February is Black History Month, a great time to support the many Black-owned restaurants and eateries in Montgomery County, Maryland. With cuisines ranging from smoky American barbecue to authentic Ethiopian to tropical Caribbean, these restaurants represent some of the great culinary diversity and global flavors that make Montgomery County’s food scene so unique.
Fried Catfish Sandwich with hot sauce. Egusi soup with Fufu. Sweet Potatoes, Mac n’ Cheese, and Cornbread. Jamaican Jerk Wings. These are some of the must-haves of African, West African, and African-American cuisines that are cherished even more during Black History Month. Let’s celebrate the spices, seasonings, crispiness, and comfort these dishes bring. Find a restaurant below and try these recommended dishes not just for Black History Month, but year-round.
African Cuisine
Beteseb Restaurant
8201 Georgia Avenue, Silver Spring
Beteseb is a family-owned restaurant that serves authentic Ethiopian food. In addition to their meat-based menu options, they also offer a selection of vegetarian and vegan entrees. Â Make sure to try their tibs or kitfo. Locals even come for their breakfast. We recommend trying the Kinche Combo, which features cracked wheat and seasonings, scrambled eggs, and Chechebsa, flat whole bread with homemade spices, mixed with butter.
Black Lion Café
9705 Traville Gateway Drive, Rockville
8240 Fenton Street, Unit A&B, Silver Spring
Black Lion Café serves 100% fair trade Ethiopian coffee, as well as tea and pastries. Make sure to try a piping hot cup of their signature blend.
Mansa Kunda
8000 Flower Avenue, Takoma Park
Mansa Kunda honors the diversity and food of West Africa. About 90% of their menu can be made vegetarian upon request. Get the Turnover starters that include either beef, fish, shrimp, or veggie, served with a chili sauce. For something authentic, order the Shito Flatbread, where the original recipe comes from the Ga tribe in Ghana. Make sure to try their Afra, a popular street food in Senegal and Gambia.
Jolloff Etcetra
11237 New Hampshire Avenue, Silver Spring
At Jolloff Etcetra, you can find authentic Nigerian food right in Silver Spring. Try Oha, a popular soup from Eastern Nigeria featuring oha leaf and other spices, served with pounded yam. Or, get their Jollof Rice, a yummy dish featuring assorted meats like chicken, beef, or fish. Get a refreshing Malta Guinness, a non-alcoholic malt beverage with a rich blend of malt and caramel.
Rainbow African Restaurant
312/B1 E Diamond Avenue, Gaithersburg
Rainbow African Restaurant’s unique blend of spices and sauces, combined with the authentic ingredients they secure, brings out the flavors of Ghana and West Africa. Make sure to try one of their banku dishes, a staple of Ghanaian cuisine.
Roger Miller Restaurant
939 Bonifant Street, Silver Spring
Get your fill of West African food at Roger Miller’s. The current owner is an immigrant from Togo, and his first employment in the US was at the restaurant back in the late 1980s. Make sure to order the egusi stew with fufu, a favorite of many customers.
Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant
5071 Nicholson Lane, Rockville
Sheba Ethiopian Restaurant’s menu encompasses the wide diversity found in Ethiopia, which is home to more than 80 different ethnic groups, many of which have their own languages. Popular dishes, like their tofu dulet, are marked with a star on the menu, so first-timers know what to try. The owner of Sheba, even sells her ingera chips at local organic markets. They come in different flavors like the original spices, a sweet cinnamon and sugar, and spicy version.
American Cuisine
All Set Restaurant & Bar
8630 Fenton Street, Plaza 5, Silver Spring
All Set Restaurant & Bar puts a contemporary Southern-style BBQ twist on traditional New England coastal cuisine. Even though they are known for their delicious seafood dishes, don’t skip the blackened ribeye steak. They are a happy-hour favorite with $1 oysters on the half shell, and $8 to $10 cocktails, including their lemon drops and Boston Tea Party cocktail with tea-infused vodka and lemonade.
