Eager to try a new restaurant or revisit a longtime favorite? The Boston Black Hospitality Coalition has launched Boston Black Restaurant Month to encourage diners to try Black-owned restaurants that have been disproportionately affected by COVID-19. The initiative runs through August.
“I feel like sometimes in this city you can feel isolated or like you’re a part of a population who has been forgotten, or put on the back burner. Initiatives like this give encouragement to business owners to continue to thrive and work hard,” says Nia Grace, a founder of the coalition, which aims to preserve Black-owned bars and restaurants that have been impacted by the pandemic. Grace owns Darryl’s Corner Bar & Kitchen in the South End.
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“This is different than Dine Out Boston with prix-fixe specials,” she explains. “We’re saying go, try something new, diversify your palate. This is an opportunity for you to learn more about the [restaurants] and to actively patronize their business throughout the month. If you are a patron, promote it and share it. It’s really about the social push of our community’s business.”
The coalition also plans to launch beer gardens throughout the city in August, including in Nubian Square and at the Lawn on D. The gardens will showcase food from Black-owned businesses, rotating weekly.
Grace hopes the effort raises the restaurants’ profile citywide, creating a lasting effect on dining habits beyond summertime.
“Make it regular, not just one month. We hope giving you 30 days will build a pattern to go outside the box,” she says.
Follow BBHC’s social media for profiles about proprietors, and use hashtags to share your favorite spots: #NationalBlackBusinessMonth, #BostonBlackRestaurantMonth, and #BostonBlackHospitalityCoalition. Learn more at www.blackhospitalityco.com.
Kara Baskin can be reached at kara.baskin@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter @kcbaskin.