The 15 Best Black-Owned Restaurants in Atlanta You Need to Try Right Now

The 15 Best Black-Owned Restaurants in Atlanta You Need to Try Right Now

Category: Food & Restaurants  |  Date: June 2026  |  Hungry Homegirl

Atlanta has always been a food city. From soul food institutions that have fed generations to boundary-pushing chefs rewriting what Southern cuisine can look like, the Black culinary community here is doing something special, and it deserves your coins, your clicks, and your appetite.

We spent months eating our way across the city, from early-morning biscuit runs in Bankhead to late-night oyster bars in Old Fourth Ward. What we found was a dining scene that is vibrant, unapologetic, and absolutely delicious. Here are 15 Black-owned restaurants in Atlanta that need to be on your radar right now.

1. The Busy Bee Cafe, Sweet Auburn

If you have not been to The Busy Bee, are you even an Atlantan? This institution has been serving soul food since 1947 and shows no signs of slowing down. The fried chicken is legendary, the collard greens are cooked low and slow with smoked turkey, and the cornbread will make you call your grandmother. Go on a Sunday after church and arrive early, the line wraps around the block for good reason.

Homegirl Tip: Order the fried pork chop with macaroni and cheese. Trust us.

2. Slutty Vegan ATL, Multiple Locations

Chef Pinky Cole turned a one-truck concept into a national movement, and Atlanta is where it all started. The One Night Stand burger, the Ménage à Trois, the Sloppy Toppy, yes, the names are the point, are all plant-based creations so satisfying that even the most dedicated carnivores leave converted. The Westview location has a vibrant community atmosphere that feels like a block party every single evening.

3. Esther’s in Cascade

Tucked into Southwest Atlanta, Esther’s is the kind of neighborhood gem that locals protect like a secret. The shrimp and grits are rich and perfectly seasoned, the catfish is crispy without being greasy, and the sweet potato pie alone is worth the drive. Chef-owner Esther keeps the menu tight and the quality high, everything on that menu has earned its place.

4. Richards’ Southern Fried, East Atlanta

Chef Todd Richards is one of the most talented chefs working in Atlanta today, and his fried chicken sandwich restaurant gives everyone access to his genius at an affordable price point. The Korean BBQ version is a masterpiece of sweet, spicy, and crunchy. The honey butter biscuits are the kind of thing that will interrupt your sleep with cravings.

5. Jackmont Hospitality Group Restaurants

Entrepreneur Larry Jackmon has quietly built one of the most impressive restaurant empires in Atlanta. His portfolio includes TGI Fridays franchises as well as his own One Flew South at Hartsfield-Jackson, yes, the airport restaurant with the best chicken and waffles you will ever eat before a flight. If you are traveling through ATL, budget an extra 45 minutes just for this.

The Rest of Our List

We could write an entire book on Atlanta’s Black-owned dining scene, and maybe one day we will. Here are the rest of our top picks to bookmark immediately:

• Lil Deb’s Oasis, Caribbean-inspired small plates in College Park that feel like a dinner party
• South City Kitchen, Elevated Southern classics in Midtown with a patio worth fighting for
• Bone Lick BBQ, West Side smokehouse with brisket that falls apart at the sight of a fork
• Jackrabbit, Modern Southern in Decatur with rotating seasonal menus
• The Colonnade Restaurant, Old-school glamour and the best prime rib on a Sunday night
• Daddy D’z BBQ, A Little Five Points institution with sauce that requires napkins on your lap
• Beautiful Restaurant, Historic Auburn Avenue soul food with recipes unchanged for 40 years
• Cooks & Soldiers, James Beard-nominated Basque pintxos with an Atlanta soul
• Empire State South, Hugh Acheson’s love letter to Southern ingredients done with precision
• Gunshow, Kevin Gillespie’s dim sum-style Southern tasting experience in Glenwood Park

Atlanta is eating well. Go support these restaurants, leave glowing reviews, and bring your whole crew. The city’s culinary culture thrives when we show up for each other.

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