The Atlanta Journal-Constitution is committed to continuing our normal features, where appropriate, during the coronavirus outbreak. For full coverage of the outbreak in Atlanta, please check our Coronavirus News Section. We have decided to continue Best of Atlanta voting for the time being, despite social distancing. We encourage our readers to support local businesses after the authorities loosen the social distancing rules — along with supporting those businesses that offer delivery or pickup during the outbreak.
Comfort food is getting a lot of people through this coronavirus pandemic, and few Southern foods are more comforting than crispy fried chicken.
A staple of potlucks, picnics and Sunday dinners, fried chicken takes practice to get right, and many people never do. That’s why everyone needs a place to get their fix.
The voting was close in this year’s Best of Atlanta poll. Here are the results.
In seventh place was Yummy Place Chicken in Duluth. This Korean fried chicken joint offers a variety of flavors and portion options, including a whole chicken, wings and quarter leg. Yummy Place is open noon to 9:30 p.m. seven days a week, with dining room, curbside pickup and delivery available.
Tying for fifth place were Revival in Decatur and The Marietta Local in Cobb County.
Revival, chef Kevin Gillespie’s nod to his Southern roots, is open for outdoor dining only 5-8 p.m. Thursday through Saturday, or you can order online.
The Marietta Local’s dining room is open with social distancing. You can also order online or be a part of the restaurant’s neighborhood deliveries. The restaurant is open 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Monday-Tuesday and Thursday-Friday, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday. It is closed Wednesday.
There was a three-way tie for second place: Mary Mac’s Tea Room and Colonnade in Midtown, and Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken, which has multiple locations.
Mary Mac’s has been setting the standard for Southern cooking in Atlanta for more than 75 years, and chose to close during the coronavirus pandemic. The restaurant’s website states it plans to reopen when it’s safe to do so.
The Colonnade has been serving up classics in Atlanta since 1927. It currently is open for dine-in and curbside pickup 5-9 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday and noon to 8 p.m. Sunday. It’s closed Monday-Tuesday.
Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken is in Atlanta, Sandy Springs and Chamblee. Gus’s has 29 locations in 13 states, but only one recipe, it’s website states. Gus’s dining rooms are open or you can have your chicken delivered. The Atlanta location is open 11 a.m. - 8 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday. The Chamblee location is open 11 a.m. - 9 p.m. seven days a week. Gus’s Sandy Springs location is open 11 a.m. -9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 11 a.m. - 10 p.m. Saturday-Sunday.
This year’s winner retains its crown from 2019. Busy Bee Cafe, which Travel Noire named the best black-owned soul food restaurant in Georgia, keeps the title of best fried chicken for 2020.
Busy Bee’s website touts the restaurant as “Atlanta’s Soul Food Kitchen Since 1947.” It was a meeting spot for civil rights leaders after opening on Martin Luther King Jr. Drive and continues to stay busy, serving up fried chicken and other Southern staples. The restaurant is open 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. every day. The dining room is closed, but you can place an order online for curbside or inside pickup. You can also get your food delivered via one of Atlanta’s food delivery services. For nearby orders of $10 or more, Busy Bee will bring your food personally.
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