Walking into the building with checkered floors, wooden walls and a menu displaying an animated chicken stirring a steaming pot of greens, Austin foodies know they are in for a treat. Whip My Soul, which offers a rich menu of tasty soul food dishes, makes one of many Austin-based, Black-owned restaurants featured in this year’s Black Food Week.  

Whip My Soul earned a spot as one of over 70 restaurants featured and promoted in Austin Justice Coalition’s sixth Black Food Week, an annual initiative supporting the city’s Black-owned restaurants. For four weeks of the year, the coalition hosts “Eat-N-Greets” at selected restaurants to honor Austin’s Black history while supporting local Black businesses. This year, Black Food Week wrapped up on Sept. 18. 

“There’s a very special connection that people have to food,” said Alleyha Dannett, the coalition’s digital communications manager. “When you have something that’s homemade in your culture, you feel so safe and comfortable.” 

Austin Justice Coalition, a Black-led organization, serves people historically and systematically impacted by institutional forms of racism in Austin. The coalition started Black Food Week to give a platform to Black-owned restaurants not featured on Austin Restaurant Week. 

“Shedding some light on Black-owned businesses and restaurants is important; Austin is a foodie city,” said Ishia Lynette, associate director of communications of AJC and current organizer of Black Food Week. “Black restaurants aren’t given that same kind of light to be seen by the community. It’s important that Black Food Week exists, so people know these businesses are here and they need their support as well.”

Lynette said since its conception, Black Food Week grew exponentially, now featuring a wide array of Black-owned restaurants and making the greater Austin community aware of these local gems.

“When we first started, we had only seven restaurants, but now we have 70,” Lynette said. “It shows Black businesses and Black restaurants are continuing to open up, and the list continues to grow.”

Eat-N-Greets opens the door to forming connections within the Austin community, Lynette said. Every day of Black Food Week, members of AJC’s board visit a chosen restaurant and interact with AJC members. While AJC hosts many events, Lynette said conversations over eating together allows for a much stronger connection. 

“As a community-based organization, it’s super important that folks know the people that are doing this work,” Lynette said. “During the year we have events, but it’s not the same as sitting down at a table, breaking bread and having conversation.”

Baby Greens, which can be identified by its vibrant mural reading “I Love Salads” outside of the establishment, is a Black-owned restaurant in North Austin specializing in fast food salads and and a restaurant highlighted for this year’s Black Food Week. 

The restaurant’s owner Sharon Mays said she feels gratitude for the support she received from the coalition. The restaurant opened in 2004, and Mays said exposure from events like Black Food Week helps draw in other restaurant owners and community members.

“It’s great that the Austin Justice Coalition goes out of its way to make sure that Black-owned restaurants are included,” Mays said. “Any time there is a highlighting of restaurants, it’s not always inclusive.”

Dannett said Black-owned restaurants offer a lot more than incredible dishes. Comfort, community support and nourishment of the soul are all reasons why people keep coming back. 

“There’s a piece of home that’s in your bowl, in your plate and in your cup,” Dannett said.