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The Varsity, Atlanta, GA

Photo: Autiger at English Wikipedia ., CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

Eat & DrinkFoodie FavoriteFamily Favorite

The Varsity

61 North Ave NW · Atlanta, GA

Why you should go…

Frank Gordy opened The Varsity in 1928 on a 70 by 120 foot lot with a white picket fence, and it is still family owned. The North Avenue restaurant now covers two city blocks and seats more than 800 people, though car-side service ended in 2020. Step up to the counter, hear "What'll ya have," and order hot dogs, burgers, chili or a fried fruit pie. Its V sign is visible from the Downtown Connector.

  • #drive-in
  • #hot dogs
  • #atlanta landmark
  • #fast food
  • #classic diner

Good to know

General eat & drink guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Go early or go late

    The simplest way around a wait at a popular room is to sit down before the rush or after it.

  • Reservations open on a schedule

    Where bookings are taken, tables tend to be released a set number of days in advance, often at a fixed hour.

  • Menus move with the season

    Treat any dish you read about online as a maybe, not a promise, especially anything local and seasonal.

  • Ask what the place is known for

    Staff will point you at the thing worth ordering faster than any list will.

What's around here?

The closest stops to The Varsity, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Theatre & Events
    Iconic

    Fox Theatre

    $25–$50

    A 1929 Moorish movie palace with a twinkling starlit ceiling, catch Broadway tours, concerts and the Mighty Mo organ.

    0.2 mi awaySwitch it up: Theatre & Events

  • Museums
    History Buff

    National Center for Civil and Human Rights

    $25–$50

    Walk through galleries on the American Civil Rights Movement, Dr. King's papers and human rights struggles around the globe.

    0.6 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Museums
    Family Favorite

    Children's Museum of Atlanta

    Under $25

    An interactive children's museum in Centennial Olympic Park with hands on exhibits for ages 0 to 8.

    0.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Museums

  • Attractions
    Iconic

    World of Coca-Cola

    Under $25

    Pop the cap on 130+ years of fizzy history, vault secrets, vintage ads and a tasting room with 100+ sodas from around the globe.

    0.7 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie Favorite

    Ponce City Market

    Free

    A massive 1926 Sears building reborn as a food hall, shops and a rooftop amusement park right on the BeltLine.

    1.3 mi awayMore like this

  • Eat & Drink
    Foodie favorite

    Krog Street Market

    Free

    Inman Park's 1920s stove-works food hall, ramen to barbecue, steps from the BeltLine and the mural-covered Krog Street Tunnel.

    1.8 mi awayMore like this