One of the best ways to support Austin’s Black community during Black History Month is to get out to a restaurant. We’ve curated a list of our favorite Black-owned restaurants to try this February:
🐟 Canje, 1914 E. Sixth St.
Canje, a new-age Caribbean restaurant in East Austin, is offering a special Black History Month menu that includes a wagyu beef skewer and crab salad. Proceeds from the menu benefit Huston-Tillotson University and the Bristol-Joseph Culinary Scholarship Fund.
🍞 Bird Bird Biscuit, 1401 W. Koenig Lane and 2701 Manor Road
Bird Bird Biscuit, which has two locations in Austin, has some of our favorite fried chicken in Austin. Try the Queen Beak sandwich ($11), which comes with spiced and breaded chicken breast, cayenne black pepper honey, and bacon-infused honey mayo. Don’t forget to order a couple biscuits ($4 each) to take home!
🍖 Hoover’s Cooking, 2002 Manor Road
Before heading out to enjoy a New Orleans muffuletta sandwich ($14.99) or a chicken fried steak ($17.99) at Hoover’s Cooking, we highly recommend reading this wonderful feature story on the restaurant’s owner Hoover Alexander. Alexander is a native Austinite who started his career as a busboy and dishwasher at a diner.
🍝 Emmer & Rye, 51 Rainey St.
If you’re OK with spending a little more, we recommend Emmer & Rye. The cacio e pepe pasta ($20) is absolutely worth it!
🚚 Distant Relatives, 3901 Promontory Point Dr.
Distant Relatives, a food truck parked at Meanwhile Brewing Co., serves barbecue inspired by the “textures, flavors, heritage and narrative of the African diaspora within the United States.” The food truck received a Bib Gourmand Michelin award last year for being the best meal for your money.
🍤 Trap House Caribbean & Seafood, 310 Colorado St.
Trap House Caribbean serves traditional Caribbean comfort food and is located in a cool building downtown. The restaurant is actually hosting a grand re-opening party on Saturday to celebrate being open after a couple weeks of renovations.
