Black Eats London is the UK’s first and only Black-owned restaurant directory. The founder, Jackson, is on a mission to raise the profile of Black-owned restaurants.
“After the Black Lives Matter protests in the UK in 2020 following George Floyd’s passing, I wanted to disrupt the London food scene and highlight Black-owned restaurants who are constantly slept on,” Jackson tells Travel Noire. “As a frequent diner & tech professional, I wanted to utilize my skill set and passions to make an impact beyond my own purchasing power and provide a platform which broke down the barriers to supporting Black-owned food establishments.”
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Jackson told Nu Origins that he was especially inspired when the UK government launched the “Help To Eat Out Scheme” in 2020. The goal was to help restaurants impacted by the pandemic. The government reimbursed restaurant owners 50% on orders of at least £10. For Jackson, he wanted to know which restaurants were Black-owned in his neighborhood.
‘’Obviously, on the government’s website, it is not going to give you that information’’ he told the publication.
Through his platform, he provides a simple way to navigate through the Black-owned directory, which can also be refined by dietary requirements such as vegan, pescatarian, and halal options. Accessibility information, including if the restaurant is wheelchair friendly is also included.
“Our mission hasn’t changed since we launching [in 2020]. We continue to support, uplift, and highlight Black-owned food businesses, focusing on dine-in restaurants as well as street food vendors which can be found at our monthly Black-owned business event titled, ‘Black-Owned Hackney’ in East London,” says Jackson.
To find out more information or a Black-owned restaurant – visit the Black Eats London website.
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