Second Ladybird location to nest in West Midtown

Just in time for patio season, West Midtown’s Star Metals District has announced that it will be home to a second location of Ladybird Grove and Mess Hall.

The new Ladybird will take over nearly an acre of real estate currently occupied by a warehouse and parking lots just off Howell Mill Road, according to a news release. It will sit directly adjacent to a new 21-story residential tower, the Stella at Star Metals, slated to open in June. Ladybird’s opening date is still to be determined.

Electric Hospitality, the group that owns Ladybird, Ranger Station and Muchacho, already had a relationship with Star Metals after opening Electric Room, an event space in the development.

“We have wanted to bring Ladybird to West Midtown for the longest time, but knew everything would have to be perfect in order for us to emulate what makes the original location so special,” Electric Hospitality CEO and founder Michael Lennox said in a statement.

Ladybird has established itself as one of the prime stops for pedestrians on the popular Eastside Beltline trail. Loosely themed on the lodges found at national parks, the restaurant’s expansive, dog-friendly patio is frequently packed to capacity.

Ladybird offers an approachable menu of sandwiches, salads, “trail snacks” and a full bar. The restaurant has created an all-day hangout for large groups, with sturdy picnic tables that one might find at a German biergarten, and multiple bars where customers can place orders.

Representatives for the Star Metals District said they hope Ladybird will “amplify the sense of community” in the area. It will also bring a unique greenspace to a heavily commercialized section of West Midtown’s Howell Mill corridor. The area is home to several rooftop pools and patios, but the nearest ground-level greenspaces are on Georgia Tech campus or the Waterworks Atlanta park.