Verdict: Noni’s creates a sense of “closeness” between guests but could improve on transition to nighttime and its lack of nighttime food.
On the tip of Edgewood Avenue lies an ambient atmosphere paired with a rich homely environment. In contrast to other popular venues located down the street such as Sister Louisa’s Church or Department Store, the family-owned trattoria Noni’s Bar & Deli welcomes wanderers of the historic strip of businesses with rich Italian cuisine and the opportunity for “Bene placito” (at pleasure).
A frequent customer, who calls himself “Super Trey,” said although he has lived and traveled to many places in the world, he felt that Noni’s was a true metropolitan.
“You have people from all cultures, people from all walks of life and we all come here to have fun,” he said. “It doesn’t matter what color, creed, sexual orientation — It doesn’t matter. You can come here and have a good time.”
Around 10:30 p.m. a disc jockey began setting up his booth to play slow, but melody-filled songs that easily set the tone for guests for a visually calm, cool and comfortable environment as they stepped into Noni’s.
The music and dim lights only complimented individuals’ sense of feeling “at home” in their environment, and many people were freely welcomed to roam the wooden floors and stand on a small stage to converse with others by the main entrance main window overlooking cacophonies of city lights that illuminate Edgewood Avenue on a Friday evening.
| Where to go: |
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| Address: 357 Edgewood Ave., Atlanta, Georgia 30312 Hours: Monday – Saturday: 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 a.m. | Sunday: 11:30 a.m. – midnight |
A bartender informed guests that the kitchen closes before the night-life begins between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m., which was a bit of a letdown for those who might have been seeking a bite to eat to go along with a variety of drink options before they enjoyed dancing later on.
Nonetheless, the bartender greeted everyone promptly and warmly, reassuring that those who were interested in visiting Noni’s another time during the afternoon hours were welcome to have their own “taste of Italy” by choosing from the restaurant’s menu that offers a variety of “Antipastis” (appetizers) and authentic Italian dishes.
While Noni’s does not offer a “signature” cocktail completely unique to the restaurant, the drink menu did have a selection of a few main cocktails, including the “Lana” which came in a martini glass accessorized by a lemon peel, hinting towards the sweet and bitter fizzle of the alcoholic beverage. There wasn’t quite a tang to the drink, however the fizzle was enough to let the drinkee know it wasn’t just your average concoction; it was good, but needed to be recommended for a specific taste pallet.
| A sample of listed favorites and other main dishes: |
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Stella ($8) |
Another small aspect that seemed off-putting to guests was when security guards walked around the bar to gather the bar stools to make room for a dance floor for the night-life portion. In this instance, several individuals had only taken a sip of their beverage before being told they had to make room for more people entering.
However, with an abundance of free parking around the corner of Noni’s, a quick-to-greet staff, a bountiful of food options to choose from in the afternoon and a nightlife that has guests celebrating until the wee hours of the morning.
