Sueuga Kamau

Oakland

Sueuga Kamau's Guide to Oakland

Portland

Owner, Ian Williams, offers sneaker-themed coffee + 👟 detail shop ☕️.

🎧 The NW first & only Hip-Hop winery created by Bertony Faustin.

Delicious, authentic west African cuisine cooked by a native west African girl.

They serve authentic Jamaican Cuisine in the heart of Portland. And yes, they cater events!

A contemporary soul food restaurant that provides career development opportunities and is non-profit.

Based in Portland, this pop-up vegan supper club is curated by two Black queer artists, Chef Salimatu Amabebe and artist, Annika Hansteen-Izora. It was founded on the premise to rail and dance against the erasure of Blackness in the food and art worlds.

A mellow Ethiopian spot offering yummy traditional food.

A unique cultural experience where you can come learn how to cook African food or order some for dinner!

Fresh and delicious Haitian and Caribbean meals.

Everything to make you salivate: baby back ribs, brisket, chicken, cajun links, etc…

Private Chef/Caterer providing delicious food all throughout the PDX & Gresham area.

The BEST green juices and smoothies. Literally, the best.

Cannabis dispensary in the heart of Madison South neighbourhood.

Black co-owned florist. Flowers & weddings without rules.

Keeping it sweet and simple. Good coffee, good food.

Owner Anthony Brown and big smile brings unique food is unique in his bright blue cart with Southern and Mexican inspired fusion of just plain ol” deliciousness.

Home of custom cakes & elaborate cupcakes, cookies... you name it.

BuzzFeed Tasty's Top 50 wings in the USA!

Southern-style cuisine fused with their Oregon roots.

A fun and tasty twist on your average healthy snacks. Perfect snacks for kids.

A soul food cart serving heart-warming dishes.

This publishing company all started with a book written by co-founder and CEO, Jelani Memory. As a black father with a blended family, racism was an inevitable topic of conversation. The increasingly popularity of this book developed into creating more books about complex topics such as feminism, cancer, gratitude, belonging and much more.

Their work and activism includes direct community education workshops, supporting the outreach of their continued advocacy as first respondents, and helping community members contribute through direct engagement and legislative value. They are focused on shifting cultural and systemic discrimination.

An amazing initiative which tracks the progress of the federal, state and local legislation which addresses police violence.

Founded by Cameron Whitten, a local Portlander, who has more than five years of experience in non-profit leadership and donation accountability. Cameron has served as the Executive Director of local nonprofits such as Know Your City, Brown Hope, and Q Center.

Black-Owned Businesses in Portland

Varnrable

Addis Ababa

A place for organic homemade Ethiopian food and tella, a traditional brew. Tella is brewed in households, usually in the rural areas, and consumed on a daily basis. But tella's legitimate status has been fading away, losing its place to mass produced beer and imported liquor. In Selo everything is homemade, from the injera to the tella. Ingredients are collected from local communities, creating an authentic and sustainable culture around Selo. The energy is inclusive and warm, the food is fresh and tasty, and there is a variation of tellas to try out!

Shifta offers a wide range of delicious Caribbean, vegan and African food. The food I had there was super tasty! It's vibrant and filled with local creatives. A great place to eat, drink and hang out all night, having good conversations or just listening to the music. 

Fendika Cultural Center is the perfect place to take in traditional music, and at the same time enjoy traditional food and drinks in a chilled environment. There are performances every week and the place is filled with soul and good energy. Everything is traditional and relevant. I went there to soak up some local jazz one night and that was a beautiful trip.

This is a club concept, making electronic parties at different locations and with differenct DJs. They are reimagining rave culture in the modern day Addis Ababa. These parties are some of the highlights in the club scene and are happening once a month. 

A traditional restaurant in Addis Ababa where you can experience cultural performances while you eat local food. From around 7.30pm there are musicians, dancers and singers performing traditional acts from different tribes around Ethiopia, while wearing outfits from the different regions. All your senses are being stimulated while being in a beautifully decorated room with traditional design and art. 

The perfect way to get out of the city, and it is only a short car ride away from the centrum. There is a great view over the city and you're able to take a walk in nature. The park itself is how we know most parks to be, but if you wander more up, in the mountain, there are small villages; more raw and beautiful nature. 

An institute of Ethio jazz in its historical location, owned by the legendary Mulatu Astatke. This place features some of the best jazz musicians live in raw sessions. 

Explore Addis Ababa's Cultural Scene with Varnrable

Berlin

Found in Berlin-Charlottenburg, this restaurant serve delicious Ethiopian fare and is open to dine at and for curb side pick-up.

