Black entrepreneurs can be found all over the world getting to the bag. No matter where you might go, you never know where you’ll run into a Black-owned business. However, without question, you definitely will.
When it comes to Black-owned brands and businesses, restaurants serving authentic cuisine from the African diaspora are highly sought out by travelers from all walks of life. Whether it is delicious jerk chicken and soul food or fresh fufu served with peanut butter stew, Black cuisine was birthed from many different flavors, styles, and countries. While there may not be a ton of Black-owned restaurants in Wales, here are a few to check out the next time you visit the Welsh side of the United Kingdom.
Le Mandela
Located in Cardiff, Le Mandela is an African restaurant started by three brothers. The restaurant aims to showcase the beauty of African cuisine and believes it is often overlooked. However, the brand continues to serve traditional dishes with an elevated touch while staying true to the recipe’s authenticity. The menu includes a variety of contemporary African dishes like smokey, grilled mutton, egusi, and okra soup.
- Location: Cardiff
- Type of Cuisine: African
- Menu Spotlight: Ntaba (grilled goat meat)
- Before You Go: Le Mandela was created to showcase the beauty and heritage of African cuisine to food lovers in the UK.
Afro Lounge
Afro Lounge is exactly where travelers should go in Wales to immerse themselves in authentic Nigerian cuisine. The pub-style restaurant and lounge serves an array of menu items and drinks all centered around traditional Nigerian food. It’s the perfect place in Wales for eating, drinking, and engaging in African food culture.
- Location: Cardiff
- Type of Cuisine: Nigerian
- Menu Spotlight: Seafood Okro (a classic West African seafood soup)
- Before You Go: The chefs at Afro Lounge work hard to ensure the quality and flavor of the dishes served represent the wholeness of Nigeria’s culinary culture.
Up A Yard Jamaican Cuisine
While it may be hard to find African-American soul food in Wales, there’s no better place to go for a taste of Jamaican soul than Up A Yard. The restaurant has won multiple awards including the TripAdvisor 2023 Travelers Choice Award and the Best World Cuisine Award from the Wales Food Awards. Up A Yard Jamaican Cuisine is the place in Wales where soul food and rum punches meet good energy. There are plenty of island vibes to go around, steel drum performances, and authentic Caribbean food for travelers looking for tropical cuisine in the streets of Wales.
- Location: Holywell
- Type of Cuisine: Jamaican
- Menu Spotlight: Jerk Beef Burger
- Before You Go: Up A Yard is an award-winning restaurant and has been recognized by TripAdvisor and the Restaurant Guru.
West Bakes Cookies
Although West Bakes Cookies’ storefront has limited hours, from noon to 5 p.m. Thursday to Sunday, these treats can also be delivered fresh to your hotel when in Wales and throughout the UK. Husband and wife duo Lewis and Yaz West created the cookie business when they couldn’t find the perfect New York-style cookie in the UK. Their persistent sweet tooth led them to start the business that now delivers fresh, hot-baked goodies right to doorsteps throughout Wales and surrounding areas. They offer a variety of unique cookie boxes full of delicious, homemade treats.
- Location: Online Delivery
- Type of Cuisine: New York Style Cookies
- Menu Spotlight: The Stuffed Box
- Before You Go: West Bake Cookies now has a storefront location in Sutton that is open from Thursday to Sunday. However, you can still have them delivered right to you in Wales.
Although Wales doesn’t have a ton of Black-owned restaurants, the few there are strong and mighty. These chefs, entrepreneurs, and bakers represent the reach of the diaspora’s culinary influence in Wales. Inspired by their representative backgrounds and traditions, these restaurants are creating a new culinary legacy in the UK.
