Five Points

Five Points is the neighborhood that makes Athens residents say "this is why I live here." Named for the intersection where Milledge Avenue, South Lumpkin Street, and Milledge Circle converge, the area has the feel of a small urban village tucked just south of the UGA campus. The 1920s era residential streets are lined with bungalows and historic homes, while the commercial intersection anchors a collection of restaurants, shops, and services that function as a self contained community.

The dining scene in Five Points has become one of the strongest in the city. The Expat, a neighborhood bistro in a 1930s cottage run by Jerry and Krista Slater, brings locally sourced Italian cooking. Five and Ten, Hugh Acheson's James Beard Award winning restaurant, relocated to the historic Hawthorne House on S Milledge. ZZ and Simone's serves upscale Italian with handmade pasta and Neapolitan pizza. Baddies Burger House has earned a 4.8 star rating for burgers that rival anything in the state. And those are just the sit down restaurants. Cali N Tito's, the cash only Latin American shack on S Lumpkin, draws lines every day.

Shopping in Five Points leans toward specialty and independent. Condor Chocolates pairs artisan bean to bar chocolate with cafe drinks. Independent Baking Co turns out European style bread and pastries. Jittery Joe's, Athens' oldest coffee roaster, has a Five Points location on S Milledge. Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams brings nationally celebrated flavors to the neighborhood.

The walkability is the defining feature. Residents can reach restaurants, coffee, groceries (Earth Fare anchors the intersection), fitness studios, and professional services without starting their car. That pedestrian scale is what gives Five Points its village character and what makes it one of the most desirable neighborhoods in Athens.