‘A long time coming:’ Black restaurateurs in Albany honor Juneteenth

To learn more about the Capital Region’s inaugural 518 Black Restaurant Week commemorating Juneteenth, go to www.518blackrestaurantweek.biz/

 

See MoreCollapse

“If I didn’t have something, I would get it from my neighbor across the street. If my neighbor across the street didn’t have dinner, they knew that someone was cooking a pot of stew at a certain place that evening,” the New York City native recalled. “We want to keep that energy here.”

Julien is the co-founder of the Good Religion Grill, a Caribbean soul restaurant that opened this past January at 28 N. Third Street in Albany. She is one of many Black business owners participating in the Capital Region’s inaugural 518 Black Restaurant Week commemorating Juneteenth, which marks when Texas residents finally learned that enslaved African Americans were emancipated in the United States — two years after President Abraham Lincoln enacted it in 1863.

Good Religion will join other participating restaurants in offering a $35 prix-fixe menu, as well as dine-in and take-out specials, from Monday, June 19 to Sunday, June 25.

For Julien, the holiday is a way to celebrate her heritage and ancestors, whom she described as being “ingenious” when it came to how they shared food. It’s also a time to honor family members who taught her that food is not only a language of love but also a powerful mechanism for change, like her grandmother who started a program that fed children in South America and her father who would cook for their inner-city community out of her childhood home.

As part of the weeklong event designed to bring awareness to the area’s diverse food scene, Good Religion will be promoting Black culture and serving a special menu of classic Caribbean dishes and soul food favorites. Guests can expect “good music, good energy and great food,” Julien said.

She encourages community members to come out and try some popular dishes, including the oxtail, cornbread and “Rasta Pasta,” a Caribbean spin on a traditional Italian dish. “Supporting all businesses is important, but specifically supporting the first county-wide Black Restaurant Week is just to be a part of history,” she said.

In downtown Cohoes, a quaint tea studio on the corner of Remson Street serves up aromatic beverages with a side of self-care. But as part of this week’s Juneteenth celebration, the shop’s distinctive collection of teas will also be paired with a full-service food menu.

“I really want to showcase that tea is for everyone and highlight it to the Black community,” said Chocolate is Self-Care owner Glory-Anne Jones.

Jones, a Capital Region native, launched her tea company online in 2021, combining her love of tea and chocolate to create her flagship blend made with the hulls of cacao beans. After gaining a loyal following at farmer’s markets and local events, she expanded to brick-and-mortar at 159 Remsen St. last November.

“Tea sometimes can be so serious…you have to fit a certain way and hold your tea a certain way,” Jones explained. “We bring new life and fun into tea and we’re going to carry that over to our dinner that we’re going to have.”

The tea shop will be serving up fare that pairs perfectly with its proprietary steeped drinks, including tea salad sandwiches and infused scones with whipped butter. Specialty teas sourced from Kenya and South Africa will also be showcased to pay homage to African culture and ancestry.

Described as blends that “charm the mind, refresh the body and delight the soul,” Jones’ teas are steeped with purpose and passion. She said guests can expect to “go home with an experience of tea that is not just sugary, sweet and lesser quality.”