by Lauren Townsend for The Aha! Connection
Do people keep popping into town and you’re running out of places to take them? Do the kids have cabin fever? Skate the Square and Politan Row at Colony Square is your answer. Colony Square is in Midtown and the skating rink is surrounded by some of the city’s best restaurants. If a sit down at Rumi’s, Saints + Council, Establishment or Brown Bag Seafood Co seem like too big of a commitment, Colony Square is home to the newer dining hall in Atlanta, Politan Row.
Politan Row is pretty swanky by design with lush sofas, warm wood tables and fixtures and a large bar right in the middle. After 75 minutes of skating, warming up with a cocktail and myriad of food was lovely. Per the Politan Row page, here are the current vendors:
Belli Pizzeria: Neapolitan pizza classics, charcuterie plates + more brought to you by Mario Ali
Bun Mi Grill: Quality Vietnamese cuisine with authentic flavors brought to you by Sang Ho
Federal Burger: Grass fed hamburgers with traditional + non-traditional sides brought to you by Shaun Doty
Gekko: High-quality Japanese cuisine with a focus on fast, fresh hibachi brought to you by Jack Bai
Locale Café: Caribbean cuisine, specializing in Jerk Chicken + Jamaican dishes brought to you by Taylur Davis
Pretty Little Tacos: Street tacos with a Creole-Mexican twist + dessert options brought to you by Michaela Merrick
Tandoori Pizza & Wings Co: Indian inspired naan crust pizza + wings with specialty sauces brought to you by Archna Becker
True Life Wellness Juice Bar: A 100% organic cold-pressed juice bar providing healthy grab and go juices + clean eats brought to you by Chuck Guider
Unbelibubble: Handcrafted bubble tea ranging from milk teas, brewed teas, matchas + more brought to you by Yoon Soo Alex Kim + Mindy Kim
Zaddy’s: A deli with Atlanta flair offering colossal sandwiches, soups + salads brought to you by Aliah Jefferson
We were starving, so we went all out. My favorite was Belli Pizzeria. The Bacon Gouda pizza will live rent-free in my head. I’m almost glad that Politan Row is nowhere near my house because that pizza would be dangerous.
My husband came back with a huge banh mi from Bun Mi Grill. Crusty roll, flavorful meat and fresh jalapenos. It’s a meal in of itself.
The wings at Tandoori Pizza & Wings Co were my oldest daughter’s favorite. We got the tandoori dry rub, which were not spicy and really good. They offer a lot of other sauces, but you won’t be disappointed with any of them.
We also split a chicken hibachi from Gekko and it was a crowd-pleaser. My mom is super judgy when it comes to Japanese rice and deemed this “really well done.” Definitely great flavors and a great option for your picky eaters.
Zaddy’s served up a warm bowl of homemade chicken noodle soup that hit the spot after ice skating. They also kept us warm with some delicious hot chocolate while we skated.
Skating the Square was a great way for the kids to burn off energy. Make reservations online HERE. The rink is smaller than Avalon and there are none of those things you push to help little ones skate. But, if you don’t need one of those, I feel like the rink is a perfect size. Plus, a King of Pops opens right onto the square and in addition to pops, they serve hot and cold boozy pop-inspired cocktails. The rink is open until January 17th and kids under 12 cost $14 for 75 minutes and that includes the skates.
Parking is in the deck below the square and hours for the rink and Politan Square vary, so check the website first. No matter how warm you think it feels outside, the rink is located between the buildings, so the wind can make it feel chilly. Dress accordingly.
