Hello new Scotties and new Scottie supporters!
I hope you are all just as excited to join us on campus as we are to have you. My name is Nicole, and I am The Profile, our student newspaper’s Editor-in-Chief. I was in your shoes as a new Scottie not that long ago. Honestly, I was scared. I entered a completely new city, state, and community of people–something totally different from the place I called home.
However, over the past year, I’ve been able to explore Decatur and metro Atlanta, trying to find new spots that make the city feel like a second home. From grabbing coffee on a free afternoon to navigating a new transportation system, and finding comfort food when I felt homesick, I’ve slowly built a list of places and routines that make this city fun and now, familiar.
I created this guide to help you and your family do the same. Whether you’re in town for move-in weekend or just for a quick visit–or staying here for the next four years!–I hope you’ll take the time to explore the places that make Atlanta and Decatur more than just a backdrop to your college life.
Decatur: your new favorite neighborhood
Located just a short walk from Agnes Scott’s campus, downtown Decatur offers a welcoming atmosphere for students and visiting family alike. With its tree-lined streets, independent shops, excellent biking and walking infrastructure, and strong sense of community, Decatur provides the ideal setting for Scotties and visitors to explore the area while staying close to campus.
Everyone knows that a college student’s secret to success is a little caffeine (or at least that’s my secret). Here are my two favorite coffee shops/study spots in Decatur:
OPO Coffee’s chai latte and London fog are top-tier. That’s it, nothing further. The baristas are also some of the sweetest people! If you want to study there on the weekend or simply hang out for an extended period make sure to arrive early, or be open to sitting outside on their back patio. It gets busy super quick. 314 E Howard Ave, Decatur, GA 30030.
B-Side Bagels’ matcha is really, really good. It has a very subtle, smooth vanilla taste, not artificial, but the kind you get from a nice vanilla bean. They do charge for non-dairy milk, so be warned. They also have bagels and pastries too. I’m a simple girl, I like a bacon, egg, and cheese on an everything bagel. Their space is on the smaller side, so it’s not my number 1 study spot. But, if I’m headed into the city on the MARTA, you bet I’ll have a matcha and a BEC to accompany me. 151 Sycamore St, Decatur, GA 30030.
Discovering Atlanta
From the moment you enter the Georgia Aquarium, you are surrounded by light, sound, and water that feels otherworldly. The exhibits are thoughtfully designed and allow you to get up close and personal with creatures that you may have only seen in books or on TV. The animals here, especially the sea otters, are adorable and can entertain you for hours. The most fascinating part of the aquarium is the shark exhibit. Standing in the tunnel with whale sharks swimming over your head is the perfect way to unplug and release stress. The coolest part about it is that you can swim with the whale sharks! Tickets are currently sold out for that exhibit, but when they do go back on sale, be sure to grab one; it’s an experience of a lifetime for any marine animal lover! 225 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313.
The World of Coca-Cola is a wonderful place to visit for children and adults alike. While there are fun activities like smelling and tasting different flavors of Coke, there is also a lot of information and history spread throughout the exhibits. Be careful when you enter the tasting room, or you might end up with a stomachache. It’s also near the Georgia Aquarium, so you can hit two birds with one stone! 121 Baker St NW, Atlanta, GA 30313.
One of our lovely writers, McAdams, can tell you all about the High Museum of Art and the exhibits it has to offer! Check out the article here. 1280 Peachtree Rd NE, Atlanta, GA 30309.
The Jimmy Carter Presidential Library is an amazing look into the life and achievements of our former President. The plot of land that it’s on is huge, and worth spending a morning or afternoon there exploring all it has to offer. It’s inspiring to see the story of his life from his childhood in Plains to being the President, and then further accomplishing incredible things outside of his presidency. Fun fact, they have a farmer’s market there on Saturdays that is exciting to visit and has a great variety of local goods. 441 John Lewis Freedom Pkwy NE, Atlanta, GA 30307.
