The Resy Guide to Eating Near Atlanta’s Parks & Green Spaces

Ansley Park, Piedmont Heights, Midtown Atlanta, Virginia Highland

Let’s start at the beginning of what’s become one of the most popular and beloved outdoor features of the entire city (and one that’s going to be mentioned here quite a bit): The BeltLine.

A sustainable redevelopment project built along a historic 22-mile railroad corridor that wraps around the heart of Atlanta, it currently has eight open segments connecting roughly 40 neighborhoods. In the next few years, it’ll continue wrapping around until it encompasses the central city.

However, the Eastside Trail, where the BeltLine starts, includes other awesome parks well worth visiting: Piedmont Park, which has been the central park of and gathering place for the city since the late 1800s; and the interconnected Ansley, McClatchey, and Winn Parks. Check those out, or just mosey around the Atlanta Botanical Garden right on the north end of Piedmont if the Active Oval sounds too strenuous.

For after-activity eats, pop into Politan Row (where Jojo’s Beloved Cocktail Lounge is hidden) at Colony Square, where an upscale food court offers plenty of come-as-you-are options. Varuni Napoli, a Hit List favorite, is also a no-fuss, high-quality, post-workout stop, especially when the walk-up window is open for on-the-go spritz and pies, and Recess offers plenty of healthy-casual options if you want to keep that theme going.

Prefer to grab a seat? Make plans for an outdoor table at B.O.T./Bar of Thailand for chicken satay and stir-fried noodles. And if you have a chance to clean up and want to fully decompress from your day outdoors, see if you can get a table at Octopus Kitchen for grilled seafood and fun cocktails at dinner.

Old Fourth Ward, Inman Park, Little Five Points

A lot of people choose to hop onto the BeltLine from Ponce City Market, and it’s a good call — it’s the most established and popping section of it. Plus, there are a lot of stop-off food spots peppering it, so no need to pack trail snacks. For instance, you can make your way down from there toward Historic Old Fourth Ward Park (where the annual Atlanta Food & Wine Festival takes place) and its pleasant, less populated paths, and break the day up at Buena Vida Tapas Bar.

Keep going to hit the Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark, and continue south on the Eastside Trail to hit the exceptional original Delbar Middle Eastern for excellent breads, spreads, grilled meat and the chef’s slow-braised lamb with onion, saffron, cinnamon, and garlic. Alternatively, veer west on the Freedom Park Trail that heads deeper into O4W. If you’re hitting the trails early, take that one to pass Bomb Biscuit Co. for a hearty brunch to continue the journey with. If it’s later in the day, see if you can sync up to happy hour at Ladybird Grove & Mess Hall or Kevin Rathbun Steak — they’re across the trail from one another. Granted, Rathburn’s place is a classy stop, but the patio is lower key.

Another option is to have an early dinner here, then go for a stroll. If that sounds more up your trail, Sotto Sotto and Bread & Butterfly are both only about a block or two off the Freedom Park Trail to BeltLine Connecter Trail most commonly used to get to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and Museum.

However, if you’re trying to end up at one of the main markets that punctuate this part of the BeltLine, Krog Street Market offers Ticonderoga Club for what will be much-needed refreshment, and at Ponce City Market, City Winery Atlanta & Wine Bar can slake your thirst. Also at Ponce, there’s Pinky Cole’s Bar Vegan for plant-based belly-fillers.

Downtown, Centennial District, Hotel District, Castleberry Hill

The main greenspace here is Centennial Olympic Park, a 22-acre area with fountains and attractions that make it a must for visitors. Every out-of-towner wants to stand in front of the logo of the Games, take a selfie in front of World of Coca-Cola, see the Mercedes-Benz Stadium, or even just ride the SkyView Ferris wheel. And the Georgia Aquarium isn’t a park, per se, but you can certainly get your steps in. So go ahead and be a visitor, even if you’re local.

