VaHi / Morningside: VaHi Restaurant Closures and New Brunch Spots

Welcome to your weekly update for Virginia-Highland and Morningside. This week, we’re looking at the impact of long-standing local restaurant closures and covering several GDOT projects on SR-13.

Big Stories — We examine the "gap" left by closing neighborhood staples and the city's latest push for community-based jail diversion programs. Councilmember Kelsea Bond is calling for more transparency following the controversial pause on Eastside Beltline rail. Plus, get the details on the upcoming Atlanta Science Festival.

Local Business Updates — It’s a busy week on Cheshire Bridge Road as French Toast ATL prepares to open while Del Taco abruptly shuts its doors. We also have news on So. Fox taking over the former Farm Burger space in Virginia-Highland.

Upcoming Events — The calendar is packed with everything from an Octavia Butler symposium to the Atlanta Jewish Life Festival. You can also catch live music at Smith's Olde Bar or join the weekly walking club at Piedmont Park.

Local Government Discussion — City officials are moving forward with a new fire station for Piedmont Heights and considering a citywide "Happy Hour" drink discount. Other major topics include $90M in bonds for the Woodruff Arts Center.

Development & Construction Nearby — Major interior renovations are coming to North Highland, and GDOT is planning a new roundabout at the intersection of SR 13 and Monroe Drive. We also have the latest on local pothole reports and sewer repairs causing delays on 10th Street.

Let’s dive in.

Virginia-Highlands restaurants close, causes gaps in community (February 20, 2026)
This story examines the impact of several long-standing local businesses closing their doors, leaving residents concerned about a "gap" in the community's social fabric and daily character. The departures of these neighborhood staples are sparking broader discussions about the future of the local economy and the evolving identity of the Virginia-Highland area.

Broaden your horizons at Atlanta Science Festival (February 21, 2026)
The Atlanta Science Festival returns next month with approximately 150 interactive events scheduled across 80 venues, including many near Piedmont Park and the VaHi area. Residents of all ages are invited to participate in unique outdoor activities ranging from local bat strolls to urban hydroponics exploration.

Atlanta Councilmember Kelsea Bond: 'I'd really like to change the culture of city council' (February 19, 2026)
Councilmember Kelsea Bond, whose district includes Virginia Highland, is calling for a more transparent governance style following a controversial "secret vote" that halted light rail construction on the Eastside Beltline. This push for accountability is a major development for local residents who have long advocated for better transit connectivity and were caught off guard by the project's sudden pause.

French Toast ATL - opening - Plans are moving forward for a new full-service breakfast and brunch destination on Cheshire Bridge Road, with the concept currently targeting an opening this spring. (February 19, 2026)

Del Taco - closing - Corporate officials provided an update on the permanent closure of the Cheshire Bridge Road location, which was shuttered without prior notice as part of a sudden statewide pull-back. (February 19, 2026)

So. Fox - opening - A neighborhood status report confirms the Kinship Butcher & Sundry team is moving ahead with plans to transform the former Farm Burger site into a new wine-focused restaurant and social hub. (February 20, 2026)

If you have event venues you want covered here, let us know in the feedback form (bottom of this newsletter)! Always open to improvements.

Monday, February 23
- TCS Book Fair – Library | Children's School
- Mad Gallica: The Vortex Awakens Tour | Smith's Olde Bar | 8:00 PM
- Creating Community at Work: A Panel on Storytelling and Meaningful Culture | Ponce City Market | 6:30 PM

Tuesday, February 24
- Weekly Walking Club | Piedmont Park | 10:00 AM
- Community Game Night, Free Community Program! | Piedmont Park | 6:00 PM
- Industry Night w/Michelle Malone | Blind Willie's Blues Club | 7:00 PM
- 50 Years of Octavia E. Butler: A Daylong Symposium | The Historic Academy of Medicine | 2:00 PM
- The Strumbellas - Into Dust Tour | The Loft | 8:00 PM

Wednesday, February 25
- Connect and Learn: Space Travel with Chris Thompson | Piedmont Park | 6:00 PM
- Highway 54 | Blind Willie's | 8:30 PM
- Well-being Expo at Emory University Hospital | Emory University | 7:00 AM

Thursday, February 26
- Carter Faith | Abbie Callahan | Smith's Olde Bar | 8:00 PM
- William Reed & The Juke Joint Dukes | Blind Willie's | 8:30 PM
- Sibelius Symphony No. 5 | Atlanta Symphony Hall | 8:00 PM

