A Seat at the Table: The Making of Busboys and Poets

by Andy Shallal

A Seat at the Table is the story of the founding of Busboys and Poets, a Washington, D.C.–based restaurant that has become a celebrated hub for political activism. Named in honor of Langston Hughes, who worked as a busboy while writing poetry, the restaurant is the creation of Andy Shallal, an Iraqi American restaurateur, artist, and activist.

In this fast-paced, personal, and often humorous story, we follow Andy from his teenage years on, helping out in his family’s pizza business, changing his name, abandoning a career in medicine, working in some of the city’s best restaurants, and eventually opening a restaurant of his own.

A rave review by legendary Washington Post food critic Phyllis Richman puts the new place on the map. Long lines form outside. Andy witnesses the power of food to bring people together. He creates a meeting space and a bookshop upstairs. The idea of a restaurant as a social and political hub begins to take shape.

In these pages we encounter the galaxy of progressive authors and activists who have frequented Andy’s restaurants, everyone from Marion Barry and Jesse Jackson to Ralph Nader, Howard Zinn, Jerry Brown, Alice Walker, and Angela Davis.

Packed with misadventures, unexpected triumphs, and insights on race, business and politics, A Seat at the Table takes us on a “How I Built This” journey that ends with the opening of the first Busboys and Poets, now just one of eight D.C. locations bearing the same name. Along the way, we get to savor the delicious cuisine and unique ethos for which Busboys and Poets has become famous. 

Genres: Memoir, Nonfiction

208 pages, Hardcover

Published December 20, 2024

Reviews

[Cole · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a lot of play-by-play of dates and places and names, esp in the first half, and I would have liked to understand Anas' internal life better - his values, thought processes, relationships. Some of that comes out a little more in the 2nd half where he talks about his political activism, but not a lot. He's such a treasured figure in DC that I am probably not the only reader who wants to better understand how he views community, his vision for DC and for its political future, how he makes decisions, etc. Also - not trying to peek into anyone's bedroom, but it's odd that there's more about restaurant critics than his wife and family and their role in what they've built.

[Taquiena · Rating 5 out of 5]

Entertaining, engaging, insightful, inspiring. A memoir that shares experiences of challenge, vulnerability and joy in the journey from Iraqi immigrant to American activist and restaurateur.