Hot Plates

One of Atlanta’s oldest neighborhoods now has its freshest—and most diverse—culinary scene.

- Lia Picard

FROM LEFT Seasonal dishes at Little Bear, in Atlanta; chef Duane Nutter, right, and restaurateur Reggie Washington of Southern National.

I HAVE LIVED IN Atlanta for more than a decade, and for much of that time I drove past Summerhill—a neighborhood just south of Downtown—without stopping. It felt like a forgotten place. Then a couple of years ago, I began to notice buzzy new restaurants appearing, and my interest in the area was ignited.

Summerhill, it turns out, was a place for formerly enslaved people to live; it was also home to a large community of Jewish immigrants. Back then Georgia Avenue, its commercial corridor, was filled with general stores and a theater. But social unrest in the 1960s led to a decades-long decline; homes were boarded up and stores shut down.

Summerhill’s rebirth started in 2017, after the Braves moved out of Turner Field and Georgia State University took over the stadium, which anchors the area’s northwestern corner. Then the Atlanta-based developer Carter purchased 35 nearby acres, including much of Georgia Avenue. Summerhill is now a case study in community regeneration.

These days when I drive through, I see bakeries, barbecue joints, and beer gardens—not to mention restored bungalows on tree-lined streets. I also see a steady stream of visitors, not just on game days but year-round, especially at the trendier restaurants. Here are four of my favorite places to sample the scene.

THE NEIGHBORHOOD HANG

This feels like the quintessential Summerhill spot. A cheerful neighborhood restaurant,