Atlanta Black Restaurant Week Celebrates 10 Years of Flavor, Culture & Community

If you haven't made a reservation yet, it's time to move — because Atlanta Black Restaurant Week is in full swing, and this year is extra special. The annual culinary celebration is marking its 10th anniversary, running from August 2 through August 16, 2026, and spotlighting some of the most talented Black chefs, restaurateurs, food truck operators, and culinary professionals in the metro Atlanta area.

This is more than a food festival. This is an economic movement — and your fork is a powerful tool.

How It All Started

Atlanta Black Restaurant Week was founded in Houston in 2016 by Warren Luckett, now a proud Atlanta resident. What began as a single-city dining event has grown into a national movement spanning 17 regions across the U.S. and Canada. Over the past decade, the initiative has supported more than 5,000 culinary professionals and generated millions of dollars in economic impact for businesses that have historically lacked access to traditional marketing and advertising budgets.

In a food industry where Black-owned restaurants are consistently underrepresented in media coverage, food guides, and fine-dining circuits, Black Restaurant Week levels the playing field — giving these businesses the visibility and marketing support they deserve.

Who's Participating in 2026

This year's Atlanta edition features an impressive roster of Black-owned eateries across the city and surrounding metro areas — including Marietta, Decatur, Stone Mountain, and Conyers. Some standout participants include:

• Marcus Bar & Grille — The Edgewood Avenue hotspot where Chef Gary Caldwell has built a reputation for legendary chef collaboration dinners. His Gary & Friends series kicked off Black Restaurant Week on August 2nd with a collaborative menu featuring Chef Robert Butts of Auburn Angel.
• Oreatha's at the Point — A neighborhood gem known for its soulful Southern cuisine and warm hospitality.
• Pepper's Hotdogs — A beloved Atlanta institution doing hotdogs right, with a devoted following and community roots.
• Perfect Seasoning Jamaican Cuisine — Bringing the bold flavors of the Caribbean to Atlanta plates throughout the week.
• Auburn Angel — A downtown Atlanta restaurant that has become a fixture in the city's thriving Black culinary scene.

The full list of participating businesses — across Atlanta proper and the surrounding metro — is available through the Black Restaurant Week website. Many establishments are offering special menus, events, and promotions throughout the two-week run. Don't sleep on these deals.

Scholarships, Philanthropy & the Feed the Soul Foundation

The 2026 edition also introduced a deeper philanthropic layer through the Feed the Soul Foundation, Black Restaurant Week's nonprofit arm. The foundation is focused on supporting students pursuing careers in hospitality, culinary arts, and business — and it has already awarded $85,000 in scholarships to students at HBCUs and Hispanic-Serving Institutions.

This year's programming includes the inaugural Bites & Birdies Golf Tournament, sponsored by Stella Artois, bringing together culinary professionals and community leaders for a day of networking and fun.

When you dine at a participating restaurant during Black Restaurant Week, you're not just treating yourself to amazing food — you're contributing to a pipeline that sends the next generation of Black culinary talent to college and into kitchens around the world.

Why Your Dollars Matter More Than Ever

Black-owned restaurants face a structural challenge that their counterparts in mainstream dining often don't: limited access to marketing budgets, press coverage, and investor capital. A Yelp listing and word-of-mouth can only go so far in a city as competitive as Atlanta.

Black Restaurant Week addresses this visibility gap head-on — but the movement only works when the community shows up. And with August also being National Black Business Month, the timing couldn't be more powerful.

Think about it this way: every brunch reservation, every takeout order, every Instagram story you post tagging a Black-owned restaurant during these two weeks is a marketing investment in that business. You are the media. You are the campaign.

How to Participate Before August 16

The clock is ticking — Black Restaurant Week wraps up on August 16, 2026. Here's how to make the most of it:

1. Visit the Black Restaurant Week website to browse the full list of participating restaurants in metro Atlanta.
2. Make a reservation or plan a visit to at least three restaurants you haven't tried before.
3. Post your experience on social media using the official hashtag and tag the restaurant — your post may be the reason someone else discovers their new favorite spot.
4. Leave a positive review on Google, Yelp, or wherever you normally review — this helps these businesses long after the week is over.
5. Gift a restaurant week experience to a friend or family member. Great food and great community — there's no better combination.

Atlanta has always been a city where Black excellence shows up at the table — literally and figuratively. Black Restaurant Week is a celebration of that excellence, and a reminder that supporting Black-owned businesses is not a seasonal act. It is a lifestyle.

Get out there, eat good, and invest in your community. Atlanta Black Restaurant Week is waiting for you.