After a couple of laps around the park or aquarium, walk up to Der Biergarten for a couple of laps from their wide variety of German beer that you can enjoy on a elevated patio. If you’d like to see the area from even higher, see if you can score a table at Cajun/Tex-Mex Dos Bocas; they hold seats 30 days in advance if you book on Resy. If you’ve ended up near the stadium, kick back at Wild Leap Atlanta, a multi-level space serving beer and spirits featuring their own distillations. Or stop by Old Lady Gang, of Real Housewives of Atlanta fame. After all, if you’re playing the role of tourist, why not?

Grant Park, Reynoldstown, Cabbagetown, Summerhill, Sweet Auburn

There are two major parks here that are well worth wandering off the BeltLine for when it splits off at the famous Krog Street Tunnel. Grant Park is the obvious one — not only is it the oldest surviving city park in the A, but there are also 131.5 acres of trails, paths, fields, and wildlife to discover. And best of all, part of that wildlife are the precious creatures living at Zoo Atlanta, including one of the last pandas still in this country (pending return to China at the end of 2024).

Start your day with spectacular brunches and coffee at Poach Social just a few blocks away in Summerhill to keep you energized for the hours to come. Cap it off with a reservable outdoor table at Talat Market — the brick-and-mortar follow-up to their nationally recognized former Candler Park pop-up, it’s well worth planning ahead for. Make note of how close Southern National is to this park, too, for future reference when you’re not in athleisure and instead dressed to impress.

Then there’s Oakland Cemetery, which (stay with us!) is actually Atlanta’s oldest public park and abundant with meticulously maintained gardens, ancient oak and magnolia trees, sculptures, and more. In fact, it’s so beautiful that it hosts many a (respectful) public event, picnic, and wedding each year, and you’ll see plenty of dog-walkers and joggers clocking in their miles alongside you. But before you do all that, do stop in at another Hit List favorite, Little Tart Bakeshop’s expansive location — it’s right across the street, and perfect for exquisite pastries to snack on while admiring the park.

From here, it’s easy to head to neighborhoods north, like JenChan’s, whose casual, all-welcome attitude makes this international mash-up and local favorite perfect for a post-activity feast of Chinese food (don’t miss the shu mai dumplings). But if all that’s required is a cool-down, try Slush Restaurant & Bar for frozen cocktails, tapas, and hookah, or CRU Edgewood for more of the same. But like with Southern National, earmark the new Auburn Angel — the former Thelma’s Rib Shack way-glowed-up replacement — for a return visit to this neighborhood.

Buckhead, Peachtree Heights, Peachtree Hills, Tuxedo Park, Lenox, Chastain Park

Jump onto Path400 Greenway if you’re in this neighborhood, a 5.2-mile trail that parallels the highway of the same name but certainly doesn’t feel like it. Meant to eventually connect to the BeltLine and trails in Sandy Springs, it’s already conveniently close to Blue Heron Nature Preserve, which has a 3-mile Blueway trail that cuts through 30 acres of wetlands, meadows, woodlands, and water’s edge habitats for all of the park’s protected critters.

The nearby dining is as aesthetic and well cared-for as these public spaces; some of the area’s best options include Brush Sushi, Pata Negra, Prefecture Japanese Steakhouse, Lucian Books & Wine, and Aria, which means that joggers and tank tops won’t cut it. But as a tony neighborhood, casual non-chain eats are a bit harder to come by. This makes Roshambo even more of a treasure. This all-day venue is a thoughtful step up from the diners of the Northeast it’s modeled after, while keeping that accessible, no-fuss vibe.

Troy Chastain Memorial Park (more colloquially called by its neighborhood name, Chastain Park), is a few minutes out from central Buckhead, which gives it 268 acres to spread out over with trails, ponds, playgrounds, and more. This is where you’ll find The Chastain, which is literally right on top of the park with sweeping views and a cozy, home-like view. Make a reservation for brunch or lunch here for before your park walk.

Westside, West Midtown, Howell Station, Blandtown, West Highlands, Grove Park

Westside has been growing by leaps and bounds, and the completion of Westside Park and Westside Reservoir Park is for sure a factor. The plan is to connect it to the BeltLine’s Westide Trail and Proctor Creek Greenway, but this newest and largest addition to the city’s greenspace is already a star on its own, especially for modern considerations like ADA-accessible trails to the overlook for views of the reservoir and Atlanta skyline.

