Black Restaurant Week Atlanta: How to Enjoy, Support, and Navigate the Celebration

Atlanta’s Black Restaurant Week has grown into one of the city’s most anticipated food events, shining a spotlight on Black-owned restaurants, food trucks, bakeries, and caterers from Downtown to College Park and beyond. Whether you live in the metro area or are visiting just for the week, it’s one of the best times to explore Atlanta’s food scene with purpose.

Below is a practical guide to what Black Restaurant Week Atlanta is, how it works, where to look, and how to make the most of it.

What Is Black Restaurant Week in Atlanta?

Black Restaurant Week Atlanta is a citywide celebration focused on:

• Highlighting Black-owned food businesses
• Encouraging diners to discover new spots
• Driving more traffic and revenue to independent restaurants and culinary entrepreneurs

Instead of being limited to a single festival site, the “event” is spread across the city. Participating restaurants usually offer:

• Special menus or limited-time dishes
• Prix fixe meals (set multi-course menus at a set price)
• Discounts or featured items

For diners, it’s essentially a themed period where you’re encouraged to eat your way through Black-owned restaurants across metro Atlanta—from classic Southern and Caribbean to vegan, fine dining, and casual neighborhood spots.

When Does Black Restaurant Week Happen in Atlanta?

Dates can shift year to year, but a few patterns are common:

• It typically runs for about a week to two weeks
• It often lands in a warmer-weather season (spring, summer, or early fall)
• Specific dates, participating restaurants, and specials are usually announced a few weeks in advance

Because timing changes, the best approach is to:

• Check the official Black Restaurant Week national schedule
• Watch Atlanta-focused event calendars and local news
• Follow Atlanta food blogs and social media pages that highlight local restaurant weeks

⚠️ Tip: Dates and participants change yearly. Always verify the current year’s schedule before making reservations or planning a food crawl.

How Black Restaurant Week Works (From a Diner’s Perspective)

You don’t need a ticket for the whole week. Instead, you:

1. Browse the participating restaurants
   Most years, there’s a centralized list of Atlanta-area participants, including:

   • Full-service restaurants
   • Food trucks
   • Cafés and dessert shops
   • Catering businesses with pop-ups

2. Choose where to go
   Decide by:

   • Cuisine (soul food, Caribbean, African, BBQ, vegan, breakfast, etc.)
   • Neighborhood (Downtown, Midtown, West End, East Point, College Park, Buckhead, Decatur, etc.)
   • Experience (date night, grab-and-go lunch, family dinner, brunch)

3. Check for special menus or deals
   Many places create:

   • A prix fixe menu (for example, appetizer + entrée + dessert for a set price)
   • A featured dish or drink tied to the event

4. Make a reservation if needed
   Popular spots in areas like Midtown, Old Fourth Ward, and Buckhead can book up. Call ahead or reserve online where available.

5. Dine as usual at the restaurant
   You pay at the restaurant just like you normally would. Some places may ask you if you’re there for Black Restaurant Week; others simply honor the menu or deal when you order from it.

Why Black Restaurant Week Matters in Atlanta

Atlanta has a long history as a Black cultural and business hub, and its food scene reflects that. Black Restaurant Week supports:

• Economic growth for Black-owned businesses
  Independent restaurants, food trucks, and caterers often operate with slimmer margins. A focused boost in foot traffic can be meaningful.

• Neighborhood visibility
  Diners might discover new areas—like West End, Castleberry Hill, East Point, and South Fulton—and become repeat customers.

• Culinary diversity
  In one week, you may experience:

  • West African jollof and suya
  • Jamaican and Caribbean seafood
  • Classic Atlanta wings and BBQ
  • Upscale Southern comfort food
  • Vegan and vegetarian takes on soul food

For Atlantans, it’s both a celebration and an act of support.

Types of Atlanta Restaurants You’ll Typically See

You won’t always find the exact same restaurants each year, but you can expect a wide mix across metro Atlanta:

H3: Common Cuisines Represented

• Southern and Soul Food – fried chicken, collard greens, mac and cheese, catfish, cornbread
• BBQ and Wings – smoked meats, rib tips, turkey legs, lemon pepper wings
• Caribbean & Island Cuisine – jerk chicken, oxtails, patties, plantains, seafood boils
• African Cuisine – jollof rice, fufu, stews, grilled meats, injera-based dishes
• Seafood & Cajun/Creole – gumbo, étouffée, shrimp and grits, crab boils
• Vegan/Vegetarian Soul – plant-based spins on classics
• Bakeries & Dessert Spots – pound cake, pies, cobbler, cupcakes, banana pudding
• Coffee Shops & Brunch Cafés – specialty coffee, brunch plates, pastries

H3: Neighborhoods Where You’ll Often Find Participants

While participants can be anywhere in metro Atlanta, you’ll frequently see clusters in:

• Downtown & Castleberry Hill
• Midtown & Old Fourth Ward
• West End & Westview
• East Atlanta & Kirkwood
• Buckhead & surrounding North Atlanta
• Decatur & East Lake
• College Park, East Point, and Hapeville
• South Fulton and Southwest Atlanta

Planning Your Black Restaurant Week in Atlanta

A little planning can help you taste more and waste less time in traffic.

