Overview
Midtown is a major financial and residential district of Atlanta, and an area for dining and nightlife. In other words, it is an area to work, live, and play, with many sites and activities.
11 sights · 4 things to do · 25 places to eat · 15 bars & cafés · 12 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Midtown
Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking
Located on campus at Georgia Tech.
Piedmont Park
Founded in 1904 and comprising more than 180 acres. The park features woods, sports fields, Lake Clara Meer, picnic spots, walking and skating paths and annual events including the Atlanta Dogwood Festival and Bark in th…
Atlanta Botanical Gardens
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-r…
Fox Theatre
A fabulous and historic Moorish style cinema and theater dating from the 1920s and now designated a National Historic Landmark.
High Museum of Art
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…
Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)
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 w…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Mar–May, Sep–Nov. Summer highs reach about 90°F; winter lows dip to about 36°F. Very hot (Jul) — plan outdoor time for mornings. Wettest: Jul and Mar. (climate data from nearby Metro Atlanta)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- ATL Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Atlanta — 9 mi away (major hub). Directions
- PDK DeKalb Peachtree Airport, Atlanta — 10 mi away. Directions
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.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Typical meal: about $12 per person at listed restaurants.
Options are grouped as Budget, Mid-range, Splurge in the Sleep guide ↓.
Sample 3-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Museum of Contemporary Art of Georgia, Center for Puppetry Arts, Rhodes Hall
- Lunch Establishment
- Afternoon Federal Reserve Bank Money Museum, William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum
- Dinner Willy's Mexicana Grill
- Evening High Note Rooftop Bar
Day 2
- Morning Atlanta Botanical Gardens, Fox Theatre, High Museum of Art
- Lunch Eats
- Afternoon Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA), Margaret Mitchell House and Museum
- Dinner J.R. Crickets
- Evening Cypress Street Pint and Place
Day 3
- Morning Atlanta Contemporary Art Center
- Lunch Empire State South
- Afternoon Robert C. Williams Museum of Papermaking
- Dinner Steamhouse Lounge
- Evening 11th Street Pub
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Midtown is a large commercial and residential neighborhood of Atlanta directly in between Downtown and Atlanta/Buckhead. 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 restaurants, bars, high-rise apartments, and condominiums, creating an urban living experience. While urban, the epicenter of Midtown is the 180-acre Piedmont Park.
Midtown is one of Atlanta's largest art districts and has the highest density of art and cultural institutions in the Southeast. Some of these include the Woodruff Arts Center, the High Museum of Art, and the Fox Theatre. Midtown is also the site of major artistic events such as Music Midtown and the Atlanta Dogwood Festival.
Inhabitants of Midtown typically include students from nearby Georgia Tech University and young professionals in their 20's and 30's who come from all over the country/world. As a result, Midtown is one of Atlanta's most diverse neighborhoods in the city. Midtown also has a thriving LGBTQ scene.
Get in
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.
See
See Atlanta Botanical Gardens
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.
See High Museum of Art
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.
See Museum of Design Atlanta (MODA)
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.
See Margaret Mitchell House and Museum
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.
Do
Do Center for Puppetry Arts
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.
Do Piedmont Park
Founded in 1904 and comprising more than 180 acres. The park features woods, sports fields, Lake Clara Meer, picnic spots, walking and skating paths and annual events including the Atlanta Dogwood Festival and Bark in the Park.
Do Shakespeare Tavern Playhouse
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.
Buy
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.
Eat
Budget
Eat Fat Matt's Rib Shack
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.
Eat J.R. Crickets
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).
Eat The Varsity
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 an 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.
Eat Willy's Mexicana Grill
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).
Eat Taco Mac
Local bar chain featuring rotating taps and excellent wings. Multiple locations throughout Atlanta.
Eat Eats
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.
Eat Rreal Tacos
Fast-casual Mexican restaurant, owned by Chef Adrian Villarreal. Features authentic tacos, along with sides and rotating specials.
Eat Zocalo Mexican Kitchen & Cantina
Casual Mexican restaurant near Piedmont Park.
Mid-range
Eat Mary Mac's Tea Room
A landmark of old Atlanta cooking, this meat-and-three on Ponce has become an old Atlanta institution.
