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Honey’s Kettle Fried Chicken
Honey’s Kettle Fried Chicken
Cathy Chaplin

15 Fantastic Spots to Support During LA’s Black Restaurant Week

Support these Black-owned restaurants starting today until August 16

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Honey’s Kettle Fried Chicken
| Cathy Chaplin

Black Restaurant Week Los Angeles starts today and runs through August 16. This annual spotlight on Black-owned restaurants is typically a big affair with talks, tastings, and outdoor events. COVID-19 put the brakes on these extra activities as the LA residents keep social distancing, and restaurants mostly stick to delivery and takeout.

Though modeled after events like Dine L.A., this year’s Black Restaurant Week is slightly different. Organizers waived the participation fee, so all revenue goes straight to the featured restaurants. Though some restaurants feature a prix fixe menu, most have the full menu for purchase like Crenshaw’s healthy Swift Cafe, barbecue from Inglewood’s Wood Urban Kitchen, or DTLA’s ABeautifulLife Jamaican cafe.

It’s challenging for any restaurant to operate during this time. Below is a selection of restaurants participating in Black Restaurant week.

A number of LA restaurants have resumed dine-in service. The level of service offered is indicated on each map point. However, this should not be taken as endorsement for dining in, as there are still safety concerns: for updated information on coronavirus cases in your area, please visit the Los Angeles Public Health website. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.

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Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken

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The longstanding Culver City restaurant is not only participating in Black Restaurant Week, but is in the middle of expansion with two delivery-only kitchens called HoneyDropKitchen. It’s hard to make a bad choice at Honey’s. For starters, nab that two piece special, or hotcakes and fried chicken.

Undergrind Café

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This daytime spot nestled in Beverlywood is all comfort food with shrimp and grits, breakfast sandwiches, and french toast. Get the pork adobo side to amp up the flavors.

Gwen's Specialty Cakes

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This Inglewood sweets boutique specializes in items like pralines, peach cobbler, and bread pudding. But the cakes also appeal with German chocolate, coconut pineapple, red velvet, or sweet potato available for a slice or whole.

Simply Wholesome

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Simply Wholesome has had a 37 year residency in View Park is because the community supports it. It also cranks out quality dishes on the regular, from tropical smoothies, salads, and an epic fish platter with plantains, macaroni pie, and potato salad.

Simply Wholesome in View Park, California.
Simply Wholesome
Wonho Frank Lee

Sky's Gourmet Tacos

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Sky’s Gourmet Tacos has spent over 27 years gracing Mid-City with a unique menu that spans tacos, ribs, lemonade, and lobster burritos.

Sky’s Gourmet Tacos in South Los Angeles
Sky’s Gourmet Tacos
Wonho Frank Lee

The Wood Urbankitchen ( Upscale BBQ)

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Wood Urban Kitchen opened in February on Inglewood’s Market Street. It’s soulful barbecue features beef and pork ribs, rib tips, mac and cheese, and massive smoked turkey legs.

Mel's Fish Shack

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South LA’s take-out fish restaurants were built for a pandemic, since there’s no place to sit. Instead take out grilled or fried fish, shellfish, garlic rolls, and hush puppies. Try the crab seafood soup on Mondays.

Post & Beam

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Chef/owner John Cleveland put together a $40 three-course meal on the outdoor patio for Black Restaurant Week. It starts with a pepperoni pizza, a beef short rib as the second course, and lemon pound cake to finish. Wine pairings are also available.

Post & Beam restaurant in the Crenshaw neighborhood in Los Angeles.
Post & Beam
Courtesy of Post & Beam

Swift Cafe

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Swift Cafe opened from Kyndra McCrary last October with a lean towards healthy dishes. Order her chickpea curry bowl, shrimp and grits, or key lime smoothie.

The interior of Swift Cafe in Leimert Park, Los Angeles
Swift Cafe
Sheldon Botler

Hot and Cool Cafe

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Hot & Cool Cafe’s contribution to Black Restaurant Week is a 100 percent plant-based menu with a vegan soul bowl, Beyond Meat sliders, or the cauliflower wings with buffalo or maple sesame sauce. Nothing’s over $17.

Harold & Belle's

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For Black Restaurant Week, order from Harold & Belle’s Southern menu of po’ boys, charbroiled oysters, or file gumbo.

Here Is The Harold & Belle’s Restoration We’ve All Been Waiting For
Harold & Belle’s
Courtesy of Harold & Belle’s

My Father's Barbecue

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Nestled into Carson is My Father’s Barbecue, where smoked angus ribs, coleslaw, mac and cheese, and baked beans rule the menu.

Numaade

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There’s something for all at Numaade, right in DTLA on Spring and Fifth. Vegans have more than the usual options with salads, sandwiches, and soups, while omnivores have smoked meats, tuna salads. But the restaurant also has cobblers for both kinds of eaters.

