Chuck Inglish

Chicago

Chicago’s most famous chicken shack - you go to Sears Tower and then go to Harold's - that’s what you do. It’s a tourist moment, but ya gotta do it.

This spot is like an international food market, food court kinda thing.

This is a whole new breed of pizza spot - try the caramelised cheese crust.

Top restaurant in the city - good date spot if you’re travelling with boo. Get the oxtail egg rolls!

The experience during games is super live, dope wings and get the parmesan fries.

The buffalo wings & the sandwiches & the happy hours :)

The pasta salad, the brisket, the chicken, the selections of beers on draft, the architecture - that type of shit.

Chuck Inglish’s Top Chicago Food Spots

James Cochran

London

If I was on death row, I’d take all the menu from Around the Cluck - with chips and curry sauce, and maybe cheese. Whether it's at your local high-street chicken shop or a high-end restaurant, fried chicken has become truly universal.

Morleys have always been fiercely south east London based - but have now actually ventured on to Brick Lane and Finsbury Park. It’s a fried chicken institution and has been a big part of my life since I was introduced to it back in the early 90s visiting Brixton for the first time with my mum. Four chicken wings for a pound has always been my go to order.

To me these guys represent the new wave of how we eat chicken in London. They put a restaurant fried chicken on the map. The K-Pop is the standout burger and the Seaweed Crack Tenders are an absolute winner. The smacked cucumber is lovely, all the dips are on point. Their Suffolk-bred chicken is top quality and it’s Halal. You’re paying £20-£25 and you’re coming out well fed. The guys behind it, Carl and David, are top boys.

The Keralan fried chicken from chef Will Bowlby has to be on the list. The first time I tried it I was with friends in Soho and I rang Will, and asked if we could pop down to check it out. It was incredible. It’s that traditional Deep South style fried chicken but with added Indian spices. Mayonnaise infused with curry oil, turmeric and black mustard seeds, deep fried curry leaves, mooli. Is it a fried chicken spot, no, it’s an Indian restaurant - but the fried chicken is on levels BELIEVE.

This place is not known only for its fried chicken but I’m giving a shout out to Bao down in Borough Market. Me and some friends went there after watching the football. Taiwanese food, Asian food is one of my favourites. It’s full of spice, full of flavour. Bao is 100% on their game and their fried chicken is next level. It’s sitting in-between two pillows of aerated bao bun with this spicy mayonnaise, hot sauce, kimchi, coriander and the chicken was so juicy and nice. You can get a plate of chicken there as well. The restaurant is like an old-school restaurant you find in Chinatown in New York. It has that kind of cafe-style. We had a really good time there. They have another branch in Soho that is top too.

I got introduced to this Vietnamese restaurant when I was living up in Stoke Newington. The chicken wings with fish sauce caramel and garlic salt are outrageous and they’re an absolute bargain. They’re around six quid. It was my go-to delivery in lockdown because I was trying to eat healthy and I was always getting a pho - but as a little treat I’d get these wings. I rate them really, really highly.

After starting out small, fast forward a few years and they’ve got them all over London. They tea brine their chicken, then use buttermilk and a double coating of flour. The crack and crunch of the coating you get on their chicken is up there. There’s a reason they’re doing so well. Their menu is ever changing but go for The Cluck Bun.

I first went down to their spot on Peckham Levels when I was living in Peckham. It used to be a multi-story carpark. The council took it over as a hub to support the local community and give people with different skills or interests the tools to learn and make a success of themselves. They have a lot of workshops and classes going on, but on one level they’ve got a few takeaway joints. I saw it, my eyes lit up and I was not disappointed. They’ve got this naughty burger - it’s brown butter garlic mayonnaise, Parmesan, pickles, lettuce. They’ve got a few across London now. If I’m walking down the street and I see the sign, I go no further - I head straight to OSF. In Brixton there’s a little counter you can just sit at, in 10 or 20 minutes I’ve got my chicken fix and off I go.

Hear me out. McDonald’s Chicken nuggets were my Friday treat after school so they have to be in the mix. We’d go to the drive-through and I’d get my six chicken nuggets, and a whippy ice cream. I still devour these nuggets on the regular - with the curry sauce. Sometimes I take it home and put together two slices of bread, six nuggets, bacon, tomato and lettuce, I call it a McCBLT, you heard that here first.

The Best Fried Chicken in London with James Cochran

Alexander-Julian Gibbson

New York City 

Really dope night spot. Has a lot of creatively themed parties, and has great DJs.

One of my favorite spots in Bushwick/Bedstuy. Really cool vibes, and has a dope backyard that hosts all kinds of event in the summer. Jazz Nights every Thursday too.

