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These Westchester eateries and events have stories to tell through their flavorful cuisines, and they plan to celebrate this Juneteenth with you.
Juneteenth, short for “June Nineteenth,” is celebrated all across the country to commemorate the emancipation of enslaved Black Americans. Now, 156 years later, there are countless ways to reflect on the past and celebrate freedom through music, dance, food, parades, and family time. A great way to learn more about the traditions surrounding Juneteenth is to spend this newly enacted federal holiday visiting local, Black-owned restaurants where the food and atmosphere honor culture and soul.
BK Soul Food
1131B Yonkers Ave, Yonkers; 914.237.5083
Cuisine: Soul food
Monday’s Hours: Noon to 6 p.m.
This comfort food joint will easily become your go-to place for scrumptious chicken and waffles, smothered honey pork chops, and pretty much any other soul-hugging eats. This Monday, BK Soul Food is featuring its creamy mac ‘n’ cheese, sweet-candied yams, tender chitlins, collard greens, crumbly cornbread, and the flawless and unrivaled fried chicken. Pop down for these classic Southern favorites and flavors that your taste buds will thank you for.
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Break Bread Not Hearts
914.268.8437
Cuisine: Stir fries, sides, and baked goods
Chef D’Amour has mastered the art of combining community and cultural values with delicious meals and baked goods. This environmentally ethical and socially conscious business attends local farmers’ markets, festivals, and private events to share signature stir-fry dishes, the Bird Box filled with chicken thighs, and seasonal baked goods like brownies with blueberries, bananas, and basil.
Throughout the month, the business has attended numerous Juneteenth celebrations, and you can still catch the divine “Black Power Stir-Fry” at the African American Heritage Festival on Sunday, June 26 at the Kensico Dam.
Visit the stand on Wednesday at the weekly White Plains Farmers Market (8 a.m. to 4 p.m.) for a “chocolate dank” or “ginger zing,” along with the Rasta’d shrimp potato salad, which is sure to exceed expectations. As they say themselves, at Break Bread Not Hearts, love is always the main ingredient.
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Cravin Jamaican Cuisine
109 Main St, Ossining; 914.432.7776
74 Mamaroneck Ave, White Plains; 914.358.5111
Cuisine: Jamaican
Monday’s Hours: 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Savor the authentic flavor of Jamaica any time of day with breakfast options like ackee and saltfish and succulent lunch and dinner choices including curry goat, oxtail, jerk chicken, and veggie stew. If you get lucky, you might even be able to try the rich and creamy Rasta pasta before it sells out. Cravin Jamaican Cuisine celebrates a wide variety of colorful, spicy, and fun foods that would make a perfect Juneteenth spread.
While in White Plains, visit “The Harriet Tubman – The Journey to Freedom” sculpture and attend a White Plains library history StoryWalk or MLK photos exhibit.
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Flavas Kitchen & Catering
5 Gramatan Ave, Mount Vernon; 914.663.2100
Cuisine: Jamaican Soul food
Monday’s Hours: 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.
If you love a flavorful meal where you can choose from an abundance of sides that blend perfectly with the main protein, go to the always-crowded Flavas Kitchen. Ordering the oxtail stew is an easy and correct choice, and pairing it with a side of butter beans spiced to perfection along with a Carrot & Cream smoothie will make your taste buds rejoice (but you may be stationary for a few hours).
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Read More: Black-Owned Restaurants in Westchester to Order From Right Now
Jolo’s Kitchen
412 North Ave, New Rochelle; 914.355.2527
Cuisine: Vegan Caribbean Juice bar and cafe
Monday’s Hours: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Chef Jolo moved to New York from Haiti with a dream to create a cheery and welcoming space to share his cuisine and his Rastafarian way of life. He emphasizes fresh produce and natural plant-based ingredients when planning his ever-changing buffet, and this Juneteenth he has developed a special menu with fan favorites and mouthwatering spins on Haitian classics.
While in the so-called Queen City of the Sound, check out the last day of New Rochelle’s “Song for Our Fathers: Juneteenth Celebration,” featuring jazz and dance, and then head down to Jolo’s for colorful wellness juices and a hearty vegan meal. In addition to offering complimentary wheatgrass shots, his specials this Juneteenth (Monday) include smoky jerk falafel (GF), sweet potatoes, veggie ribs (made from non-GMO soybeans), black-eyed peas, tangy kale and cabbage, and other unique and delectable treats.
(Pro tip: Check out Jolo’s new vegan Caribbean restaurant, 49 Lawton St, also in New Ro)
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Smoke & Spice NY Grill
15 Anderson St, New Rochelle; 914.365.2417
Cuisine: Caribbean and Jamaican
Monday’s Hours: 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
This hidden gem is perfect for all Westchester carnivores with massive appetites. The menu is filled with smoked, jerked, and curried meats, and the renowned mac ‘n’ cheese will create a lifelong obsession. To celebrate Juneteenth, expect tender barbecue ribs (along with the usual indulgences), and on the commemorative day (Monday), scoop up a free sample of mac ‘n’ cheese with your order (noon to 2 p.m.). Portions are generous, and a little birdie told us the succulent oxtail and spiced jerk chicken are dishes not to skip.
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Bonus:
Juneteenth Booth at P-CoC Inc’s Annual Food Truck Festival
Zinsser Commuter Lot: 131 Southside Ave, Hastings-on-Hudson
Continue your Juneteenth celebrations next weekend with P-Coc Inc’s (Parenting Children of Color) food truck festival. Snack on delicious treats from a variety of cultures while enjoying live music including a Sitar player, Japanese Taiko drummers, and an R&B singer. Participate in symbolic activities like “Gluing humanity together” and amble between food trucks filled with comfort foods and adventurous twists on classics.