I attended my first Black Lives Matter protest yesterday with my family and friends. Really, my first protest of any kind. I care deeply about a lot of things, but until now, attending a protest would not be my first form of activism. One of many things that are changing, hopefully for the better, hopefully forever. All change starts with small steps. This post is one of these steps — for myself, for my family, and I hope, for some of you.
[Just want the link to NJ Black-owned restaurants? No problem. Read more for additional resources to support the Black community.]
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Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
There is a growing list of things that I am learning. A string of commitments from myself, my family, my friends, my colleagues, and my community, of ways we will do better. As I stare down those commitments, the deep and wide list of institutions, practices, and behaviors we need to unwind, destroy, rebuild, it is overwhelming and, at times, feels insurmountable. But I am undaunted by challenge, and as I remind my children every day, there are countless small things we can all do that are not hard at all. One of them is supporting Black-owned businesses, and since we are here at foodwithaview.com, we will start with restaurants.
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What I am learning
My family watched the CNN and Sesame Street town hall on racism to deepen the conversations that had begun with our children earlier in the week as events unfolded. It sparked a discussion about what I was taught as a child: to be ‘colorblind.’ To behave — and in fact, vehemently argue at times — that we were so equal we should not even utter a word about our differences. I am learning that was misguided. I am teaching my children that the world is full of differences that should be celebrated. While there are a myriad of ways to do that, I’ll start with my favorite: celebrating the diversity of food culture.
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Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
As I reflect on my own choices, both as an individual and as a parent, I realize I was, albeit unintentionally, directing our choices towards white- or otherwise- owned restaurants. That deep form of racism needs to change. I need to do better. The conscious choices I make to expose my kids to more diversity in their budding culinary palettes includes the Black-owned restaurants right here at home in our community, our state, and wherever we go (whenever we get to “go” again).
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Supporting Black-owned Restaurants in NJ
I am so fortunate that others have compiled and contributed to a running list of Black-owned restaurants and food purveyors in the area, so this google sheet of Black-owned NJ restaurants is ready to go! Thanks to @FlavorBehavior on Instagram for doing the work and for the permission to share this here. Please follow them for more updates on their favorite Black-owned restaurants in both NY and NJ, and if you have a favorite they missed or an edit to the list to propose, you can direct message them at @Justin.Time.To.Dine on Instagram.
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Photo by Nathan Dumlao on Unsplash
This is foodwithaview.com, so you can still count on me to bring you my view on the best of what the area has to offer. It will take me some time to understand what is unique and special about all of these businesses, just as I take the time to invest in all restaurants and food businesses in the area before I form a view. This is made harder thanks to our little friend COVID-19, although glimmers of hope are on the horizon as we look forward to the opening of outdoor dining. I will get there, and I will share what I learn along the way.
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A few of my favorite Black-owned NJ restaurants
In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite Black-owned NJ restaurants. Most are offering delivery or takeout. If not, please consider purchasing a gift card to show your support for their future. You can find more ideas on how to support local restaurants here.
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- Palmer’s Sweetery (Maplewood) produces special occasion cakes and elegant, small batch baked goods. Consider them for your next celebration; their creations are breathtaking. I love their coffee, even if I must resist the temptation to add a little sweet treat (I am a sucker for a Macaron) every time I stop by their beautiful Maplewood shop. Check out their website for temporary menu and ordering protocols.
Photo by Baher Khairy on Unsplash
- Marcus B&P (Newark) is the creation of Ethiopian-born, Swedish-raised celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, and the restaurant reflects his diverse heritage right down to the name. ‘B&P’ references ‘back pocket,’ the Swedish idea of having a local spot in, you got it, your ‘back pocket’ where you can always find a ‘Bar’ and ‘Provisions’. The food and service are always on point for my frequent lunch visits and, while Marcus B&P is temporarily closed, I hope to check out dinner and Sunday jazz brunch soon. Check out their website to get your tastebuds ready to go for reopen!
- Elitist Coffee (South Orange) is, in my view, the best coffee in SOMA. It is also another test of my willpower to resist delicious baked goods. I am, alas, no match for almond croissants. They are committed to ethically sourced coffee and offer a selection of seasonal blends in addition to their regular menu for the coffee connoisseurs in the group. You can order ahead on their website.
photo of croissants at Elitist coffee by Jenn Kosar
- Mama’s Southern Style BBQ II (Vauxhall) is on our list for some of the best fried chicken in the area. It is a tough list to make — this family takes fried chicken very seriously. It is on the foodwithaview.com editorial calendar to do a proper local roundup this summer, but I admit I am a bit intimidated by that volume of fried chicken, so volunteers are welcome. Their menu is available online and ready for your summer BBQ needs!
Additional resources to support Black businesses
Regular readers know I cover NYC too, so here is the NYC List of Black-owned restaurants across all boroughs. This was originally shared on Food52.com and compiled by Bon Appetit’s associate social media director Rachel Karten and research director Joseph Hernandez, along with The New Yorker’s food critic Hanna Goldfield, so it has some foodie cred!
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If you love any of these restaurants and food businesses, let fellow readers know your favorites! Where should I go first?
Don’t forget to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook or Instagram for all my dining out adventures, hopefully returning to the restaurant scene soon. Local friends can join SOMA Eats Local for updates on restaurant offerings during social distancing and crowdsourced ideas on how to help keep our local business and our community going from a food perspective.
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p.s. Wondering about the photography in this post? I stumbled upon Nate Dumlao, photographer, in searching for the right photos to sit alongside this post. His coffee photos caught my eye, but his photojournalist work capturing protests, COVID-19, parenting, and a multitude of other subjects are worth checking out. He provides his work for free enjoyment on Unsplash.
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