Friday, February 27
- Hooked Like Helen w/ support from Bad Guru + In Division | Smith's Olde Bar | 8:00 PM
- Stony Brooks | Blind Willie's | 9:00 PM
- ECMSA: Bach's Lunch at First Presbyterian Church | First Presbyterian Church of Atlanta | 12:00 PM
- Kenny Wayne Shepherd | Atlanta Symphony Hall | 8:00 PM
- Amber Mark | Center Stage Theater | 8:00 PM

Saturday, February 28
- Jaime Wyatt | Smith's Olde Bar | 8:00 PM
- The Goods Album Release Afterparty | Smith's Olde Bar | 9:00 PM
- The Electro-matics | Blind Willie's | 9:00 PM
- R.A.S RUMBLE ATLANTA | 100% REGGAE vs AFROBEAT vs SOCA | Flo | 10:00 PM
- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child | Fox Theatre Atlanta
- High Spirits: Mod and Mixed - Groovy cocktails from the Space Age to Disco | High Museum of Art | 4:00 PM
- Billy F. Gibbons and the BFG Band | Variety Playhouse | 8:00 PM

Sunday, March 01
- 2026 Atlanta Jewish Life Festival | Georgia Aquarium | 12:00 PM
- Elise Trouw - The Diary of Elon Lust Tour | The Loft | 7:00 PM

Meetings from the Past Week

Fulton County Board of Education
February 19, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Big agenda items: The Board approved the 2026 Local Facilities Plan, which serves as the district’s construction and renovation roadmap. They also authorized new textbook adoptions for IB, Fine Arts, Social Studies, and World Languages, and approved a single-source contract for the Infinite Campus Student Information System. Charter renewals were granted for Chattahoochee Hills Charter School and the Fulton Academy of Science and Technology (FAST).
Other topics: The Board received updates on Fulton County property tax assessments and discussed new graduation requirements and field trip protocols.

Atlanta Public Schools - Policy Review Committee
February 19, 2026 at 12:00 AM
Big agenda items: The committee held discussions on several district-wide policies, including safety protocols (Policy EBB), rules for school visitors, and student attendance and admission requirements. They also reviewed community service criteria and other requirements for high school graduation.
Other topics: The committee discussed updated financial procedures specifically governing the Board Office.

Fulton County Board of Commissioners
February 18, 2026 at 10:00 AM
Big agenda items: The Board considered the issuance of up to $90 million in revenue bonds for facility improvements at the Woodruff Arts Center. Commissioners also discussed a resolution to limit ICE and CBP activities at county facilities and proposed mandating that 2% of the FY2026 budget be dedicated to affordable housing and homelessness prevention. Additionally, the Board adopted new technical standards and odor control requirements for all future water and sewer infrastructure.
Neighborhood detail: The Board moved forward with bond issuance for the Robert W. Woodruff Arts Center located at 1280 Peachtree Street NE, which borders the Ansley Park neighborhood.
Other topics: The Reparations Task Force was extended through the end of 2026, and the county reported a significant increase in felony case clearance rates.

Atlanta City Council
February 16, 2026 at 01:00 PM
Big agenda items: The Council approved a significant mold remediation ordinance to establish cleanup guidelines for substandard housing. They also passed a city-wide mandate requiring push-button door activators for disability access at the primary entrances of new commercial and multi-family buildings. Preparation for the 2026 FIFA World Cup continued with the consideration of the "Play Fair ATL" policy platform to ensure human rights and labor standards.
Neighborhood detail: The Council authorized the development of an interim Fire Station 15 on city-owned property at 1531 Piedmont Ave NE, directly serving the Piedmont Heights and Morningside area.
Other topics: A portion of Fulton Street was renamed "J. Lowell Ware Boulevard" in honor of the pioneering Black journalist.

Atlanta City Council - Committee on Council
February 16, 2026 at 11:30 AM
Big agenda items: The committee focused on leadership appointments, recommending Delvin Davis for the Water and Sewer Appeals Board, Councilmember Wayne Martin for the Pension Investment Board, and Councilmember Liliana Bakhtiari for the Atlanta Regional Commission Board of Directors.
Other topics: The committee approved an administrative correction regarding the Identity Management System at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport.

