Where to Eat During the TOUR Championship: An East Lake Local's Guide

Every late August, the PGA TOUR's season ends where our neighborhood begins. The TOUR Championship brings the top thirty players in the FedExCup standings to East Lake Golf Club, and with them come tens of thousands of fans looking for the same two things between rounds: somewhere good to eat and somewhere to stretch out.

We live here. This is the honest local answer to both.

First, know the geography

East Lake sits on Atlanta's east side, wrapped by Kirkwood to the north, Oakhurst and downtown Decatur to the east, and East Atlanta Village to the south. Tournament traffic funnels along 2nd Avenue and Glenwood Avenue, and parking near the course fills fast. The neighborhoods around the club are where locals actually eat, and most sit within a five to ten minute drive of the gates.

The closest sit-down option: six kitchens, one roof

Vela Park Food Works is on the Atlanta side of East Lake at 1881 2nd Ave, a few minutes from the club. It is a food hall with six independent chef-driven kitchens, a full-service bar, and a wide open park, so a group that cannot agree on one cuisine does not have to.

• Flora D'Italia: handmade pasta and wood-fired Neapolitan pizza
• Southern Belle Chicken Co: fried chicken from Michelin-recommended chef Joey Ward
• Fuzzy's: an easygoing raw bar and coastal seafood kitchen
• La Tropical / MiMi Taqueria: Cuban sandwiches, mofongo, and modern Mexican street food
• Doug's NC BBQ: Eastern North Carolina whole-hog barbecue, the vinegar-based kind
• DessertBox: French-trained pastry, cakes, and fresh bread

Parking is free, on site, with no meters and no decks, which matters more during tournament week than any other week of the year. Details and directions are on the visit page.

Make it a full evening, not a pit stop

The thing that separates a food hall from a food court is what happens after the plate. Here that means the park: a lawn built for stretching out with a cold drink while the kids run, plus live music and community events most weeks. Check what's on the calendar during tournament week before you come, and if you are in town with a group or a corporate crowd, the private events team hosts everything from watch parties to full buyouts.

Worth exploring while you're here

Eating well on the east side does not stop at our door. Kirkwood's strip along Hosea L Williams Drive, the square in downtown Decatur, and East Atlanta Village each hold their own with neighborhood restaurants and bars, and all are a short ride from the course. Come hungry, spread the love, and see why locals think the east side eats better than anywhere in Atlanta.

The short version

• Closest one-stop option to East Lake Golf Club: Vela Park Food Works, 1881 2nd Ave, five minutes from the gates
• Six kitchens plus a full bar means every taste in your group is covered
• Free on-site parking, no meters, no decks
• A park to unwind in after a day of walking the course
• Kirkwood, Oakhurst, downtown Decatur, and East Atlanta Village are all nearby and worth a stop