50 in 50: The Hottest Black-Owned Restaurants In Each State This Year

Brenda’s Bar-Be-Que Pit in Montgomery, Alabama doesn’t just serve up southern fried whiting, pig ear sandwiches, and barbecue ribs. It also doubled as a spot for strategic meetings during the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the 1950s.

Get authentic Ethiopian cuisine with a bit of spice and a ton of flavor at Queen of Sheba Ethiopian restaurant.

Café Desta, located south of Downtown Tucson, has been serving traditional Ethiopian and Eritrean meals (with a side of injera) since 2010.

The family-owned Yeh Mon Authentic Jamaican Restaurant gives a taste of Caribbean flavor in healthy portions of well-known faves like jerk chicken, oxtails, and curried goat.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CV57WzisriU/

Barsha means abundance in Tunisian. It’s also the name of the Hermosa Beach restaurant, featuring delectable dishes influenced by owners Adnen and Lenora’s cultures, travels, and inspirations. Their Manhattan Beach wine shop also draws a crowd.

New Orleans meets downtown Denver in the Southern-inspired oasis Nola Voodoo Tavern. Try Cajun favorites Gumbo, Etouffee, and Muffalettas.

Chef Cheryl D. Rogers feeds the soul while Chef Jean Gabriel Jr. injects creativity and an eye for detail at Soul Tasty.

Green Box Kitchen, a fast-casual Plant-Based restaurant serving handcrafted salads, smoothies, açai bowls, cold-pressed juices, grain bowls, and other fresh foods, was voted the top vegan restaurant in the state of Delaware.

Brother and sister duo, Chef Peter Prime and Jeanine Prime’s Cane, is a laid-back Caribbean vibe with intensely flavorful street food and intoxicating rum concoctions.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CFxTyuqgiMW/

Hot Chicks House of Chicken is described as Southern Comfort Casual. The Pembroke Pines eatery reflects the good music and Hot Chicken of the owners’ Nashville, Tennessee roots.

The Haynes Family’s Southern Kitchen and Grill is equal parts hospitality and delicious comfort food.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CAQ5L3rBDFH/

Honolulu’s Le Crêpe Café is a sweet option for açaí bowls, homemade waffles, smoothies, and fresh salads.

Since 1995, Grandpa’s Southern BBQ has been offering customers a taste of authentic southern cooking. The menu includes gumbo, brisket, pulled pork, fried chicken, mac and cheese, mashed potatoes and collard greens.

Get your creole fix with ‘po boys, boiled shrimp, and seafood towers at Ina Mae Tavern and Packaged Goods in Chicago.

His Place Eatery is homemade goodness at its core. That’s why it has been named one of the “best soul food restaurants” for four years.

Vivian’s Soul Food is a small gem in Cedar Rapids that has won rave reviews from guests around the United States for its authentic Southern dishes.

Stopping at a barbeque joint in Kansas City is practically mandatory. Add Jones Bar-B-Q to your list, where the sauce has been made from scratch daily for over 50 years.

Shirley Mae and Chef Theresa put oodles of love and care into their food. It’s those little, thoughtful touches that make guests feel like they’re getting a homecooked meal with every visit to Shirley Mae’s Café.

Addis Ethiopian Kitchen is family-owned and one of only two Ethiopian restaurants in the state.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVGp5qpr_46/

Magnus on Water offers a limited selection, but every dish will leave you satisfied and craving seconds.

The Land of Kush is billed as the “ultimate vegan soul food experience” with meatless options that will blow you away. Visitors include Stevie Wonder and Angela Davis.

Chef Anthony Caldwell’s soul-Asian fusion at 50 Kitchen is a standout in the Dorchester area.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWIwlJ7ryNv/

Dime Store is a restaurant in downtown Detroit serving breakfast, lunch, and brunch food all day long, six days a week. Not only is everything made from scratch, but a full bar with craft beer, wine, and classic cocktails awaits.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRppKZjMPqw/

Soul Bowl is a pop-up shop turned must visit Caribbean soul food restaurant in Minneapolis. The menu features eye-catching items like Riri Sweet Plantain, Bodak Yellow Rice, and Beyoncé Lavender Lemonade.

