It’s that time again for our roundup of the new kids on the Black restaurant block. Whether opening a brick-and-mortar, a food truck, or a franchising agreement, it’s no small feat to open or expand a food business, especially in 2021.
Check out our list of the best new Black-owned restaurants in big cities like New York, Houston, and Chicago, but also smaller ones, like Lansing, Newark, and Greensboro.
And be sure to visit our national Follow Your Fork directory to find a Black-owned restaurant, food truck, private chef, of caterer near you.
RELATED: Grand Openings – Brand New Black-owned Restaurants in the U.S. – July 2021
Street food finds a home in this new Birmingham restaurant
Encore Rouge Gourmet Street Food – Birmingham, AL
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 205-567-6496
If your food truck consistently sells out around the city, then it might be time to plant some more permanent roots. And thus, we have another member of the brick-and-mortar club. Though it’s typical street food – burgers, wings, and fries – Encore Rouge offers a unique take on it. Check out their smoked brisket Alfredo fries.
Elevate Monday Night Football and Friday date night at these new Black-owned restaurants in the Bay Area
Mushin – Oakland, CA
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 510-779-2819
Looking for Sunday night football with a Sunday day party vibe? If you’re in Oakland, Mushin is where you want to be this NFL season. This boutique sports lounge offers an elevated viewing experience and “mush” more. This place has some architectural history too: The building was designed by longtime Oakland resident and noted architect W.H. Week, who built many Carnegie libraries. The building was considered a masterpiece in its day, with Amelia Earhart renting office space there to plan her tragic 1937 journey across the Pacific.
Mimosa 2 on Grand – Oakland, CA
Website | Instagram | Facebook| 510-328-3212
Mimosa 2 on Grand has one mission – to be the grownest, sexiest cocktail spot in the Bay. It was developed with a vision of being a place for patrons to create and execute their greatest moments and memories. Be sure to dress in dinner attire as you enjoy the deviled eggs with Cajun spiced shrimp or the bourbon bread pudding.
RELATED: Oakland’s Black Chamber of Commerce steps up where COVID relief funds drop off
Houston’s brunch star opens a new Southern restaurant in Atlanta
Taste To Go Atlanta – Atlanta, GA
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 713-259-0717
Leaning into the success of Houston’s Taste Bar + Kitchen, which they tout as the city’s “#1 brunch spot,” Chef Don Bowie is bringing the winning concept to the A. For brunch, you can get the jerk lamp chops and eggs; the Southern-style fries with brown gravy, bacon, and chives; the fried lobster tail and grits; or the General Tso’s chicken & waffles. Want something a little sweeter? Try the Cinnamon Toast Crunch waffle.
Chicago’s new late night pizza restaurant
Bureau Pizza Co – Chicago, IL
Website | Instagram | 312-624-8406
Don’t get us wrong: The pizzas at Bureau Pizza Co are tasty and creative – like the taco pizza that’s topped with ground beef, onion, tomato, jalapeno, tortilla chips and taco sauce – but they’re so much more than pies. They also have Italian beef sandwiches; ooey, gooey, cheesy, calzones; and, of course, deep dishes. Open late and BYOB, it’s a great place to watch college football and NFL games.
RELATED: Taylor’s Tacos is Chicago’s first Black-owned, queer-owned, woman-owned taco shop
Good vibes and good luck at this new Lansing cocktail bar
S.L Wine Bar – Lansing, MI
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 708-251-5014
It’s “good vibes only” at S.L Wine Bar. And you’ll need those vibes on your side as you head to one of the slot machines located inside the unique, boutique wine bar in Lansing, MI. They also have liquor options available, which you can enjoy alongside a flatbread pizza on one of the sleek, fireside couches. Oh, and $6 mimosas on Sundays come with complimentary sweets.
Burgers, wings, and fries in North Las Vegas
Saucy Chef Burgers Kitchen – North Las Vegas, NV
Website | Instagram | Facebook| 702-326-0676
The burgers and other American fare are so saucy, they’re decadent. Try out their double bacon cheese and shrimp burger, or the “Cow Bait” loaded potato, which comes with chopped surf n’ turf, shredded American cheese, and saucy sauce.
A new Black-owned vegan restaurant claims the best biscuits in Newark
Urban Vegan – Newark, NJ
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 973-733-0011
Prediction: the era of Black veganism will be a long one. Consumer data backs it up (Black Americans are more likely to be strictly vegan or vegetarian than other Americans), as does the fact that so many new Black-owned vegan restaurants are opening across the country. But Urban Vegan isn’t just coming for the title of “best vegan food” in town, they want the title of “best biscuits,” too. Yep, they said it, they have the best biscuits around, and their customers seem to agree, with a whole community forming around their healthy, delicious options. In addition to their vegan chicken biscuit, check out their pulled BBQ biscuit made with pulled oats, Carolina BBQ sauce, pickles, ranch, and coleslaw.
