Over the last several years, West Midtown has slowly been reinventing itself. While it was once known for being mainly industrial (like a large portion of Atlanta), it's now taking on a more trendier and urban vibe. And with it recently being ranked by Niche as a 2018 Best Neighborhoods for Millennials in the Atlanta Area, I definitely understand the interest.
West Midtown is about a 10 minute drive from Atlanta and centralizes on an artisan vibe, so you'll find plenty of shops with local craftsmanship items. Although I was only visiting for a few days, I really enjoyed taking the time to explore on foot as the walkability of the area was fantastic. Another bonus? There was a free parking garage located in the Westside Provisions District. This district housed dozens of shops, restaurants and relaxing areas to hangout.
West Midtown is currently undergoing changes as they work to revamp themselves even more. I was visiting Atlanta for work and while I was in West Midtown, I noticed signs for The Interlock. The Interlock is a mixed-use project coming soon that plans to have a boutique hotel, office space, storefronts and more. The renderings for this project looked very contemporary and I have no doubt that it will fit into this area perfectly!
Of course I had to experience the food in West Midtown as the area is also known as being a foodie destination. I first checked out a place called Yeah! Burger. With the younger generation more interested in what they are consuming, this establishment focused on food that had no harmful chemicals or heavy processing. The menu itself was quite large and with so many options to choose from, I found myself deciding on the build your own burger with a side of truffle parmesan fries. The build your own burger option was pretty impressive. You first chose your patty (beef, bison, turkey, veggie and vegan to name a few), then you moved on to bun options, cheese options, toppings and sauces. Yeah! Burger had indoor and outdoor seating and appeared to be a popular spot for lunch.
I also went to Bartaco - another dining favorite in the area. I definitely recommend going there at night as it seemed to be a lively place in the evening. They offered indoor and outdoor seating, but the design of the restaurant is very open, so regardless of where you sit you'll have a good feeling of both. The menu was relatively simple, but delicious nonetheless. You could choose from items like bite-sized tacos to quesadillas to even rice bowls. What made the whole dining process really easy was the fact that you filled out a card at your table of what you wanted and then handed it to your server. I ordered the baja fish taco, the mojo pork taco and the crispy rock shrimp taco. I also got a side of their black beans with sofrito. It was one of the most amazing meals I've ever had and I'm happy to say they have a location in Tampa, so I won't have to travel too far to enjoy it again!
If you're planning a trip to Atlanta anytime soon, I would definitely suggest checking out West Midtown. It's a great way to escape downtown and discover what locals really love about their city.
