Everything You Need to Know About Black Restaurant Week Atlanta

In addition to highlighting local Black-owned restaurants, Black Restaurant Week Atlanta is hosting a week full of fun activities.

Black Restaurant Week—the renowned North America-spanning food tour that’s dedicated to celebrating African American, African, and Caribbean influences in the culinary industry—is officially back in the A. Originally founded by Warren Luckett, Falayn Ferrell, and Derek Robinson as a Houston-exclusive food experience in 2016, Black Restaurant Week has grown into a nationwide phenomenon, with experiences in the Bay Area, the Carolinas, New York, Washington D.C., Baltimore, Toronto, and, of course, Atlanta.

This week, Black Restaurant Week’s return to Atlanta marks its fifth year in the city, and to celebrate the occasion, the week-long event has expanded its reach to include even more local Black culinary professionals, from restaurants, bars, and food trucks to desert shops, caterers, and private chefs.

How long is Black Restaurant Week taking place?

This year’s Black Restaurant Week Atlanta actually kicked off this past weekend on Friday, August 5, and it will wrap up this weekend on Sunday, August 14.

While the current slate of Atlanta-based events and activities will just take place over the course of this week, Black Restaurant Week is passionate about ensuring that its impact is felt year round, which is exactly why its latest campaign is called “More Than Just a Week.”

“More Than Just a Week speaks to our commitment to support the black culinary community throughout the entire year,” Ferrell, one of Black Restaurant Week’s Managing Partners, explains. “More than 90,000 restaurants and bars closed nationwide since 2020, it is essential that we create a platform that drives awareness to black-owned culinary businesses outside of our culinary tour.”

In addition to championing Black restaurateurs, Black Restaurant Week is leading several initiatives, such as free entry-level business registration and inclusion in the the national culinary directory on the organization’s website, an online culinary marketplace specifically tailored to Black-owned food and houseware brands, Soundbites Food Truck Parks to showcase and drive business to food trucks, and small business grants and business development training from Black Restaurant Week’s non-profit Feed the Soul Foundation.

Fellaship ATL
Fellaship ATL

What all is happening for Black Restaurant Week?

Typically, the main ingredient of Black Restaurant Week is the long list of participating restaurants. This year, there are over 50 participating businesses (more on that in a little bit),
and each will be honoring Black Restaurant Week in its own unique way, from limited-time-only menus to food and drink specials. However, there’s actually even more ways to celebrate Black Restaurant Week Atlanta this year.

In addition to trying out as many participating Black-owned restaurants as possible, guests are encouraged to also take advantage of the incredible event programming throughout the course of the week. There is at least one event taking place every day, whether it be the swanky Cigar Night at Fellaship in Castleberry Hill on Tuesday or the live music-fueled R&B Night at Nouveau Bar & Grill in Jonesboro on Thursday. On Friday evening from 6 pm to 10 pm, head over to State Farm Arena for Black Restaurant Week’s NOSH Culinary Showcase, which will specifically highlight Atlanta's premiere Black chefs, caterers, and bartenders. Lastly, to wrap everything up on Sunday, guests are invited to attend the Finale Sunday Brunch at APT 4B in Buckhead on August 14.

Many of the events will treat attendees with complimentary swag, so if you would like to see a full list of Black Restaurant Week events, check out the organization’s website here.

Gocha’s Breakfast Bar
Gocha’s Breakfast Bar

Which restaurants are participating?

While Atlanta boasts a vast array of Black-owned restaurants, it’s very important to note that every single one is not participating in Black Restaurant Week this year. Of the 50+ participating restaurants, however, there will be classic Atlanta staples like the historic Busy Bee Cafe in Vine City, newer local favorites like Old Lady Gang in Castleberry Hill and Camp Creek or Gocha’s Breakfast Bar in Cascade and Fayetteville, and vegan-friendly options like Grass VBQ Joint in Stone Mountain. Other participating restaurants include Applewhite’s Eatery in Lithonia, Big Mike Tacos in Riverdale, Fin & Feathers’ Metro-Atlanta Area locations, and Infusion Crab ATL in Marietta, among countless others. Even dessert spots like Popbar Alpharetta, April’s Sweet Shoppe, and the Black-owned Ben & Jerry’s in Inman Park are also participating.

Regardless of how many participating restaurants that you’re able to pay a visit to this week, Black Restaurant Week’s Atlanta directory is a great way of familiarizing yourself with some of the best Black-owned eateries on all sides of town. For a complete and up-to-date list of participating restaurants, check out Black Restaurant Week Atlanta’s website here.

Joshua Robinson is an Atlanta-based contributor for Thrillist.