RICHMOND, Va. – From the first serving in 2017, Black Restaurant Week dished out success. The event returns from March 4 to March 11, this time as the Richmond Black Restaurant Experience presented by Dominion Energy.
Organizers Kelli Lemon, Amy Wentz, and Shemicia Brown launched the event last year to bring exposure to Richmond’s black-owned restaurants and promote the Richmond region’s growing culinary tourism scene.
“We are excited about continuing to celebrate our city’s diversity and all it has to offer,” Wentz said.
According to organizers, over 26,000 people participated in last year’s event, which brought in over $475,000 in sales and helped create 17 new jobs.
Ten restaurants joined the 2018 event, which brings the number of participating establishments to 29 total.
“We expanded,” Lemon said. “We wanted to make sure we highlighted other areas than just the restaurants…and we added some additional events.”
Lemon said that they added the name “experience” to the event, because they have some things planned throughout the year to promote and support black-owned hospitality.
For example, they have partnered with the city to offer more minority business development classes.
“We did a class for black restaurant owners, on marketing, branding, taxes, portion sizes, bookkeeping,” Lemon said.
“There are a lot of weeks out here that support hospitality,” Lemon said. “What we noticed was that there was not one that focused on southern cuisine, that black experience, when it comes to cooking.”
Some participating restaurants will have special menus; others, Lemon said, “will just be doing what they do well.”
For more information on Richmond Black Restaurant Experience, visit www.vablackrestaurantexperience.com.
PARTICIPATING RESTAURANTS
- Family Secrets
5310 Chamberlayne Rd, Richmond, VA 23227 familysecretsusa.com - Croaker’s Spot Food
1020 Hull St, Richmond, VA 23224 croakersspot.com - Mama J’s
415 N. 1st St, Richmond, VA 23219 mamajskitchen.com - Southern Kitchen
1726 E Main St, Richmond, VA 23223 southernkitchenrva.com - Nomad’s Deli
207 W. Brookland Park Blvd, Richmond, VA 23222 nomaddeli.com - Brewers Cafe
1125 Bainbridge St, Richmond, VA 23224 brewerscaferva.com - Chef MaMuSu
200 E. Main St, Richmond, VA 23219 chefmamusu.com - Sugars Crab Shack
2224 Chamberlayne Ave Richmond, VA 23222 NO WEBSITE - Ma Michele’s Café
10811 Hull Street Rd, Midlothian, VA NO WEBSITE - Cary 100
100 E Cary Street Richmond, VA cary100.com - Charles’ Kitchen
9127 W Broad St Richmond, VA 23294 charleskitchen.guru - Sweet Teas Southern Cuisine
1700 E Main St, Richmond, VA 23223 sweetteascuisine.com - Ms. Girlee’s
112 N 5th St Richmond, VA 23219 msgirleesrestaurant.com - Spoon Bread Bistro
2526 Floyd Ave Richmond, VA 23220 spoonbreadbistro.com - Traditionz Smokehouse
4810 Jefferson Davis Highway N Chesterfield 23234 eatattraditionz.com - Inner City Blue’s
3015 9 Mile Road Richmond, VA 23223 wearebbq.com - Big Herm’s Kitchen
315 N 2nd Street Richmond, VA 23219 bighermscatering.com - Good Tymes Restaurant and Wine Bar
2030 Chamberlayne Ave Richmond, VA 23222 goodtymesrva.com - MiniBar RVA
14 N 18th St Richmond, VA 23223 minibarrva.com - Jackie’s on Laburnum
1241 N Laburnum Ave Richmond, VA 23223 elliottsonlaburnum.com - Vagabond
700 E Broad St Richmond, VA 23219 vagabondrva.com - RVA Street Foodies
1011 Hull St, Richmond, VA 23224 NO WEBSITE - Irie Vibes Jamaican Restaurant
1221 N. Laburnum Ave Richmond, VA 23223 irie4real1221.wixsite.com/mysite - Boogaloo’s Bar and Grille
210 W Brookland Park Blvd, Richmond, VA 23222 boogaloosrva.com - Lower 48 by Malcolm Mitchell
423 N 18th Street, Richmond VA 23223 lower48kitchen.com - Send-A-Chef
1303 Hull St. Richmond, VA 23224 send-a-chef.net - Jacksons Beer Garden & Smokehouse
538 N 2nd St, Richmond, VA 23219 jacksonsbeergardenandsmokehouse.com - Kilimanjaro Lounge
5114 Richmond Henrico Turnpike Richmond, Virginia 23227 NO WEBSITE - Soulveur
9545 Amberdale Dr, Richmond, VA 23236 soulveur.com
