Chicago Black Restaurant Week kicks off this weekend

Chicago Black Restaurant Week is back beginning this Sunday with two weeks of dining deals from dozens of Black-owned restaurants across the city and suburbs. 

The annual event, now in its seventh year, switched to a two-week format in 2021 to help restaurants recover from the effects of pandemic, founder Lauran Smith told Time Out Chicago last year. Smith created the food-centric event to spotlight Chicago’s broad array of Black-owned restaurants, timing it to take place during the second week of February, which was once known as “Negro History Week” (and served as the basis for Black History Month, now observed throughout the entire month of February). 

To participate in Chicago Black Restaurant Week, eateries have to offer specials in order to draw diners in, meaning you’ll get to try dishes that oftentimes aren’t available on their regular menus. This year, you can check out deals and specials from more than 30 restaurants across the Chicagoland area, including beloved favorites like Luella’s Southern Kitchen, Demera Ethiopian Restaurant, Can't Believe It's Not Meat and Haire’s Gulf Shrimp, plus popular newcomers like Kitchen + Kocktails. A full list of specials will be available on Chicago Black Restaurant Week’s website before Sunday, Smith wrote in an Instagram post. 

Ready to dig in? Chicago Black Restaurant Week will run from Sunday, February 6 through Sunday, February 20—scroll through a full list of participating restaurants below, and have fun planning out your meals for the next couple weeks! 

• Luella’s Southern Kitchen
• Hidden Manna Cafe
• Juiced By Shic
• Bureau Bar South Loop
• Bureau Pizza Co.
• Kitchen + Kocktails Chicago
• The Mukase Restaurant
• Surf’s Up South Shore
• Haire’s Gulf Shrimp
• Flippin Flavors
• Cocoa Chili Restaurant
• Surf’s Up Bronzeville
• Pink Panini Soups & Salads
• Taste 222
• Surf’s Up Lombard
• Unbeatable Eatables, Evergreen Park
• Afro Joe’s Coffee
• Good To Go Jamaican Restaurant
• Dozzy’s Grill
• Flavours Seafood Bar
• Flammin Restaurant
• Lemme Get Ummm
• Phlavz
• Can’t Believe It’s Not Meat
• Eddie’s Food & Liquor
• Mabe’s Deli
• CheSa’s Gluten Free
• Prāz Chicago
• Dock’s Chicago
• Dickey’s Barbecue Pit
• Kozy Korner Deli
• Copper Still Martini Lounge
• Demera Ethiopian Restaurant
• Wrap Shack 162
• Surf’s Up Oak Park
• The Black Vegan Restaurant