KC Defender hosting first KC Black Feast Week to celebrate Black-owned restaurants

KANSAS CITY, Kan. — The KC Defender is partnering with business owners around the Kansas City metro for an upcoming two-week event showcasing locally-owned restaurants.

The KC Defender is hosting the first KC Black Feast Week, celebrating Black-owned restaurants throughout the Kansas City metro.

One of those businesses on the list is Kinship Café in Kansas City, Kansas.

“We’re the only Black-owned specialty coffee shop in the metro, and so we pride ourselves on coffee and service, and that’s really what we preach when people walk in,” said Kinship Café owner TJ Roberts.

Kinship Café provides locally sourced products and functions as a resource space after-hours for community members.

“We really strive and focus heavily on those two things: food and coffee. The rest is kind of just recognized,” Roberts explained. “So there’s lots of artwork, there’s lots of music, and there’s lots of other black-owned businesses showcased in the café that you can support.”

It’ll be highlighted during Black Feast week, along with a list of other local spots, such as Vine Street Brewing and My Village Grill.

Click here for a list of participating businesses and more information about Black Feast Week .

“I think what’s most important is that this list should always keep growing. So this is the first year, and it’ll be exciting to see how big the list grows yearly,” Roberts said. “Also, the experience that other people get to have going into a place that’s curated predominately from black people and seeing something that they’ve never experienced before or maybe trying something they’ve never tasted before.”

The KC Defender decided to host the first Black Feast Week to highlight and celebrate local businesses.

This is in response to multiple black restaurants like Soiree closing down this year.

“It’d be fun to see how Black Feast Week can bring more of those collaborations (between businesses)and really for the culture to be able to honestly promote each other more, support each other more, and just back each other up more, which is what we need,” Roberts said.

Black Feast Week will officially kick off on October 1.

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