While you may need to drive for your before-or-after eats, with plenty of parking all throughout this area, it’s an easy one. Twisted Soul Cookhouse and Pours is just across the train tracks, less than a mile from the parking lot. In literally five minutes by car, you can be noshing at counter service marketplace Star Provisions, which is owned by and connected to the legends of Bacchanalia. In seven, you can be replenishing your carbs at Humble Pie (or carb-loading since they do offer daily lunch and weekend brunch!). And in 12, you can be sitting at Boone’s, comparing the manicured greens of Westside Reservoir Park against those of the Bobby Jones Golf Course along Tanyard Creek on the very edge of Buckhead.

Morningside-Lenox Park, Woodland Hills, Biltmore Acres, Victoria Estates, Emory

There are several unexpected but great pockets of outdoors to get into on this side of town that’s almost directly north of Freedom Park and east of Buckhead. The first and most well established is the Morningside Nature Preserve, a forested tract with a scenic creek that started as a community effort by residents to protect its 33 acres in 2001. Now, with two trails and an unofficial dog beach, it’s a neighborhood gem.

Just up the road is the city’s newest greenway, the Peachtree Creek Greenway, whose first section was only completed in 2019. With a completed model mile, three trails, and ample parking with bike repair stations, it’s a lovely promise of great things to come, since it’ll eventually connect to Atlanta, Chamblee, Unincorporated DeKalb County, and Doraville via the BeltLine and Path400, in addition to its current location to Brookhaven.

Between those years, this area saw the establishment of Zonolite Park, which was once a high-hazard industrial waste site that’s now become a natural haven with a pond, meadow, and its miraculously, fully cleaned-up original creek. It’s this space and the sound of its happy birds and frogs that caught Kevin Gillespie’s attention for his highly-anticipated new spot inspired by his Scottish roots, Nàdair Restaurant, which is worth bringing a change of clothes for after you’re done with the park. Then to the south, Daniel Johnson Nature Preserve and Herbert Taylor Park offer an old-growth hickory beech forest and 40 acres of wildlife habitats, native plants, and a mile-long trail.

From any of these, The General Muir Emory Point is just around the corner and should be both your pre- and post-walk stop. This Southern-style Jewish deli has freshly-baked pastries to grab on the go, and hearty sandwiches on housemade bread, peppery pastrami, and all-day breakfast you’ll want to sit down with after you’ve given yourself a leg day on the trails.

Going Outside, Outside the Perimeter

This is a long list, but it only covers some of the main parks of the city with the best access to our favorite spots. But just OTP, “outside” the 285 loop, the list goes on and on.

Near Roswell, bookmark Vickery Creek Park, Riverside Park, and the Island Ford and Allenbrook Units of the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area. You’ll find good daytime eats to be had at brunch fave Fellows Cafe, Lola’s Burger & Tequila Bar, and after 4 p.m., at North End Kitchen and Bar.

Follow the Chattahoochee River National Area into Sandy Springs, East Cobb, and Smyrna and you’ll hit the plethora of choices at City Springs and The Battery (Garden & Gun Club, the Ph’East food court), both of which are far from each other but close to different access points.

In the next set of cities over, you’ll find Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park. You can start in Marietta using the Mountain to River Trail where it picks up downtown just off Marietta Square, the quaint area Spring and Spring 2^nd Branch call home. It’s quite a way, then another 2,965 acres of exploration away from your starting point, but you can stop at its base and get a hearty breakfast at Base Camp. Alternatively, hike any of recommended trails or loops, then drive into Kennesaw’s Town Center to get your protein fix at another Hit List spot, 3+3 Lanzhou Ramen or The Rotisserie Shop.

Finally, Sweetwater Creek State Park, where the “Hunger Games” movies were filmed (you’ll recognize the ruins of the mill) is only 25 minutes away from Downtown and Midtown Atlanta. From there, just head back into town, where the city’s best restaurants are at your smartphone-equipped fingertips.