African Food Festival Berlin brings to you the best of healthy delicious African fare. Breaking the gap between street and haute cuisine. Bringing the rich variety of authentic African food from grill to sea to vegan.

A 100% vegan African-Italian restaurant offering amazing creative breakfasts and Sunday brunches. Zero waste and plastic-free.

When strolling through the African quarter in Wedding, you quickly get the impression that you have ended up in the streets of a small African town. The restaurant, owned by Suzanne Saitz, serves authentic Cameroonian food that's open 'til late.

Found in Reinickendorf, BaoPab offers tasty homemade food from burgers to grilled fish. One of the hot spots in the area. Also hosts jazz nights with cocktails.

Baraka is an amalgamation of Moroccan, Egyptian and Arabian food. Expect mouth-watering dishes like the traditional soup called Harira, that is usually served during Ramadhan, and the usual dips like baba ghanoush and hummus.

Since its opening in 1993, the Africa House, led by the sociologist, Oumar Diallo, from Guinea Conakry, has developed into an institution that is recognised beyond the capital's borders as a place for transcultural encounter and political education.

Experts in all hair textures, specialising in relaxers, texturizers, cutting & colouring.

Centrally located in the heart of Berlin Wedding, Salone Market is a multi-cultural meeting point. You can get both tropical and African food and drinks, as well as typical West African dishes (e.g. rice with peanut sauce, fish with plantains) at moderate prices. They also offer freshly ground classic coffee specialties. Main courses are available from €6 and the drink prices are cheap.

Founded by Femi Oyewole, Black Brown Berlin is a community directory and platform celebrating their culture and community in Berlin. They aim to shine the spotlight on Black and Brown excellence throughout the city by providing a range of thoughtfully curated content aimed to inform, connect, and serve the black and brown community.

Found in the ever-cool Kreuzberg, this vegan shop serves homemade banana bread in different flavours, from cream cheese, white chocolate and walnut to cream, nougat and hazelnut. For now, they offer a pick-up service where they bake twice a week and orders can be collected on Friday and Tuesdays.

This sustainable, handmade lingerie brand offers sultry pieces made out of left-over pieces of chiffon and silk in red, white, purple and many more. Sets made to order.

Found in Berlin-Neukölln, this West African kitchen serving delicious dishes like tilapia, jollof rice, fried yams and a special dish of banku (fermented corn and cassava dough) served with groundnut soup and mixed meat. They also have many vegan and vegetarian options.

Based in Berlin, this hair stylist is an expert in creating gorgeous braids and crowns on POC hair.

For designer Soji Solarin, his clothes are a tool to playfully challenge the preconceptions of black identity. In his collection 'Negro Cowboy', he addresses the cowboy - a landscape in which the black narrative has definitively been written out - with playful graphic tees and structured denim chaps.

Black-Owned Businesses in Berlin

Mohammad Gorjestani

San Francisco 

Loquat explores the the flavours of Iraqi Jewish heritage and is the brainchild of my homie Tal Mor, who is behind Four Barrel Coffee and The Mill with Josey Baker Bread. Loquat is built from love and intentionally sourcing all of its ingredients, many of which are from Palestine. My favourite thing is the boureka plate with the house harissa and zhoug. Don’t sleep on the salted chocolate babka either.

I low-key think this is the best bar in America. The combination of community, food and drinks is unmatched. I get creatively inspired here with what Nicholas Torres and his team does. The cocktails span the imagination, and I especially appreciate the low ABV drinks. I would get the bartenders choice of cocktail and definitely get the hen of the woods mushrooms.

This is a special special place run by amazing people. You can’t beat the vibe – it is unequivocally San Francisco. 20 Spot is a restaurant inside the old Force of Habit record store, it’s run by Bodhi Freedom who is a Frisco OG. I recommend just sitting at the bar with a flatbread and anything else that looks good on Alejandro’s (the chef's) menu and letting Bodhi pour you a glass of what he’s feeling that night.

Isa and Kenzie used to work on farms before opening this spot that serves the most incredible tamales and bowls. Everything is amazing, but I go with the Hugo Street Retreat with a breakfast cookie to enjoy on a walk around one of the best neighbourhoods in the city.

24th Street is my favourite street in San Francisco and there’s nothing like it or La Palma in the world. I go with the Taco Sonora and I grab some queso and salsa for the fridge on my way out.

The best coffee in America is in San Francisco (sorry Portland) and Grand is one of my favourites. I love the two locations on Mission Street and I love everything this place and its owners represent as a community business. I love their espresso and usually go with an eight-ounce Americano or a Gibralatar (don’t call it a Cortado!).