1. Build a Simple Food Route

Atlanta traffic can be challenging, especially along interstates like I-75/85, I-20, and GA-400. To make things smoother:

• Cluster your visits by area:

  • One evening in Midtown/Old Fourth Ward
  • Another in West End/Castleberry Hill
  • A weekend afternoon in College Park/East Point

• Consider MARTA for areas convenient to stations, such as:

  • Five Points (Downtown)
  • West End
  • Midtown
  • North Avenue
  • Peachtree Center

2. Make Reservations or Call Ahead

For sit-down restaurants, especially in Midtown, Buckhead, and busy intown neighborhoods:

• Reserve early in the week for Friday and Saturday evenings
• Call to confirm:
  • Black Restaurant Week menus and pricing
  • Parking options (street vs. lot vs. valet)
  • Large party policies if you’re bringing a group

3. Budgeting and Pricing Expectations

Prices vary widely, but you’ll generally encounter:

• Casual spots and food trucks: affordable single dishes or combo meals
• Mid-range restaurants: moderate entrée prices or set menus
• Upscale dining: higher per-person cost, often with multi-course experiences

To avoid surprises:

• Ask whether a service charge is added for large parties
• Confirm whether gratuity is included on prix fixe menus

Sample Ways to Experience Black Restaurant Week

Here’s a simple way to structure your week without getting overwhelmed:

Use this as a starting point and plug in specific restaurants from that year’s participant list.

Tips for Locals vs. Visitors

If You Live in Atlanta

• Use the week to branch out of your usual area.
  If you’re always in Midtown, spend an evening in Castleberry Hill or College Park.

• Turn it into a group outing.
  Coordinate with friends or coworkers and try a new spot each day.

• Keep track of favorites.
  The goal isn’t just a one-time visit—many people use Black Restaurant Week to find restaurants they’ll support year-round.

If You’re Visiting Atlanta

• Stay somewhere central (Downtown, Midtown, Old Fourth Ward, or near a MARTA station) to reduce car time.
• Plan for traffic and parking. Many in-town neighborhoods have limited parking; factor that into your schedule.
• Mix dining with local sights, such as:
  • Atlanta BeltLine Eastside Trail (near Old Fourth Ward)
  • Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park (near Sweet Auburn)
  • Centennial Olympic Park and Downtown attractions

How Restaurants and Food Businesses Participate

From the business side, Black Restaurant Week typically involves:

• Registration with the event organizers
• Submitting menus or featured dishes
• Being listed in promotional materials for the Atlanta market

If you’re a chef, caterer, or restaurant owner in metro Atlanta and want to join in a future year, typical steps include:

• Gathering your business details (address, cuisine type, website or phone)
• Preparing a special offer or menu
• Watching for Atlanta participation announcements on the official Black Restaurant Week channels

This can help you connect with both local diners and visitors who are specifically seeking Black-owned restaurants during the event.

Accessibility, Dietary Needs, and Other Practical Considerations

Black Restaurant Week in Atlanta includes a variety of restaurant styles, from grab-and-go counters to white-tablecloth dining. Because accessibility and dietary needs vary, it helps to:

• Call ahead if you:

  • Use a wheelchair or mobility device
  • Need to avoid stairs or tight seating areas
  • Prefer quieter seating

• Ask about dietary accommodations, such as:

  • Vegetarian or vegan options
  • Gluten-sensitive or nut-free dishes
  • Pork-free menus

Many Atlanta restaurants can adjust certain dishes or make recommendations when given advance notice.

Finding Official Information and Local Support

While Black Restaurant Week is not run by the City of Atlanta, there are a few local resources that can help you plug into the dining scene:

• City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Cultural Affairs
  233 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 1700
  Atlanta, GA 30303
  Phone: (404) 546-6815
  (Useful for general cultural event information and connections to local arts and culture programming.)

• City of Atlanta Mayor’s Office of Film, Entertainment & Nightlife
  55 Trinity Avenue SW
  Atlanta, GA 30303
  Phone: (404) 330-6000
  (Can provide broader context on nightlife and hospitality initiatives.)

• Fulton County Government – Economic Development / Small Business Support
  141 Pryor Street SW
  Atlanta, GA 30303
  Phone: (404) 612-4000
  (Relevant for business owners looking for support or guidance, including restaurants.)

These offices don’t run Black Restaurant Week but can help point businesses and residents toward broader local programs that support dining, culture, and small businesses.

How to Make the Most of Black Restaurant Week Atlanta

To get real value from Black Restaurant Week in Atlanta:

• Plan at least 2–4 restaurant visits instead of just one
• Explore at least one new neighborhood you don’t visit often
• Support beyond the week by:
  • Following favorite spots on social media
  • Returning throughout the year
  • Considering Black-owned caterers and bakers for events

Black Restaurant Week Atlanta is both a celebration of the city’s culinary talent and an opportunity to intentionally support the Black-owned businesses that help define Atlanta’s food culture. With a bit of planning, you can eat well, explore more of the city, and have a clear sense of how to participate—whether you’re a long-time local or a first-time visitor.