A look at Vinings, Atlanta’s millennial haven

Nestled in the quaint Vinings neighborhood, the READ SHOP is a small bookseller and coffee shop.

Credit: Steve Frenkel/Flickr

Credit: Steve Frenkel/Flickr

Nestled in the quaint Vinings neighborhood, the READ SHOP is a small bookseller and coffee shop.

Vinings, in Georgia's Cobb County, is its own wonderful little hybrid. On the one hand, it's technically a suburb of Atlanta yet it’s most definitely inside the Perimeter.

On the other hand, it has a small-town feel, sweeping views of the Chattahoochee River, nostalgic cafes and its own Vinings Historic Preservation Society, founded in 1993. Recently, it was named the No. 2 best suburb for millennials in Atlanta, according to Niche.

The area's posh shops, where a big sale weekend might involve on-site monogramming by Bella Latella, and diverse dining scene might just play a role in millennials interests in calling Vinings home.

Instead of trying to dissect the formula that makes this spot so appealing for entertainment and relaxation, it's probably best to just enjoy the fine blend of country mouse/city mouse attractions (with a few "outdoor mouse" activities thrown in.)

Here's what you need to eat, see and do in Vinings, Georgia:

Best coffee shops 

4300 Paces Ferry Road SE #125, 678-742-7853

Part of the charming Vinings Jubilee enclave of fashionable boutiques, eateries and specialty stores, this cozy spot has books a plenty and as-you-like-them coffee beverages.

4403 Northside Pkwy, 404-237-2007

Serving the Post Riverside community and the Vinings/Buckhead area, Delimarket offers a quick and quiet breakfast or afternoon coffee or cappuccino with homemade apple pie or housemade cookies.

Best lunch spots

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Credit: Jessie Dowd

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Credit: Jessie Dowd

2850 Paces Ferry Road SE, 678-310-1095

Delivering crave-worthy burgers and bar snacks like loaded tots, Stockyard is a great business lunch option or leisurely weekend treat (especially if you've worked up an appetite strolling around town). Later in the day, check out the lavish array of whiskeys and bourbons.

3300 Cobb Pkwy E Unit 208, 678-426-7149

Naples came to Vinings with Crispina owner Raffaele Crispino in 2015. The lunch menu is lavish and authentic, with homemade meatballs, grilled octopus and Zeppole (salty, doughnut-like knots, infused with seaweed). The handmade pastas and wood-oven baked pizzas are worth a trip on their own.

Best dinner spots

4300 Paces Ferry Road SE #250, 404-205-8255

The master of Atlanta-style comfort food with a light, modern twist, Paces and Vine serves lovingly constructed dinners - think Guiness-braised brisket or shrimp and grits. It is a also great bet for "small-town within the ATL" luncheons. Truffle mac and cheese, steamed Maine mussels and Maine Lobster Cobb will have you feeling comforted, indeed. If you really want to revel, come for one of the many wine events throughout the year that include hand-selected wine tastings, small-plate wine-pairing dinners and four-course wine dinners.

4199 Paces Ferry Road SE, Atlanta. 770-432-2663

Chef-driven fine dining and artisan touches like the bustling exposed kitchen are made even more enjoyable by the peaceful locale on the banks of the Chattahoochee River.

Must-see art/history

Cal Dortch and Gillian Greer, executive director of the Vinings Historic Society, stand in front of the Pace House on the site of the original home of Hardy Pace, one of the community’s founders.

Credit: Bob Andres

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Credit: Bob Andres

Historic Pace House

3057 Paces Mill Road SE, Atlanta. 770-432-3343

Vinings founder Hardy Pace operated a ferry, an inn and a tavern at different points in his career, and then parlayed the 1839 Western & Atlantic Railroad expansion into a massive land holding in an area across the river, Crossroads. A statue of Hardy Pace stands in the Paces West office complex at 2727 Paces Ferry Road.

Another Pace must-see: The Historic Pace House, built from the remains of the 17-room antebellum home that served as General Sherman's temporary headquarters while he planned the siege of Atlanta.

Best way to spend a weekend in Vinings

A new downtown trailhead for the Silver Comet Trail is one of about 125 projects approved Oct. 16 by the Powder Springs City Council as a part of its 2017-37 Comprehensive Plan. AJC file photo

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140 Concord Road, Smyrna, 770-528-8840

For a perfect weekend away, the Smyrna-Vinings area offers multiple parks in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, including Paces Mill, Whitewater Creek, Indian Trail and Akers Mill in the Palisades section.

This Silver Comet is a 61.5 mile former rail trail that runs west and north through Georgia. It welcomes bikers, joggers, walkers and roller-bladers with a scenic route that includes amazing views of Heritage Park. The nearby Powers Island Trail makes for a quieter getaway and is also a great place to launch a kayak or canoe.