Amazing Black-owned restaurants around America

The history of Black cooking in America is a story of resilience, creativity and survival

Hola amigos. This week I want to share with you some of my favorite Black-owned and run restaurants around the United States. I’ve been lucky enough to travel around the country and meet some incredible chefs doing some of the most interesting cooking anywhere. Especially through my work with World Central Kitchen, I’ve gotten to travel places I might not otherwise get to go—cities like Houston and Wilmington and New Orleans—where I’ve tried absolutely incredible food, and more importantly, heard stories of community and legacy, of tradition and innovation. 

The history of Black cooking in America is a story of racism and resilience, of joy and creativity and survival in the face of some of the biggest challenges humanity has ever been forced to face. In every dish there’s a much deeper story, so when you get a meal at any of the restaurants I’m going to tell you about, think about how history and culture have shaped what goes on the plate. 

Before we get to the recommendations, there are a few books I think you might be interested in if you want to learn more. Like JJ Johnson’s new cookbook The Simple Art of Rice, which I was lucky enough to talk to him about on my podcast in October. 

And my friend Michael Twitty has written some brilliant books about food, Black culture, and identity…check out Koshersoul and The Cooking Gene. I talked to him about where our food comes from, when did certain dishes arrive on our tables, and who are the people who were responsible for bringing them to us? And I was lucky enough to work with him on a cooking project, which I’ll be able to tell you more about in a month or two…!

Michael Twitty: Our food tells the story of how we’re all from somewhere else. Plus José cooks and answers your questions.

I always believe that it’s important not just to eat a meal, but to think deeply about where our food comes from—whether it’s the farmers who grew it, the cooks who made it special, or the ancestors who were the ones responsible for the original creation, the ones who thought, Hey, let’s see how these ingredients work together. What do you think, is it important to you too?

Here are some of my favorite restaurants that are owned or run by Black chefs around the country.