Chicago is known for having some of the best food in America. From fine dining to cheap eats, residents and tourists alike are able to find an incredible variety of food to please any palette. As the city prepares for All Star Weekend, check out the many Black Owned and Operated dining establishments on every side of the city!
Southside
5 Loaves Eatery*, 405 E 75th Street
79th Street Barbeque, 11101 S Halsted
Ain’t She Sweet Cafe, 526 E 43rd
B&B’s Ice Cream & Candy Shop*, 8238 S Racine
Brewer Coffee & Custard, 1008 E 79th Street
Brown Sugar Bakery*, 328 E 75th St
Caribbean Jerk Palace, 3792 W 79th St
Chef Sara’s Café*, 7201 S Exchange Ave
Cleo’s Southern Cuisine*, 4248 S Cottage Grove Ave
D&D’s Place Donut Shop*, 8324 S Kedzie Ave
One Eleven Hall, 756 E 111th St
Emeche*, 3453 S Prairie Ave
Enjoy-a-Corn, 3460 W 79th St
Dat Donut, 8251 S Cottage Grove Ave
Dirty Birds Southern Kitchen, 8052 S Racine St
Dock’s Fish Bronzeville, 321 E 35th St
Evelyn’s Food Love*, 5522 S State Street
Fire Jerk Chicken, 750 W Garfield Blvd
Flammin’ Restaurant, 641 E 75th St,
Foodies Spot, 7350 S Stony Island Ave
FriiStyle Chicago, 5059 S Prairie Ave
Full Slab BBQ, 8340 S Stony Island Ave
Give Me Some Sugah*, 2234 E 71st St
Haire’s Gulf Shrimp, 7448 S Vincennes Ave
I Can’t Believe It’s Not Meat, 1368 E 53rd St
Irie Jerk Soul Food Express, 130 E. 51st St
Ja’Grill, 1510 E Harper Ct
Jean’s Soul Food Cafe*, 10936 S Vincennes Ave
Jerk48, 548 E 67th St
Josephine’s Southern Cooking, 436 E 79th St
Litehouse Whole Food Grill, 1660 E 55th St
Mabes Deli, 312 E 75th St
Majani, 7167 S Exchange Ave
Marlon’s Chicken, 602 E 75th St
Mikkey’s Retro Grill, 8126 S Stony Island Ave
Norman’s Bistro, 1001 E 43rd St
Ohana’s Ice Treats*, 1800 W 103rd St
Old Fashioned Donuts, 11248 S Michigan Ave
Original Soul Vegetarian, 203 E 75th St
Parkway Hoagies, 6435 S King Dr
Peach’s at Currency Exchange Café, 305 E Garfield Blvd
Peach’s Restaurant, 4652 S King Dr
Poppin’ Dough*, 1235 W 95th St
Roy’s Soul Food, 403 E 71st St
Shawn Michelle’s Homemade Ice Cream, 46 E 47th St
Simply Soups & Salads, 635 E 47th St
Sip & Savor, 528 E 43rd St
Sizzlin’ Skillets, 8635 S Cottage Grove Ave
Slice of Bronzeville, 4655 S King Dr
Some Like It Black Creative Arts Bar, 810 E 43rd St
Soul Shack*, 1368 E 53rd St
South Shore BBQ & Jerk
South Shore Brew, 7101 S Yates Blvd
Surf’s Up South Shore*, 2236 E 71st St
That’s a Burger*, 8301 S Stony Island Ave
The Slab BBQ, 1918 E 71st St
The Woodlawn, 1200 E 79th St
The Wrap Bar*, 8154 S Cottage Grove Ave
Tropical Island Jerk, 553 E 79th St
Truth Italian*, 56 E Pershing Rd
Two Fish Crab Shack, 641 E 47th St
Uncle J’s BBQ, 502 E 47th St
Virtue, 1462 E 53rd St
South Loop
Akhirah’s Praline Candy & Coffee House, 1845 S State St
Bureau Bar UIC, 724 W Maxwell St
Burger Point, 1900 S State St
Steak ‘N Shake UIC*, 1322 S Halsted St (Chicago’s first and only Black-Owned Steak ‘N Shake)
Downtown
Frontera Grill (featuring Executive Chef Richard James), 445 N Clark St
Kumiko and Kikko (featuring Black, female executive chef, Mariya Russell), 630 W Lake St
Mr. Brown’s Lounge, 81 E Wacker Place
Sweet Maple Cafe*, 1339 W Taylor St
Taste222, 222 N Canal St
Northside
Batter & Berries, 2748 N Lincoln Ave
Demera Ethiopian Restaurant*, 4801 N Broadway
Frances’ Deli & Brunchery, 2552 N Clark St
Frontier Chicago, 1072 N Milwaukee Ave
Ina Mae’s Tavern, 1415 N Wood St
Irie Jerk Bar & Grill, 3404 N Clark St
Luella’s Gospel Bird, 2009 N Damen Ave
Luella’s Southern Kitchen, 4609 N Lincoln Ave
Soule’ Chicago*, 1931 W Chicago Ave
Soul Crab Chicago, 1904 N Western Ave
The Delta, 1745 W North Ave
The Swill Inn (featuring Executive Chef Lamar Moore),415 N Milwaukee Ave
West Side
6978 Soul Food*, 6978 West North Avenue
BaseHit BBQ, 6606 West North Avenue
Ben’s Bar Bee Cue, 5931 West North Avenue
Chef Daddy’s, 5944 W Lake St
Life Food 3858, 3858 W Madison St
Surf’s UP Oak Park*, 6427 W North Ave
South Suburbs
Blue Lagoon Seafood & Bar, 4265 W 167th St, Country Club Hills
DA Deli, 7260 W 159th St, Orland Park
Dock’s Fish on 167th, 4011 W 167th St, Country Club Hills
Harold’s of Homewood, 18044 Halsted St, Homewood
Joe Willie’s Seafood, 14719 S Halsted St, Harvey
Kozy Korner Deli, 15443 Cottage Grove Ave, Dolton
Pink Panini Soups & Salads*, 17505 Kedzie Ave, Hazel Crest
Rib Brothers, 11753 S Pulaski Rd, Alsip
Signature Sweets Factory, 514 E 162nd St, South Holland
*denotes special acknowledgment of Black-Women Owned eateries
This list was compiled by Divine Dine Food Tours, first and only entirely Black, woman-owned food tour agency in Chicago.
-Kimberly Durden, Contributing Writer