Cajun Shrimp & Pasta, Shrimp Toast, Fried Lobster Tail, Fried Green Tomatoes, Pan Seared Tilapia, and Salmon Croquettes are among the tasty dishes at Johnny T’s Bistro & Blues in Jackson.

Necie’s Restaurant has been making Soul Food “Served Right” since 1985.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CV7pSLMM0kw/

The Sassy Biscuit Co. is focused on connecting people through some simply good food.

Quick Bites Soul Food is reputed to be the home of the best fried chicken in the midwest.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CHiNRrNBTzc/

According to the Las Vegas Review Journal, Gritz Café, or “Ritz for the grits,” is the best soul food restaurant in Sin City.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVLIRRuF3wH/

Greenleaf is an award-winning, seasonally-inspired, locally sourced, farm-to-table restaurant that opened its doors in Milford in 2019.

The healthy heapings of all-day breakfast and comfort food from Vonda’s Kitchen in Newark will leave you wanting more.

Jambo Café is a Caribbean restaurant named by the Santa Fe Reporter as the Best International Cuisine for 12 years and counting. Chef Ahmed Obo has also been named “Best Chef” from 2015 to 2021. It was featured on the Food Network’s Diners, Drive-ins, and Dives in 2013.

Organic farm-to-table plant-based Ethiopian is the specialty at Ras Plant Based, founded by Romeo and Milka Regalli.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CV854VUpE09/

Leah & Louise (Charlotte) interprets classic southern dishes, ingredients, and techniques in a way that honors their heritage. Their meals are inspired by the Mississippi River Valley foodways: think Memphis, Jackson, Mississippi, and New Orleans.

Madina Cuisine is a family-owned business, where the African and Middle Eastern recipes have been passed down from generation to generation.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVS9WJhLICY/

Flavor 91 Bistro‘s name says it all. The delicious, fresh burgers and wings are crafted from scratch with organic ingredients.

Chef Andrew Black keeps it bold but simple at Black Walnut featuring fare like Smoked Mac and Cheese Bites, Crispy Bacon Slab, Lamb Ribs (No Hush Puppies), Oysters, Turnip Leaves Salad, and Fried Quail.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTa0TfqJyNF/

Husband and wife power couple Anthony and Stephanie Brown fused the cuisine of their respective upbringings — the Mexican food of Los Angeles and the French-influenced Southern cooking of Louisiana — to create Nacheaux.

48th Street Grille‘s Caribbean-American fusion menu of island wings, brown stew chicken, and conch fritters is the perfect balance of delicious.

The District is a pizza lover’s paradise and has been voted the best pie in Rhode Island from 2017-2019. The secret lies in an 800° custom brick wood-fired oven used to fire up the pizza.

Nigel Drayton and his wife/partner Louise were not exaggerating when they named their soul food eatery Nigel’s Good Food. The South Carolina spot has won a slew of awards for its classic fare.

Kaladi’s Bistro started as Kaladi’s Coffee Legend & Bistro in 2004 but has since expanded to add diverse and unique dishes to the Sioux Falls culinary scene.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CTd6xFlM1sE/

The Four Way soul food restaurant, formerly known as the Four Way Grille, is known for its Southern home cooking and its history as a popular meeting spot for civil rights activists from the 1940s to the 1960s, including Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Binge Kitchen provides 100% vegan food made with the cleanest ingredients at an affordable price. Gluten-free options are also available.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGXwok-BgsV/

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and Joe’s Café always understands the assignment with sweet grits and biscuits & gravy.

Kismayo Kitchen is doing justice to Somalian cuisine with a menu that includes Coconut Chicken Stew With Rice and Beef Samosa.

Southern Home Cooking Simply Fresh is the motto at Della J’s Delectables, a family-run business in Springfield, Virginia. The name was inspired by proprietor Jerry’s mother Della.

Majorie, an intimate Seattle restaurant, is named after owner Donna Moodie’s mom. Moodie’s menu is “intricate” and “eclectic”, and judging by the devoted clientele, beloved.

Dem 2 Brothers & A Grill BBQ started as a roadside joint, selling ribs and pulled pork. Now customers have the choice of two restaurants and two food trucks. The overwhelmingly positive reviews even landed the BBQ favorite on The Food Network’s Southern Fried Road Trip.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CVjEyOol89I/

Twisted Plants has been called the best vegan spot in the state with a variety of meatless burgers, sandwiches, and appetizers.