Albany County is home to a variety of Black-owned restaurants and bakeries serving up delicious bites, innovative dining experiences and sweet treats. Check out these eateries below and support Black-owned restaurants in Albany County!
Please note that this list is not meant to be comprehensive, but to highlight some of the Black-owned restaurants in Albany County.
Additional Lists of Local Black-Owned Businesses:
Guide to Black-Owned Businesses & Black-Led Organizations (Upstate Alliance for the Creative Economy)
Black-Owned Businesses in Downtown (Downtown Albany BID)
Black-Owned Businesses in the Capital Region (Instagram: @brit_ny)
50+ Black-Owned Capital Region Businesses (Instagram: @yelpalbany)
Allie B's Cozy Kitchen
Allie B's Cozy Kitchen is Albany's go-to spot for soul food and southern-style cuisine. Chef-owner Kizzy Williams-Francisco named the restaurant after her mother and serves up family recipes that have been passed down through the generations. Savor fried chicken, collard greens, candied yams, fried fish, barbecue pork rib sandwiches and many more soul food dishes from this hidden gem.
Nelly's Treats Boutique Bakery
This Remsen Street business serves up sweets for every occasion. Specializing in cakes, cupcakes, charcuterie boards and more, Nelly's treats has grown from owner, Renel teaching herself how to bake in her kitchen to the lovely boutique bakery it is today. Nelly's offers specialized and custom treats as well as classes for children and adults.
Irie Vybez
Irie Vybez has served up a taste of the Caribbean on Central Avenue in Albany for over a decade. Boasting an extensive menu of Jamaican cuisine, the restaurant offers smoothies, salads, soups, pastas and more! Order breakfast to try menu items such as tin or salt mackerel, a traditional homemade Jamaican breakfast dish, or Jamaican brown stew liver. For lunch or dinner, the restaurant offers jerk chicken, oxtails, fried chicken and much more!
Keobi Restaurant
Keobi Restaurant, located on Lark Street, serves up authentic Nigerian and African cuisine. The menu features Nigerian dishes such as Asaro (yam porridge), Jollof rice, Moi Moi (bean cake) and Ewa G (mashed black eyed beans). Keobi Restaurant also offers catering for weddings, holiday parties and special events.
Great Exbaketations
Based out of Albany, GreatExbaketations is a bakery specializing in scratch-baked, made-to-order booze-infused cakes. Owner Cheyenne Simmons takes pride in using products from local Upstate New York distilleries, artisans and makers to create her one-of-a-kind cakes. Treat yourself to a bananas foster cake, classic rum cake, chocolate borracha cake or one of the seasonal options! Want to sample all the flavors? GreatExbaketations has you covered with cake "flights" featuring four mini-cakes. The bakery does not have a storefront but purchase the booze-infused cakes on their website or keep an eye out for pop-ups around the Capital Region.
Umana Yana Restaurant
Savor comfort food from around the world at Umana Yana Restaurant. The welcoming eatery is the only spot in the Capital Region that serves up Ethiopian fare every night. The restaurant embodies the spirit of diversity and celebrates global flavors with dishes such as Ethiopian Injera Plate and Coconut Curry Fish. Umana has a dedicated vegan takeout menu with a variety of vegan and gluten-free dishes available.
TieBerry Sweets
Satisfy your sweet tooth with decadent, handcrafted chocolate covered fruit from TieBerrySweets. Described as the "Upstate Strawberry Concierge," the sweet shop offers gourmet chocolate covered pretzels, hot chocolate bombs, chocolate dipped cheesecake apples and much more. Looking to add some pizazz to your own desserts baked at home? Order TieBerry Crunched Gourmet Toppings, offered in a variety of signature flavors, to top off cupcakes, ice cream, cakes and more. TieBerry Sweets does not have a storefront, but order the treats online and follow on social media (Instagram and Facebook).
