NYCFeature
Klancy Miller's Favorite NYC Spots Run By Black Women & Femmes
The restaurants that Do It "For The Culture."
photo credit: Klancy Miller
Welcome to Perfect For, a weekly Infatuation series of ultra-specific restaurant recommendations from people around town you don't know personally, but might wish you did. Chef, writer, and founder of For the Culture magazine Klancy Miller shares her favorite NYC restaurants run by Black women and femmes.
There are a few things you should know about Klancy Miller. The New York-based chef loves waffles, grew up in the South (so her standards for grits are high), and just published her second book. An evolution of her magazine of the same name, For the Culture is a celebration of the Black women and femmes in food and wine who have changed the industry and made it more reflective of the real world.
Here you’ll find her favorite spots in NYC where Black women and femmes are calling the shots.
"I love the delicious and genius dishes that Executive Chef, Fariyal Abdullahi, and her team turn out like the 7 Aunties Greens, Addis York (a take on doro wot), and the mouthwatering bread basket, with the best biscuits, cornbread and injera crisp. The whole menu is a rich mix of Ethiopian and Swedish inspired dishes and it emphasizes seafood. Everything is wonderful. My pro tip is to always get one or more of the specials."
"I'm obsessed with waffles and I don't think anyone does chicken and waffles better than Melba's. If you’re looking for comfort food, sumptuous crab cakes, catfish, mac and cheese, look no further than Melba’s. It’s a great place to take family or friends from out of town."
"If you're a fan of food from throughout the Caribbean, you have to check out Kokomo in Williamsburg. I feel lucky that it's not far from my home. I highly recommend the flatbreads, oxtail, and the calypso burger. It's a vibrant atmosphere and a cute place to go on a date."
photo credit: Stephanie Kimberly
"I’m a huge fan of the vegan restaurant Cadence, led by executive chef Shenarri Freeman. I grew up in the South so grits are part of my core food memories. The smoked grits with fried oyster mushrooms, rosemary butter, and tomatoes are outstanding. The maple buttermilk cornbread is everything. Chef Freeman is brilliant and I’m excited to try her new restaurant, Ubuntu, in Los Angeles. Highly recommended if you want a delicious place to take your vegan friends and family or on a date with someone who’s a vegan."
Suggested Reading
Surprise, he spends a lot of time in the West Village.
When the author, producer, and TV host isn’t running around filming Hulu’s Taste The Nation, these are her go-to spots for a romantic night out in NYC.
Whether you're driving up a Panamanian mountain, or just getting on a plane to LA, these restaurants are all worth the journey.