At some point during the late morning or early afternoon on Saturday, set aside an hour or two for a festive brunch at one of the city’s definitive gay eat spots, perhaps Einstein’s or the Flying Biscuit, both of which are in Midtown. Flying Biscuit has the edge when it comes to food -- the turkey meatloaf sandwich with roasted red peppers and the organic oatmeal pancakes topped with peach compote are both sublime. But the food at Einstein’s is plenty good, and this historic bungalow with hip decor and a breezy patio has the more appealing setting.
For dinner on Saturday night, you might go with a venue that’s loud and campy, such as the tres gay purveyor of top-notch sushi and Pan-Asian fare, Nickiemoto’s. Or instead opt for a romantic, swell-elegant dining room that’s more appropriate for a special occasion. In this case, book a table well in advance at Canoe, a refined restaurant set on the banks of the Chattahoochee River and known for such deftly prepared contemporary American cuisine as pistachio-seared goat cheese with lemon-olive-oil-and-rosemary dressing, and cider-braised pork belly with polenta, grilled endive, roasted apples, and gorgonzola.
Revelers can take to the town on Saturday night, checking out some of the jumpin’ gay Atlanta dance clubs -- there’s something for every taste. Looking for the best country-western dancing around? Head to Hoedowns, which draws a mix of women and men dedicated to the art of two-stepping. Club 708 is your best bet if you’re looking for the city’s top gay African-American hangout, while Heretic Atlanta attracts the leather-and-uniform crowd. And for the best overall lesbian dance-club scene, the Jungle has a popular ladies night (which also draws plenty of guys) on Saturday nights.
One perfect way to spend Sunday is to explore Atlanta’s many cool neighborhoods, several of them generating plenty of buzz these days for their mix of inviting neighborhood cafes, edgy art galleries, and indie shops and boutiques. Start off in the rapidly up-and-coming Castleberry Hill area, just west of downtown. This patch of handsome warehouses and industrial buildings has grown into a hip arts district, with a number of provocative galleries, mostly set along Walker and Peters streets. You can begin your explorations with lunch at the superb (and gay-owned) No Mas Cantina, a festive Mexican restaurant that serves tantalizingly good tortilla soup and fish tacos. It’s attached to a dramatic home-furnishings store filled with stunning, handcrafted furniture and decorative arts from Mexico.
There are plenty of other neighborhoods of note. Inman Park, Atlanta’s first suburb, lies just east of downtown. The area had become run-down and derelict before gay and African-American gentrification took hold in the early ’80s, with the restoration of many of its elaborate Victorian houses. More recent targets of gay-fronted gentrification include Grant Park, Cabbagetown, and East Atlanta Village. And then there’s arguably the city’s best district for funky browsing and window-shopping, Virginia-Highland, which also abounds with terrific restaurants. Some fine bets for a memorable Sunday dinner include Mary Mac’s Tea Room (for wonderfully fattening and delicious traditional Southern fare) and Shaun’s (a chic contemporary spot in Inman Park known for stellar regional American cooking).
As you decide on where to roost for your Atlanta weekend, keep in mind that the city’s most gay-popular neighborhood, Midtown, also has a nice range of hotels, including a smattering of popular chain properties -- Courtyard by Marriott, Hampton Inn, and Wyndham among them. The W Hotel has also open here (the former Sheraton Midtown) in 2007. For the ultimate cushy experience, go with Midtown’s skyscraping Four Seasons, a striking, 20-story hotel that’s a short walk from Piedmont Park, gay nightlife, and Midtown museums. The massive rooms, which underwent a major makeover in 2006, have marble bathrooms with deep soaking tubs, and a handful of units have private terraces with expansive city views. The hotel’s 12,000-square-foot spa is one of the finest in the state -- opt for an organic green-tea-and-Dead-Sea-salt body scrub for the height of pampering.
In a city with relatively few historic inns, the gay-owned Gaslight stands out for its regal accommodations and its mix of the old and the new. The eight guest rooms are divided among the Craftsman-style residence, a carriage house, and a small Victorian cottage.
The Gaslight is in the enchanting Virginia-Highlands neighborhood, close to great dining and shopping. Nearby in charming Inman Park, the King-Keith House B&B occupies a dramatic 1890s “painted lady” Victorian with four period-style guest rooms plus a charming detached cottage with its own whirlpool tub for two, gas fireplace, and leafy garden. It’s one of the city’s more romantic choices.
A sleek, smart, and affordable hotel option in Midtown is the whimsically decorated Hotel Indigo. Intercontinental Hotels has developed this stylish boutique-hotel brand and has made a enthusiastic effort to market it strongly to the gay and lesbian market. With weekend rates among the cheapest in the neighborhood, the Indigo nevertheless offers plenty of perks: artful, modern rooms with Nantucket-inspired blue-and-white furniture; high-speed Internet, dual-line phones, and well-designed work spaces; and miniscule but cleverly designed bathrooms with high-end bath products. There’s also a 24-hour gym and a dapper little coffeehouse with comfy seating off the lobby.
The Indigo is right across the street from the city’s historic Fox Theatre, and beside another outstanding hotel, the imposing Georgian Terrace Hotel. This 1911 grande dame hosted the opening reception for Gone With the Wind in 1939, has served the likes of Tallulah Bankhead and Rudolph Valentino, and contains some 300 spacious suites filled with reproduction antiques. If at all possible, time your stay when there’s a musical or comedy show at the Fox. This ornate and lavishly restored 1920s theater is one of the few places in thoroughly modern Atlanta to get a true a sense of the city’s rich heritage.
Andrew Collins is the author of Fodor’s Gay Guide to the USA and eight additional travel guides. He can be reached at OutofTown@qsyndicate.com.
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