Eat Flying Biscuit Cafe
Serves 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.
Eat Cypress Street Pint and Plate
Nice burger and beer place with pub food and a good beer selection.
Eat Pasta da Pulcinella
Great little Italian restaurant.
Eat Babs
Amazing brunch spot with some creative dishes and exceptionally friendly service. Cute, cozy spot as well.
Eat Cafe Intermezzo
European-style restaurant that offers 800+ beverages and 70+ pastries along with an extensive breakfast, brunch, lunch, and dinner menu.
Eat Bulla Gastrobar
Spanish tapas spot with a large event space upstairs
Eat Olive Bistro
Mediterranean joint with occasional live music, trivia, and stand-up events.
Eat Cafe Lucia
Quaint coffee shop and eatery near Piedmont Park. Dutch coffee is their specialty cold brew.
Eat Steamhouse Lounge
Casual gulf-inspired seafood restaurant and bar specializing in oysters and lobster dishes. Each year they host the "Oysterfest" food festival right down the road from their location.
Eat Silverlake Ramen
LA-style Ramen spot. Has a large selection of Sake & a full bar.
Splurge
Eat Nan Thai Restaurant
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.
Eat South City Kitchen
South City Kitchen provides an accurate reflection of contemporary new Southern cuisine with a sophisticated spin.
Eat Empire State South
Empire State South is another promising option for those seeking contemporary Southern cuisine.
Eat Ecco
Great contemporary American food and cuisine with "European-inspired" influences with especially nice atmosphere inside, a large wine list, and some interesting cocktail selections,
Eat Establishment
Upscale restaurant/lounge serving craft cocktails and small American-style plates. Has an interesting and unique rustic-chic, antebellum-influenced decor.
Eat Tabla
High-end and authentic Indian restaurant.
Drink
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.
Drink Park Tavern
Hand-crafted beers, $1 pints when it rains, and live music events.
Drink Twisted Taco
Tasty Tex-Mex, margarita pitchers and late-night snacks.
Drink 11th Street Pub
Midtown's well-loved neighborhood dive bar. Open late into the night. Also serves bar food during the day. Big gathering spot to watch Braves, Hawks, Falcons, and Atlanta United games.
Drink McCray's Tavern
Lively sports bar with two levels. One of the best places in Midtown to watch a game - known for their great food and cheap game-day drink specials.
Drink The Nook
Neighborhood bar right across the street from Piedmont Park. Has a fun outdoor space. The Nook is known for its large fishbowl drinks and tater tots with toppings. This is also a Michigan State bar.
Drink High Note Rooftop Bar
Poolside rooftop bar and lounge positioned between the Moxy Midtown Hotel and AC Atlanta Hotel.
Drink Anguished Barber
This place is not just a barbershop, but it also doubles as a full on bar on its own. In one room there is a bar with a cool old school/classic vibe, and in the next room there is a full on barbershop. And yes, you do have access to the full bar if you decide to get your haircut there!
Drink Cypress Street Pint and Place
Casual watering hole by Georgia Tech's campus. Inexpensive and great for happy hour. The patio area gets very lively on nice days.
Drink Orpheus Brewing
Well-established local brewery nestled within Piedmont Park. Offers brewery tours and has a fun taproom/porch. Orpheus brews all kinds of beer, but if you like sour beer this is the place for you.
Clubs
Drink Compound
An Atlanta hotspot.
Drink Domaine
A club inside what used to be Atlanta's Opera house, renovated with bigger dance floors, second-floor opera boxes and a new DJ booth. Formerly known as Opera until 2019.
Gay and lesbian
Midtown is the heart of gay life in Atlanta, particularly centered around the corner of 10th and Piedmont/Juniper.
Drink Blake's on the Park
Serves gay southern hospitality like no other with two levels serving food, DJs and drag shows.
Drink Bulldog Bar
A Midtown institution that draws a largely African-American crowd.
Drink Oscar's
Glam Midtown bar offers a throwback to old Hollywood.
Drink My Sister's Room
Lesbian nightspot in a 2-story setting featuring local beer, dancing, live shows & a pub menu.
Sleep
Budget
Mid-range
Splurge
Nearby
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