Standing with Black Bostonians: Black-Owned Restaurants to Support
Photo by Jolivia Barros
Growing up in Boston, between the neighborhood lines of Dorchester and Roxbury, I’d like to believe I lived the best of both worlds. To the left, in the vibrant parts of Dorchester, known as Upham’s Corner, I’d encounter all types of languages and cuisines. Triple-deckers filled with Cabo Verdeans, Dominicans, Puerto Ricans and Haitians who recently migrated to the States, in the hopes of providing better opportunities for their children. To the right, in the historic neighborhood of Roxbury, I’d encounter the rich history of black Americans here long before. Row houses alongside murals depicting great residents of Roxbury like Melnea Agnes Cass and Malcolm X. As a young girl, it appeared the one thing that connected these two neighborhoods was the mile strip known to all Bostonians as Dudley Street.
The small part of Dudley Street that I had the pleasure of growing up on would forever be a part of my identity as a black woman living in Boston. Walking up Dudley Street as a kid I could count all the food spots on one hand. A pizza shop, a corner store and a sub shop. In between these food shops were barbershops and salons, a liquor store, a laundromat and too many empty lots filled with trash.
I’m 26 now. Though I’m still in the same neighborhood and in the same triple decker, not much else has stayed the same. Over the past 26 years, I've witnessed constant changes in my neighborhood and city. Today, when I walk up Dudley Street, it’s crazy to think how things are changing while so much remains the same. New buildings filled the spaces of empty lots while new businesses emerged to showcase the many talents of Bostonians. Even after all these years of change, that pizza shop, that corner store and that sub shop are still here. Now, they've got lots of company and new friends like Auntie Vie’s Restaurant and Bakery serving Caribbean foods and Nos Casa Cafe serving Cabo Verdean food.
This is what I love most about Boston. While the city is changing every day in demographics and landscape, I’m amazed to see all the black-owned restaurants and businesses, old and new, who continue to shape and make Boston what it is today. Black men and women of all ages and backgrounds are sharing their stories and showcasing their talents through food.
I’m here to ask you to invest in our communities and neighborhoods and in particular to invest in our black-owned businesses. Black businesses need us now more than ever and I’d love to show you how you can help. Join me as I take you to some of my favorite black-owned restaurants in Boston. Some of them you know, some have always been here, maybe you just haven't tried them yet and others are new to the city.
Ideal Sub Shop
If you are wondering about the name of the sub shop I mentioned above, it’s Ideal Sub Shop. Before COVID-19, you could drive down Dudley Street and see a line coming out of the tiny shop on the corner of Burrell and Dudley. Anyone who has ever waited in that line knows that that 30–45 minute wait is always worth it. Each sub is crafted with love, dedication and time. Each slice of meat and cheese perfectly placed on the bread and always individualized for each patron. Oh, and the best part? Just $5 gets you a sub. Did I mention it’s cash only? One more thing to note: Every year, Ideal Sub Shop closes for two weeks in the summer for vacation. Even though we all know it’s coming, those two weeks are the toughest for many of us to go without a sub from Ideal’s.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, Edigio Teixeira, Olivio Teixeira and Aguiar DaRosa and their families decided to shut down Ideal Sub Shop to prioritize the safety of the community and its employees. Nearly three months later, Ideal Sub Shop reopened its doors on June 1st, and introduced credit card payments. I’ve never witnessed so much eagerness and excitement in the community to be back in Ideal Sub Shop and to use a credit card after 35 years. So I encourage you to make a visit to Ideal Sub Shop on Dudley Street. Order a sub and support a local, black-owned restaurant. My go-to order is simple: a small tuna sub with mayonnaise, pickles, lettuce and tomatoes.
522 Dudley Street
Roxbury, MA 02119
idealsubshop.com
50 Kitchen
Photo by Jolivia Barros
As we make our way out of Roxbury and into Dorchester, I would like to take you to one of my new favorite spots in Field’s Corner: 50 Kitchen. I had heard about the famous Chef Anthony Caldwell through the Commonwealth Kitchen but had never had the chance to try his food. His story of a second chance at 43, to finally open up his own restaurant, is beautiful and truly inspirational.
When I heard of the opening of his new restaurant on Dorchester Avenue, I knew I had to make a trip to Fields Corner. But COVID had a different plan. While I have yet to step foot in 50 Kitchen, I placed my first order and was absolutely fascinated by Chef Caldwell’s fusions of Southern American and Asian-inspired cuisines. Each time I order, I’m trying new combinations and always impressed. From their chicken and waffles to their bang bang shrimp, 50 Kitchen’s menu can do you no harm. Like 50 Kitchen says, “beautiful food for beautiful people.” So, if you’re feeling beautiful, place an order or buy a gift card. Check out the menu and have some fun with it. Pick at least two items from each category and mix it up each time until you’ve tried the whole menu, then repeat.
50 KITCHEN
1450 Dorchester Avenue
Dorchester, MA 02122
50kitchen.com
Restaurante Cesaria
Photo by Jolivia Barros
I hold this one close to my heart. And if you’ve ever met a Cabo Verdean in Boston, you know that Restaurante Cesaria is a place for authentic food, a good time and fun drinks. Cabo Verdean food blends West African flavors with the colonial influences of Portuguese cuisine. You will find seafood dishes, corn-based dishes, everything served with rice and everyone’s favorite: Katchupa Refugada. A refried dish including hominy beans, pork, cabbage and traditionally served with fried eggs and linguiça. And you could enjoy all of this with live music from Cabo Verdean artists in Boston and all around the world, but for now it’s just open for takeout and delivery.