Upcoming Meetings in the Next Week

Atlanta City Council - Zoning Committee
Monday, February 23, 2026, 11:00 AM
The committee will consider a major legislative proposal to prohibit new self-storage and distribution facilities along the Beltline and review density increases for the Historic West End. Other business includes several annexations and rezoning requests for multifamily developments across the city. Most notable to your neighborhood: a proposal to annex and rezone properties at 1150-1220 Woodland Avenue NE to allow for multifamily residential development.

Atlanta City Council - Public Safety & Legal Administration Committee
Monday, February 23, 2026, 1:00 PM
The committee will discuss authorizing "Happy Hour" style drink discounts citywide and establishing a new outdoor entertainment district in South Downtown. Members will also review a resolution urging the police department to prioritize community diversion over arrests for low-level offenses.

Atlanta City Council - City Utilities Committee
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 10:00 AM
The committee is set to approve $24 million for water and wastewater infrastructure management and $2 million for supplemental labor for solid waste and park maintenance. Key policy discussions include a proposal to delay the city’s "Cool Roofs" requirements until 2027 to address material supply chain issues.

Atlanta City Council — Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 1:30 PM (agenda not yet posted)

Atlanta City Council - Community Development/Human Services Committee
Tuesday, February 24, 2026, 1:30 PM
Legislation is on the table to centralize short-term rental enforcement into a new dedicated city office and authorize a $1-per-year lease for an international peace institute in Vine City. The committee will also review the renaming of the Kirkwood Urban Forest and various land-use changes to the Comprehensive Development Plan. Most notable to your neighborhood: the proposed annexation and "Medium Density Residential" designation for properties at 1150-1220 Woodland Avenue NE.

Atlanta City Council - Transportation Committee
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 10:00 AM
The committee will review infrastructure preparations for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and a proposal to increase on-street metered parking fees from $1.00 to $1.75 per half-hour. Discussion will also cover safety grants for Peachtree Street and property acquisitions for citywide sidewalk expansions.

Atlanta City Council - Finance/Executive Committee
Wednesday, February 25, 2026, 1:30 PM
Major items include funding for citywide Wi-Fi upgrades ahead of the World Cup and a $4.8 million upgrade to the E911 system. The committee will also vote on aligning city tax interest rates with state law and consider several annexation petitions. Most notable to your neighborhood: the final annexation process for 1150-1220 Woodland Avenue NE into the City of Atlanta and the Atlanta Independent School System.

Atlanta Board of Education — Monday, March 2, 2026, 2:41 AM (agenda not yet posted)

Permits

Here’s the latest on the construction and development front around the neighborhood. From some major interior shifts on North Highland to new backyard pools, here is what’s being permitted in our neck of the woods:

Aside from these larger projects, there were 48 minor permits issued this week for things like HVAC repairs, electrical updates, and 9 arborist permits for dead or hazardous tree removals. In total, these smaller neighborhood maintenance projects accounted for about $54,426 in local investment.

Road Work

Hey neighbors, here’s a look at the state-level road projects currently affecting our commute or heading our way soon. We have several active projects on the main arteries like SR 13 and I-85, along with some major intersection overhauls in the planning stages.

Utility Work

Atlanta Watershed
- Road Closure on 10th Street NE for Sewer Rehabilitation — A portion of 10th Street NE (between Crescent Avenue and Juniper Street) is facing closures for sewer rehabilitation work that began February 19. While this is just west of the neighborhood, it is a major artery for those heading toward Midtown or the Downtown connector from the Ansley Park and Piedmont Park areas, so expect detours and potential delays.

Service Requests
- Potholes — Our local tires are taking a hit with reports coming in for Faulkner Rd, Piedmont Cir, Armour Dr, N Highland Ave, and Cheshire Bridge Rd, as well as the intersection of 14th St and Piedmont Ave.
- Traffic Signal Repairs — There have been multiple requests for signal maintenance at the intersection of Amsterdam Ave and Monroe Dr, along with the crossing at Monroe Dr and Piedmont Ave.
- Litter Removal — Requests for right-of-way cleanup were filed for Piedmont Ave, specifically near the Rock Springs Rd intersection.
- Illegal Dumping — Neighbors have reported an illegal dumping site requiring investigation on Lenox Rd.
- Sign Repairs — A request was submitted for sign repair or replacement at the corner of Ponce de Leon Pl and Drewry St.