The Vortex Ranked 30th Among 101 Best Burgers in America

The Vortex Ranked 30th Among 101 Best Burgers in America

It seems the rest of America is cluing into what we already knew — Georgians flat out know how to make a hamburger. The Daily Meal published their findings of the top 101 burgers in America, and the metro-Atlanta area took five spots in the coveted carnivore list. Little Five Points own The Vortex, also with a location in Midtown, secured the number 30 slot with their tasty Hell’s Fury Burger. Maybe it was the side of tater tots that sealed the deal for the tasting committee. The eclectic decor couldn’t have hurt either. The highest Georgia restaurant on the list was Holeman and Finch Public House in Buckhead. Their double cheeseburger took the vaulted honors of best hamburger in the Southeast coming in at the number 7 spot. Other Atlanta specialties included Ann’s Snack Bar’s Ghetto Burger at 45, The Varsity’s double chili cheeseburger at 64 and Flip Burger Boutique’s Butcher’s Cut in Buckhead sealed the deal at 78. A lot of major U.S. markets didn’t even have one burger on the list much less five. If nothing else, you could make quite a week out of hitting each of these up for lunch. So who took the top honors? The Windy City’s own Kuma Burger at Kuma’s Corner is evidently the creme de la creme of hamburgers in our fair land. So in addition to grabbing a slice of deep dish now you also have to sample a Kuma Burger the next time you are in Chicago. Foodies, want the most bang for your travel buck? New York City has four of the top eleven hamburgers. I can’t imagine there being many cows on Long...

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Dad’s Garage May Be Relocating to Old Fourth Ward

Dad’s Garage May Be Relocating to Old Fourth Ward

Dad’s Garage has been a welcomed addition to the Little Five Points community for fifteen months now, occupying 7 Stages. Everyone knew from the beginning that this wasn’t a permanent solution so speculation has been churning for months as to what the eventual home of Dad’s Garage will be. The improv company flirted with staying in the L5P neighborhood, but news came and went early in the year with little to show for it. Now a church in the Old Fourth Ward seems to be getting all of their affection. Located at on 569 Ezzard St., the 12,000 sq ft. space seems to be the one. It has been confirmed that a contract has been placed on the space, but Lara Smith, Dad’s Garage Managing Director, says the deal still quite a ways from being done. “Zoning and financial feasibility” seem to be the biggest roadblocks that could potentially derail the deal. The rezoning hearing will take place on June 5 or 12 to decide if the church should be reclassified as commercial from residential. The listing price on the church clocks in at a cool $2.15 million so the non-profit Dad’s Garage will need to find a way to have their patrons pony up some cash. The current plan is to convert the main sanctuary into the performance area. They also plan to expand the space by 4770 sq ft. Not certain if that is a longer term goal or if the new wing would be in place before the took over the space. The move in date they are gunning for is early 2015. Come June we’ll find out if this move is feasible or little more than a pipe dream. Source: Curbed...

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UK’s The Guardian Highlights Three Little 5 Businesses

UK’s The Guardian Highlights Three Little 5 Businesses

Little Five Points is a gem amongst the boroughs and thoroughfares of Atlanta. It regularly pops up in travel articles from publications dotting the country whether the featured pieces are highlighting Atlanta or casting a wide net on the greatest businesses in a particular niche. What I don’t normally see is writers from across the pond shining their international spotlight on the neighborhood. Needless to say, the UK’s Guardian article on the Top 10 Independent Shops in Atlanta caught me a little off guard — in a good way. Given the topic of the article though, I guess I shouldn’t have been shocked. Three shops in L5P made the cut—Criminal Records, Junkman’s Daughter and The Clothing Warehouse. These are pretty much no brainers when talking about independent shops in the ATL. Surprisingly, they didn’t have some Brit writing this over his afternoon lunch of fish and chips. Author Muriel Vega is an Atlanta-native so lends that authenticity to the piece. There isn’t much new here to report as the article spends most of its words spinning together teaser blurbs for would be Atlanta explorers. I do have to say that it was news to me that Aerosmith’s Steven Tyler was browsing the racks at Junkman’s Daughter once upon a time. Ex-Little 5 bookstore, now Inman Park resident, A Cappella Books got a much deserved shout out. The remainder of the Atlanta business are scattered through the Highlands, Decatur, Grant Park and Midtown. Its nice to see Little Five getting international recognition. If you happen to see a wave of Brits clogging the streets and livening up the pubs in the coming months, you now know...

