Community Corner
640 West Is West End's Dining Option 'Between Greasy Gone Bad And Veganville'
Offering healthy eats in Atlanta's West End, the restaurant 640 West offers a community space that sells food.
ATLANTA, GA -- Jay White, owner of 640 West in Atlanta's West End, sees his restaurant not so much as a place to eat, but a place to meet. "It wasn't necessarily me wanting to open a restaurant more so than wanting to open a space that would bring community together," he told Patch.
The eatery, which has been open for nearly a year, offers a healthy respite from the greasy spoon spots -- delicious but oh so bad for you -- that dot Ralph D. Abernathy Boulevard in southwest Atlanta. (SIGN UP: Get Patch's Daily Newsletter and Real Time News Alerts. Or, if you have an iPhone, download the free Patch app.)
"The food we serve is a healthy alternative to combat much of the grease and sugar that has not only infiltrated our neighborhood but has also become the norm," said White, who is a restaurateur and artist. "640 West is right in the middle of greasy gone bad and veganville!”
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The West End has experienced an explosion of popularity recently: the housing market is red-hot, its restaurant scene is rounding out and most importantly, the west line of the Beltline, the pathway development project that is connecting Atlanta's neighborhoods, is drawing renewed attention.
White believes that the area can be something special. He said that the only thing people need are opportunities, more specifically places -- doors -- where opportunities can knock. He said 640 West exists "for the opportunities to network and meet people that could change their lives, give the community a platform to utilize their gifts and talents, but more importantly to find their purpose."
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White said that some people may have a conflicted idea about the eatery's location, but he's crystal clear on why he decided to put his restaurant there. "The West End has always been symbolic of 'hood' and 'struggle' which has also carried a negative connotation. I wanted to be in the heart of it, where there are amazing opportunities to empower my people. The West End is not hood though, it is extraordinary. There's no other place I'd rather be."
Images via Craig Johnson / Patch
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