When I first moved to San Francisco I lived in the Richmond, and I discovered this tiny spot that changed how I think about how food is made and that small is better. Pizetta makes a few pizzas a day based on what's at the farmer's market. I usually get whatever pizza is on the menu, a slice of flourless chocolate cake, and an espresso that takes me back to 2007 when I used to just sit at the bar and write.

Anybody telling you San Francisco is dead, just bring them here on the Friday or Saturday night. Probably the most fun place to dance in the city, and while I admittedly avoid the dancefloor, I do appreciate the natural wine, top shelf DJ and music curation that makes this place bump.

There’s a few great dive bars I was thinking of for this list, like Lone Palm and 500 Club, but I’m putting Wazema [down] because in addition to being around the block from me, and it being a historic San Francisco business, they also serve Ethiopian food every night 'til 10. I order the sampler plate and enjoy a little fernet after, and hit the pool table in the back.

I go to bat for Gallardo’s as the best brunch in the city. It’s only on the weekends, but it's worth the wait for their birria served with their tortillas and fixings.

Sunset Squares Foodhall is where you can go watch a game and choose between Sunset Squares Pizza (sourdough pizza), Namu Stonepot (Korean-inspired fare), Filipino food (Uncle Tito’s) and a really amazing curation of beer and wine. I go for the Pub pizza, and I add olives and gardiniere for the first half of the game.

The Palestinian diaspora in San Francisco is one of the most special things about the city. Biet Rima is a family business that makes you feel at home every time you eat at either of their two locations. I usually go with their chicken shish tawook plate, the mezze platter – and don’t sleep on Samir’s bread.

Few places in San Francisco have the room feeling that Zuni does. I always go back and forth between Bix and Zuni as my favourite old-school vibes. But Zuni takes it for me because when I first moved to the city it was the late-night meals I had here after my shifts that shaped my love for food. The move here is to grab a seat by the bar, get a martini, order the chicken, and patiently wait for it enjoying their Caesar salad. Classic and perfect.

Where to Eat and Drink in San Francisco, According to Mohammad Gorjestani

Ethiopian Records 

Order the ye tsom firfir (fasting firfir). It is the best thing and come with friends, you won't be able to finish it on your own.

Their green juice is my personal favourite and the place is filled with artwork, most of it made by ZELALEM MERGA and Tesfahun Kebru.

Come early if you want to get those precious seats inside so you can experience the live music up close.

Anytime you want somewhere that has fresh air, greener around Mexico/ Mekenissa Zoma Musuem is the place, take a book and take time for yourself. Also take your time to explore the entire space.

Found next to Washa Mikael Rock Hewn Church. A walk up the hill with a nice view. Go during the day.

Found in the neighbourhood of Goma Kuteba and in front of the Ministry of Health. Take your time exploring the space.

Inside or out, the national theatre is filled with history.

My current neighbourhood, Kazanchis, where Fendika is situated. Sundays are the best days to work around anywhere in Addis.

I like barber shops, even though I haven't cut my hair in more than 10 years and I only go there for a trim or for my beard, because like anywhere else in the world, the barber shop conversations are lively. I used to go at least twice a month to another called Finfine Hotel Barber’s with my dad, I have very fond memories of that place.

Addis Ababa with Ethiopian Records 

Amsterdam

Black-owned vegan food spot in Amsterdam southeast with flavourful Surinamese dishes. The bowls are bomb and the vegan pom is a must-try!

A family-run vegan restaurant fusing Jamaican and Caribbean dishes with Japanese dishes. I love their Jamaican plate with plantains and the owners are too sweet!

Newly open at one of my favourite clubs in Amsterdam, Garage Noord. Authentic Sichuan food with fab cocktails and a terrace as well. The club opens at midnight so you can burn the calories off with a dance!

Also known as 'the queen of johnnycakes', which are Caribbean snacks. You can find her stand in multiple locations in southeast Amsterdam. Tip: they also do vegan johnnycakes with different fillings!

Authentic Ethiopian restaurant. Great for sharing meals, especially the injera with all toppings. They also have great fruit-flavoured beers and coffee.

Ghanaian restaurant in Amsterdam southeast. You can’t go wrong with the jollof, plantains or kelewele. African restaurants are very rare in Amsterdam so I’m always looking forward to supporting any new spot.

Non-profit art space with great exhibitions and curation focusing on queer and Afro-diasporic communities.

A Black-owned event space in southeast Amsterdam facilitating its direct community by hosting small parties, panels and ballroom functions. We love to see it!

