Exploring Atlanta in 24 Hours

Last weekend, I joined thousands of dietitians in Atlanta for the annual Food and Nutrition Conference and Expo. This was my fourth year attending and it’s always great to catch up with RD friends that I don’t get to see throughout the year and learn what’s new in the field of nutrition and dietetics. This year was even more exciting because it was kind of like a mini-Blog Brûlée reunion! Looking forward to seeing everyone next for FNCE in Nashville!

Before the conference kicked off on Sunday, I managed to squeeze in some Atlanta sightseeing with my best gal pals on Saturday. We accomplished quite a bit in just 24 hours!

Where I stayed
Hilton Atlanta
255 Courtland St NE, Atlanta, GA 30303

While it isn’t the newest, fanciest hotel in town, it served it’s purpose for the small amount of time we actually spent in the hotel. Translation: there was a comfortable bed to sleep in, a hot shower in the morning, and decent service. As I learned from my friends, downtown Atlanta is not walk-able, so you’ll most likely have to drive or take a taxi/Lyft/Uber to any destination.

What I Ate
–Condesa Coffee
What a cozy little coffee shop! We went on Saturday morning and it wasn’t busy at all, but the latte and breakfast croissant I had were delicious! This is definitely a spot I would frequent if I lived in ATL because on Thursday nights they have “Board Game Night”. And if you don’t want to just take my word for it, even my Atlanta-based, dietitian friend Marisa Moore said it was a great choice!

–Antico Pizza
After a walk around Piedmont Park, we headed to Antico for Napoli-style pizza to refuel. One Margherita pizza was plenty for the four of us (two slices per person!). If you like a little heat, I suggest adding a bit of the chili pepper oil to your slice…Yee-Haw!

–Jeni’s Ice Cream
Jeni’s is nothing new to me or my friends. Let’s just say we are pretty familiar with the menu. But we spotted a few flavors at the Westside Provision location that we haven’t seen in Nashville shops. The Lime Cardamom Frozen Yogurt was calling my name (tastes like Key Lime Pie!), while the other girls tried Buttercup Pumpkin with Amaretti Cookies, Dark Chocolate Peppermint, and Sweet Potato with Torched Marshmallows. Now I guess I have to go down to my neighborhood Jeni’s shop to see if they’re carrying the Lime Cardamom flavor yet. Darn, I hate having to make trips to Jeni’s 😉

–JCT. Kitchen
We all gave this place two thumbs up! From beginning to end, everything was spot on. To start, we shared the Fried Green Tomatoes with Pimento Cheese, Pickles & Sherry Honey Gastrique and the Heirloom Tomatoes & Burrata. They serve each table the most beautiful sourdough bread I’ve ever seen–big, fluffy slices of fresh baked bread….yes, yes, and YES.

It was pretty chilly the night we went, so I ordered a classic comfort food of the South, Shrimp & Grits. The grits were perfectly creamy and the shrimp cooked just right. I didn’t love the andouille sausage so much, but overall was very satisfied with my choice. The portions were quite generous, so you may even want to order a few entrees with a group and just share so you can sample multiple items! My friends had the Fried Chicken, the Wood Roasted Burger with Truffle Fries, and the Wood Grilled Berkshire Pork Chop.

Where I Wondered
We had the perfect day for a walk in Piedmont Park and exploring the Green Market, a farmer’s market that takes place each Saturday from March-December, 9am-1pm. There were a lot of unique food vendors at the market, and even a stand selling just persimmons, which were delicious!

After lunch, we drove to Westside Provisions District, located in West Midtown, for a bit of shopping. Clothing, furniture, home goods, athletic wear, stationary, this new, trendy area has a little bit of everything. JCT. Kitchen is also in the WSPD, and a couple other restaurants I’ve tried on a past trip, West Egg Cafe and Yeah!Burger (coming to Nashville, soon!).

Atlanta is HUGE, so there’s plenty more to explore and too many restaurants to even list that I want to try. What are some of your favorite spots in ATL? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Happy Friday 🙂