A selection of empanadas from Alotta Empanadas.
The Capital Region is hosting its inaugural 518 Black Restaurant Week to promote and celebrate minority-owned businesses with a series of dine-in and take-out specials at reduced prices.
Earlier this month, the Albany Common Council declared the week of June 19, or Juneteenth, as 518 Black Restaurant Week in Albany going forward. Juneteenth is a federal holiday that celebrates the emancipation of enslaved black people in the United States.
The event will take place from June 19-25 and some participating restaurants will offer three courses for $35. The week-long event kicked off Saturday to celebrate Father’s Day and Juneteenth at the Blake Annex in the Kenmore building in Albany. Jamilla Adams, founder of the celebration and owner of Johnnie’s on Broadway in Albany, said she hopes the week will bring exposure for the restaurants and draw in new customers.
“It’ll expose people to a new culture, to taste our food and what soul food is all about,” Adams said. “We’re all stables in our community and there’s so many different places to try. We all cook differently, we’ll put love in our food, as well. You don’t always have to drive up to 30 minutes to get soul food – soul food places are right here, where you can come in, eat and enjoy yourself.”
One participating restaurant is Allota Empanadas on Altamont Avenue in Rotterdam. Rashee Watuz opened her restaurant right before the COVID-19 pandemic and managed through the economic downturn for restaurants and many other businesses. She has now been open for three years and serves more than 170 flavors of empanadas, which are made fresh daily.
Watuz said their flavors range from basic beef and chicken to a banana cheesecake-caramel swirl empanada.
“If I’m not mistaken, I’m the only black woman minority on Altamont Avenue in Rotterdam. It’s just mainly myself and my family that run the business,” Watuz said. “The objective was to do something different. I had actually wanted to open up a soul food restaurant, but my fiance gave me the idea to do something different, so I decided to do empanadas.”
Watuz added she was scheduled to close the business for repairs, but decided to postpone in order to participate in the week-long event.
“I think it’s a great idea,” she said. “It gives us the opportunity to have exposure, especially for people who don’t know that we exist. I’ve been open for three years and there’s still people who don’t know that Allota Empanadas exist.”
Adams said many black-owned businesses do not have the funding for ribbon cutting ceremonies or marketing and one of this event’s goals is to help bridge that gap.
“I’ve learned about funding for people like myself that I’m going to share with other restaurant owners, because none of it was ever shared with me and hopefully now we can get the same support other restaurants have begun with,” she said. “We need many Black-owned restaurants to get this exposure persistently, not just for one week.”
Some of the participating restaurants include:
- Johnnie’s on Broadway – 1278 Broadway, Albany
- Allie B’s Cozy Kitchen – 353 Clinton Ave #3102, Albany
- Sugafoots Soul Kitchen – 165 Madison Ave. Albany
- Juice Factory – 501 Broadway, Troy
- Irie Vybez – 313 Central Ave Albany
- Chocolate is Self-Care – 159 Remsen St., Cohoes
- Good Religion Grill – 28 North 3rd Street, Albany
- Blowin Smoke – 335 Central Ave, Albany
- Nellys Treats – 190 Remsen St., Cohoes [pre-order only]
- Alotta Empanadas – 1309 Altamont Ave, Schenectady
- Tastee Tias – South Troy
- Juices Forever – 69 Central Ave, Albany
- Great Exbaketations – inside Johnnie’s on Broadway this week
- Keobi – 189 Lark St, Albany
- Organa Juice Bar – 433 River St, Troy