Being a part of the ballroom community, I notice how hard it is to have access to spaces to practice or get together. Cultural centre Nowhere has facilitated its space to the community for many years. There are classes every week from members of the Dutch ballroom scene as well as organised get-togethers by The Living Room.

Arakaza on Where to Go in Amsterdam During Dekmantel Festival

Floyd Lavine

Take a look at the unique, one-of-a-kind-pieces as well as the designs of the ready-to-wear line by this South African-born designer, launched in 2008. One can hardly identify the cultural roots of these fantastic garments or the times that they could have possibly been made in. Bringing together aesthetics of various African countries and traditional Asian craftsmanship, every piece of his brand is handmade by only one person: Dennis Chuene himself.

I played at one of the first ever African Food Festivals in Berlin. I really enjoyed it. The festival showcased beautiful cultural parts of Africa by celebrating the African and African diaspora community in Berlin. It’s a must-go festival if you’re in Berlin.

If you feel like enjoying West African authentic cuisine, Senegambia is your place. My friend Dede introduced this spot to me and I fell in love.

Selekt is an event management company run by my friend Joy Fatoyinbo. It offers crowd control, club selection, hosting and event management. I’ve been to the events and places they host and it’s always a great time.

If you’re looking for a Black lawyer in Berlin, especially for intellectual property law, my friend Joy (apart from running Selekt) is also a great lawyer. If you’re a creative and need to talk to someone about protecting your work, you know who to call.

Refuge Worldwide is a community radio station that offers more than just radio. It offers community support for Berlin creatives, fights for social justice, raises funds for social issues, hosts workshops and it’s a great hangout spot. I’m glad to be one of the resident DJs.

If you feel like having some Ethiopian food in Berlin, my favourite restaurant for that is Langano. This is a family-run business. I enjoy coming to eat here.

My best friend has had a baby and I finally realised that a good kindergarten is essential. Sankofa is Black-owned kindergarten. [It] has an Afrodiasporic and bilingual early childhood programme for children between the ages of one and six in the city. It was founded by a group of parents, and childrens’ parents play an active role in the overall management of the place.

8 Black-Owned Businesses in Berlin, Chosen By Floyd Lavine

Simran Randhawa

London

The queues are always crazy for dinner, so try get there before 6:30PM (LATEST). It's sooo worth the queue, some of the most authentic Malaysian food in London. You gotta get the roti (duh) and mamak mee noodles to share.

It's a major major trek, but honestly forget Dishoom; this is the BEST spot for Indian food in London. PERIOD.

Best place to grab lunch, healthy and light and SO peng.

Best place to stop for coffee and cake, the owners are SO lovely and they always have different cake flavours on rotation to keep it fresh. Also if you go during warmer months make sure you try their soft serve!!! It's SO good!

Again, it's probably a little out the way (though I think they have one near Trafalgar Sq) but pop in here if you want amazing, cheap, filling Indian food. 90% of my food pictures on my gram are from here, and 2 people could easily eat for less than £20. Bargain.

London with Simran Randhawa

Silk Road has been a mainstay on the London Chinese restaurant scene and certainly remains the best option south of the river. Its Xinjiang-style Sichuan dishes have been consistently numbing mouths and burning tongues for well over a decade now. Although the mountains of long dried chillies have been somewhat curtailed for the less capable spice palate of the clientele, even these more accessible iterations of classic, home-style dishes are delicious in their lashings of black vinegar and hot oil. Our order has been remarkably unchanged for a long time. Order lamb skewers, pork and black fungus fried beef dumplings, cucumber salad, home-style aubergine, home-style cabbage with rice and luxury noodles.

Nestled in a corner of a Brutalist estate courtyard, Zeret always offers a convivial welcome and setting. Tafe Beleynah, the matriarch of this unassuming Ethiopian restaurant, will encourage you to order from the sharing platter, with a view to reordering your favourite options. Portions are ample however, so maybe take note of firm favourites and plan your return with new familiarity of the menu. The platters are arranged on injera – a fermented flatbread designed to grip and dip at the various lashings of vegan and meat stews. Cutlery is not provided as standard (although probably available; not that we’ve ever felt the need). Eat with your hands, get tactile; feed yourself and each other. Order the meat selection or vegan selection with an Ethiopian beer.

Grove Lane Deli, as we know it, feels like something from a Richard Curtis Movie. Any Camberwell coffee devotee has made GLD part of their daily routine, and if Jackie Chan was right and "coffee is a language in itself", then Danielle – the owner and baker – speaks with great fluency. The coffee, pastries, well-curated selection of posh, dry goods and natural wines make for fun shopping when you fancy a treat. Order the chicken focaccia sandwich (if it hasn’t sold out), burnt milk cookie and coffee. We write this in memorandum of GLD's former self. As of July 2024, it is going through a mysterious transformation – so watch this space.

