Music Midtown 2017 is going to be crazier than ever. The festival is bringing in huge names like Future, Bruno Mars, Mumford and Sons, and Haim as well as a solid indie lineup including Judah and the Lion, the Strumbellas, Two Door Cinema Club and the Naked and Famous, and it’s all happening just moments from campus.
If you’re a music lover, it’s a solid investment. However, when you’ve dropped at least $130 on tickets, you don’t want to spend the same on food this weekend. Try these cheap and hearty suggestions for food near Music Midtown this weekend and pad your pockets with some beer money.
Woody’s CheeseSteaks
Woody’s has been teaching Atlanta the Philly religion of gooey CheeseSteaks since 1975, and for good reason. If you’re craving something warm and hearty and are prepared for a five minute walk outside the festival gates to find it, you can be rewarded with the best sandwich you’ve ever had in your life.
What to get: The original CheeseSteak is massive and rings in at just under $7. You can’t go wrong with any of the cheese options, but go for the cheese whiz for the authentic Philly experience.
Flying Biscuit Cafe
Flying Biscuit kills the brunch game with their big portions, rich coffee and quirky atmosphere. If you’re walking to the park from MARTA or most parking, it’s actually on the way into the park which makes it the perfect place to start your day on the right note.
What to get: Carb load for the day with a stack of organic oatmeal pancakes with peach compote on top for only $7.99. If you have a little extra cash and wanna make sure you’re dancing all night, grab a Sledgehammer to drink which consists of a whopping 4 shots of espresso mixed with steamed half and half.
#SpoonTip: Aim for brunch or an early lunch pre-festival rather than after the festival. It’s a popular spot, so it will be crowded either way. However, as it is open late and the first restaurant you pass near Music Midtown when you’re leaving the festival, there’s a significantly longer wait after the last concert of the night.
Takorea
Takorea is the longest walk outside the park (about 25 mins) but it’s worth the wait. This unique Korean-Mexican fusion combination combines sweet barbeque and Korean spices. As a bonus, the fact that it is a longer walk from Piedmont Park means that it will be significantly less crowded than the restaurants surrounding the park.
What to get: Either grab three Korean BBQ pork tacos or 1 Korean Fried Chicken burrito to fill you up for just under ten dollars. If you’re still hungry, splurge on a warm churro bread pudding for dessert.
Trader Joe’s
This is a bit of a more offbeat idea, but for the savvy foodie who wants to maximize their budget and minimize their time outside the festival, throw an impromptu picnic in the parking lot. Grab a bottle of 2 buck chuck and if you can figure out how to sneak it in the festival, please DM me with the details.
What to get: The possibilities are endless. For a simple option, share some Restaurant style Tortilla chips and Reduced Guilt Guacamole with some Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups for dessert. If you are more confident in your parking lot cooking skills, grab some Sourdough Bread and deli meats and make sandwiches for everyone. It’s a great way to make some new friends!
Cookout
When you’re finally stumbling home in a drunken stupor, chances are you’ll pass (at least one) Cookout. After the festival, Cookout is your long lost greasy best friend for three reasons: it’s fast, it’s cheap and it’s open until 2 a.m.
What to get: Anything as long as you A) get the Cookout Tray with a main, two sides and a drink for 5 dollars B) get one of the 40 flavors of delicious milkshakes as your drink. Bonus points if you do hushpuppies as one of your sides and peach cobbler for your milkshake.