Restaurante Cesaria opened in 2002 on Bowdoin Street in Dorchester, one of only two Cabo Verdean restaurants at the time. Four friends opened this restaurant to provide a place for Bostonians to enjoy Cabo Verdean cuisine and live music. 18 years later, Tony Barros and Jose Fonseca Brandao continue to hold it down and provide a space to share and express Cabo Verdean culture. Cesaria continues to serve as a home for many Cabo Verdeans. On the weekends you will find friends and families reuniting over food, drinks an—at times—loud music. I certainly spent almost every Thursday there with cousins and friends, sitting in our favorite booth underneath a photo of my late grandmother. I have had too many laughs, wannabe-karaoke sessions and even shed a few tears. I can’t wait for Cesaria to reopen its doors and welcome us all back. I’ve definitely been missing my favorite booth lately. But in the meantime, check out their menu for takeout or delivery. If it’s your first time, try their Katchupa Refugada then come back and make your way down the menu.
RESTAURANTE CESARIA
266 Bowdoin Street
Dorchester, MA 02122
restaurantcesaria.com
MIDA
Photo by Jolivia Barros
Never in a million years did I ever dream of walking into a black-owned Italian restaurant so close to home. Those who know me know Italy is one of my favorite European countries to visit and a place I’d visit over and over again. As a Boston native, the North End served as the closest thing one could get to Italy without hopping on a plane. While I enjoyed eating from the different restaurants and hearing the family stories behind each menu and name, it never felt like home or a part of Boston I could claim as mine.
I’d heard about Douglass Williams’ Italian restaurant in the South End and knew I had to visit. It took me a couple of years, but I made it. Something about walking into MIDA just felt different. It felt like home. I felt seen. My heart was full and so were our stomachs. From the arancini to the beautiful bowls of hand-rolled pasta, the menu is one you won’t forget. Don’t forget to add a tiramisu. While you can’t sit inside MIDA right now, you can place an order for takeout or delivery. Mondays are still fun with the ever popular “Mangia Monday,” five entree-sized pastas, salad, and bread for $70.
MIDA
782 Tremont Street
Boston (South End), MA 02118
midaboston.com
Singh’s Roti Shop
Photo by Jolivia Barros
Singh’s Roti is the definition of a hidden gem. At the intersection of Edward Everett Square and Polish Triangle in Dorchester, you will find a small but mighty shop. If you’re not paying attention, you might miss the bright yellow and red sign calling you in for West Indian dining. I certainly missed it and did not step foot into Singh’s Roti for the first time until three years ago. I walked in, immediately taken by the beautiful smells of West Indian spices and greeted by the owner, Ricky Singh and his wife, Kay. He is quick and concise and a kindhearted Trinidadian. You’ll get a West Indian meal along with a quick history lesson on Trinidad and Tobago. He knows his menu well and can quickly tell you what he thinks you’ll enjoy the most.
Mr. Singh will definitely do a better job of giving you a recommendation in person but if you’re looking for something to try, order a roti main dish, along with a double, which is baras (flat fried dough) filled with curry channa (curried chickpeas) and various chutneys. Your hands might get stained with curry, but it’s totally worth it. I encourage you to place an order at Singh’s Roti shop for takeout or delivery for the food, of course, but also to meet Ricky.
SINGH’S ROTI SHOP
692 Columbia Road
Dorchester, MA 02125
singhsrotishop.net
So there you have it, just a few of my favorite black-owned restaurants in Boston. And each day I continue to make an effort to try new places and in particular, always support our local black businesses. Our local, black-owned businesses need us more than ever and especially right now. Here is an additional list of black-owned restaurants in Boston by neighborhood. An asterisk (*) denotes which restaurant is offering takeout or delivery services.
Allston
Rock City Pizza*
Rhythm ‘N Wraps*
Dorchester
Auntie Vie’s Restaurant & Bakery* -
Bon Appetit*
Bred Gourmet*
Cabo Verde Taste*
Clarke’s Cakes & Cookies*
Down Home Delivery & Catering*
Family Affair Restaurant & Catering*
Flames Restaurant
Food for the Soul
Irie Jamaican Style Restaurant*
Island Style Jamaican Restaurant*
JP Roti Shop*
Levi’s Restaurant and Lounge
M&M’s BBQ*
Murl’s Kitchen*
Natif Natal Restaurant*
Oasis Cafe*
Oasis Vegan Veggie Parlor*
One Family Diner*
One Only Jamaican Restaurant*
Preparations Market*
Raphael Caribbean Cuisine*
Ripple Cafe*
Taste of Eden*
Vaughan Fish & Chips
Wings & Tingz*
Yelu’s*
Downtown Boston
East Boston
Hyde Park
D Coal Pot*
Wings & Tingz*
ZaZ Restaurant*
Jamaica Plain
Blue Nile Restaurant*
Exodus Bagels*
Jamaica Mi Hungry*
Mattapan
Ali’s Roti*
Au Beurre Chaud Bakery*
Blue Mountain Jamaican Restaurant*
Cafe Juice Up*
Flames Restaurant
Golden Krust*
Le Foyer Bakery
Lenny’s Tropical Bakery
P&R Jamaican Restaurant*
Pit Stop Barbecue*
Prestige Cuisine
Shea Butter Smoothies
Mission Hill
Roslindale
Obosá Restaurant*
R&S Jamaica Restaurant*
Roxbury
Ashur Restaurant*
Dayib Cafe
District 7 Tavern
Fasika Cafe*
Fort Hill Bar & Grill*
Maxine’s on Saint James*
Nos Casa Cafe
P&R Jamaican Restaurant*
Silver Slipper*
Soleil Restaurant*
Suya Joint*
Top Mix*
South End
Darryl’s Corner Bar + Kitchen*
Lucy Ethiopian Cafe*
Slades Bar + Grill
Urban Grape (wine shop)*
Wally’s Cafe Jazz Club
This story appeared as an Online Exclusive in June, 2020.
