Black History

Black-Owned Businesses to Support—Now & Always

A list of restaurants, businesses, and larger initiatives to back.

by:
June  3, 2020
Photo by PHOTO BY JULIA GARTLAND. PROP STYLIST: AMANDA WIDIS. FOOD STYLIST: ANNA BILLINGSKOG.

Black Lives Matter. We at Food52 are devastated by the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Tony McDade, Dreasjon Reed, and so many others. We stand in solidarity with the Black community, and hope that this coverage will serve as a helpful and important resource to further antiracism work in our community.


As we commit to finding more and better ways to combat systemic racism, we also pledge to devote more of our time, platform, and resources to uplifting the Black community.

We believe that a healthy, equitable economic ecosystem is one that is without barriers based on race, class, gender, and sexual orientation. Every voice and experience is worth celebrating—not just now, but all the time.

So, in addition to donating to organizations most immediately combating racial injustice, we also urge you to consider patronizing more Black-owned businesses, and more frequently. We hope you'll support these chefs, makers, retailers, and activists—many of whom have also suffered significant losses due to the pandemic.

Join The Conversation

Top Comment:
“One of the best ways we can support our black sisters and brothers is to support their businesses and give to organizations that support underserved black communities. I like MARTHA'S TABLE in Washington DC - an organization that starts with offering great nutritious food, basic to everything else, and also has wonderful educational programs for children.”
— Kestrel
Comment

Here is a list of individual businesses and larger initiatives you can back, with your money or time. This is designed to be a starting point, and is by no means complete. If there are resources you'd like us to include, please add them to the comments below, and our editors will update it accordingly.

As for us: We are dedicating this week to spotlighting resources, communities, and people working towards eradicating racism—through food, media, education, and literature. This is one small step on our journey to becoming better listeners and allies.


Organizations that support black entrepreneurs

  • Support Black Owned. A blog and directory of Black-owned businesses across the world.

  • Food Education Fund. A job training and entrepreneurship program to empower and prepare Black high-school school students for careers in the food industry.

  • Black Girl Ventures. An organization that creates access to much-needed capital for Black and Brown female business owners.

  • Code Fever Miami is shifting the way Black communities engage with and create value within the innovation and tech sectors. Another organization working towards inclusion in the coding community is Black Girls Code.

  • Black and Brown Founders provides community, education, and access to Black and Latinx entrepreneurs with otherwise modest resources. Black Female Founders is another that provides critical resources and information to help Black female founders grow.

  • Okra Academy via The Okra Project trains Black Trans people kitchen basics and recipes to enrich their own culinary lives, as well as prepare them to work as chefs themselves. The Okra Project also provides home-cooked meals for the vulnerable Black Trans community.

  • Uniquely You is an annual summit geared towards the empowerment of young Black teens.

  • Accion. A nationwide nonprofit lending network that bolsters and supports small businesses.

If you’d like to educate yourself on other Black entrepreneurship programs and initiatives, you can find a list here.


Black-Owned businesses by city

If your city is not listed here, try scrolling through the comprehensive directory on Black Owned, where you can search by city and industry to connect with businesses in your neighborhood and leave reviews to boost their visibility.

The team at Cherry Bombe also put out this extensive list spotlighting Black women and their businesses and projects.

Atlanta

Austin

The Bay Area

  • Here is a list of over 200 restaurants in the Bay Area, from the San Francisco Chronicle's restaurant critic, Soleil Ho.

Chicago

DC

  • A list of black-owned restaurants still open in the DMV, via Black food writer and advocate Anela Malik's insightful blog.

  • Busboys and Poets is a multi-location "community gathering place for artists, activists, writers, thinkers and dreamers." You can support them at this time by ordering from the full lunch and dinner menu available online.

Denver

Los Angeles

  • Kat Hong, an editorial assistant at The Infatuation, has compiled an extensive Google Sheet that's very helpfully sorted alphabetically by neighborhood, which means you should be able to find at least one option near you.

  • Here is another list of 85 Black-owned food businesses from the L.A. Times.

Louisville

Minnesota

New Jersey

NYC

Portland

Seattle


Black-owned restaurants supporting protestors

We'd like to give a special shout-out to restaurants, already hit hard by COVID-19, that are choosing to stay open and nourish protestors with food, supplies, and kind words:

Also, check in with your local mutual aid chapter (like this one in Crown Heights, Brooklyn), which is likely feeding protestors and could use your support.


Listen Now

On Black & Highly Flavored, co-hosts Derek Kirk and Tamara Celeste shine a light on the need-to-know movers and shakers of our food & beverage industry.

Listen Now

See what other Food52 readers are saying.

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Food52 (we cook 52 weeks a year, get it?) is a food and home brand, here to help you eat thoughtfully and live joyfully.

33 Comments

Stephanie S. February 9, 2021
This is an awesome article. We should all support each other’s endeavors. I have been working hard on my online business since 2015. It has been slow starting off but I’m staying positive and praying that the word gets out there slowly but surely. http://bahamiantresses.com/
 
Jp August 7, 2020
Here’s a list for Philadelphia https://www.phillymag.com/news/2020/07/06/philadelphia-black-owned-businesses-directory/
 
Gwen June 9, 2020
As a major metropolitan city for the central plains region, I would love to see Kansas City included on this list. Thank you!
 
Anela M. June 9, 2020
Hi! Thanks so much for using your platform to highlight Black-owned businesses. Just a note, Busboys and Poets, one of the businesses you listed, is not Black-owned. They're a great place to hang out and get a bite, but are not Black-owned.
 