My favorite little dive bar spot that effectively hosts 3 very different vibes all at once. In the front there's a regular dive bar, playing rock music. Outside, a very chill and quaint outdoor are with cheap drinks, and the backroom turns to a complete and total rager after midnight. #DIVERSITY lol

Alexander-Julian Gibbson's Guide to Brooklyn

Seoul

Excellent okonomiyaki, yakisoba and takoyako. Take out’s great but I go there for the dining experience. The latter will double the flavour. 

A place I go to find comfort and peace, cool off and clear my head. You can also find other smaller galleries and art exhibitions at every corner of the area. 

Hands down the best Pyeongyang naengmyeon (cold buckwheat noodles) I’ve ever had.  

You never know what to expect from this place, what you’ll end up seeing or buying. 


Always liked the 80s ~ 90s vibe of the architecture. The art center has great exhibitions and cool outdoor spaces. I recommend sitting by the music fountain and maybe even going for a short hike. 

Cakeshop has been the central hub for the ever-shifting club scenes in Itaewon. It is also where my DJ career started. 

A long time regular of Henz. Probably the only club in Hongdae I still frequent; as a customer but also as a DJ. It’s a great place to just relax and chill. 

A club located in the same building as Henz but gives off more of a lounge vibe. Make sure to check out their roof top. The Seoul night view is breathtaking. 

Amazing fried chicken with spicy cool shishito pepper and crispy skin coated in earthy nutty sesame seed oil. Get that with some somaek (soju & beer) on the side. It’s a combo made in heaven. 

Places I visit to rest and find solace from the busy city life.

This is where I had my first DJ party ‘Don’t You Know Yet’. It’s a multi-purpose venue that can turn into anything; a club, lounge, live music hall. They have great artist lineups and a nice selection of cocktails. They even have one of those good old arcade game machines. 

Seoul with 250

Ysa Pérez

More Williamsburg shit. Five Leaves is one of my FAVORITE restaurants, mmm truffle fries, good for dinner but sick for brunch. It's in a prime spot so can get busy

Cheap ass falafel right off the Bedford L stop, Oasis, Williamsburg staple, not the fanciest, but solid for price and just on the go when you tryna eat quick

Definitely check out The Lot. Opened a few summers ago in this abandoned lot no one was using. Now it's a place to chill outside grab drinks, think that weird park ting in Shoreditch, same vibes... there are DJs playing all day

All your vintage needs, this Japanese place plays tight ass music and has hella gear

Best Southern food + cheap, chill ass, dive, Williamsburg, hipster bar

Sweets! Milkshake that tastes exactly like cereal, next door to The Commodore

Ysa Pérez's Guide to NYC 

Afrohunting

Buenos Aires

The perfect way to start your day with real Colombian coffee and Colombian vibes.


You should take the African tour in this town with Lufarda travel.

Closed doors, African Swahili food, fantastic hosts!


Buenos Aires with Afrohunting 

Goldlink

Washington, D.C.

Quite expensive tbh. Family owned and the food is incredible.

This be smaccin off. It just never open late.

It’s the most touristy spot on earth. I don’t eat there, but everyone who passes through does.

Super lowkey Hispanic restaurant. Also has good brunch.

One of the best DMV Carryout to exist. Fight me when you see me if you don’t agree.

It’s for blacc people, by blacc people. Shit so fire and it’s good for you.

For people trying to be absolutely healthy.

Eating in the DMV with Goldlink

Winston Surfshirt

Sydney

A piece of grass that is known by the locals as 'The Office'. Sitting on the grass in front of the harbour on a Sunday afternoon with a beer is like having a Sunday Roast in England.

The best beer in Straya, the best pub in Manly. This would be my local go to for a good pint. Can take your dog down and sit outside with a pint in hand. Tip: Wednesday night Pub Quiz.

One of the most beautiful beaches on the Northern Beaches, tiny little cove around from Manly Beach, no waves just the perfect spot to relax.

Fast or Slow Ferry, 15 minutes or 30 minutes, wether you need to get there quick or slow its the best way to see Sydney Harbour. Can get a drink and sit upstairs as you float between the Opera House and the Harbour Bridge.

If you're looking for a good view of the Harbour Bridge and Sydney, walk up to Observatory Hill and sit on the grass.

My favourite record store, in the middle of the city behind QVB, they'll have what you are and aren't looking for

Lil dive bar in Darlinghurst, if you like spicy food, tinnies n loud music get your fix here.

Another of my fave pubs in Sydney, located in the Rocks (old Sydney) its beautiful round there... Love a Lord Nelson.

Ocean Extreme... They take you out on a dope lil boat with music blaring and fly up and down the coast, if you're in the right season you'll get to see migrating Humpback Whales breaching... It's insane. Best chance of whales around June/July.

Sydney with band, Winston Surfshirt

Paris

Nestled in the heart of Château Rouge, a predominantly African neighbourhood, you will fall in love with House Château Rouge. They design everything themselves, from backpacks and T-shirts to Bissap and Air Jordans from a recent Nike collaboration. The brand empowers artists from across the African continent and is challenging the perception of traditional ‘luxury’.