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Little 5 Points Ranks Second for Creative 20-Something Artists

Little 5 Points Ranks Second for Creative 20-Something Artists

So those New Yorkers are a pretty creative bunch, huh? They gave us the hipster revolution with Girls, the Harlem Renaissance and a little stretch of pavement called Broadway. So as the creatively-inclined millennials cut their teeth in the Big Apple, where exactly would a creative artist-type look to escape if the mean streets that inspired Martin Scorsese chewed them up and spit you out. Atlanta of course, or more exactly Little Five Points. PolicyMic did a feature article last week looking at the cities outside of NYC that are brimming with intellectual curiosity and creative flavor. Wilmington, North Carolina took top honors because it was the epicenter of teenaged angst courtesy of Dawson’s Creek. But seriously, Wilmington is attracting the movie industry in droves. Iron Man 3, The Conjuring and FOX’s Sleepy Hollow are simply a few productions that have come to call the coastal town home. I guess someone should have clued the writer in on the caravans of movie stars flocking to the ATL for their close-up. Little Five slotted in as second on the artist friendly list. PolicyMic writer Candy Washington says of Little 5, “Known as the bohemian mecca of Atlanta, Little Five Points is home to artists, musicians, actors and other creative professionals looking to make their mark on the world — on their own terms.” She goes on to talk about all of the creative outlets that exist for artists in the neighborhood from 7 Stages to The Variety. The Porter got a shout out as some of the best beer in the country. Tap aficionados agree. Rounding out the top five cities, we have Providence, New Orleans and Portland. All fine choices, but this list really needs to be fleshed out. Make it a true top ten and highlight the cool things happening in places like Santa Fe and Austin. Regardless, its nice to see the writer eschew the temptation of lumping Little Five Points into Atlanta as a whole and highlighting the uniqueness of the...

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Porter Beer Bar Ranked Among Best Beer Bars in America

Porter Beer Bar Ranked Among Best Beer Bars in America

So it seems Draft Magazine has been busy touring the country, sampling the a multitude of beers from far off locales from Anchorage to Miami. Man, how do I get that job? Well it seems Little Five’s own Porter Beer Bar has made our neighborhood proud being ranked among these elite few. Atlanta actually has an embarrassment of riches logging not one but two bars among Draft Magazine’s top 100 beer bars of 2014. Nearby Decatur watering hole Brickstore Pub held the other ATL honor. So what makes a drinking establishment gain the coveted title as one of America’s top bars you might ask? Its not an endless array of taps or brews served up by waitresses in barely there attire. According to Draft Magazine, “We needed to walk out of these places saying, ‘Now there’s a bar that really, really cares about your experience with beer.’” That thought translates into beers carefully selected for their variety as well as their tradition, catered by a knowledgeable staff enveloped in an atmosphere that feels like the coolest home you can have away from home. Want to plan a fun road trip this summer? The southeast is just littered with these top tier bar establishments. Start making your list of “must visit” bars. Atlanta Magazine recently interviewed the co-owner of The Porter Beer Bar, Molly Gunn, about what it takes to start a great beer cellar. Check out this interesting read as part of their Covered Dish series. Photo: Cambridge Brewing Co. |...

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Gas Leak in Little 5 Points Sparks Business Evacuations

Gas Leak in Little 5 Points Sparks Business Evacuations

Updated 7:56pm L5P was reopened at 7pm after tests showed the gas levels were deemed safe. The leak was caused by a car apparently hitting a gas pump at the Little Five Points Chevron station. According to an Atlanta Fire Department spokeswomen, 262 gallons had leaked from an underground pipe as of 7pm. **** Business owners rose early Tuesday morning to brave the frigid cold temperatures in an attempt to open their stores, but ultimately their doors remained locked. Evidently a gasoline spill at the local Chevron station Monday night overflowed into the sewer causing the potent smell of gasoline to drift through the area. The businesses that were affected started at Front Page News and wound down Moreland to the Vortex. High gas readings registered in the sewer system which ultimately prompted the area business shut down. The Atlanta Fire Department is on the scene, cordoning off a two-block radius around of Moreland and Euclid Avenues while the Department of Watershed Management looks explores the matter further. Details are still unfolding regarding when the area will be reopened. Photo Credit: limaoscarjuliet |...

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