Black-owned restaurants have an interesting relationship with San Francisco. Some of these restaurants have served their local communities for more than 40 years, but many have been left out of the conversation about what makes San Francisco’s culinary scene one of the best in the United States.
Then Covid-19 happened. Many mainstay Black-owned restaurants closed their doors. Some couldn’t afford to keep their doors open, while other business owners retired and their heirs went on a different path. Two Jack’s Nik’s, a mainstay restaurant in San Francisco, closed its doors after 45 years.
Before the pandemic, there were dozens of Black-owned restaurants in San Francisco to support. These numbers have dwindled, and the industry needs our support. Here are a few Black-owned spots we recommend while visiting.
Eko Kitchen
Simileoluwa “Simi” Adebajo is sharing her love of her home with food – one of the greatest forms of love of all time. While people may be familiar with Eko Kitchen in Los Angeles, San Francisco is the OG Location.
From Lagos, Nigeria, to Northern California, Eko Kitchen is San Francisco’s first and only hub for Nigerian cooking. Located in the SoMa district, she partners with local vendors to bring you the recipes she grew up on, thanks to her mother and grandmother.
- Location: SoMa
- Owner: Simileoluwa “Simi” Adebajo
- Type of Cuisine: Nigerian
- Menu Spotlight: Akara, Jollof Rice with Chicken, and Fried Plantains.
- Before you go: The restaurant is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.
Flavas Jamaican Grill
Chef Leroy Douglas has been cooking in the kitchen since he was 10 years old while living in Jamaica. That passion is what got him into one of the top colleges in Jamaica before furthering his studies in Canada and the United States.
After working as a chef at prestige places such as the Skyline Club, a private dining club in Southfield, Michigan, the Marriott Hotel Renaissance in Detroit, and even the Casino Detroit, he decided to start his own restaurant – bringing with him decades of experience.
Flavas Jamaican Grill is where he now prepares and serves delicious authentic Jamaican cuisine in a friendly and relaxed atmosphere.
- Location: South San Francisco
- Owner: Chef Leroy Douglas
- Type of Cuisine: Jamaican
- Menu Spotlight: Fried Plantains, Braised Oxtail, Rice and Beans, Jerk Chicken Wings.
- Before you go: Closed on Sundays and Mondays. There used to be two locations, but Morris St. is closed.
International Smoke
This popular fine-dining BBQ eatery is a collaboration between Chef Michael Mina and celebrity television host Ayesha Curry. The restaurant fuses BBQ and international smoking techniques with variations of different proteins. They even have a delicious vegetarian menu for those who don’t consume the proteins they offer. International Smoke fuses the owner’s love for travel and international cuisine in the form of barbecue and grilling.
- Location: Millennium Tower San Francisco
- Owners: Chef Michael Mina and Ayesha Curry
- Type of Cuisine: Global Fusion
- Menu Spotlight: Ribs, Pork Belly Fried Rice, Pork Buns, Corn Bread, Key Lime Parfait
- Before You Go: The restaurant accepts reservations. Vegan options are available.
Peaches Patties
Another great place to enjoy Jamaican cuisine in San Francisco is Peaches Patties. Owner and Chef Shani Jones named her business after the nickname of her mother, a native of Kingston, Jamaica. Her mother was also known to make the best beef patties, and Chef Jones is now carrying the torch. She takes pride in baking homemade and fresh Jamaican patties as well as other popular Jamaican dishes.
Peaches Patties is one of few places in the Bay Area that celebrates Jamaican culture through cuisine.
- Location: Inside the historic Ferry Building
- Owner: Chef Shani Jones
- Type of Cuisine: Jamaican
- Menu Spotlight: Chicken Curry Patty, Jerk Chicken Meal, The Sorrel – a hibiscus tea and ginger drink.
- Before you go: The restaurant doesn’t accept reservations.
Tastebuds
San Francisco natives Melvin and Helen Simmons own and operate Tastebuds, an all-day café with fantastic food, music, and even better energy. At Tastebuds, you don’t want to count calories. It’s all about indulging and finding comfort in both the soul food and the environment.
Melvin’s mother is from Louisiana, so expect classic Southern dishes on the menu, including chicken and waffles and shrimp and grits, as well as some contemporary options, such as the open-face tuna sandwich.
- Location: Inner Richmond
- Owners: Melvin and Helen Simmons
- Type of Cuisine: Southern, American Contemporary
- Menu Spotlight: Crispy Chicken and Waffles, Breakfast Burrito, French Toast, Fried Chicken Sandwich
- Before You Go: The restaurant accepts reservations.
Vegan Mob
Toriana Gordon is on a mission to provide nutritious and healthy food with plant-based ingredients after dedicating more than a decade of his life to helping at-risk and formerly incarcerated youth in the Bay area. Shortly after, he pursued his lifelong passion of cooking. Shortly after, he adopted a plant-based diet that changed his life. Now, he wants to share it with others. Vegan Mob provides healthy food and empowers them with tasty food while supporting a healthy lifestyle.
- Location: San Bruno
- Owner: Toriana Gordon
- Type of Cuisine: Vegan BBQ and Soul Food
- Menu Spotlight: Mob Plate, Potato Salad, “Rib Tips,” “Fried Shrimp”
- Before you go: The restaurant doesn’t accept reservations.
Voodoo Love
The leading Creole eatery in San Francisco is run by a Black woman in SoMa. Voodoo Love is more than fantastic food. It’s a movement that proves nouveau cuisine can be sustainably produced. Like Creole culture, each menu item is intentionally curated as a love letter to the community from which it originates. Using top-quality ingredients is a priority for owner Eva Morris, who cares deeply about the environment. She and her team will go the extra mile and dispose of your take-out boxes if you don’t know where to do so properly.
- Location: SoMa
- Owners: Eva Morris
- Type of Cuisine: Cajun
- Menu Spotlight: Dat Fuqin Seafood Roll, Red Beans and Rice, Shrimp and Gritz, Gouda Mac and Cheese, Fried Oysters
- Before You Go: Brunch is on Sundays from 11 am through 4 pm. Reservations are accepted.
San Francisco’s Black-owned restaurants and eateries add a much-needed flavor to the city. Ranging from authentic Southern cuisine to vibrant Caribbean flavors, San Francisco’s Black entrepreneurs are paving the way for the future of foodie culture in Northern California.
