South Side Restaurants Shine At Inaugural Black Chicago Eats Awards

Though they didn’t have an original award show as planned, Black Chicago Eats on Friday named the winners of its first Everybody Eats Foodie Awards. The organization spotlights African-American-owned restaurants, and on Aug. 19 Black Chicago Eats successfully held its first Taste of Black Chicago and drew a crowd of about 4,000 to the festival grounds in the South Shore. For the awards, the public cast their votes online and there were 10 categories.

Winners include Frontera Grill managing chef Richard James for “Best Black Chef,” That’s a Burger in Avalon Park for “Best Burger at Black-Owned Restaurant,” and MacArthur's Restaurant in South Austin (a favorite of President Barack Obama’s) for “Best Black-Owned Soul Food Restaurant.”

Many of these restaurants are on the South and West sides and don’t receive the attention they deserve. Organizers said that not only hurts from a pride perspective, as locals in those areas feel neglected, but it also hurts on the business side. Chefs at those restaurants creating tasty food never make as much money as their counterparts working in different areas. Meanwhile, Chicagoans unaware of these restaurants don’t get to try new foods.

Watch Toure Muhammad of Black Chicago Eats and Bean Soup Times announce the awards below:

Here’s the full list of winners:

• Best Black Owned Caribbean/South American Themed Restaurant: Uncle Joe's Tropical Dining
• Best Black-Owned Bakery: Brown Sugar Bakery
• Best Burger at Black Owned Restaurant: That's a Burger
• Best Black Chef of the Year: Richard James (Frontera Grill)
• Best Black-Owned Soul Food Restaurant: MacArthur's Restaurant
• Best Black-Owned Breakfast/Brunch Restaurant: Batter and Berries
• Best Black-Owned Dessert Spot: Shawn Michelle's Home Made Ice Cream
• Best Black-Owned New Restaurant: Cajun Connoisseur
• Best Black-Owned Sauce: Riley's Ribz
• Best Black-Owned Vegan Restaurant: Original Soul Vegetarian