We first happened upon Betty's just after they had opened. The owner, Andres, thrust plates of his flamed grilled chorizo and potatoes smothered with salsa verde into our hands, before cordially ushering us through the door past the haze from his daring curbside barbecue. We sat and heeded advice to opt for the sopa del dia – a broth rich in beef collagen and punctuated with bright vegetables, paired with the recommended plump long grain rice and avocado that somehow tasted of something beyond the water usually wasted in its cultivation. Not soon after we’d perched, the fire brigade showed up with something to say about Andres’ barbecuing practices. Some light-hearted bribery with grilled meats and good hospitality reassured them, but now you can find Betty's barbecue on less flammable ground at the Camberwell Farmers Market every Saturday from 11am. Order sopa del dia, avocado and rice, empanadas and the BBQ on Camberwell Farmers Market every Saturday.

A fairly new addition to Camberwell, Delly's has a cracker of a lunchtime deal. Lunchtime main and two sides and a drink for six [pounds], but if I could tempt you away from the efficiency of the meal deal, then go for their beef patty. An incredibly short and flaky pastry with an invitingly umber hue instead of the standard brilliant yellow. Encases a filling that I’m convinced is a repurposing of their stewed oxtail. Whatever it is, it’s delicious and blows Greggs’ steak bake out of the water at a savvy £1.50.

South London’s supreme ocakbasi spot, FM Mangal is a shining example of fire and flame cookery. Although recently renovated and stylised to something akin to a provincial Essex Instagram fever dream – complete with a faux flower statement wall – the grill still burns with great genetic skill and prowess. Work your way through the chef specials, grab yourself an Adana kebab; the bafflingly good sumac grilled onions and the bread is moistened to perfection with meaty juice run-off to mop it all up. Order the FM Mangal chef's special:  lamb beyti aubergine.

Lockdown sandwich maestros are slinging their playfully named sub-roll bangers from bustling pub destinations: the Grove House Tavern and The White Horse in Peckham. Their lunchtime executive solutions, once the saviour of working from home isolation, are still out for delivery daily. We worked alongside these fellas for a good while and gladly scoffed their sandwiches on the regs – and without fatigue. Don’t miss their evening menu either, perfectly calibrated alongside fun and pint sinking. Order literally any sandwich.

An unassumingly credible Dominican food spot. Despite its name, we would recommend to flip the menu and ignore the breakfast. As far as South American food goes, expect lots of fried meats piled high on a plate. This is a real great alternative to the fry-up if you’ve had a few too many beverages the night before. Order the empanadas, parrillada and the pollo a la canasta.

The obvious caff in Camberwell to nurse a hangover would be Rock Steady Eddies, but we prefer to drag ourselves a bit further up Coldharbour Lane to Johnnies. A sensory overload at every turn, this diner is the perfect spot for people watching. At peak times there’s a queue out the door but wait it out if you can. [You'll be] well fed for around a tenner. Order the full English.

Theo’s pizza is one of the closest replicants of Neopolitan-style pizza we’ve come across in London. We spent the best part of a week in the Italian centre of pizza, consuming 17 pizzas in five days, so we got a decent grasp of what was good and how it should be. Although that pizza pilgrimage is still definitely unrivalled, Theo’s does pretty damn well and, if anything, their pizza fritta comes the closest to the Italian original. Aside from strictly pizza authenticity, Theo’s works well as a restaurant with scope outside of their main commodity. Their sharing plates of mortadella, guindilla peppers and puffed fried dough nuggets are a great way to limber up before the main event. And there’s that tiramisu that’s just about perfectly formed and available for takeaway if the gluten overload has rendered dessert a bridge too far. Order the sharing platter, calzone and tiramisu.

Many of us have a very precise configuration of what to order at the British-Chinese takeaway. Regularly passed down a generation, these precisely recited orders become admitted into a kind of British oral history. Van Hing can cater to cravings for the classics, like salt and pepper dishes and Singapore noodles, while also hosting Vietnamese-style offerings as well. Van Hing does what it does and it does it well. You shouldn’t expect modern ‘elevated’ Pan-Asian fusion cooking or the like here; it’s a good, solid choice for cheap and quick eats. Order the sea-spiced aubergine.