A Beautiful Life

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A Beautiful Life starts with huge Jamaican platters with jerk chicken, curry, or oxtail with rice and beans and plantains. But if that doesn’t do it for you, nab a bowl or Jamaican patty with ginger beer.

Comfort LA

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Be sure to ask staff why chef/co-owner Jeremy McBride named his chicken sandwich the “big sexy,” or the 30-piece wing combo the “Jamal.” The story behind them is entertaining. Be sure to order the sweet potatoes and mac and cheese.

Comfort L.A. platter with mac and cheese, chicken wings, and sweet potatoes
Comfort L.A.
Mona Holmes

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Honey's Kettle Fried Chicken

The longstanding Culver City restaurant is not only participating in Black Restaurant Week, but is in the middle of expansion with two delivery-only kitchens called HoneyDropKitchen. It’s hard to make a bad choice at Honey’s. For starters, nab that two piece special, or hotcakes and fried chicken.

Undergrind Café

This daytime spot nestled in Beverlywood is all comfort food with shrimp and grits, breakfast sandwiches, and french toast. Get the pork adobo side to amp up the flavors.

Gwen's Specialty Cakes

This Inglewood sweets boutique specializes in items like pralines, peach cobbler, and bread pudding. But the cakes also appeal with German chocolate, coconut pineapple, red velvet, or sweet potato available for a slice or whole.

Simply Wholesome

Simply Wholesome has had a 37 year residency in View Park is because the community supports it. It also cranks out quality dishes on the regular, from tropical smoothies, salads, and an epic fish platter with plantains, macaroni pie, and potato salad.

Simply Wholesome in View Park, California.
Simply Wholesome
Wonho Frank Lee

Sky's Gourmet Tacos

Sky’s Gourmet Tacos has spent over 27 years gracing Mid-City with a unique menu that spans tacos, ribs, lemonade, and lobster burritos.

Sky’s Gourmet Tacos in South Los Angeles
Sky’s Gourmet Tacos
Wonho Frank Lee

The Wood Urbankitchen ( Upscale BBQ)

Wood Urban Kitchen opened in February on Inglewood’s Market Street. It’s soulful barbecue features beef and pork ribs, rib tips, mac and cheese, and massive smoked turkey legs.

Mel's Fish Shack

South LA’s take-out fish restaurants were built for a pandemic, since there’s no place to sit. Instead take out grilled or fried fish, shellfish, garlic rolls, and hush puppies. Try the crab seafood soup on Mondays.

Post & Beam

Chef/owner John Cleveland put together a $40 three-course meal on the outdoor patio for Black Restaurant Week. It starts with a pepperoni pizza, a beef short rib as the second course, and lemon pound cake to finish. Wine pairings are also available.

Post & Beam restaurant in the Crenshaw neighborhood in Los Angeles.
Post & Beam
Courtesy of Post & Beam

Swift Cafe

Swift Cafe opened from Kyndra McCrary last October with a lean towards healthy dishes. Order her chickpea curry bowl, shrimp and grits, or key lime smoothie.

The interior of Swift Cafe in Leimert Park, Los Angeles
Swift Cafe
Sheldon Botler

Hot and Cool Cafe

Hot & Cool Cafe’s contribution to Black Restaurant Week is a 100 percent plant-based menu with a vegan soul bowl, Beyond Meat sliders, or the cauliflower wings with buffalo or maple sesame sauce. Nothing’s over $17.

Harold & Belle's

For Black Restaurant Week, order from Harold & Belle’s Southern menu of po’ boys, charbroiled oysters, or file gumbo.

Here Is The Harold & Belle’s Restoration We’ve All Been Waiting For
Harold & Belle’s
Courtesy of Harold & Belle’s

My Father's Barbecue

Nestled into Carson is My Father’s Barbecue, where smoked angus ribs, coleslaw, mac and cheese, and baked beans rule the menu.

Numaade

There’s something for all at Numaade, right in DTLA on Spring and Fifth. Vegans have more than the usual options with salads, sandwiches, and soups, while omnivores have smoked meats, tuna salads. But the restaurant also has cobblers for both kinds of eaters.

A Beautiful Life

A Beautiful Life starts with huge Jamaican platters with jerk chicken, curry, or oxtail with rice and beans and plantains. But if that doesn’t do it for you, nab a bowl or Jamaican patty with ginger beer.

Comfort LA

Be sure to ask staff why chef/co-owner Jeremy McBride named his chicken sandwich the “big sexy,” or the 30-piece wing combo the “Jamal.” The story behind them is entertaining. Be sure to order the sweet potatoes and mac and cheese.

Comfort L.A. platter with mac and cheese, chicken wings, and sweet potatoes
Comfort L.A.
Mona Holmes

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