As you guys know I’m in the process of making a pretty extensive Boston City guide, and here is one of the categories! BIPOC owned business in the Boston area!
Healthy Restaurants
- MIDA $$ (South End): a South End neighborhood restaurant, inspired by the simplicity of classic Italian culinary traditions. MIDA. It means “he gives me.” And every meal we create is meant to be a gift just for you.
- Douglass Williams, Chef/Owner was recently named by Food & Wine as one of the top 10 Best New Chefs in America 2020, Douglass always finds a place to cook no matter where he goes. And he’s gone to a lot of places. From Paris and Thailand to New York and Boston, fifteen years of global experience informs every meal he makes for you. He’s not shy and you shouldn’t be either. Stop by and say hello, hugs and handshakes are mandatory. (extracted from website)
- my order: focaccia with garlic butter, MIDA PIATTO DI ANTIPASTO (meats, cheeses, vegetables, olives), LUMACHE AL PESTO (roasted tomato pesto, calabrian chili)
- gluten free pasta available
- Order online for delivery and pick-up
- 782 Tremont St., Boston, MA 02118
- Cafe Juice Up $$ (Mattapan, MA): Cafe Juice Up is a Mattapan, MA based Juice Bar. The menu features delicious, healthy, and nutritious goods. Our delicious blends are prepared in a casual, friendly, and affordable environment which ensures that your daily fruit and vegetable intake is quick, convenient and tasty.
- Shea Butter Smoothies $$ (Mattapan, MA): healthy smoothies!
- Oasis Vegan Veggie Parlor $ (Dorchester, MA): an all vegan spot with an extensive and tasty menu! So many positive reviews, and available on GrubHub too. The menu ranges from veggie grain bowls to wraps / salads and extensive smoothie and juice options. There’s really something for everyone! Also featured in the Boston Globe here.
- Bred Gourmet $$ (Dorchester, MA): AMAZING GRASS FED BURGERS! And the sweet potato fries. OH, the sweet potato fries. Seasons with a little cinnamon which give them that perfect kick of sweet. They also have jerk chicken on the menu as well as salmon and veggie burgers! It’s a 10 minute walk away from my sister’s apartment and one of my absolute favorite spots.
- ZaZ $$ (Hyde Park): the finest blend of healthful, flavorful and fresh fusion and contemporary cuisine in Boston.
- Exodus Bagels $ (Jamaica Plain, MA): Bagel shop with a following, plus some sweets & coffee in simple neighborhood space.
- Fresh Food Generation $$ (food truck = Downtown crossing, cafe = Dorchester): Locally sourced and freshly prepared farm-to-plate caterer, food truck, and cafe. Caribbean-American Food focused on Food Justice and am emphasis on sustainability. Can be booked for events!
- Over 30% of our food purchases come from local farms and businesses. Our mission is to make real food accessible in all Boston neighborhoods through our food truck, café space, and catering services. We work with CERO, a Boston-based composting cooperative to reduce our kitchen waste. All of our plates, cutlery, and napkins are compostable and all of our serving dishes and utensils are recyclable. Most important we work with farms with sustainable land practices and ethically raised meat.
- my order: jerk chicken, mixed kale salad,
- online ordering coming soon! Truck locations here
- Congress St (Downtown Crossing) on Wednesday 11am-2pm and High St (Downtown Crossing) on Thursday 11am-2pm
- café is located in the lobby of DotHouse Health at 1353 Dorchester Avenue in the Fields Corner neighborhood of Dorchester.
- Rhythm N Wraps $$ (Allston, MA): Brick-&-mortar counter-serve outpost of a vegetarian food truck with unique wraps, tacos & pizza.
- Asmara $$ (Cambridge, MA): Eritrean & Ethiopian meals are shared & scooped up with injera bread at this homey, family-run spot. This is a really fun date night spot and a place to roll up your sleeves and share a meal! You eat with your hands sand the flavors of the dishes are just out of this world!
- my order: boneless chicken marinated in garlic and different herbs and curried in fresh tomato and red pepper sauce stew; cabbage, carrots, and potatoes stewed in red pepper sauce or mild yellow sauce.