A regular spot for our Parisian community. L'embuscade serves up some of the most delicious Afro Vegan food. Inspired by West and central Africa, with some hints of Soul Food, L'embuscade serves up an Afro Vegan menu unlike no other. Everything takes good, but our favourite dishes are the Kentucky Fried Cauliflower and Doudou Jack Burger. The prices are low and affordable.

Mama Jackson is located near Paris’ Gare de Lyon train station and is an all around ode to Black American culture. From the music playing over the speakers to the art hanging on the walls. Go there to eat some seriously tasty fried chicken - we recommended trying the Waffle Rasta Burger which is a delicious stack of fried and pulled chicken with plantain.

Présence Africaine is a pan-African quarterly cultural, political, and literary magazine, published in Paris, France, and founded by Alioune Diop in 1947. In 1949, they expanded to include a publishing house and a bookstore on rue des Écoles in the Latin Quarter of Paris, which has a multitude of incredible books centred around race and colonialism to (un)learn from.

GUMBO YAYA is a Southern American inspired halal restaurant in Paris. Serving up some of the best halal fried chicken in Paris, this restaurant is known and loved by Parisians and visitors alike.

Jah Jah by Le Tricycle serves vegan cuisine but not only. You can also taste Jamaican flavors matching the two Rastafari founders, Coralie Jouhier and Daqui Gomis. Jah Jah gets inspired by the world as a whole and makes your taste buds travel across the world.

Long-stewed and spicy Caribbean, Creole and Cajun dishes. You can stay up late and dance here too.

Silwet is a sustainable slow fashion label which focuses on “silhouettes” instead of collections. “Silwet” is the Creole transcription of the French word “silhouette”. The name was chosen in tribute to founder Lenny Guerrier’s, Haitian roots.

Baba Zulu is an incredible soul food restaurant. Order the Chicken and Waffles!

One of the best nail salon's in Paris for nail art.

Black-Owned Businesses in Paris

Cafe con Libros (coffee with books) is an intersectional Feminist community bookstore and coffee shop. Through their choice of books, programming and great coffee, they endeavour to create a vibrant community space where everyone; specifically female-identified folx, feel centered, affirmed and celebrated.

LICHEN NYC is location in East Williamsburg, Brooklyn. It’s a design shop that’s helping to democratize design and proselytize more under-the-radar participants. Founded by Jared Blake and Ed Be the two have curated an exceptional archive of accessible vintage and contemporary furniture.

Brooklyn Blooms was planted in 2017 in the neighbourhood of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn with a mission to serve it’s neighbourhood and the surrounding communities with uniquely curated blooms while maintaining sustainable practices.

Harlem's 1st 100 percent African American owned craft beer bar. Their mission is to invest in their local community, to offer great beers "made by us and for us" and expand access and enjoy good times together, in their own way.

Brooklyn Clay Industries is a ceramics studio that holds pottery classes and workshops. The owner Reuben King, a native of Dominica, grew up with pottery-making as a time-honored tradition that he wishes to share and inspire creativity.

Byas & Leon is a heavy hitting local spot with distinct taste. They specialize in sustainable fashion & craftsmanship, while also serving as an Afro Caribbean cultural hub.

Founded by friends Shelby Macklin and Banna Nega in 2015, Glazed NYC is a community-based lifestyle brand focused on providing high quality, classic accessories that bridge the gap between function and glamour.

Designed in Brooklyn and handcrafted sustainably with artisans spanning Nairobi to NY, these shoes give anyone who wears them an extra spring in their step.

A little more mainstream but they're all about Black excellence.

Owned and run by Telsha Anderson, this beautiful store is completely designed to cater to the women-identifying community in NYC. It also has fabulous clothes.

Brooklyn's Best fried chicken! They are doing delivery or you can stroll down and pick up.

Bed Vyne is an independent brewery, cocktail bar and liquor store in Bed-Stuy, BV feels more like a family cookout than your standard bar.

A social and wellness club designed to celebrate people of colour, online and in real life. It's one of the first coworking and social spaces curated by young people of color for other young people of color.



Make Manifest is a retail and community space in the heart Bed-stuy Brooklyn. Designed to insure growth of local & independent businesses. The artistic platform strives for economic equity and an environmental consciousness.

A well stocked wine shop determined to give Brooklyn quality wine at a quality price.

Joloff Restaurant has become a local go to for Senegalese flavours made in Brooklyn.

Cafe Rue Dix explores West African and French heritage through its food, drinks and decor.

Haitian-American café and cocktail bar, CAFE ERZULIE, partnered with an existing flower shop so that both local businesses could flourish.

Ode to Babel is a small bar and lounge in Prospect Heights that has a become a true neighbourhood space.

Black-Owned Businesses in New York 

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.

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