Dancing Goats Coffee Bar
I think I've found my new in-town chill spot. Not only does the cleverly-named Dancing Goats Coffee Bar serve local coffee and tasty snacks, it's also part of the new and pretty fabulous Ponce City Market.
Best of all, Dancing Goats has a large, inviting patio space that is perfect to relax in.
When I popped in the other day, the first thing I noticed was the street art, which you know I have a thing for:
This mural of a pennyfarthing bicycle seems particularly appropriate given Dancing Goats' proximity to the Eastside Trail and Historic Fourth Ward Park, areas where Atlantans are getting more active and mobile by the day.
Walking in, the first thing you notice is the aforementioned patio.
Streams of natural light, open and airy, it just strikes me as a place of peace. Now that I think about it, this space reminds me of the screened huts at Hostel in the Forest, which is one of my favorite getaways in Georgia. I'll tell you about it in a future blog post this summer, but basically Hostel in the Forest is a bunch of treehouses (or tree huts) in the woods in Brunswick, GA, that nature geeks like me go nuts for. I've loved this place for years, and cross your fingers that I can get my boyfriend to go with me this summer. (He prefers hotels to hostels, lol.)
If you're curious, below is a pic of what one of the Screened Huts looks like; mind you, this has to be your kind of thing in order to like it, I suppose:
Nothing inside it but a bed. There is nothing quite like waking up to a gentle breeze, fresh air all around you, and soft beams of sunlight flitting between tree leaves like magic. I love Hostel in the Forest. See more pics here; the domes are really cool.
For those of you more inclined for the city life, you've got Dancing Goats Cafe to give you that sprawling, screened porch feeling without having to be in the woods. It's amazing that a busy road like North Ave is mere feet away from the screened wall, and yet the space still retains a peaceful quality.
Across the patio (in the above picture) sits an interesting barrel-based waterfall, similar to a fountain but with a Mumford & Sons hipster twist, that brings the kinetic, fluid energy that water fixtures always bring to a space. There's even a swing for you to relax in.
The inside of the cafe, which is right across the hall, is cozy and trendy and friendly, with kind of an infographic decor in a grey, black, white, and orange color palette. A sizeable alcove of empty space papered entirely in black and white photographs tells the story of Ponce City Market in pictures and words:
Definitely gets you pumped for Ponce City Market, eh?
And a large sign over the merch and coffee press remind you to rise and shine.
The place is full of good vibes. I ran into a photographer named Terrell Clark that I met during the Bring Back Our Girls rally in Atlanta, and it was nice to reconnect with him and share a cuppa.
Dancing Goats Cafe is owned by the local roaster Batdorf & Bronson, so each cup is suuuper fresh. And if you're curious about how the place got it's name, look no further than this lore:
Gotta love an origin story that is based in Abyssinia, right? Far too few stories are, these days.
You'll find Dancing Goats Cafe at 650 North Ave NE, Atlanta, Georgia. Enjoy.