Donate to San Jose's Black Owned Restaurants
Posted on 03-04-2023 09:45 PM
Donate to San Jose's Black Owned Restaurants
Restaurants owned by African-Americans in San Jose should be supported
Despite the shift in dialogue in San Jose, our #sanjoselove remains strong. As part of our platform, we've partnered with Mary Celestin, a San Jose native, musician, engineering student, and now activist offering financial support to Black voices and businesses.
Here are some ways locals and tourists can support the Black community in Mary's now viral illustrated guide, Lets Get to Work, San Jose! Mary recommends her top Black-owned restaurants in San Jose for al fresco dining, takeout or delivery.
Back A Yard Caribbean Grill
Various San Jose Locations
Back-A-Yard is the best place to experience jerk chicken in town. Don't forget to order Jamaican burgers, salad yard bowls, and dessert. They even offer takeout sauces!
I love going with my dad here. Mary's Take: I love going here with my dad. We are both Haitian-Americans, so we always try to sit at the table with the Haitian flag.
Gojo Ethiopian Restaurant
Willow Glen
San Jose has a great selection of Ethiopian food. At this family-owned restaurant named after the Ethiopian word for a traditional Ethiopian home, you'll literally be enjoying authentic homestyle flavors and smells.
Jackies Place
Downtown
Jackie Johnson, a catering professional for over 20 years in the Bay Area, brings her soul food delights to this Japantown favorite. The restaurant's signature dishes include fried chicken, catfish, shrimp and grits, black eyed peas and hush puppies. Make sure to leave room for dessert!
Jubba Somali
Almaden Valley
This local neighborhood gem serves Somalian dishes in a quiet setting. Sambusas, roasted goat cutlets, and jumbo steak platters are popular dishes.
LeYou Ethiopian
Downtown
Featuring traditional Ethiopian dishes such as steak tartare, keywot (red beef stew), ahi tuna, and tofu, this restaurant offers a contemporary take on classic Ethiopian dishes. The vegetable platter is a personal favorite of Mary's.
Lunch Box
West San Jose
Ethiopian family restaurant offering homestyle meals in a casual, laidback environment.
Mudai Restaurant
Downtown
The traditional Ethiopian dishes at Mudai are prepared with exotic Ethiopian spices and are suitable for vegans as well as meat-eaters. Put lamb tibs, gomen, and doro wot together for a great combination. Then wash it all down with Ethiopian beer and injera flatbread.
Walia Ethipian Cuisine
West San Jose
A popular Ethiopian eatery in San Jose where many Silicon Valley tech leaders have been known to dine, this restaurant is consistently rated highly. We have classic combo plates and the new Silicon Valley classic, the Zuckerberg Combo.
Zeni Ethiopian Restaurant
Downtown
Locals enjoy taking their out-of-town guests to Zeni, a restaurant with a Western-style dining room and an Ethiopian-style dining ambiance. It's easy to customize the dishes to meet your needs. Join a group for a meal and interact with the cuisine, as well as share, experience, and experiment with it. Mary personally recommends the Kitfo (ground beef sauteed in butter and spices), Tibs (cubed steak with jalapeno peppers and onions), and Kik Alicha (yellow split pea stew).
Nirvana Soul
Downtown
Jeronica Macey and Be'Anka Ashaolu own this buzzworthy new coffee shop in San Jose District. They were born in San Jose and inherited their love for coffee from their grandmother. They have dreamed of creating a place that feeds souls and soothes the soul. In order to experience their menu well, Jeronica and Be'Anka recommend starting with their Celebration Latte.
Honorable Mentions
It may not be possible to visit a brick and mortar location, but the food is still worth checking out. Explore San Jose like a local and don't miss out on the flavors!
Jon Jon's BBQ
Downtown
It's all about the food at this local eatery, so order your combo platter and watch your order being grilled. The Jon's Jon family has been operating this walk-up trailer business for over two decades.
Shark Plumbing Services
Address: 1563 June Ave, San Jose, CA 95122
Phone: (408) 724-7909
Website: https://www.sharkplumbers.com/