Busy Bee Cafe to open 3rd restaurant at Centennial Yards
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The Busy Bee Cafe's smothered chicken will be on the menu at its new Centennial Yards location. Photo: Courtesy of Busy Bee Cafe
The team behind The Busy Bee Cafe has signed a lease to open inside a luxury apartment complex at Centennial Yards.
Why it matters: The iconic soul food restaurant, which originally opened in 1947 and has attracted big names over the years, has earned industry recognition with a Michelin Bib Gourmand designation and a James Beard "America's Classic" award.
The latest: Busy Bee will operate in 2,985 square feet of space at The Mitchell, which has 304 units ranging from studios to three-bedroom apartments.
- It's scheduled to open in 2027, according to an Instagram post shared by the restaurant and the development.
- The soul food restaurant's Centennial Yards location will offer a "quick-service format centered on the slow-cooked flavors" Busy Bee is known for, per a press release.
- It will also serve serve beer, wine and cocktails, and its menu will be built around casual dining and days and events that draw high foot traffic.
- Indoor and outdoor seating will be available.
What they're saying: In a press release, Busy Bee owner Tracy Gates said the new location "lets us honor our Downtown Atlanta roots while welcoming new guests to the neighborhood."
Catch up quick: Busy Bee in April 2025 announced it will open a second location in a 4,000-square-foot space at Atlantic Station.
- This location will offer a dine-in option, which hasn't been available at the original Vine City location on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive since the pandemic.
- Busy Bee's original location has attracted notable guests over the years, including former President Barack Obama, former Vice President Kamala Harris, Oprah Winfrey and the late Anthony Bourdain.
- It was also a popular spot for King and fellow civil rights activist Hosea Williams.
State of play: The announcement is the latest in several new lease agreements signed for the 50-acre site, including The Irish Exit, Cosm, Shake Shack, Live Nation and Khao Thai Isan.
- Khao Thai Isan, which will serve tapas, is expected to open at The Mitchell in the spring, Centennial Yards said Monday.
- Cosm and Shake Shack are also planning to open this year, and the Live Nation's 5,300-seat venue is expected to open in 2027.