No matter if you are a born-and-bred Atlantan, a newcomer, or just visiting for the weekend, exploring the city’s Black-owned food scene offers a unique view of a side of the city that can only be experienced. From buttery biscuits and crispy fried chicken that echo generations of home-cooked family meals to plant-based innovations that reflect a new wave of conscious eating, each dish tells a story of identity, struggle, joy, and triumph. In this article, we highlight some of the most influential, inspiring, and mouthwatering Black-owned restaurants in Atlanta and the Black restaurant owners who do more than feed the city but are the ones that shape it.

Lucy Jackson, a self-taught cook from Carrollton, Georgia, opened this legendary restaurant in 1947 on what was called Hunter Street (now Martin Luther King Drive) at a time when Hunter Street was one of only two streets in Atlanta where Black entrepreneurs were allowed to open businesses and where Black diners were welcome in restaurants. Indeed, the restaurant became one of the meeting places for civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Hosea Williams.

The café was widely known as one of Dr. Martin Luther King’s favorite restaurants in the 1960s, with fried chicken being one of its most famous staples. After several changes of hands, Tracy Gates, who took over from her father in 1987, now owns the restaurant.

Awarded the Michelin Bib Gourmand—an award from the Michelin Guide that recognizes restaurants with exceptional food at more affordable prices—and a James Beard American Classics winner, The Busy Bee Café and Ms. Gates are determined to serve food that is intimate, familial, “relaxed, comfortable, and casual.” (https://www.atlantamagazine.com/dining-news/the-busy-bee-cafe-plans-to-expand-into-atlantic-station-in-2026/)

Co-owner and Chef Duane Nutter, a former stand-up comedian, exchanged his mic for a ladle and cooks up creative dishes based on Southern staples.

One can find surprising dishes that blend the old-school favorites with unexpected ingredients. Two such mouth-watering examples are the field peas with miso sauce, which strike the perfect balance of sweet and savory, and the lamb burger helper, which combines protein, cheese, and pasta for a comforting yet refined bite.

Aside from the food, young professionals in Atlanta also appreciate its beautiful ambiance, great service, and outstanding wine/cocktail program. It is also a proud participant of the long-running PeachFest, where more than sixty-five chefs and bartenders will celebrate peach-centric food and drinks. As Chef Nutter says, “It’s a little slice of home in this otherwise really big city.” (https://www.facebook.com/reel/603787996120262)

Opened in December of 2016, Bread & Butterfly is a European-inspired café that serves food and beverages from early morning to late at night. It’s a laid-back spot that mixes Haitian flavors, African touches, and Parisian café vibes.

As explained by Chef Demetrius Brown, one of the co-owners, “We want to try and embrace all the trials and tribulations that (Africans) have gone on through history, and we’re just telling those through our food.”

Heritage Supper Club, one of the acclaimed restaurant events, is a great example. This series of dinners allows the chef to dive deep into his Trinidadian roots while simultaneously celebrating the Caribbean and Afro-American culture, tradition, and cuisine.

(https://blog.resy.com/2024/06/how-bread-butterfly-is-reexamining-its-french-roots-through-an-african-lens/)

This café has been a mainstay in the Atlanta vegan community since its opening in 2011. It popularized the raw-diet movement with its creative, filling wraps. They use seaweed or kale as the wrap, and fillings include pad thai noodles, curried plantains, and sweet coconut corn. They smash the low expectations of a raw-vegan restaurant to pieces.

This is not a stale eatery serving up drab and gloomy fake meats in order to appeal to the masses.

Instead, it is a vegan restaurant that doles out customizable kale wraps with catchy names like the Punany or Dat Ish. The menu is completely based on raw vegan ingredients that are nutritious and healthy.

After all these years, owner Tassili Ma’at is now recognized around the world for the best kale in Atlanta and its attractive Afrocentric ambiance.

Her tremendous heart shines through in an interview with Voyage ATL, where she stated proudly that the business succeeded by being “supported by the community and [is] essentially run by the community too.”

(https://voyageatl.com/interview/life-work-with-tassilis-raw-reality-of-atlanta/)

Since 2011, the Atlanta-born-and-bred Chef G. Garvin has been providing the city with all the steakhouse favorites, along with regional classics like Georgia shrimp and grits, in this upscale Midtown restaurant.

It is one of the most popular places to celebrate cherished moments with family and friends, such as birthdays and reunions, in town.

In terms of food, imagine your favorite Sunday dinner, replete with ribs, chicken, Gulf seafood, fresh vegetables, and peach cobbler—you can have your pick here. The wide-ranging menu covers all the classics as well as a few modern South-accented twists.

As Chef Garvin puts it, “Everything at [LowCountry Steak] is from something I’ve done… That was the whole idea—to bring my career into this one space.” (https://www.timeout.com/usa/restaurants/chef-g-garvin-believes-were-all-the-same-at-the-dinner-table)

No passports required for this trip around the world! Every ninety days, the dishes, wine, and cocktails all switch up to focus on a specific country. Co-owners Douglas Hines and Mei Lin play a game called “spin night” to decide which country they focus on next. And the diners have been the winners with this tradition.

For its regular menu, the establishment takes its cues from all around the world. From the usual suspects like Italy and Latin America to the unexpected locales like Greenland and Papua New Guinea, global cuisines are all well represented.

This fun but classy restaurant features a two-tiered dining room, dramatic lighting, and walls of eclectic, gold-framed art. So, remember to make a reservation for your next date night in Atlanta!

These six remarkable restaurants are definitely drool-worthy. But they’re only a small sample of what Black-owned restaurants in Atlanta can offer. So, feel free to go on an adventure, visit different establishments, and find your own favorite spot in town. And let us know what you find!