The steady decline of the independent boozer is a sad marker of hard times. As pub chains and monopolies swoop in across south London, the essential soul of a good pub is being lost to the sterile formula of the modern gastropub nightmare. This is why we revere places like The Hermits Cave. It may not be the most comfortable or the best equipped, but it does have character. There’s no food offering here, but you’re invited to take your pick from the bounties of Camberwell New Road and eat it in the pub, with local hotspots like Silk Road, FM Mangal or Theo’s to accompany your pint.

Toad Bakery, formerly Frog Bakery, has dominated a market saturated with laminated baked goods. Toad’s creativity in the field is refreshing and despite the cost of butter soaring to almost crisis levels, they never skimp. In a conversation with the lovely owners, Rebecca and Oliver, they admitted that butter was their chief expenditure after staffing costs and it shows. Their Hawaiian spin on a Danish with ham hock and pineapple has been a firm favourite. Their innovative and daring combinations will have you pushing the boundaries of your tastebuds on your morning commute. Regular queues out the door are a sure sign of something good. RIP Frog, long live Toad.

Huong Vi Viet had big boots to fill, stepping into the premises of its now neighbour Silk Road. [This is] a family-run and orientated restaurant with multi-generational staff bringing warm hosting and authentic feeling dishes. The offering spans from the rice noodle to salads of the same extraction, soups and pho (we all know and love), but [the menu] eclipses the usual Anglified plod with some real home-style flourishes. Come hungry as the aunties in the kitchen are here to feed with great maternal instinct. The attentive staff will recommend the best dishes to your taste – we love the bún chả nem Hanoi.

Cutie Pies on Their Top Food Spots in Camberwell, London

Sydney

BOCK:ARIE, is a unisex accessories and clothing brand founded in 2019 by designer Naomi Bockarie. Derived from the notion of bringing art into everyday life, the brands first collection features unique non-animal leather bags, that can be worn in numerous ways in the one design. The design philosophy is to allow the wearer to reinterpret the design into their own and to create their own personal look that is not entirely dictated by the designer and as a result BOCKARIE designs are intended to be ever evolving. Their next collection will feature clothing.

Being Mad About Curls, we specialize in all types of curls – Wavy, Curly and Afro. Based in Sydney Australia. With celebrity clients like Zadie Smith, FKA Twigs, Amanda’s Stenberg and Yemi Alade, we provide our curly haired beauties numerous and well-educated options for styling and wearing your unique look confidently.
Whether your curls are in their natural form, chemically treated or manipulated, we offer a judgement free zone so you can enjoy your hair’s versatility the way you like. 
Our role as a team is to simplify your curl journey, complimented by our Rumbie & Co curly hair products, our curly hair services and education. We also are creating a curl community that will empower and support you, leaving you time to embrace and love your curls.

Jarin Street began by recognising the misuse of Aboriginal art and the industry's failure to protect the artists and Aboriginal designs, as well as a failure to highlight the artists themselves.
We support up and coming Indigenous artists to get their designs out there and seen in day to day life.
We aim to provide ongoing ethical and sustainable support to the artists who contribute their work on our yoga mats and soon to come - active wear and fashion garments.

Sauti Systems is a multifaceted brand, focused on providing an atmospheric event of diverse and enjoyable musical content. We aim to bring positivity through all creative avenues, producing an all round inclusive experience.

A hip-hop dance experience designed to make you feel good about yourself. Usually held in a no mirrors, dim lights, judgement free space. Currently running livestream classes with dance courses also available so you can pause, rewind, and groove in your own time.

This homey Redfern cafe offers classic brunch food alongside pastries injected with Indigenous ingredients (lemon-myrtle cheesecake, hello!). Community groups can use the back room to hold meetings, and run pottery, poetry, and painting nights.

After spending its infancy as a pop-up, the popular Nigerian joint has recently found a permanent home in Newtown. It is the currently the only restaurant solely dedicated to Nigerian cuisine. All the usual suspects feature on the menu – jollof rice, puff puffs, fried plantains – with the most recent addition to the menu being suya (grilled spiced beef served with onions, tomatoes and capsicum).

Located in the heart of Sydney’s western suburbs, Gursha Ethiopian is a no-fuss, affordable and authentic Ethiopian food experience. There’s a large variety of vegan options alongside the more well-known Ethiopian dishes – doro wat and kitfo.

Bangarra is a critically acclaimed Indigenous performing arts company. Their dance technique incorporates 40,000 years of culture with contemporary movement, creating vibrant performances. While their scheduled tour is on hold due to current circumstances, they have made a number of performances available to stream for free online.

Eden Dessalegn provides traditional hair braiding with a modern twist. Self-taught, she started off charging $5 dollar a head in high school, graduated to market stalls, and now has her own studio based in south-west Sydney.

