Atlanta Institution: The Varsity

When you’re new in Atlanta, you keep hearing about the Varsity. So you go see what all the fuss is about: Walk up to the counter and the person on the other side (almost) shouts at you: “What’ll ya have?” (If you’ve gotten used to soft-spoken Southern hospitality, you may be a bit taken aback.) You look up at the menu – chili dogs, hamburgers, onion rings and think, “Seriously? This is what all these people rave about?” But pressured by the insistent “what’ll ya have?” you decide and order. And in most cases, you will hardly have put your change away before they’re handing you that red tray with your drink, fries, burger and the chili dog.

So you go sit in one of the plastic benches at the formica tables, add salt and catsup and give it a taste test. Notice all the framed photos of celebrities who’ve been here before you. Put away your ambiance ratings and your expectation of a painted plate.

The Varsity was started in 1928 – before there was a McDonald’s bag in the floor of your car once a week. There are many traditions and famous stories about the Varsity that you may have seen. The tremendous volumes this places goes through is printed often. I’ve heard that the Coca-Cola delivery man never went anywhere else — delivered his Cokes and went back to get more, several times a day.

But here’s the thing – the Varsity’s been around since moms believed in three meals a day (actually sitting at the table.) It was a gleeful, little-bit-wicked rebellion for the children of those moms. It’s comfort food for the college kids. Now, it may be your personal revolution against the whole-wheat, broiled-without-skin and fat-free meals you know you should be eating.

One of the first jobs I had after moving to the Atlanta metro area was on Fulton Industrial Blvd. A salesman coming out from Atlanta called and said he’d be stopping at the Varsity, what did everyone want? (I’d never heard of it.) So my more-familiar colleagues ordered me a Chili-Burger. And yes, when I saw this thin little burger with a smear of chili on it, I wondered why everyone in the office was so excited. Later, I wondered how that little bit of chili could make it taste so good and I tried to imitate it at home a number of times.

My favorite story was from a girlfriend who told me that when she turned 16 and got her driver’s license, her dad handed her the keys and told her she could go anywhere but the Varsity. She lived in Morrow for Pete’s sake. (Would have been over an hour away back then.) But as soon as she was out of sight of the house, the Varsity is exactly where she went. (Why? College boys. Rebellion. Freedom. I don’t believe it was the chili-burgers.) And she flirted and talked and pretended she was much older, never remembering to turn off the headlights. So of course the battery died and she had to call her daddy. (The college boys did get her car started, but her daddy was already on the way. That was pre-cell-phone days.) It was some time before she got the keys back. And of course, she still loves the place.

The Varsity is open from 10 – 11:30 Sun – Thurs and until 12:30 Friday and Saturday. The main location is downtown at Spring and North (61 North Ave) There are 5 other locations – Athens, Alpharetta, Gwinnett, Town Center and Lindbergh Dr.

(Photo: personal collection.)