Ponce City Market
Ponce City Market, formerly Sears and Roebuck, is a massive, mixed-use redevelopment project in Atlanta’s Midtown. Construction began in 2005 and was completed in 2016. Currently, there are 17 market-rate residential apartment towers, 1,000,000 square feet of office space, 1,100 underground parking spaces, 130,000 square feet of retail, and 27,000 square feet of public spaces. Ponce City Market offers residents, office workers, and shoppers alike over a dozen restaurants, a 150-room boutique hotel, a 150-room extended-stay hotel, 7,000 square feet of retail space, and a 10,000-seat amphitheater.
It was opened in 2013, and is one of the premier mixed-use developments in Atlanta. Located in historic Midtown, this 15-acre site features 1.7 million square feet of retail, dining, office, and residential space, and is home to the massive Ponce City Market building. The Market’s 150,000 square feet is filled with local eateries like Pluckers Chicken and Waffles, The Fresh Market, and more, and features several unique shops. Ponce City Market is also home to dozens of unique restaurants, including The Optimist, Dogwood Southern Table & Bar, The Optimist, and Sweet Auburn Curb Market. The site also offers several outdoor events, including the seasonal Ponce City Market Festival, the Ponce City Market Food Truck Rodeo, and Peach Drop.
If you are ever in the area of Ponce City Market in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, you have a plethora of choices for lunch or dinner. Some of the best restaurants are The Food Hall: Here you will find a variety of food concepts such as Antico Pizza, C. Ellet’s BBQ, King of Pops, and Luke’s Lobster, among others. The Food Hall is open Monday through Friday from 11:00 am – 9:00 pm and on weekends from 10:00 am – 6:00 pm. There’s also a bar and tasting room on the Food Hall’s second floor. Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken: You can get fried chicken, and sides. There are so many good restaurants in the new Ponce City Market, but these are three that I would recommend if you are visiting this area.
If you want a seafood meal, Alinea is the place to go. It is located at 700 Ponce De Leon Avenue, Suite 606, Atlanta, Georgia 30308. It is a special occasion restaurant, but the food is worth the price. If you go to Alinea you have to try the daily tasting menu. It changes every day, but you will have a lot of fun with the waiters. They will take you on a sensory journey. Everything on the plate has a purpose.
Food Hall is a food court, with a better name, in the Ponce City Market in Midtown Atlanta. It is bright, airy, and a pleasant place to hang out. There are a few dine-in restaurants, but the majority of the space is devoted to food stalls with carts, local food trucks, and counter service. My favorite stall is the BBQ Bus, which serves up delicious smoked meats and cornbread in the form of a “ghetto taco.” It’s a taco, but it’s made with a baked good instead of a tortilla. There are several other permanent stalls, plus daily specials and weekend pop-ups (like a fried chicken stand).
Market Shops in Ponce City Market in Midtown, Atlanta is home to a wide variety of one-of-a-kind shops, restaurants, and services. It’s an indoor shopping destination appealing to shopaholics and health nuts alike. From the many options to indulge in retail therapy, to the one-of-a-kind food options and farmer’s markets, there are opportunities for everyone to enjoy.
Market Arts is an art supply store but it is so much more than that! I’m not an artist so I won’t try to describe the products they sell in detail. Suffice it to say that they have every tool and material you could imagine to create anything you could imagine. Being an art supply store, they have classes for everything from drawing to pottery to jewelry making and more. I have taken several pottery classes there and have had a great time. The teachers are really nice and the classes are very reasonably priced. They also have a gallery that’s free to visit and always has really cool exhibits. Stop by and visit sometime; you won’t regret it!
The Atlanta History Center’s Ponce City Market (PCM) is set over a historic Sears & Roebuck building dating back to 1929 that was later an Atlanta City Market and Ponce De Leon Plaza. The history is superb, and the location is great. PCM has over 120 businesses, including restaurants, boutiques, and art galleries. There is a movie theater with a large, comfortable seat selection. I recommend the large popcorn and small drink for $4. The food is delicious, and I recommend you try the Grilled Cheese Truck. Yes, there is a line, but it moves quickly.