Black Restaurant Week Is Coming to Philly

The Houston-based initiative puts the spotlight on Black-owned restaurants and African, African American, and Caribbean cuisines.

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Restaurant Week events typically promote a specific neighborhood’s dining options. Now, a new initiative is spotlighting Black-owned food businesses in the city.

The inaugural Philly Black Restaurant Week will run from June 10th through June 17th, with $15-$25 options at casual spots, and fine dining options for $35-$45 at participating establishments across Philadelphia.

But Philly Black Restaurant Week isn’t just about dining deals. The initiative, which was officially declared by Councilwoman Blondell Reynolds Brown, spotlights the cuisines of the African diaspora, recognizes and the unique experience of Black culinary workers and entrepreneurs, and seeks to promote and educate Black chefs and industry workers.

Black Restaurant Week was founded in Houston three years ago. It spread to Atlanta and Oakland last year and debuts this year in New Orleans, Dallas, Philadelphia.

“We realized that this was a great platform to highlight the culinary community from restaurants to food trucks, in addition to businesses like caterers that sometimes don’t get as much attention,” said organizer Falayn Farrell. Next year, the organizers hope to increase the number of participating restaurants in Philly and extend the initiative to two weeks.

Philly Black Restaurant Week includes several special events, too:

On Monday, June 11th, the Center for Culinary Enterprise in West Philly will host Aroma: A Culinary Panel Discussion, with the goal of sharing strategies for success in the restaurant world with a panel of industry veterans. Panelists include Darlene Jones of Star Fusion Restaurant in Overbrook Farms, chef Chris Paul of Everything We Eat meal delivery and catering, Falayn Ferrell of Fade Media and Black Restaurant Week, and Ben Fileccia of the Pennsylvania Restaurant and Lodging Association.

On Tuesday, June 12th, End Mass Incarceration Dinner Series founder and South sous chef Kurt Evans will prepare a four-course meal with wine pairings at the Art of Flavor pop-up dinner at the African American Museum in Philadelphia.

And on Thursday, June 14th, they’ll host Power of the Palate, a Hennessy-sponsored bartending competition at Haute Lounge in Center City, where Philly’s top Black bartenders will create craft cocktails for guests to enjoy.

Get tickets to Philly Black Restaurant Week events here, see this year’s participating restaurants here, and check out the full menu for Tuesday’s dinner below.

Art of Flavor Pop-up Dinner Menu

Tomato salad

Smoked heirloom tomatoes, basil buttermilk dressing, pimiento cheese crisp

Soft-shell crab

Crab and charred corn relish, avocado, jalapeño vinaigrette

Spiced duck

Blackberries, Smoked peanut granola, peanut sauce

Key lime pie

Toasted meringue, graham cracker crumble