- if you have a wheat allergy, call ahead: (617) 864-7447
- Sit-in restaurant though they are currently offering take-out 5pm-8pm
- 739 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Ma 02139
- La Fabrica Central $$ (Cambridge, MA): Caribbean cooking & ceviche by a Puerto Rican star chef in a trendy spot with live music. They also turn into a night club!
- my order: ensalada de aguacate (avocado, cherry tomatoes, red onions and cilantro dressing), seasonal vegetables in creole sauce, pollo caribeno (achiote-marinated roasted 1/2 Caribbean chicken with ajili-mojili and choice of one side), sweet and green plantains
- gluten free and vegetarian items noted on the menu
- Make reservations here
- 450 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA 02139
- Petsi Pies $$ (Somerville, MA) – Sweet & savory pies, pastries, cookies & cupcakes round out the menu at this comfortable bakery.
- Pikliz $ (Somerville, MA): fresh Caribbean and soul food cuisine. I love getting take-out from here. Decently priced, massive portions, and delightful jerk chicken.
- Tipping Cow $ (Somerville, MA): Outlet selling scoops of additive-free, nut-free, homemade small-batch ice cream, plus coffees & baked goods. “Gourmet ice cream without the ego!”
- gluten free, nut free, vegan flavors all available!
- 415 Medford St, Somerville, MA 02145
- Discover Vegans: $$ Discover Vegans is a woman-owned catering service that specializes in creating plant based/vegan meals. Our food creates an experience for people to showcase that eating healthy can still taste good. Home of the Vegan Haitian Patties™. They also have pop-ups at farmer’s markets and local businesses.
- my order: vegan barbacoa tacos (jackfruit tacos served with chimichurri sauce garnished with cilantro), spinach vegan pattyies (seasoned spinach with sautéed onions), growing up Haitain smoothie (papaya, sea moss gel, coconut evaporated milk, vanilla extract)
- vegan options available, especially the vegan patties
Fitness
- EverybodyFights: (Downtown Crossing and South Boston) – I. LOVE. THIS. GYM. Truly my favorite gym in Boston because they really have it all: treadmill with weights classes, circuit training classes, boxing classes, and even yoga flow classes. The instructors are so motivating, and provide 1-on-1 corrections even in large group classes. If you sign up for their newsletter, they’re always offering sweet deals for discounted classes as well.
- The Courage Campaign: Founded by Ashley Mitchell: fitness extraordinaire, courage curator, community leader and educator, and absolute badass. This initiative was designed to help students of all ages develop inner strength through a holistic approach that combines movement with journaling and dialogue to inspire courage.
- Follow her on Instagram to keep up with her class schedule (currently on Zoom). Or you can hire her for your school or business!
- Trill Fit: TRILLFIT is Boston’s original hip hop workout party. We believe that fitness should be fun, inclusive, and set to the illest soundtrack. Squad up and make it TRILL today. Winner, Improper Bostonian Best of Boston.
- You can currently take home classes
- Boss Chick Dance Workout:The Boss Chick Dance Workout is an exciting fusion of her passion for both dance and fitness. Inspired by her work and training with icons in the industry such as Madonna and her team of dance and fitness professionals for Hard Candy Fitness and Debbie Allen in Los Angeles at DaDa Academy, Simone is thrilled to bring this empowering dance workout to women around the world!
- Hive Soul Yoga:Hive Soul Yoga is a community based business. Our goal is to create affirming + uplifting spaces that bring people together who may not otherwise have met. We know there is a need for collective healing for people of color, and our larger community. As a business founded and run by women of color, we know how oppressive ideologies threaten our collective wellbeing. Hive Soul Yoga offers people space + tools to thrive in the chaotic conditions we live in. We hope to combat the damage of oppression by building community based in joy, healing + our collective strength.
- Four Corners Yoga (Dorchester, MA): The mission of 4 Corners Wellness + Yoga is to support the Dorchester community and surrounding neighborhoods in taking charge of their health and well-being.
- first class free!
- 336 Washington St, Dorchester, MA 02121
- the FITT Pit (Hyde Park): The F.I.T.T. PIT is a results driven and energetic fitness and fat loss workout facility with programs that includes motivation, accountability, dynamic resistance training and boxing; all designed to get you the body that you want in safe, fun and non-intimidating atmosphere.