Sunyatta A. June 9, 2020
Calabash Tea & Tonic in DC is a multi-award winning business founded and operated by 5th generation Master Herbalists and is a community hub. www.calabashtea.com to order for pick up or shipping nationwide.
 
Susan June 7, 2020
This posting at Food 52 helps the the country to demonstrate unity in a time of pain; it helps make us aware of our own own exclusive decisions. It is a drop in the ocean of what needs to be done. Small acts on every level. Take a look in the mirror. Be your brother and sisters keeper. Is it really so hard ? Thank you Food 52.
 
David B. June 7, 2020
#Black Businesses Matter
 
TMG June 5, 2020
Thank you! While many people are suffering, this week in particular has provided us an opportunity for us to support Black communities and our brothers and sisters who are hurting as a result of police violence and the current pandemic along with other systemic challenges presented by racism. Signed -- a white woman who believes that Black lives matter.
 
orit R. June 5, 2020
I don’t believe that there wasn’t any intention for reverse racism. The black community is now hurting for obvious reasons and we need to strengthen them. If one of your children is going through hard times you will concentrate on that child that doesn’t mean that you don’t love your other children
 
orit R. June 5, 2020
Sorry, meant but there was no intention etc
 
WFree June 6, 2020
What? Choosing to give money to a Black owned business is not equal to choosing to not give money specifically to a Black owned business. No one is telling you to stop going to your favorite white owned restaurant, which I'm sure only makes White Americana food. This is to show you care about this community. And even if you don't pour out support for these folks who are disproportionately not owners of businesses but employees of them, you will know for the future and try to go out of your way to help them out.
 
Cyberbyrd June 5, 2020
Another black owned Harlem restaurant which gives back to the community: Harlem Ale House on 127th and Lenox [email protected]
 
Mojo June 5, 2020
Thank you! I think this is a great idea.
 
Cyberbyrd June 5, 2020
I'd like to add Babbalucci's on Lenox and 127th Street. 646-918-6578 babbalucci.com. It is a wonderful Italian Restaurant that is a fantastic member of the local community.
 
Mm June 5, 2020
I would venture to say that most of us applaud you for giving attention to this. Black people and all the minorities have been unfairly treated forever. It's way past time to change this and treat each other with respect, we need a more peaceful world.
 
Rosalind P. June 5, 2020
Here's a business that serves all communities of color: African American, Latino, native American, Asian -- it's a non-profit bakery run by and for women from all of those communities: Hot Bread Kitchen, located in the old Marqueta, at 116th Street and Park Avenue, in the market space under the tracks. The women learn how to bake commercially, are employed and paid to bake all the products sold there and then are given assistance if they want to establish their own businesses. And.....Great Bread!!
 
abigalvarez June 5, 2020
Thank you for standing for what is right without fear of losing customers. Those parroting the "no, you're racist" "all lives matter" narrative have some learning to do. I'll continue to support you and will check out those businesses on your list. Thanks again.
 
abigalvarez June 5, 2020
Thank you for standing for what is right without fear of losing customers. Those parroting the "no, you're racist" "all lives matter" narrative have some learning to do. I'll continue to support you and will check out those businesses on your list. Thanks again.
 
Carl C. June 5, 2020
Very proud of you all here at Food52. It takes a village. It looks like you all are putting words into action.
 
WFree June 5, 2020
Here's an on going list of the Black businesses in Tulsa, OK. https://www.tulsapeople.com/the-voice/writers/mary-noble/updated-black-business-guide/article_1a1186b3-e246-5b1b-bb46-6bdc3fcd7c1a.html
 
Drewsmom598 June 5, 2020
Fixins Soul Kitchen in the Oak Park community of Sacramento, California is a fabulous black owned and operated restaurant. They are part of a neighborhood revitalization - promoting black owned businesses, maintaining their traditional black family owned housing and supporting and elevating black culture. This is a restaurant worth patronizing for it's truly excellent food, drinks and community! fixinssoulkitchen.com
 
garlic&lemon June 5, 2020
Thank you for participating in this worthy effort. The people who think that food is not political are ones who have the privilege of ignoring race in their lives. I caution against the bias of believing that racism can be best defined as a Black/White issue. Unfortunately, the recent murders of Black people has brought that crisis to the foreground. The racism at the border with Mexico has faded; Murdered and Missing Indigenous Women has faded; the lack of diversity on the Food 52 staff has faded: victims of the racist crisis du jour.

A review of the links identifying the Black owned restaurants in Manhattan shows a complete absence of businesses in Washington Heights, a heavily Dominican neighborhood. Really?

While I appreciate the staff Food 52 saying they will try to do their best to diversify, please remember that genocide, termination, and the vicious systematic exclusion from basic human rights are being visited upon multiple groups in this country. Racism has a BIG footprint and affects decision making in many levels of society. It is has been reflected even in a "nice" site like Food52. Food52 has been called out for lack of diversity before and has apologized before. Nice people thought they had more time to address the lack of diversity. No. Wake up time is now.
 
Kestrel June 5, 2020
Great idea to give us this list. Thank you so much. One of the best ways we can support our black sisters and brothers is to support their businesses and give to organizations that support underserved black communities. I like MARTHA'S TABLE in Washington DC - an organization that starts with offering great nutritious food, basic to everything else, and also has wonderful educational programs for children.