The Historic Georgia Restaurant Beloved By Kamala Harris

Atlanta has put itself on the map as a culinary hotspot and, as of October 2024, as a favorite stop for a presidential hopeful, too. When her official duties take her to The Peach State, Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris makes it a point to stop at Atlanta's famed soul food establishment, The Busy Bee Cafe.

The longstanding, iconic soul food restaurant (where the tagline is "the South on a plate") has posted in support of Harris and shared a clip on Instagram of her making a stop at the restaurant in 2023. Harris and her team have also made their love of the WOC-owned restaurant well known, calling the cafe a "pillar of Black entrepreneurship since before the Civil Rights Movement" in a post on the official @vp Instagram account showing Harris and the first gentleman with to-go bags in tow.

While The Busy Bee, which operates out of an unassuming storefront in downtown Atlanta, might be garnering extra attention with Harris as a known fan, the restaurant has enjoyed legendary status for decades. The establishment opened its doors in 1947 and would go on to serve as a hub for Civil Rights leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., who frequented the spot to both dine and organize with movement leaders. As the city has grown up around it, The Busy Bee Cafe has retained its old-school menu and ambiance, continuing to serve the dishes it's known for, like iconic Southern fried chicken and shrimp, oxtails, collard greens, and candied yams.

Political leanings aside, no one's disputing Kamala Harris is a true foodie to her core. She's made her love of good eating well known on the campaign trail and beyond, sharing her prowess in the kitchen on social media, a short-lived "Cooking with Kamala" Youtube channel, sharing her favorite South Indian foods, and publicly proclaiming her love for her favorite restaurants across the United States.

And Harris has good taste — she's far from the only high-profile fan of The Busy Bee Cafe. The New York Times highlighted the WOC-owned establishment as one of the best restaurants in Atlanta in 2024, and the cafe earned the Michelin Bib Gourmand award the previous year. In 2022, it was awarded the prestigious James Beard Foundation Classics Award — one of six restaurants in the nation to receive this honor recognizing "locally owned restaurants that have timeless appeal and are beloved regionally for quality food that reflects the character of its community."

These accolades, including the well-known support of a potential future president, only underscore what Atlanta locals have long known — that The Busy Bee's fried chicken is among the best in the city, and its timeless menu and storied cultural significance make it a true cornerstone of the community.