Black Restaurant Week kicks off this weekend in Atlanta

ATLANTA — A campaign highlighting minority-owned restaurants and dedicated to celebrating the flavors of metro Atlanta is back. 

Black Restaurant Week kicks of starting on Sunday, August 6 until August 20. It started in Houston just seven years ago before expanding to other cities across the country.

For Gocha Hawkins, who owns Gocha’s Tapas Bar,  the campaign is about boosting business and giving back to the community.

“This is just a new experience to the community and so we’re just here to enlighten and elevate,” she said. 

Hawkins connects the community in South Fulton with her small and tasty dishes.

“Small plates, it’s a place you know to get together with family, friends, and you know drink and have a good time or share plates,” the owner said. 

Hawkins’ restaurant is one of 20 participating and cooking up dishes for the two-week long campaign with a mission to feed the metro.

Last year, Black Restaurant Week showcased over 1,000 Black-owned culinary businesses across the country, increasing sales by 15%, according to its creators.

The campaign fuels business for Black-owned restaurants, food trucks and sweet shops.

“They’ve touched 3,000 Black businesses, and something I applaud them for because we didn’t have anybody rooting for us as small business owners,” said Hawkins.

She said the campaign became instrumental in helping to revive and save the Black restaurant industry during the pandemic.

“It was extremely important at that time because there were a lot of things closing and they were bringing recognition to the things that were open,” the restaurant owner added.

Hawkins is looking forward to using this week to reinvest in her own community.

“To give back, we do fundraisers all the time. We’re delighted to be able to asset, to be able to be effective in the community,” she added.

To check out the full list of participating Atlanta Black-owned restaurants, visit here.