Tegan Murdock creates bespoke jewellery and keepsakes using a weaving technique taught to her by her mother. Customers can also learn to weave with her starter kits (which comes with videos and written instructions) or by attending one of her workshops. She is currently running these workshops online.

Black-Owned Businesses in Sydney

Chicago

Found near Hyde Park, a modern and flavourful to-go flexitarian and transitioning vegan/vegetarian restaurant you're sure to love with its whopping burgers.

Vegetarian/vegan Southern and soul food plus a juice bar in a casual storefront space with local art.

Casual spot featuring comfort Food from the mountains of Ethiopia, with both meat & vegetarian options and a full bar.

The only boutique of its kind located South of Chicago and neighboring South Suburbs. A unique shop for rare and pre-owned vinyl records and premium vintage home décor and furniture.

With Hyde Park origins, Leaders 1354 is a lifestyle sneaker shop located in downtown Chicago that sells streetwear, Adidas and Nike shoes, and apparel.

A streetwear retail destination and creative hub based in Chicago. In their own words: "The idea behind Fat Tiger is more complex than a simple retail space, FTW is a vehicle, not only for us, but for others to express their ideas and visions".

Founded in 2007, Sir & Madame is a men's and women's clothing brand and luxury lifestyle boutique. The brand is the lovechild of the creative husband and wife team, Brian and Autumn Merritt. Their passion and creativity has produced an eclectic combination of casual and elegant pieces.

Majani - Swahili for 'green'. They serve delicious vegan cuisine to food enthusiasts and health-conscious patrons in Chicagoland by utilizing the freshest ingredients from local gardens and farms.

A small fitness and dance studio located out of the recreation hall of Lincoln Church. Located out of the Pilsen community, Healthy Hood was created to provide quality fitness and dance classes at an affordable price to the underserved.

Black-Owned Businesses in Chicago

Copenhagen

If you want that authentic Ethiopian dining experience, this place will everything you imagine it to be. Delicious, easy well-priced food. Bring some friends, eat with your hands and spend the evening satisfied.

Hidden in the back of a club space in Copenhagen’s old and famous meat packing district, you’ll find MMH Radio. MMH Radio is a community centred radio station at the forefront for pushing towards more versatility and inclusivity in the Danish capitals music scene.

A pan-African inspired restaurant, which celebrates Africa, the African culture, traditions and the African people through food, art and music.

A physical and web shop that sells hair and skin care products, as well as hair extensions. They do hair extensions, braids, curls, manicures and pedicures in shop.

All-natural skincare line inspired by raw natural ingredients that women in East Africa have been using for generations.

Beadhouse has the largest selection of jewellery; earrings, rings, pearls and loose trinkets.

A free African music festival held every year in June to celebrate its rich history.

Organic and Fair Trade body and hair care with products handmade in Copenhagen and only sustainable and recyclable packaging used.

An award-winning Ugandan food concept and street food company serving delicious and healthy dishes made from organic ingredients from Uganda and Denmark. Look out for their physical shop coming soon.

A barber shop with the friendliest, warmest owners to go with a fresh cut.

Black-Owned Businesses in Copenhagen

Denaisha

Minneapolis 

My favourite place to get tattooed. A non-male-owned space where the energy is impeccable. I was so comfortable getting tattooed here I fell asleep on the table. Plus, if you like underwater creatures as tattoos, my favourite to go to for that has been the artist Joi.

If you're kinky and you like to have your glitz and gadgets, head to Bondesque on lake and Lyndale for your toy and torture needs. They also have very cute kink attire/lingerie and the workers are always very kind, helpful, and open about any questions you might have! My favourite place to go on dates, or for when I just want to treat myself. Plus they always have info on upcoming BDSM events happening in the cities.

If you're new to toys or you just want to educate yourself more on sexuality in general, going to smitten kitten is strongly recommended! I get all my favorite books from here, rather your curious about the connections between sex and astrology, sex with an able bodied or disabled or differently shaped partner, or a first timer, or pretty much anything more, the selection of books here is always my go-to. Not to mention the wide selection of safe, sparky new toys to choose from!

My most frequented metaphysical shop in Minneapolis, I go here for all my cleansing, wishing and manifestation needs. They have crystals, incense, waters, candles and my favourite selection of astrology-related books. And it’s right across the street from Smitten Kitten and Bondesque, so I always get to visit them all on the same day!

My favourite restaurant, and meal in general, is Awaze tibs with a veggie platter and injera from Red Sea. One of those places where the food is good every single time. They never miss.