Matchbox
1699 Rockville Pike, Rockville, MD
7278 Woodmont Avenue, Bethesda, MD
919 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring, MD
Matchbox is a Black-owned restaurant located in several places throughout the DMV, including Rockville, Bethesda, and Silver Spring. Enjoy a warm and lively atmosphere with wood-fired pizzas and American cuisine. Their indoor and outdoor seating is fitted for visitors throughout the season. And on the weekend, enjoy a bottomless brunch buffet that’s family-friendly with unique offerings like cotton candy, popcorn, and a waffle bar. For adults, get their mix and match bottoms up bar that is $25 per person and includes old fashioned, mimosas your way, strawberry lemon drop martini, espresso martini, matchbox bloody mary, or draft beer.
My Cup Runneth Over Southern Cuisine
8409 Snouffer School Road, Gaithersburg
My Cup Runneth Over Southern Cuisine was established in 2010 in Mississippi and relocated to Gaithersburg in 2016, where they offer a food truck, a brick-and-mortar location, and a mobile food truck. You can’t get soul food without getting the fried catfish sandwich. Make sure to pair it with hot sauce and a side of homemade mac n’ cheese, and sweet potatoes with a side of cornbread.
Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen
225 Boardwalk Place, Gaithersburg
Miss Toya’s Southern Southern Kitchen is a Black, family-owned, and woman-owned restaurant. Founders Toya Miskiri and Chef Jeff use their southern roots, Cajun cuisine knowledge, and Miss Toya’s homemade recipes to create their delicious menu. Their Southern Devil Eggs are sweet devilish eggs topped with your choice of golden-fried shrimp or blackened shrimp. We recommend trying the Caribbean Lamb Chops, complete with a side of collard greens and potato salad. If you want something sweet, finish up with their decadent bread pudding or Southern Peach Cobbler.
Miss Toya’s Creole House
923 Ellsworth Drive, Silver Spring
Another creation of Miss Toya’s Southern Kitchen. This restaurant is a tribute to the traditional New Orleans gastronomic culture with an avant-garde touch. They offer lunch, dinner, and brunch to customers. With their brunch, enjoy their Hot Honey Creole Wigs, and Shrimp & Grits with sauteed shrimp, veggies, and a creamy Cajun sauce served over cheesy grits.
Hardy’s BBQ
7155 Wisconsin Avenue, Bethesda
Hardy’s BBQ is a food truck with a home at the Montgomery Farm Women’s Cooperative Market, which is open year-round. They are out to redefine barbecue by perfecting the art of smoked meats. Make sure to try their pulled pork sandwich with their homemade barbecue sauce.
Caribbean Cuisine
Negril The Jamaican Eatery
965 Thayer Avenue, Silver Spring
Negril is a fast-casual, authentic Jamaican eatery that serves up a taste of the island. Every bite contains bold foods and flavors. Make sure to try their beef, chicken, shrimp, or vegetable patties.
Little Island Kitchen
10003 Stedwick Road, Gaithersburg
Little Island Kitchen is a Caribbean spot in Gaithersburg with dishes like oxtails, rice and peas, and mac and cheese. Another crowd favorite is their fried chicken and jerk chicken alfredo.
Island Quizine
13881-C Outline Drive, Silver Spring
This is another Jamaican restaurant offering the flavors of the island right in Silver Spring. Island Quizine immerses customers with fiery jerk chicken, curry goat, and rice and beans. They have vegetarian, vegan, and pescatarian options.
Island Pride Jamaican Restaurant
823 Hungerford Drive, Rockville
Located in Rockville, Island Pride Jamaican Restaurant is a healthy restaurant that doesn’t sacrifice taste and flavor. All of their dishes are made from scratch with traditional Jamaican cooking methods. Their menu is 100% authentic Jamaican. Get an order of the popular Jerk Wings that are made with their traditionally made Jamaican Jerk sauce made with scotch bonnet peppers.
