• Mary Mac’s Tea Room This quiet parlor with genteel service is the place for southern hospitality, corn bread, and fried chicken.
  224 Ponce de Leon Ave. NE; 404- 876-1800.
• The Varsity Another Atlanta institution, this old-fashioned drive-in comes complete with carhops. It’s been serving hamburgers and hot dogs since 1928, to everyone from Elvis to Bill Clinton. 61 North Ave. NW; 404-881-1706.
• The Vortex Bar & Grill The prize for Atlanta’s best burger routinely goes to the 20+ varieties (each a half-pound of choice beef) offered at this edgy eatery.
  878 Peachtree St. NE; 404-875-1667.
• Ria’s Bluebird In the Grant Park neighborhood, this terrific brunch spot dishes out omelets, pancakes, and burritos all day. Try the brisket breakfast (shredded beef and poached eggs), a Ria’s specialty.
  421 Memorial Dr. SE; 404-521-3737.
• One Midtown Kitchen Char-grilled hanger steak with parmesan-herb fries is a crowd favorite here, as are the 75 wines by the glass. The restaurant is located in a former warehouse overlooking Piedmont Park.
  559 Dutch Valley Rd.; 404-892-4111.

• Beehive Co-op Stop by to see what new Atlanta designers are up to. Atlanta artisans rent space at this gallery and sell their clothing, handbags, jewelry, ceramics, and furniture here.
  1831-A Peachtree Rd.; 404-351-1166.
• Criminal Records The knowledgeable staff here will help you negotiate an excellent range of new music and independent releases. Their new store location, still in Little Five Points, continues to host special record-release events and live performances on weekends.
  1154-A Euclid Ave.; 404-215-9511.
• Blue Genes This shop in Buckhead stocks designer denim including Seven and True Religion.
  3400 Around Lenox Dr. NE; 404-231-3400.
• Jackson Fine Art In upscale Buckhead, this art gallery specializes in classic photographers like Henri Cartier-Bresson and local photographers such as Angela West.
  3115 E. Shadowlawn Ave.; 404-233-3739.
• Junkman’s Daughter In Little Five Points, this treasure trove of kitsch sells pop culture relics like Wonder Woman lunch boxes.
  464 Moreland Ave. NE; 404-577-3188.

Since the early 1980s, East Atlanta Village has seen the opening of shabby chic restaurants, quirky cafés, and enlivened music venues. The hub of the village is at Glenwood Avenue and Flat Shoals.

Australian Bakery Cafe (463 Flat Shoals Rd.; 404-653-0100) specializes in down-under fare: meat pies, lamingtons, and pavlovas. The funky indie-music venue E.A.R.L. (488 Flat Shoals Ave.; 404-522-3950) offers a generously proportioned dinner/lunch with live music—called “dunch”—that is popular with locals. An area mainstay, Traders Neighborhood Store (485-B Flat Shoals Ave.; 404- 522-3006) loads up on home furnishings ranging from scented candles and etched shot glasses to ethnic imports

Gravity Pub (1257 Glenwood Ave.; 404-627- 5555) features Trivia Nights, foosball, darts, and a “living room” with books you can browse. Atlantans in the know head to girly atelier Pieces of Adrene (493 Flat Shoals Ave.; 404-525-5222) for designer jeans, chandelier earrings, and mix-and-match pieces by up-and-coming designers.

• Loca Luna Sizzling Latin music starts at sundown at this cavernous, colorful tapas joint known for its mojitos.
  550 C Amsterdam Ave.; 404-875-4494.
• Eddie’s Attic This music venue in nearby Decatur has launched singer-songwriters like Shawn Mullins and John Mayer. “There isn’t a [music] genre that’s not represented in this town,” says manager/founder Eddie Owen, “and it’s all in little rooms like ours that seat 150 people.” 515-B N. Mc Donough St., Decatur;
  404-377-4976.
• Blind Willie’s In both its music and menu, this blues club draws from traditions of Chicago, New Orleans, and Memphis. Francine Reed, a protégé of Lyle Lovett, plays here.
  828 North Highland Ave. NE; 404-873-2583.
• Shout The rooftop lounge at this Colony Square hangout generates quite the after-hours scene with its white cabanas, flirty cocktails, and compelling views of the urban landscape.
  1197 Peachtree St. NE; 404- 846-2000.
• Park Tavern This popular spot brews its own beer and has an outdoor patio that overlooks Piedmont Park and Midtown’s skyscrapers.
  500 10th St. NE; 404-249-0001.