Black Restaurant Week Starts Today in DC
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Puddin’ is a food truck and caterer participating in Black Restaurant Week. Chef Toyin Alli at the wheel of the Puddin’ food truck, photo courtesty: Puddin’.
“More Than Just a Week.”
By Susan Able | Edible DC
This year marks Black Restaurant Week’s 3rd annual campaign in the greater Washington DC Region, and participation has been expanded from restaurants to food trucks, sweets and more. Founded in 2016 by Warren Luckett, Falayn Ferrell, and Derek Robinson, Black Restaurant Week is dedicated to celebrating the flavors of African-American, African and Caribbean cuisine nationwide.
Here are the participating restaurants in the DC area.
Your place to try Ghanaian food, Chef Prince Matey's famous home-cooked Ghanaian cuisine and African drinks are served up in the Shaw neighborhood. Appioo also has sports at the bar and live bands & DJs on the weekend. Think fufu, goat burgers, and savory jollof rice. Wash it down with a crisp mango ginger margarita or one of their signature drinks.
Chef Toynin Alli behind the wheel of the Puddin’ food truck.
If you’re in the mood for some great southern comfort food, try Puddin’ in Union Market. Chef Toyin Alli, the owner of Puddin', started in 2010 as a street food vendor at Eastern Market on Capitol Hill. Chef Toyin now has her vendor spot at Union Market and two food trucks. Specialties include Chicken 'n Beef Sausage Gumbo, Shrimp 'n Grits, Etouffee, Red Beans ’n Rice, Shrimp, Rapahannock Oysters and Wild Blue Catfish po’boys and her signature dish and the company's namesake, Brown Butter Bourbon Bread Puddin'. Look for a Capital Heights location soon!
FishScale prepares delicious burgers only sourced from sustainable wild fish in accordance with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch Program. According to TripAdvisor, this spot’s got a Chesapeake cheesesteak so mind-blowing, it’ll make you forget about beef. But what really sets FishScale apart is their dedication to sustainability—their fish is wild-caught and purchased fresh daily. The menu ranges based on what’s fresh and sustainable, but think Crab Burgers, Rockfish Burgers, Fish Tacos and the “Fishsteak Sandwiches” make with jerk salmon or catfish.
DC icon, Georgia Brown’s serves up history-rich South Carolina Low-Country cuisine. Low Country had many influences on its cuisine, African, French Huguenots and sailors who Sephardic Jews from Portugal and Spain all influenced the cooking with foods from their homeland. Georgia Brown’s is know as a place to enjoy good southern food, great hospitality,and a beautiful dining room. Think Buttermilk Fried Chicken, Jumbo Crab Cakes, Charleston Perlau, Shrimp and Grits, Fried Green Tomatoes and desserts like Bread Pudding and Chocolate Pecan Bourban Pie.
An award-winner for it’s Po Boy sandwiches and cajun fries, this spot is located on the H Street Corridor and has lots of choices that feature NOLA cuisine—think gumbo, shrimp and grits, crawfish etouffee and blackened salmon. Open for brunch and a second location in Columbia, MD.
Founded in 2003, Matchbox has grown its fans with wood-fired pizzas, mini burgers, fresh salads and chef-inspired entrées, like pan-seared sea bass and oven-roasted filet mignon—elevated American bistro fare, Expect a crowd of neighborhood workers, visitors and residents with its casual vibe and good food, having a bottomless weekend brunch helps its popularity too.
Want a roop top view with your cocktail Try The Delegate is located in the Courtyard Marriott near the Capital One Arena in Mount Vernon Square. It’s open for lunch and dinner—and breakfast, so whether you’re visiting for the weekend or a local, add it to your list for a great breakfast. And we did mention the roof top?
With their flagship location now open again on U Street NW, Oohh’s & Aahh’s has been a staple in the community since 2003. Think soul food. Really good soul food. Oohh’s & Aahh’s has consistently received the “Cheap Eats Award“ and the “Best Macaroni and Cheese“ awarded by Washingtonian Magazine. Most recently, the restaurant was featured on the Food Network Cable show, “Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives,” hosted by Chef Guy Fieri.
Vegan? Or vegan curious? Get your vegan fix at NuVegan Cafe on Georgia Avenue in DC, or check out their other locations or food truck. More than just salads, think a full menu of sandwiches and entrees including mac and cheese, ribs and crab cakes. NuVegan Café is a family owned business with 3 restaurant locations in Washington, DC and College Park, MD, with a mission to serve delicious vegan food that “stirs the soul and is a place for cultural community building that manifest our NuVegan values".”
Peaches Kitchen Restaurant and Catering
“It’s Where the Spice is Right” — Peaches tagline says it all at this purveyor of Jamaican and American food. Think jerk chicken, curry chicken, oxtails, goat curry, red beans and rice, plantains and seafood like red snapper. Located in NW near Takoma, Peaches offers a full menu for kids and an extensive catering menu. Daily specials for 15% off.
