Good Day Atlanta BBQ Week: Jackson’s Fresh Air Barbecue
Tradition continues at Fresh Air Barbecue
When a restaurant lasts five years it's a big accomplishment, but when one lasts 96 years, it's legendary. Jackson's Fresh Air Barbecue has been serving up classics since 1929, and Paul Milliken had to visit for the end of Good Day's first BBQ Week.
JACKSON, Ga. - Jackson’s Fresh Air Barbecue has been operating out of its original location for 96 years.
Just let that sink in for a moment: 96 years.
When a restaurant lasts that long, you know there’s a good reason. And this morning on Good Day Atlanta, we wrapped up an epic week of great people and great food by finding out just exactly what it is!
Fresh Air Barbecue is the fifth and final stop of the first-ever Good Day Atlanta BBQ week, and comes highly-recommended by dozens of viewers via Facebook. Of course, we’re no strangers to Fresh Air Barbecue around here; we’ve visited a few times over the years, spending time in the dining room, which has remained virtually untouched for decades. The restaurant was founded by Dr. Joel Watkins in 1929, and was taken over by Butts County native George W. "Toots" Caston in 1945. Four generations of Caston’s family have since worked at the restaurant, keeping its reputation for outstanding BBQ pork and Brunswick stew intact.
Fresh Air Barbecue is located at 1164 Highway 42 South in Jackson (just north of Indian Springs State Park), and the restaurant opens at 8 a.m. daily. There’s also a second location down in Macon, located at 3076 Riverside Drive. To check out the menu for both locations, click here.
The Source: Good Day Atlanta's Paul Milliken spent the morning in Jackson at Fresh Air Barbecue, chatting with the restaurant's owners and some of its longtime customers.