The Museum of Puppetry is a ‘hidden’ gem in Atlanta. It combines childhood nostalgia, artistry, and a surprising amount of cultural history into one little building. It’s home to one of the largest puppet collections in the world, with an impressive Jim Henson exhibit. There, you can see original muppets, including Kermit, and learn about the process of how they make the puppets! This museum also includes an international section, which is equally fascinating, and includes puppetry traditions from places like Indonesia, Japan, and Africa. It was such an educational experience seeing how all my favorite childhood characters came to life! 1404 Spring St NW, Atlanta, GA 30309.
I just returned from my adventure to Little Five Points, and let me tell you, it’s worth the trek. It’s accessible by walking (if you want to…), biking (which, honestly, I do not recommend. The hills in Atlanta are NO joke!), or the MARTA. There are a lot of thrift/secondhand shops there, as well as some cool restaurants. Google describes this neighborhood as “hippie”, and I agree. Clothing Warehouse has days where you can thrift from bins, and various shops there sell vinyls for any record player-owners. Also, pro tip, my favorite film developing lab is there! Check Bellows Film Lab out for any of your film needs, including cameras, film, and, obviously, developing. They have excellent prices and the people there are so friendly and willing to help you out if you are confused!
For the foodies
As someone from one of the most diverse cities in the US, I was worried Atlanta’s food scene might not measure up, but I was pleasantly surprised. Now, don’t get me wrong, I love my Houston spots, but these next recommendations hold a special place in my heart. One of the ways I got to know the metro Atlanta area was by trying a new restaurant every weekend. I could write articles (yes, plural) on all the restaurants I’ve tried. It became a ritual for me–an excuse to get off campus, explore different neighborhoods, and find places that introduced me to something new.
When you walk into Mediterranean Grill, you’ll see the huge menu taking up an entire section of the wall, and if you look close enough, you can see that this is not their first iteration of the menu, and their prices! Inflation, am I right? Well, regardless of inflation, Mediterranean Grill’s food hits. They’re open late-ish (close at 8:30 PM), so on those Fridays when you miss dinner at the dining hall, you know you can rely on Med Grill for a delicious, reasonably priced meal. If you go in person, their portions are HUGE. 2126 N Decatur Rd, Decatur, GA 30033.
If anyone reading has ever been gluten-free–even for a week–you’ll know that finding a good sweet treat is incredibly hard. Hell Yeah Gluten Free! has solved that problem. Their bacon, egg, and cheese biscuits are delicious, and their brown butter chocolate chip cookies might even beat a non-gluten-free one. Did I mention they are HUGE?! They also offer other baked goods like donuts, scones, savoury tarts, and birthday cakes. Be warned, though, they’re only open Thursday-Sunday from 8 AM-1 PM, and they sell out fast. 308 W Ponce de Leon Ave # G, Decatur, GA 30030.
Houston, my hometown, has the third-largest Vietnamese community in the US, so I’d like to think I know a good bowl of phở. Vietvana has a very good bowl of phở. It’s the perfect meal to warm you up on a cold, rainy day. I like to get their crispy egg rolls and a bowl of spicy lemongrass phở with flank steak. For me, I love a very lemongrass-y broth, so this doesn’t quite reach the top of my “all-time phở” list, but it comes very close. I’d also recommend their bánh mìs! The phở comes in a HUGE bowl, so I recommend splitting it, or you can eat the whole thing yourself. I won’t judge. 2831 E College Ave, Avondale Estates, GA 30002.
Okay, while Arepa Mia technically isn’t in Decatur (it’s in Avondale Estates, the next “town” over), I think it is absolutely worth the trip. And by trip, I mean it’s a 10-minute bike ride/30-minute walk. I think that everyone deserves to go to (and should) this spot, and have their life changed, no further comments. 10 N Clarendon Ave Suite a, Avondale Estates, GA 30002.
Butter & Cream was my spot first semester. It was HOT, I was bored out of my mind, and what does someone living on their own for the first time do? Get ice cream. Obviously! Once I got tired of Jeni’s (or rather, their Tahini Oat Chocolate Chip Cookie flavour went out of season), I branched out to Butter & Cream. Last fall, they had a “Good Trouble” flavor in honor of John Lewis, and I have to say, that might be one of my favorite flavors of all time. They have classics like vanilla bean, chocolate, and some other specialty flavours, but rotate through flavors in different seasons, so you always have something new to try. Oh, I almost forgot to mention. They offer FREE sprinkles! Who doesn’t love that? 416 Church St, Decatur, GA 30030.
Just a little further, Krog Street Market, next to the Beltline, has a variety of food options to suit everyone’s tastes, including pizza, Tex-Mex, grain bowls, and Asian fusion. It’s food-hall style, so you can try something from as many restaurants as you’d like. After your meal, walk around the Beltline and the retail stores around. 99 Krog St NE, Atlanta, GA 30307.
A short walk north on the Beltline (where there are even more great restaurants), Ponce City Market is another food hall that has a variety of options for all. My personal favorite here is Botiwalla, the sister restaurant of Chai Pani in Decatur. Last time I was there, I got the Chicken Tikka Roll, and it was excellent. The freshness and quality of the ingredients are really evident in the taste of the food. 675 Ponce De Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308.
My ‘secrets’
The MARTA is one of my favorite things about Atlanta, especially living so close to the Decatur Station (10-minute walk from campus). It’s incredibly convenient–I can get to just about anywhere, including the airport, using a train and/or bus, and a little bit of walking. Decatur Station is on the Blue Line, so it’s a straight shot West (towards H.E. Holmes Station) to get to Downtown Atlanta. You can transfer at Five Points to go either North or South, or keep going further East if you’d like.
The Red and Yellow Lines are north and southbound, and stop at convenient locations throughout the city. Some include: the airport (obviously), Georgia Tech (two stops, Midtown and North Ave), Buckhead/Sandy Springs if you’re on the Red Line, and Chamblee/Doraville if you’re on the Yellow. The Decatur Station also has a bus transit center, which can take you just about anywhere you’d like. I like taking the bus from Decatur Station to Whole Foods, Buford Highway, and to Emory Village.
Now, my (actual) favorite part about Decatur: Your DeKalb Farmers Market. I don’t know how I survived my first semester without going there. My friends and I started going there in the second semester, and I don’t think there’s been a week since that we haven’t gone. I recommend taking your student there and stocking up their mini-fridge! 3000 E Ponce de Leon Ave, Decatur, GA 30030.
The fresh fruits and vegetables make the perfect pick-me-up after a long study session, and their large selection of yogurt makes for the perfect on-the-go breakfast. They also have a bakery section, a seemingly endless cheese aisle, and pantry goods from around the world.
The prices there are amazing–some of the things we buy are way more expensive at Whole Foods or Publix–and the staff there are incredibly kind. One downside is that it is a bit hard to get to via MARTA (it takes a really long time…), but if your student or one of their friends has a car, it’s a short 10-minute drive. Going there is the best part of my week. Seriously.
I’m looking forward to seeing all the new faces on campus this fall! Agnes Scott has so much to offer, you’ll find your place and your people here. One way you can do that is by joining our wonderful (!!) newspaper! Whether you love to write, take photos, design pages, or just have strong opinions, a good Spotify playlist, and a willingness to learn, there’s a place for you in our newsroom, and we’d love to have you 🙂
Writing this has created a new appreciation of the city I now live in and has allowed me to discover new places to visit and try that I’m excited to share with you all. In the meantime, I hope my guide helps you and your family make the most of your time in Decatur and Atlanta. There are so many cool places to see and things to try in this great city, and this guide is most definitely not exhaustive. This place, like any, truly becomes what you make of it. Explore widely, eat well, and don’t be afraid to get lost. Welcome home, Scotties.
Atlanta has really good barbecue as well.