Exploring the Kinky Side of Minneapolis with Denaisha

Los Angeles 

Eso Won Books is an independent Black-owned bookstore in Los Angeles, that actively champions African-American authors and has become a safe space for the community.

This is a Nigerian restaurant in Inglewood! Their okra stew! It's so spicy. I would go here and make sure to have a couple hours to spare, because sometimes it takes a while to get your food.

Inspired by thrifted clothing and 90s pop icons, Phlemuns has made waves in the LA fashion scene since its inception. James Flemons ultimately seeks to bring people together through not only his clothes but the creation of community.

ComfortLA started as a late-night, pop-up restaurant taking a clean approach to soul food. They use locally sourced, fresh and organic ingredients and healthier cooking methods to create top-notch, Southern cuisine including " Cousin Kina's Mac ‘n’ Cheese," Clean Mean Greens" and their signature "Organic Not Your Average Fried Chicken" with “That Sauce.

This is a really good breakfast, lunch, dinner soul food restaurant in Inglewood and they play great r&b!! I love their pork chops and free mimosas on Sunday I believe ;) Get there early because it gets pretty crowded

Delicious egg bread french toast! Beautiful memorabilia. This space used to be the spot many artists, poets, and black panther party members gathered at to hold open mics at in the 1960s.

Messob, the family-run Ethiopian restaurant on Fairfax. A meal at Messob is like eating at home with your friends, because your mom’s in town and offered to cook.

The best shrimp and grits in Los Angeles.

Jackfruit Cafe is a West Los Angeles vegan restaurant that specializes in Jackfruit offering delicious, healthy bowls, tacos, burritos and salads.

The finest Chai in LA. Enjoy a cup of true bohemian coffee experience, or a quick espresso shot on the go. Any drink can be served ice cold.

Owned by Chace Infinite, this hidden gem of a coffee spot serves a mean matcha latte along with delicious vegan donuts. Hit their IG bio for opening times and services available at the moment.

A chill storefront spot serving Caribbean dishes such as jerk chicken, oxtail and curry shrimp.

Senegalese entrepreneur, Marianne Ndiaye, takes pride on using only Organic Fair Trade soap and shea butter from Mali and Ghana. These homemade products are made using an old family recipe to soften the shea butter and all scents are natural extracts from fruits and flowers.

An espresso bar with light bites and an adjoining production studio with events. Storefront pick up and limited outdoor seating available.

Found in n the Hyde Park area of South L.A., Kelli Jackson stepped away from a career in art to take over the family business. The market works with partners including the L.A. Food Policy Council, the local arts community, and the national restaurant chain, Sweetgreen, in pursuing a vision that combines healthy food and community empowerment.

Opened in 1984, owned by Percell Keeling and found in the heart of LA, this food spot attracts customers all over for its tasty nutritious food featuring authentic Jamaican fare. They have a strong community value and aim to enhance the quality of life and the health of their neighbours.

A concept shop and creative space curated by Blackness, POC and a few good allies. Founded by LA-native creative director Jazzi McGilbert, who also identifies as queer, she founded the shop as a labour of love, inspired by Jazzi’s best friend/mom, Joyce “Neicie” McGilbert, who passed away in June 2018 at age 57, and her own experience as a young Black creative in Los Angeles.

Founded by Marquise Miller, an LA native, Millersroom shows to be one of the most coveted vintage suppliers in the city. This idea was birthed to fulfill his desire to share his keen eye for fashion, film, art, elevated staples, and everything in between. All garments and objects are sourced from all over the world by himself.

Black-Owned Businesses in Los Angeles

Touching Bass

The crepes are banging, and the juices are banging too and it’s black owned as well. It’s just a really great place to hang, it’s super informal. You can just go and buy a juice and hang out there all day and no-one’s going to kick you out or anything, it’s just a great spot.

We've been visiting Tafe and her husband's family-run business for years now. Someone from TB celebrates their birthday there at least once a year! It's everything we love about Ethiopian food: the taste (of course), the warmth of the people and the fact that you can eat together and with your hands. Make sure you order the T'ej ! (honey wine)

Telegraph Hill is very special to me because it was the first place that made me fall in love with London when I moved here from abroad. On my first visit a friend of mine took me up to the top of the park and there where all these smiley people with instruments and food, everyone playing music and vibing in the summer sun, it felt magical.

They just have lots of different things and because people trade in records all the time you never know what you’re going to find. You can find some really obscure stuff in there and I guess also because it’s a bit out of the way, you know, it’s like you kind of have to know about it to go there.

It feels a little bit more rural than some other parks, just like how big the trees are, and I guess it’s one of the bigger parks so it never feels too crowded. It’s just a beautiful park.


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