Excellent Black-Owned Restaurants in San Francisco

One way to experience Black culture in SF is with your meals. Across the city, you'll find Black-owned restaurants serving a variety of cuisines.

These San Francisco restaurants, all owned by people of color, showcase the undeniable spirit of SF and our love for the perfect bite. These chefs and owners are serving up a diverse array of culinary creations, from soul food to Mexican and everything in between. Find your new favorite and support these local Black icons of the San Francisco food scene.

Bayview

Bayview is home to some of the oldest Black businesses and cultural institutions in the city.

Bayview Bistro

401 Third St.

At Bayview Bistro, you'll find two of the most popular neighborhood pop-ups: Big H BBQ, offering chicken sandwiches and ribs, and Yes Pudding, serving banana and bread puddings in mason jars.

Frisco Fried

5176 Third St.

Frisco Fried has everything from catfish to an oxtail dinner special. You can also get family-sized meals, including 12- to 20-piece chicken dinners. Available by DoorDash delivery.

Gumbo Social

5176 3rd St.

At Gumbo Social, gumbo is a way of life. Try their namesake gumbo, either chicken, turkey, or vegan. They even have po-boys, hoe cakes, greens, and vegan pork rinds to complete the experience.

Radio Africa & Kitchen

4800 Third St.

If you want a taste of pop-up history, visit Radio Africa & Kitchen. This was one of the first pop-up restaurants in Bayview to go brick-and-mortar. It's a powerhouse of California-Ethiopian cuisine that doubles as the Bayview dining scene's spiritual home.

Yvonne's Southern Sweets

5128 Third St.

Yvonne's Southern Sweets is just the place if your sweet tooth can't be tamed. Owner Yvonne Hines first built her reputation with her patented pralines, but her repertoire now includes cakes, pies, and cookies.

Civic Center and Lower Haight

Cafe International

508 Haight St.

Cafe International has been around for more than 30 years and has become "the living room of the neighborhood." Besides the comfy surroundings, Cafe International also hosts jazz performances and open mic nights.

Moya

121 9th St.

Moya serves up modern Ethiopian-American fair in a light and airy space. Don't forget that Ethiopian food is best eaten with your hands!

Z Zoul Cafe

295 Eddy St.

"Zoul" means friend in Sudanese; but once you sample some of Chef Aref Elgaali's traditional recipes at Z Zoul Cafe, you'll feel more like family. Aref's wife and co-owner, Dalia, is famous for her irresisitable rice pudding.

Downtown

Voodoo Love

56 Belden Pl.

Located right on Belden Place, you'll find Voodoo Love, with its healthy(ish) spin on mouth-watering Creole cuisine. Their "doesn't take itself too seriously" attitude is evident from their hilarious menus, which have staples like gumbo, po-boys, catfish, shrimp and grits, and so much more.

Embarcadero

Peaches Patties

San Francisco Ferry Building

Located inside the iconic Ferry Building, Peaches Patties serves up some of the most delicious Jamaican patties, jerk chicken, plantains, and other Jamaican favorites.

Queen's Louisiana Po-Boys Cafe

33 The Embarcadero

Louisiana native Danielle Reese brought her favorite childhood dishes to San Francisco with Queen's Louisiana Po-Boy Cafe. Try her favorites like seafood gumbo, cajun fish tacos, or a po-boy sandwich. She also included a few local SF favorites like clam chowder, the Wharf Fiest, and delicious garlic fries.

Teranga

4 Embarcadero Center

Teranga, which means hospitality in Senegalese, is precisely what you'll find here. Experience their contemporary African cuisine in this simple and welcoming restaurant.

Fillmore

Sheba Piano Lounge

1419 Fillmore St.

Visit Sheba Piano Lounge for a taste of delicious Ethiopian food in a cozy setting, with live music five days a week.

Mission District

It's no surprise to find great culinary variety in one of San Francisco's most diverse neighborhoods.

Anthony's Cookies

1417 Valencia St.

If it's sweets you want, you have to visit Anthony's Cookies on Valencia Street. They'll even serve you a glass of ice cold milk to wash your selections down.

Cafe Ethiopia

878 Valencia St.

You can enjoy East African food at Cafe Ethiopia. Vegetarians love the plant-based focus of their menu, while everyone appreciates their generous portions.

El Nuevo Frutilandia

3077 24th St.

For authentic Afro-Caribbean cuisine, pick up a meal at El Nuevo Frutilandia. They're offering take-out for dinner hours, Wednesday through Sunday.

Little Baobab

2243 Mission St.

Enjoy West African food at Little Baobab. The live music and friendly staff get almost as much praise as what comes out of the kitchen.

Mission Bowling Club

3176 17th St.

Mission Bowling Club serves up your favorite bar bites while you and your friends compete for a few frames on one of their six bowling lanes.

Richmond

The Richmond, which spans the western blocks of the city sandwiched between the Presidio and Golden Gate Park, also features many Black-owned restaurants.

Osteria Bella

3848 Geary Blvd.

Dive into delectable pizzas and antipasto plates. Osteria Bella is also known for its wide selection of vermouth, giving you endless cocktail options.

Taquerias Los Mayos

331 Clement St.

You can create your own tacos at Taqueria Los Mayos. They are known for their panuchos, crispy tacos that are a specialty of the Yucatan.

Tastebuds

600 Fifth Ave.

Tastebuds serves up soul food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Their weekday Happy Hour can't be topped!

SoMa

Eko Kitchen

103 Horne Ave

Eko Kitchen, founded by Simileoluwa Adebajo, is home to outstanding Nigerian dishes that the head chef herself learned from her grandmother.

International Smoke

301 Mission St.

International Smoke can't be missed, both for its menu and its pageantry. Certain dishes are served beneath a glass dome so that none of the aromas can escape on their way to your table.

Little Skillet

360 Ritch St.

Tucked away on a tiny side street a few minutes from Oracle Park is Little Skillet, known for its weekend jazz brunch.

Local Kitchen

330 First St.

Local Kitchen has an eclectic menu, offering everything from fried okra to a burrata salad, pizzas, and yellow curry.

Sextant Coffee Roasters

1415 Folsom St.

Sextant Coffee is the a perfect place for a pick-me-up, with its strong brews largely sourced from Ethiopia.

The Sunset

The Sunset neighborhood stretches from the shadow of Sutro Tower in the east all the way to the Pacific Ocean in the west.

New Eritrea Restaurant

907 Irving St.

Close to Golden Gate Park, you'll find New Eritrea Restaurant, serving up homestyle dishes from the horn of Africa.

Sunset Cantina

3414 Judah St.

Closer to the beach, be sure to stop at Sunset Cantina for flautas, tortas, or the Machete: a giant, machete-shaped cheesy taco, stuffed with your choice of meat.