The Busy Bee Café

Front entrance of the Busy Bee Café

The Busy Bee Café is a restaurant in Atlanta, Georgia. It is a well-known location in the history of the U.S. civil rights movement. In 2022 it was named one of America's Classics by the James Beard Foundation.

History

The restaurant was opened by Lucy Jackson, a self-taught cook from Carrollton, Georgia, in 1947 on what was at the time called Hunter Street, now Martin Luther King Drive.^[1][2] At that time 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.^[1][3]

The Busy Bee and Paschal's became meeting places for civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Hosea Williams.^{[1][3][4][2][5]} According to Unique Eats and Eateries of Atlanta, the restaurant is "as well known for its role in the civil rights movement as it is for its fried chicken."^[2]

Menu

Smothered fried porkchop, fried corn, and okra at the Busy Bee Cafe

The restaurants specializes in southern and soul food specialties such as catfish, fried chicken, ham hocks, macaroni and cheese, collard greens, and cornbread.^[1] Country Living said it was best known for its fried chicken.^[6]

Recognition

In 2022 the restaurant was named one of America's Classics by the James Beard Foundation.^[1] Roadfood called them "the best Southern restaurant in Atlanta. Period."^[7]

Ownership

In 1968 Jackson sold the restaurant to two local businessmen.^[2] In 1981 Milton Gates bought it.^[2]

As of 2022 the restaurant is owned by Tracy Gates, who took over from her father in 1987.^[1][3][8]

See also

• List of soul food restaurants
• List of Southern restaurants

References

1. "Announcing the 2022 America's Classics Winners | James Beard Foundation". www.jamesbeard.org. Archived from the original on 2023-01-24. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
2. Plumb, Amanda (2021-05-15). Unique Eats and Eateries of Atlanta. Reedy Press LLC. ISBN 978-1-68106-314-0.
3. King, Michael (6 February 2023). "Atlanta history and Black history are intertwined in many ways". www.cbsnews.com. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
4. Douglas, Deborah D. (2021-01-12). Moon U.S. Civil Rights Trail: A Traveler's Guide to the People, Places, and Events that Made the Movement. Avalon Publishing. ISBN 978-1-64049-916-4. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
5. "The Restaurants that Fueled the Civil Rights Movement". Atlanta History Center. 2022-01-10. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
6. "Here's Everything You Should Do, See, and Eat in Atlanta". Country Living. 2023-02-09. Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-27.
7. "Busy Bee Cafe". Roadfood.com. Retrieved 2023-02-28.
8. Brock, Wendell. "How Busy Bee is fighting to feed the soul food faithful". Archived from the original on 2023-02-27. Retrieved 2023-02-27.

33.7544°N 84.4140°W / 33.7544; -84.4140