22 Great Black-Owned Restaurants In New York City To Order From Tonight (And In The Future)

There are lots of resources available that make it easier to find Black-owned restaurants in cities like NYC, many of which were used to curate this list.

Follow @blackownedbklyn on Instagram and check out their website for guides to Brooklyn's Black places, people, and products.

Download the Eat Okra app to search for Black-owned restaurants near you.

Or check out this public Google spreadsheet compiled by the New Yorker's restaurant critic, Hannah Goldfield.

Why it's great: Chef JJ's entire menu is built around one humble and unifying ingredient — rice. The colorful grain-filled bowls come topped with everything from BBQ brisket to seafood gumbo.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

— Donate to their COVID-19 community relief efforts (every $8 provides one meal to a child; $40 provides a family with a week's worth of produce and three Fieldtrip bowls)

Why it's great: This majority Black-owned Ethiopian restaurant has an entirely plant-based menu. Most dishes are served with a side of injera, a traditional tangy, spongy flatbread that's perfect for mopping up all the delicious sauces.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

— Purchase a gift card for future use

Why it's great: Taking inspiration from both African and Puerto Rican cuisines, you'll find everything from yuka fries and crispy catfish to burgers and rotisserie chicken at this South Bronx eatery. They've also been supporting COVID-19 relief efforts, partnering with World Central Kitchen to feed the community and first responders.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

Why it's great: Three words: Nashville-Style Hot Chicken. Best enjoyed with a side of slaw, fried green tomatoes, and a cocktail to-go.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

Why it's great: The options here are seemingly endless. Choose from fried or steamed seafood, baked or barbecued chicken, and filling sides like candied yams, collard greens, and mac and cheese.

How you can support:
— Order takeout or delivery

Why it's great: This Harlem bistro dishes up French classics like steak au poivre (pepper steak) and mussels sautéed in white wine, plus new American faves like burgers and caesar salad.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

— Purchase a gift card for future use

Why it's great: This veggie-filled Dominican-style food is sure to satisfy you whether you're completely vegan or just trying to eat less meat. Reviewers rave about the chimi.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery (currently only available on Saturdays)

— Donate to the restaurant's Go Fund Me

Why it's great: Sylvia's is arguably one of Harlem's most well-known soul food eateries — and for good reason. Order house specialities like the fried chicken or the "world-famous talked about bar-b-que ribs," plus a takeaway cocktail to wash it all down.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

— Purchase a gift card for future use or donate it to a family in need

— Shop Sylvia's pantry products

Why it's great: Get your seafood fix with lobster rolls, shrimp tacos, and the reason we're all here — crabs. Try them in the form of a crab BLT, crab and corn chowder, and just straight-up platters of crab.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

Why it's great: Chef, owner, and Mauritania native Diana Tandia created a flavorful Afro-fusion menu by combining her own family recipes with inspo from different regions in Africa, Asia, the Caribbean, and France. You'll find dishes like jerk wings, djolof fried rice, and ratatouille empanadas.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

— Purchase a gift card for future use

Why it's great: Craving barbecue? Look no further than Queens Bully. They've got all the essentials like burgers, smoked meat, ribs, and wings, along with unbeatable delivery deals.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

— Purchase a gift card for future use

Why it's great: This French-American café serves up generous portions of fresh, wholesome, and delicious home-style food. Reviewers are obsessed with the burgers, chicken sandwiches, and salads.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

Why it's great: Opened 15 years ago by Harlem local Melba Wilson (who earned her stripes working at Sylvia's), this popular soul-food restaurant has a menu full of hearty dishes like eggnog waffles with chicken, wine-braised beef short ribs, and fried catfish.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

— Donate to the restaurant's COVID-19 employee relief fund

— Purchase a cookbook

Why it's great: For once, you won't have to worry about snagging a table at this small PLG restaurant. Instead, just load up on their sustainably focused produce from the cheese shop, & Sons Buttery, and build your own charcuterie board at home.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

Why it's great: I mean...just look at that crunchy fried chicken. You really can't go past the sandwiches (yes, vego options are also available) served with pickles on soft potato buns.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

Why it's great: Melanie's specializes in Guyanese and West Indian cuisine — think flaky roti, fried potato balls, and comforting curries.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

Why it's great: Corn bread, fried sweet plantains, cod fritters, and shrimp and grits are just a few of the dishes on offer at this family-run Caribbean restaurant.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

Why it's great: Hearty plant-based comfort foods like cauliflower "wings," "tuna" melts, and smokey BBQ sandwiches will hit the spot, regardless of whether you're vegan or not.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

Why it's great: This neighborhood joint in the East Village is a popular spot for Ethiopian food. Try the doro wot, a traditional Ethiopian stew of slow-cooked chicken legs, onions, spices, and boiled eggs.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery

Why it's great: The menu here is Spanish- and Italian-influenced, so get excited for things like burrata with sun-dried tomatoes, polenta fries, whole roasted branzino, and wild mushroom ravioli. Plus, they currently have $15 pasta specials and 20% off all bottles of wine!

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery (they'll be closing at 6 p.m. on June 2–7 due to the citywide curfew)

— Purchase a gift card for future use

Why it's great: You can pretend you're in the Caribbean for the night with dinner from this Jamaica (Queens) staple. Popular dishes among reviewers include curried goat, oxtail, and escovitch snapper.

How you can support:

— Order takeout or delivery