We are delighted to announce The Kansas City Defender’s inaugural Black Feast Week 2024!
From October 1st to October 14th, we’ll be featuring nearly every major Black restaurant in the city of Kansas City, highlighting our city’s extraordinary Black culinary talent. Kansas City, perhaps most known for our football team and BBQ, wields one of the most diverse cuisines, and outstanding selections of Black-owned restaurants in the country.
Participating Restaurants
- LC’s BBQ
- Niece’s
- Fannie’s
- Mattie’s Vegan Foods
- Wah Gwan
- Vine St. Brewing
- Deez Nachos
- Mesob
- Urban Cafe
- TC’s Fully Loaded
- Distrikt Biscuit
- Tee Tasty Foods
- Chef Smokey
- MyVillageGrill KC
- Cafe Reflections
Why Black Food Week?
Given that Soiree, The Krave, and Privee—three cherished Black-owned restaurants—have announced their closures in the past two months alone, the urgency to support and uplift our local Black culinary scene has never been greater. We’re working closely with popular social media influencers and leveraging our platform to ensure we make a meaningful impact.
As a quick bit about our organization and why we are well-positioned to host the 2024 BlackFeastWeek.
- Founded in 2021, we are a Kansas City-based youth-led Black media & community organization. Reaching over 50 million people since we launched in 2021, we are one of the fastest growing grassroots media organizations in the country.
A Few of Our Achievements
- Our national stories have been placed in CNN, The Washington Post, NBC News, USA Today, NPR, Hollywood Unlocked, Baller Alert, and more. More achievements include;
- We broke the story on the serial killer targeting Black women on Prospect in 2022, leading to international coverage and reinstatement of KC Missing Persons Unit.
- Broke the story of of the shooting of 16-year old teenager Ralph Yarl in 2023, leading to a response from President Joe Biden less than 72 hours after we broke the story.
- We’ve hosted basketball tournaments with celebrity youtubers, open mic nights, hip hop concerts, and more.
- We actively build Black community through our Community Survival Programs, including our Free Clothing Program and our Grocery Buyout Program.
As Kansas City continues to grow and evolve, it’s essential to recognize and uplift the Black-owned businesses that contribute so much to our community’s culture and economy. Recent challenges, like the unfortunate closure of Soiree in the 18th and Vine District, highlight the ongoing financial struggles that many Black restaurants face.
We are unbelievably excited to partner with these restaurants, along with the influencers and broader community to shine a spotlight on these culinary havens that deserve it more than ever.
Black Food Week is not just about food; it’s about community, culture, and supporting our local Black businesses who bring unique flavors and experiences to our city. By participating in or supporting Black Food Week, you’re helping to ensure that these vital businesses continue to thrive.
Stay tuned for more details on participating restaurants, special events, and how you can support this initiative.
