the zac team's Morningside and Woodland Hills neighborhoods

The Morningside Tour of Homes is now a fond memory but plans are beginning for this Fall's tour.  The idea of having local chefs demonstrate their prowess in the designer kitchens of the wonderful houses on the tour proved to be a great success!  And it also proved that those kitchens are NOT just for show: they really do work!  Of course, they will continue to do a great job of showcasing take-out dinners.  (Okay, we're just envious!)  But remember the fine restaurants that sponsored the tour: Agnes and Muriel's, ONE midtown kitchen, Mambo Restaurante Cubano, Sala, Woodfire Grill. and Murphy's.

Morningside is a neighborhood of homes in the northeast quadrant of Atlanta.   Its borders are roughly defined by Cheshire Bridge Road and the Seaboard Railroad line on the north; the intersection of Briarcliff and Johnson Roads on the northeast;  the Cumberland/East Rock Springs Road intersection on the east; Amsterdam Avenue and Lanier Blvd on the south and southeast; and Monroe Drive and Piedmont Road on the west.

Only one shopping area exists wholly within the Morningside neighborhood, but it is a great one! Highland Walk is at the intersection of Lanier, University, and Highland and well worth the trip. Great restaurants like Horizon (in the space of the late lamented Indigo Coastal Grill) and Mambo Restaurante Cubano share space with moderately-priced eateries like Doc Chey's Noodle House, and Caramba Mexican Restaurant. Gift shops, antiques, art galleries and more delight the eye as well. Last but not least is one of Atlanta's premier bakeries and gourmet shops: Alon's . On Saturday mornings (8-12) from Spring through Fall the (note that some diehard farmers set up there throughout most of the Winter) the Morningside Organic Farmers Market appears like Brigadoon in the parking lot surrounded by Horizon, Modern Primitive Gallery, and  Eclectic Electric. Be sure not to miss this!

In the good news and bad news department, some notable departures from the neighborhood.  Olde Town Pizza couldn't get out from under taxes owed by the previous owner and had to close.  Affairs, a gift shop with over ten years in Morningside, closed its doors as its owners moved to Florida.  The good news is that Alon's is expanding into the Old Town Pizza space and that the Affairs space is also getting a new tenant. Stay tuned!  (Keith Dyche's world-famous "Themed Trivia" contests, a Thursday-night Old Town Pizza tradition, will remain in-town if not in-neighborhood.  Look for it now at George's, the quintessential neighborhood watering-hole (don't blame us -- that's what they call these things in restaurant guides) at 8:30 PM on Tuesday nights.  

Special Restaurant Section

The current issue (Winter, 2004) of the MLPA News, the newsletter of the civic association,  features a compendium of 73 reviews of restaurants in and around Morningside.  The key word here is "around", since only the restaurants listed above are entirely within the neighborhood boundaries. But their reasoning makes sense: it does it does show that within a few minutes' travel, you can find good places to eat of every type and price range.   Following this lead, we will henceforth include places of interest that are on the borders of this neighborhood. 

Amsterdam Walk - Just west of Monroe Drive on Amsterdam Avenue, this eclectic collection of shops includes a few which serve food:

• Red Chair Restaurant and Video Lounge
• Red Light Cafe - good bar food 
• The Bread Garden - bakery and great sandwiches

Starting at East Rock Springs Road and going North, Piedmont Road becomes commercial only, continuing on the right fork into the Cheshire Bridge Corridor.  Restaurants abound along the 1.4 mile stretch up to Lindbergh Drive. 

• Fat Matt's Rib Shack
• Fat Matt's Chicken Shack
• Da Chicago Dogs
• Pot & Pan Restaurant
• Franco's Pizza and Grill
• Nakato Japanese Restaurant
• Woodfire Grill
• Roxx Tavern and Diner
• Las Margarita's
• Colonnade Restaurant
• Nino's Italian Restaurant
• Alfredo's Italian Restaurant
• El Molino's #4 Carniceria y Thienda
• Red Snapper Seafood Restaurant
• Enat Ethiopian Restaurant
• Sundown Cafe
• Hong Kong Harbour
• Taverna Plaka
• Little Bangkok
• Bali Indah

Welcome to Morningside...

Interested in a rental house?  We have found a house in Morningside that, while not one of our listings,  would be a great place for Emory students or other folks interested in temporary living arrangements.  Click here for more info!

Single Family Homes and Townhomes: