Edgewood

As an area that is rapidly changing in character and popularity, Edgewood may be to the next generation of hip twenty-somethings what the East Atlanta Village was to the same in the 90s. Where the EAV was a product of community-focused urban renewal, however, Edgewood seems to be the beneficiary of focused efforts to draw homeowners and tourists to Kirkwood to the east and Candler Park to the north. Traffic to these neighborhoods has spilled over and created a new kind of urban hang-out, one that the giggling blondes from the – ahem – more “northern” neighborhoods haven’t quite discovered, behemoth eat-work-play complexes haven’t quite been built, and the area isn’t quite safe after dark.

It may seem like an overstatement to say that the area is undergoing some sort of Renaissance, until you visit Sister Louisa’s Church of the Living Room and Ping Pong Emporium. And, yes, it’s as awesome as its name is awkward. Be sure to drop by on a Sunday night, where any number of karaoke favorites are belted out from the pulpit by volunteers donning clergy drag, while the organist pounds out familiar tunes and the congregation sings along from the pews. Yes, I’m still serious. The entire joint is decorated in bizarre religious paraphernalia, and if that makes you uncomfortable, order a beer and a hot dog and have some fun, you square.

Edgewood is also home to Noni’s, a popular bar and deli that hosts DJs and turns into an all-out dance party on weekends. The neighborhood also boasts its own member of the growing Corner Tavern family, but – no worries – it’s far from being the next Applebee’s chain. The Corner Taverns each have an extensive craft beer list, decent food, and appear in neighborhoods with strips of pubs and restaurants that are favorites of the locals.

While Edgewood living may still be a bit dirty urban for some, it’s at least worth checking out. It’s growing, and if you secure your loft and make friends with Grant Henry soon, you just might beat the Poncey-Virginia-Highland crowds.

Cheers!