InTucker Magazine

What’s Cookin’? – February 2021

Tucker Restaurant Week Invites Patrons to Enjoy New Dining Experiences February 24-28

Historically, Tucker has been known for everything from its railroad to its outstanding high school football team. But this month, Tucker will gain a different type of notoriety. With the inaugural Tucker Restaurant Week, the City’s diverse collection of eateries will be in the regional spotlight for all to enjoy.

“One of the things we’ve found that drives local tourism around metro Atlanta is food,” said Discover DeKalb Executive Director and CEO James Tsismanakis. “Tucker has some restaurants that have been staples in the area for decades and others that are among the newest and hottest on the Atlanta foodie scene. It’s a diverse restaurant climate that folks are going to love to explore.”

Discover DeKalb is the Convention and Visitors Bureau for Tucker. They coordinate with hotels, tour groups and other entities to drive a piece of Atlanta’s tourism traffic to Tucker. This means working to attract youth sporting events, conferences and family reunions to the City. While those efforts try to appeal to a broad segment of the southeastern United States, Tsismanakis and his team are focused on Restaurant Week appealing specifically to the metro Atlanta suburbs.

“When you live in Lilburn or Johns Creek or other parts of the metro, you’ve got plenty of restaurants competing for your dollar,” Tsismanakis said. “But it’s always good to know about new and different restaurants that are out there. Some really exciting things are happening on Tucker’s restaurant scene and we want to use this event to get the word out about them.”

Despite the pandemic, 2020 was a banner year for restaurant growth in Tucker. Tucker Brewing Company expanded, adding a full kitchen and chef-inspired menu. Two new restaurants opened on Main Street, Hot Betty’s Breakfast Bar and Ford’s BBQ, both receiving glowing write-ups in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. And the vast majority of Tucker’s restaurants were able to weather the financial storm and keep their doors open.

“If it weren’t for the incredible commitment from our team to our brand through this pandemic, we wouldn’t be open. I am truly so grateful to have this amazing team behind us,” said Tucker Brewing Company CEO and owner Ashley Hubbard. “The Tucker community and beer industry overall has also shown amazing support to us and one another, rallying around so many restaurants, breweries, brands and bringing each other up. We are so excited to be able to share a special menu this Tucker Restaurant Week and show off what Tucker has to offer!”

While some restaurants were just getting started in 2020, others have been in Tucker for generations. Old Hickory House, which sits perched above I-285 on Northlake Parkway, has been putting some South in the mouth of patrons for almost 50 years. Manager Dale Bradley said Restaurant Week is a first for their long-established brand, and hopefully a turning point.

“We have all been struggling through a lot of the ups and downs of COVID and the fears of individuals coming in and out of restaurants,” Bradley explained. “Hopefully this will give people an opportunity to come in, if not for the first time, [then] to come back and hopefully enjoy good food from our restaurant.”

Similarly, Matthews Cafeteria first opened on Main Street in 1955. While serving homemade Southern cooking, including their famous fried chicken, for millions of hungry customers over the years, they have created a cult following.

“We are super excited to be a part of the first Tucker Restaurant Week,” said Matthews co-owner Jenna Ward Greene. “Tucker has been home to our third-generation business for 65 years, and we can’t wait to share our timeless classic Southern food with the rest of Atlanta. We hope everyone will come see just how special Tucker is and all the great food it has to offer!”

While all these restaurants are different, they have a few things in common: good, homemade food, friendly, inviting staff, and a home in the foodie haven of Tucker, Georgia. Their very best will be on display during Tucker Restaurant Week.