The pandemic has taken a toll on the restaurant industry this past year, and although it feels like we’re constantly told to support small businesses, it’s always a good reminder that restaurants still need locals’ support to stay open.
February also happens to be Black History Month, which is a time to raise awareness for and support the Black community, especially business owners and employees.
In honor of Black History Month, I compiled a list of restaurants in Boston to try out to support local eateries that are also Black-owned. Consider dining-in or ordering take-out (and tipping!) from these restaurants for your next meal:
Lucy Ethiopian Cafe
Lucy is a cozy cafe and restaurant located between Northeastern University and the Prudential Center that serves authentic Ethiopian cuisine. Order the Ayib Tikl, a cottage cheese appetizer, and the Yebeg Tibs. They have beef, chicken and lamb dishes, as well as vegan and vegetarian options. Their main dishes are served hot and are the perfect hearty meals to keep you warm in the winter.
LaLa Caribbean Restaurant
This restaurant specializes in Caribbean cuisine, which combines seafood, meat and fruits. The Fritay is an interesting dish where you pick your protein of choice, with options ranging from goat to red snapper, and it comes with cassava, sweet potato and plantains. Don’t miss out on a side of fried plantains and their papaya juice. LaLa is currently doing a Black Restaurant Week menu special, which includes fresh passion fruit juice and vegetable stew.
Jamaica Mi Hungry
Located in Jamaica Plain and Allston, this locale serves a wide variety of meat, so if you are a meat lover, this is the place for you. They have oxtails, jerk chicken, pork shoulder — among others — in their entree dishes. Their sides include boiled yam, sweet plantain and roasted brussels sprouts which you can add to incorporate vegetables to your main dish. The restaurant is also vegetarian-friendly, and offers tofu alternatives and a vegetable curry version of their stews.
Nubian Square Grille
Located on Dudley Street in Roxbury, Nubian Square Grill has a wide variety of food items, including pizza, wraps, chicken wings and calzones. Ordering from there is great for larger groups or anyone looking for mouth-watering comfort food. They have a great selection of Mediterranean dishes, such as the Sambusa specialty appetizer, chicken shawarma and lamb shish kebab. Nubian Square Grille is known for its diverse pizza combinations, such as steak and cheese, Mexican and chicken ranch bacon. My favorite beverage to order is Ayran, a sour yogurt drink common in the Mediterranean. They also have a baklava dessert that’s not to be missed.
If you decide to go the take-out route, Uber Eats is having an offer to donate one dollar per order to the Black Businesses Matter Matching Fund this month.