- free 7 day trial
- 695 Truman Parkway, Hyde Park, MA 02136
- Body Prime Fitness(Canton, MA): BodyPrimeFitness doesn’t just focus on cardio because we know you want to tone up. We don’t focus on just weights, we know you don’t want to get bulky, so we marry the two into a 60% Cardio 40% Strength split. This allows us to help you lose weight AND tone up. Not only that, the workout structure changes every day from circuit training, to crossfit style training, to tabata, to obstacle training, to boxing. This is exactly the change that keeps people excited to come back every day!
- 28 Draper Lane, Canton, Massachusetts 02021
Business
- The Urban Grape (South End): The Urban Grape is an award-winning wine, craft beer, and spirits store located in Boston’s vibrant South End neighborhood. They also do online orders – shop here!!
- Their website has one of the best (if not the best) user friendly interfaces I’ve ever experienced. You can shop by categories including “producers of color, female producers, as well as organic and biodynamic! AHHH!!!! EXCITEMENT LEVEL 100^n!!!!!
- I’m not going to lie, I really know nothing about wine. But if you’re a real fancy connoisseur, they do a Progressive Shelving system, which organizes wines by their body, rather than varietal or region. Progressive Shelving allows their staff to help you pick the perfect wine for your palate by encouraging you to explore regions, varietals, producers, and price points all while staying in your wine comfort zone. HOW COOL IS THIS!!
- 303 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA 02116
- Organic Bath Co: Clean and uncomplicated award-winning Organic Bath & Beauty products, because you deserve quality skincare. Order online or in select stores in 13 different states!
- I had the privilege of interning for Gianne and her team back in 2016(ish?) and assisted with the production of the W.E.L.L. Summit. She and Jay also encouraged helped me write this very in depth all natural deodorant post! You can products shop online here or in select stores. For a full list of where to find their products, check out this link. They can be find in both Cambridge Naturals locations, as well as Follain in Beacon Hill and the South End.
- You Good Sis: You Good Sis is a collective for black and brown women looking for a mental, spiritual and physical check in. We strive to define and a create a specific space dedicated to the wellbeing of women of color. We are most proud of the people who consciously choose to be part of the community and continue to show up. Co Founders, Rach Junard and Jaylee Momplaisir, are both RYT-200 instructors specializing in both vinyasa and yin yoga.
- Frugal Bookstore (Roxbury, MA): bookstore in Roxbury with the motto “Change Minds One Book At A Time.” You can also order online! Find their Go Fund Me here to show your appreciation!
- 57 Warren St, Roxbury, MA 02119
- Emanatee Essentials: Emanate Essentials was created with the one goal; to offer products with less junk and more GOOD. The products are cruelty free, naturally derived, phthalate free, low toxicity, palm-oil free, paragon free, recyclable/reusable packaged, and sustainably sourced. Doesn’t get better than that.
- You can shop online here. They also have something called Project Self Care, which aims to educate, empower, and encourage our community about wellness and self-care.
- Faith’s Naturals (Mattapan, MA): natural, pure, and effective products
- 1151 Blue Hill Avenue, Boston, MA 02124
- Lyndigo Spice (Dorchester, MA): all natural small batch chutneys, relishes, fruit spreads and spice blends
- Celeste (owner) had been cooking for years for family and friends who told me her should start a catering business. In May of 2006 she took the plunge and established Lyndigo Catering, inspired by her love for Ethnic food (especially Caribbean and Indian).
woman-owned, too! - available at Whole Foods Ink Block, Symphony, Hadley, and Medford. See all locations here.
- 196 Quincy St, Boston, MA 02121
- Celeste (owner) had been cooking for years for family and friends who told me her should start a catering business. In May of 2006 she took the plunge and established Lyndigo Catering, inspired by her love for Ethnic food (especially Caribbean and Indian).
- Brown and Coconut:Brown and Coconut skin care is crafted with distinct blends of powerful plants, botanical extracts, and clays that work in harmony to support our skin’s delicate balance. Founded by two Boston-based sisters who have suffered from acne and eczema, Brown and Coconut skin care is gentle on your skin, effective in tackling your skin concerns, and simply delightful to use.
To view a comprehensive master list, click here.
You can also view my friend and neighbor Christie’s list here.
I’d also highly recommend following @blackownedbos on Instagram!
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