocery store, blacksmith, feed and seed store, a livery stable, and a dry goods store.
- East Atlanta is the primary site of the Battle of Atlanta, which is considered to have sealed the fate of the Confederacy towards the end of the Civil War.
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