First things first, if you haven't seen Marvel's "Black Panther" yet, you can't eat with me. "Black Panther" is a long-awaited celebration of black culture. A celebration that needs to continue on and off the screen.
Black Panther absolutely killed it opening weekend and has continued to do so in following weeks. Black buying power currently stands at over $1.1 trillion. The existence and support of more black owned restaurants can be revolutionary.
If you had access to all the vibranium in Wakanda, you'd spend it by ordering the entire menu at each of these restaurant's.
Sweet Chick
Chicken and waffles have never been done the way Sweet Chick does it. And no Marvel movie compares to "Black Panther." The film was blessed by a soundtrack created by Kendrick Lamar, but Sweet Chick's co-owner happens to be the legendary music mogul, Nas. With their Ritz cracker macaroni and cheese, and shrimp and grits, they could sell out at the box office, too. T'challa, can I please be your sweet chick?
Mikey Likes It Ice Cream
If you ask Mikey his thoughts on "Black Panther," he'd say he liked it. There's a new flavor every month, but we know February is the best. Owner, Michael "Mikey" Cole has created the coldest custom ice cream flavors for Jay-Z and Hilary Clinton. The "Black Panther" cast members might be next. Am I the only one who would eat a Michael B. Jordan-flavored ice cream sandwich?
Marcus B&P
Chef Marcus Samuelsson owns 13 restaurants all around the world. It's almost like he's the king of all kitchens, and he definitely fought for his kingdom. According to Samuelsson, 80 percent of his staff comes from Newark. Now that's what Killmonger was talking about when he said he wanted to fight for ALL of his people.
Pearl's Caribbean
I'll just say it. Every character in "Black Panther" was HOT. The Caribbean flavors in every dish at Pearl's are, too. The owners of this Caribbean spot will bless your cravings with the food of their culture—sweet plantains, coconut curry shrimp, and rum punch. Yum! Audiences were exposed to the beauty of African culture throughout "Black Panther," with the Skyline of Wakanda, hair, and importance of unity. Yes! Killmonger was a jerk at first (with good reason), so we'll leave the jerk wings for him.
Doc's Cake Shop
Shuri in "Black Panther" isn't just a teen genius, she's also the sweetest sister. She figured out how to charge up T'Challa's suit with kinetic energy, and these delicious cakes will charge you up with sugar. The strawberry crumble cheesecake will have you cheesing just like in the softest scenes of "Black Panther." What's the secret to its moistness? The chef won't tell you, but hopefully you know about the secret endings after the credits of the movie.
Melba's Restaurant
I'm sure I'm not the only one who didn't want to have to choose between Killmonger and T'challa. Can't we just have them both? There are so many chicken and waffles restaurants but there has to be a battle for the top. Melba's is one of them.
#SpoonTip: Their strawberry butter had to be created by a super hero—it's super good.
The Crabby Shack
"Black Panther" is worth seeing more than once. The Crabby Shack's seafood is something your mouth needs to see as well. These two Brooklyn mom's gave up their careers working with P. Diddy, Alicia Keys, Wyclef Jean and many more stars to become co-owners of this fresh eatery. The beauty in their commitment is similar to movie-goers dressing up as a reaction to finally being represented in entertainment. At one point, the two moms even ran out of money and asked for support on Kickstarter. I can only hope that Marvel's "Black Panther" will kickstart an increase in the presence of blacks in film and television.
Cuzin's Duzin
Put your black power fist in the air...even if you're hiding mini donuts in your hand while doing so. This tight-knit family-owned business resembles the unified people of Wakanda. They even have Ciroc and Hennessy donuts! I wonder how a "Black" Panther" fight would be if they were drunk off some of these donuts.
#SpoonTip: Since these are so small, you can also easily sneak these into the theater! Don't be shy.
Now if you're in a heroic mood, save your friends the trouble of figuring out where to eat next and try one of these places.