RELATED: 15 Black-owned vegan businesses to watch in 2021
Popular seafood and soul food restaurant expands in NYC
Black Nile Cajun Soul Food – Brooklyn, NY
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 347-879-8911
Listen. The folks at Black Nile are not new to this restaurant thing. The two-time Food Network alums are expanding on the successful Nostrand Ave. location of Black Nile and bringing their popular take on seafood and Soul food to St. John’s Place. Try their crab cornbread; surf n’ turf fries; the crispy salmon sliders with sweet corn, scallion slaw and peach jalepeno hot sauce; or the lobster jambalaya.
Where to get dessert in Greensboro
The Sweetz Spot – Greensboro, NC
Instagram | Facebook | 336-944-5446
If you’re a foodie in or around the Greensboro, NC area, then you’ve probably seen The Sweetz Spot slinging their freshly fried, designer funnel cakes at festivals and food truck parks around town. They’re known for their limited-edition special flavors, like peach and apple cider lemonade. Getchu’ some.
RELATED: 5 Black-women owned bakeries (including ones with national shipping)
New soul food restaurant opens in Ohio
Str8 Out the Kitchen – Whitehall, OH
Website | Instagram | 614-626-6900
The soul food-inspired menu at Str8 Out the Kitchen features dishes like turkey ribs, perch fish, yellow rice, and lamb chop dinners. Pull up on ‘em.
The best wine tasting in Portland is hip-hop inspired
The Crick PDX – Portland, OR
Website | 503-389-0619
We’re loving this new trend of hip-hop inspired fine dining (a la “vibe dining”) in the restaurant industry. An extension of Abbey Creek Vineyard (owned by Bertony Faustin, Oregon’s first known Black winemaker), The Crick PDX is a hip-hop inspired tasting room offering flights of complicated yet delicious red and white wines. He’s become known around Portland – and maybe even beyond – for lifting the veil of elitism that often prevents marginalized groups from accessing the wonders of wine. And The Crick PDX is very much in line with that. “Instead of a traditional tasting, Faustin offers ‘The Circk Playlist,’” writes Forbes. “Each wine is referred to as a track [and] the food menu draws inspiration from music as well, with small snacks (like fried plantains and skillet cornbread) listed under EP, and heartier bites such as the “Yardbird Fried Chicken Sammich” found under Deep Cuts.”
Alexa, play Pour it Up by Rihanna.
RELATED: The James Room is bringing ‘vibe dining’ to Atlanta
The best Cajun and Creole food in Houston, and a new Nigerian restaurant opens in Plano
Jamaica Pon Di Road – Houston, TX
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 832-328-5220
We can’t lie, the special grand opening menu for Houston’s Jamaica Pon Di Road sounded lit. The sampler boxes included clamor-worthy bites of jerk wings, macaroni eggrolls, salt fish fritters, and drunken plantains. But even if you missed it, you’ll never really miss with Jamaica Pon Di Road. Hailing from Clarendon, Jamaica, Chef G combines the recipes he got from his West Indian grandmother, Ms. May, with his training in 5-star Caribbean restaurants to create some of the best island fare Houston has ever seen. This new brick-and-mortar location is building on the impressive following that Jamaica Pon Di Road has built since 2017 as a food truck, which he uses to serve Houston’s homeless community every 4th Monday of the month.
Your Favorite Creole Kitchen – Houston, TX
Instagram | Facebook | 346-221-2783
Like so many of our favorite mobile businesses have done before, Your Favorite Creole Kitchen in Houston recently crossed the burning sands and joined the sisterhood of brick-and-mortar businesses. Congrats! Specializing in authentic Creole and Cajun dishes, check out their homemade butter buffalo wings, savory crawfish etouffee, Southern-style red beans and rice, and Creole jambalaya pasta. And as a bonus, every dish is cooked with a lil’ love.
BoxoChops – Plano, TX
Website | Instagram | Facebook | 469-294-0003
How many grab-and-go West African spots do you know? Exactly. Boxo Chops is looking to define the way diners experience West Africa cuisine in a fast casual environment. Pick up one of their sampler boxes – in kiddie, snack, deluxe, or family care package size – to try out authentic Nigerian dishes like mackerel filled fish rolls (which have been the best-selling item since their grand opening), puff puff (highly addictive balls of fried dough), or chicken suya (succulent peanut dusted meat skewers). They also have more familiar offerings, like shrimp pesto paninis.
RELATED: Follow Your Fork: Jollof Rice Kings
Cassandra’s Louisiana Kitchen – Houston, TX
Website | Instagram | Facebook| 832-461-1911
Shrimp and grits are great, but have you ever tried shrimp and fried catfish? The owner of Cassandra’s Louisiana Kitchen had lots of time to experiment with classic Cajun flavors as a military spouse who would have local Shreveport elements shipped to bases all over the world. Check out her crawfish cornbread, gator bites, hot boudin, beef tips, and seafood platters. They also have a cute lil’ kid’s menu.
Wedat’s Chicken & Shrimp – Cleveland, TX
Website | Instagram | Facebook
Wedat’s is on a world tour. Well, not quite yet, but they’re certainly on track. With several successful locations in Louisiana, Wedat’s Chicken & Shrimp – home of the “Wuzzam Wings,” buffalo flavored with a hint of lemon pepper – recently opened a new location in a Cleveland, TX Walmart. They also offer nation-wide shipping for a line of food products, including seasonings, sauces, and dry boxes of creole beans and jambalaya.
