Off the Grid's Ultimate List of Black-Owned Food Businesses Around the Bay Area

If there’s ever a time to explore culture through food, this is it. February is Black History Month-a time to recognize the contribution and achievements of those with African or Caribbean heritage and learn more about the effects of racism and how to challenge negative stereotypes. Juneteenth is observed on June 19th to celebrate the last slaves freed in Galveston, Texas. Because food and culture go hand-in-hand, we can help support our Black community by exploring various cuisines at our local Black-owned food businesses in the Bay Area. “Black History Month brings together not only Blacks, but everyone, as they learn from different cuisines like West African food or soul food from the Southern states-and get inspired by it,” said Chef Eskender Aseged, owner of Radio Africa & Kitchen in San Francisco’s Bayview District. “What a better way to learn about a culture than with food?”  After working with renowned chefs throughout the Bay Area for more than 20 years, Aseged, originally from Ethiopia, started his first pop-up restaurant in his Mission District apartment in 2004. He served what he deemed “experimental, upscale Black-oriented food” to groups of friends. Over the next seven years, his pop-ups expanded into Bay Area cafés, and he dished up market-fresh, inspired Ethiopian cuisine until San Francisco’s Mayor’s office encouraged him to start a restaurant in the up-and-coming Bayview. He eventually opened Radio Africa in 2012.  Since then, Black History Month has always been an important time for Aseged at the restaurant-and over the last few years, one of his busiest-as he works to bring awareness about Black culture to his patrons and the community. Here’s a list of a few of our favorite Black-owned eateries on the street food scene, including mobile dining and pop-ups, as well as restaurants that feature catering. (This list (in alphabetical order by region) doesn’t include every Black-owned food business in the Bay Area.)

Here’s our ultimate list of Black-Owned food businesses around the Bay Area.

San Francisco

East Bay

South Bay

North Bay

(For more recommendations, including popular spots like Brown Sugar Kitchen, Minnie Bell, or International Smoke, check this list!)

Want to do more? Here’s how you can get involved.

Our commitment to supporting black-owned businesses goes beyond February. Since last June, we’ve been striving to do our part to support Black business owners and the BIPOC communities. We made three commitments to become better allies to the Black community and help uplift local Black businesses - and we’re proud to share that we’ve surpassed our initial goals. We know this is just the beginning to make a long-lasting change, but we’re proud that we are tackling our commitments to the communities we serve.  You can reach out to us to book a catering event featuring Black-owned businesses. If you are a Black-owned food business-or have ideas about how Off the Grid can support Bay Area Black businesses-let us know.