Experience Houston’s Black restaurant scene
Fried catfish. Gumbo. Crawfish. Boudin. Barbecue. Jollof rice. Daiquiris. Fried chicken. Houston may be the fourth largest city in the nation, but its abundance and variety of Blackowned food establishments sit king at the top of the bunch.
I started blogging about Houston’s Black food scene after being laid off as an engineer. Of course, being unemployed sucked (and still does), but indulging in our city’s Black community eased the pain. This week, which is Black Restaurant Week, consider joining in my obsession through takeout or outdoor dining.
The city’s Black culture is largely influenced by Black Louisianans who migrated here in the late 1800s and in the early 1900s for economic opportunities and to escape the flooding in Southwest Louisiana. Due to the historical influx, Creole cuisine makes up much of the Black food scene. Restaurants like Kid Kreole Kooking and Who Dat Soulfood will always have a wide range of Louisiana-style dishes to serve locals and tourists alike. When in season, crawfish is a major hit and served hot and ready throughout Third Ward, Fifth Ward, Acres Homes, Homestead, etc., and it’s even served during Sunday Funday, which is Black Houston’s Sunday tradition. The popular Creole franchise Frenchy’s is home to some of the best fried chicken in Houston.
Creole food may be Black Houston’s prominent cuisine, but soul food is no slouch, since Black East Texans and Southeast Texans also have historical clout in the city. Places like Mikki’s Soulfood Café and Houston’s This Is It feed the soul of many Black residents. Oxtails, candied yams, greens and cornbread are delectable staples.
Let’s dig deeper into the Black diaspora. African and Caribbean cuisines are no strangers in Htown. The Southwest side is home to the bulk of Houston’s African and Caribbean culture and restaurants; Bissonnet Street is the nucleus of these communities. Finger Licking (Nigerian), Lucy’s Ethiopian Restaurant and Cool Runnings Jamaican Grill are special places where these respective cultures congregate to get a taste of their homelands; the West African restaurants present the original recipes of the Black diaspora’s cuisines, especially connecting the dots between jambalaya and Jollof rice. Houston is now a large magnet for Caribbean immigrants, so several Caribbean restaurants like Bourbon Sizzler and Rihanna Caribbean are popping up over Greater Houston. Even FM 1960 and the communities on the Northside are getting a slew of Caribbean joints, as a well as African restaurants and markets.
But one of Houston’s most prized possessions is barbecue. For me, there’s nothing like a plate of ribs with a side of potato salad and baked beans and two pieces of white bread from a barbecue vendor outside The Address or one of Houston’s many strip clubs. Strip clubs, rap culture and barbecue come together as a potent draw in the city. I don’t frequent strip clubs, but the smell of the barbecue draws me. My favorite vendor is a married couple who sells their food under the Main Street bridge by Gold Diggers Cabaret. They have Zydeco and blues playing on the radio while the meat is grilling. Older people stand around talking and inquire about my age as we wait for our plate — what a combination for a great meal.
Our food is much more than nutritional sustenance — it connects us across time and difficult histories.. Our food is our culture; it drives a great deal of our community. There’s nothing like grandma’s cooking on a Sunday. Her cooking includes sacred recipes that have been passed down from generation to generation. The love in her food is something that will never go unnoticed. Our food is celebrated and brings people together in a beautiful way: family reunions, block parties, church anniversaries and holidays. The Southern hospitality involving food is a cultural pattern that has been inherited from our ancestors. I’ve counted 400 Black restaurants and food trucks, and you will get the same experience. Our Black restaurateurs provide quality and hospitality, as if you were coming over for Sunday dinner.
How can you support the Black food scene outside of the Black Lives Matter revolution? It’s very simple: genuine support. Many times, our culture and food, especially soul food, are stolen and perpetuated to be financial benefits for other cultures, while the Black community is left to fend for itself. This unfortunate phenomenon is nothing new to our community. In recent years, hot chicken has taken off in several areas that have been brutally gentrified; sadly, many Americans are unaware of the popular food staple’s Black beginning. This Black Restaurant Week is moment for other cultures to learn about our culture through history and experience. Also, this is a prime opportunity for you to truly enjoy the heart and soul of Houston and to positively see the Black community in its glory: our food.