When people think about high-quality food in metro Atlanta, a few areas typically come to mind.
Buckhead’s stock of high-end restaurants is impressive, Old Fourth Ward overflows with eclectic eateries and the Buford Highway corridor’s diverse collection of international cuisine can’t be beat.
Tucker is hoping a new annual event will bring some extra attention to its often-overlooked food scene.
“We wanted to get people to understand that Tucker has some awesome food venues,” James Tsismanakis, executive director and CEO of the Discover DeKalb Convention & Visitors Bureau, said. “We wanted to get out there and showcase the food value that Tucker brings to the table.”
From Feb. 24-28, the city will host its inaugural Tucker Restaurant Week, which will feature more than a dozen participating restaurants. They will craft unique menu options for the event, which city spokesman Matt Holmes hopes will become an annual staple for food lovers.
“We’ve love for this to be a thing that draws people from all over metro Atlanta every single February,” he said.
Holmes and Tsismanakis said the idea for a restaurant week gained traction during a breakfast meeting at one of Tucker’s new restaurants in the city’s fast-growing downtown district. The two were at Hot Betty’s Breakfast Bar, which is just down the street from The Corner Cup Coffee — the winner of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s most recent poll for the best coffee shop in metro Atlanta.
“In 2020, Tucker really was a unicorn. Tucker had a handful of restaurants open during the pandemic, which makes no sense,” he said, mentioning at least four new businesses. “But these people, they were ready to go.”
Tucker Brewing Company was on that list, since it opened a full-service kitchen in August. It’s run by executive chef Nicole Fey, who said the upcoming restaurant week will show the rest of metro Atlanta that Tucker’s restaurants are still alive and kicking despite the pandemic’s widespread effects.
“We’re all very mentally fatigued over the events over the past year, and I know there’s a lot of excitement over helping support family-run businesses, like we are,” she said. “We’re still here, we still need the support of our community and we’re still making great food and great beer.”
Fey also mentioned that her restaurant, like many in Tucker, will continue to offer curbside pickup and carryout services throughout the five-day event. As of this week, 17 restaurants have signed on to participate in the inaugural event.
There are already a few restaurants weeks in the Atlanta area, including events for Black-owned restaurants and nearby cities like Alpharetta and Roswell. Holmes said hyperlocal tourism, where residents in a metro area visit nearby neighborhoods for entertainment, could thrive during the pandemic when many people are bored with their mundane routines.
“Whether you’re coming from Smyrna or Suwanee, Dunwoody or Doraville, we’re glad to have you and think you’re in for a real treat,” Mayor Frank Auman said in a news release.
Tucker Brewing Company owner and CEO Ashley Hubbard echoed that sentiment.
“I hope people will realize that Tucker is a destination for people to come out to,” she said. “It’s not just your average food or what-have-you. There are great options on this side of town.”
Visit tuckerrestaurantweek.com for updates.
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