How Adair Park has gone from ‘food desert to food paradise’

Pouya Dianat, the president of Adair Park Today, has owned businesses in the Adair Park neighborhood for about 15 years, and in that time he’s seen it grow from “a food desert to a food paradise,” he said.

Dianat can often be found at his co-working space and business incubator CreateATL. Inside the colorful building, the front room opens to Sassy’s Cafe, where coffee and frozen fruit smoothies are on the menu; Scraplanta keeps a satellite “scraplet” location in the back with bins of miscellaneous craft supplies; and cozy back rooms offer space to work and collaborate.

In one of those back rooms is a map of Adair Park that shows how the neighborhood is bordered on all three sides by transportation: MARTA, the Beltline and Metropolitan Parkway, a federal highway.

Credit: Olivia Wakim

Credit: Olivia Wakim

Dianat said he believes that what sets Adair Park apart from other Atlanta communities is how connected the neighbors are to one another and the businesses in that area.

“The care that a neighbor gives someone else here is unparalleled,” he said.

Dianat suspects part of what has allowed more restaurants to flourish over the years is the neighbors’ willingness to support both the legacy businesses and the new places that move in.

Here’s a starting point for those looking to taste the neighborhood.

Porches & Pies Festival

The Porches & Pies Festival is a tradition that’s drawn people to the neighborhood in droves for years. A former organizer told the AJC it began with a few neighbors who held an informal pie contest on their front porches.

Although it’s grown well beyond those roots (and is set to have more than 50 bakers and 70 pies this year), in its 11th year it exemplifies the innovative, food-as-love spirit of the neighborhood, Dianat said. Attendees can purchase a tasting pass for $15 to try up to 10 pie samples and vote on their favorite. There will also be a pie eating contest, a marketplace and music.

This year, the festival will crown a surprise Pie Queen, who has agreed to make pies for the festival. (Hint: the inaugural queen may own a popular string of bakeries, plus a few soft-serve shops).

Noon-5 p.m. Saturday. 742 Catherine St. SW, Atlanta. porchesandpies.com

Credit: Olivia Wakim

Abrams Fixtures

This mixed-use development has brought a slew of new restaurants to the neighborhood, including sandwich shop Sammy’s, cocktail bar 7th House and Japanese fine dining restaurant Ryokou. Kick off an Adair Park food tour with a filling lunch at Sammy’s and choose from an impressive variety of sandwiches, limeades and coffee drinks. Those who time the visit right may run into co-owner Jason Furst at the counter. If so, ask him about his Friends of Sammy’s project for more great recommendations around the city.

Credit: Catalina Selvagn

If your trip to Adair Park runs a little later in the evening, consider dropping into 7th House for an astrology-inspired cocktail, then splurge on a seafood-centric Japanese tasting menu from chef and restaurateur Leonard Yu at Ryokou.

Sammy’s, 565 Northside Drive SW, Atlanta. sammysatl.com

Ryokou, 565 Northside Drive SW, Atlanta, 470-403-9018. ryokouatl.com

7th House, 565 Northside Drive SW, Atlanta, 404-663-6842. seventhhouse.lpages.co/7th-house

Atlanta Beltline Marketplace

While the Beltline’s approach can herald rising rents, Dianat said the Beltline Marketplace‘s presence in Adair Park has brought two restaurants to a container building beside the trail. The Beltline Marketplace is a program that offers affordable commercial space to local businesses along the Beltline, according to its website.

Good As Burgers began in a ghost kitchen in west Midtown and now serves a savory plant-based burger on the Beltline, and Glaciers Italian Ice, which was founded as a way to help employ young people and give them entrepreneurial skills, is right next door.

Credit: Olivia Wakim

Just up the road is Sassy’s Cafe inside CreateATL, Dianat’s coffee shop named after his mother and loosely inspired by his Persian roots. A day pass to work there is $5, but if you’re just stopping in to get a Turkish coffee, a Colette Bread pastry or a “Paradice” drink (a frozen, blended fruit beverage with lime, tajin and sumac garnish) it’s free to sit in the cafe.

Good As Burgers, 1089 Allene Ave. SW, Atlanta, 678-272-6667. goodasburgers.com

Glaciers Italian Ice, 1089 Allene Ave. SW, Atlanta. glaciersice.org

Sassy’s Cafe, 900 Murphy Ave. SW, Atlanta. createatl.com

From meats to pantry goods

Jamrock Jerk Center & Grill has been a staple on Metropolitan Parkway for years with oxtail, jerk chicken, curry goat and other Jamaican staples. James Beard Award-winning pitmaster Rodney Scott opened Rodney Scott’s Barbecue on Metropolitan Parkway near MET Atlanta in 2021 in a former car repair shop.

Finally, Sauce Queen recently reopened along Catherine Street after temporarily closing for the summer, chef India Johnson said. It has an “elevated bodega” feel with pastries, grab-and-go sandwiches like the Adair Park Club (smoked turkey breast, provolone, red onion, spinach and sweet pickleback mayo on grilled sourdough) and a market featuring Johnson’s small-batch seasonings and sauces, plus food products from other local businesses.

And here’s one extra restaurant that’s technically outside of Adair Park — Pedro’s Tacos attached to Zone 3 Car Wash was touted by Dianat as one of the best taco places in town.

Rodney Scott’s Barbecue, 668 Metropolitan Parkway SW, Atlanta, 678-855-7377. rodneyscottsbbq.com

Jamrock Jerk Center & Grill, 1232 Metropolitan Parkway SW, Atlanta, 678-973-2532

Sauce Queen, 711 Catherine St. SW, Atlanta, 470-455-3093. shopsaucequeen.co

Pedro’s Tacos, 1892 Metropolitan Parkway SW, Atlanta, 404-421-6722.

Adair Park is next to plenty of foodie hot spots in the West End as well; subscribe to AJC Dining’s free newsletter to catch a dedicated exploration of that neighborhood soon.

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