Many celebrities have gone into the restaurant business, either because of their love for food or because they are looking for another income source. From Ludacris to Issa Rae, here are eight Black celebrity-owned restaurants from across the country.
Black Celebrity Own Restaurants
Issa Rae: Somerville
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Co-founded by Issa Rae, Somerville is located in Los Angeles. It is a beautiful restaurant with a dark wooden interior including many plants and lights. The restaurant was originally inspired by Hotel Somerville, which was known as a place for black people to hang out and listen to music in the 30s and 40s. The menu has a variety of items including a collard green lasagna, braised short ribs, baked mac n cheese, and much more.
Pharrell Williams: Swan
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Pharrell Williams is a co-owner of Swan, located in Miami. The restaurant is on the upscale side, with an average of $100+ per person, and it serves European food. The restaurant interior has a color scheme of red and white with art on the walls, flowers on the tables, and unique chairs. It also has a bar and outside seating, which all have different vibes. Some items on the menu include tuna crudo, steak and fries, and pizza and pasta. According to Swan’s Instagram, there seems to be a variety of live entertainment events, so the place keeps customers on their toes.
Venus Williams: Jamba Juice
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Venus Williams is one of the owners of a franchise called Jamba Juice. She started a partnership with Jamba Juice in 2011, and has owned multiple locations since then. The menu includes smoothies, bowls, coffees, small snacks, and more. The company also caters, and has rewards programs that customers can sign up for to get rewards and additional perks.
Jay-Z: The 40/40 Club
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Possibly one of the most well-known celebrity-owned restaurants on our list is Jay-Z’s 40/40 Club. It started in New York in the Flatiron District, but eventually expanded to other places including Brooklyn, and Atlanta. Currently the only remaining location that is open is at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, but the New York location is said to be reopening at a new location in New York City. There is a bar at Brooklyn’s Barclay’s Center, but that’s not the full restaurant experience.
The interior of the 40/40 Club is very neat yet classy, with many couches for people to lounge with their friends and lots of golden-colored lights and TVs to keep the place lively. The menu includes wings, nachos, salmon dishes, sliders, and more.
2 Chainz: Esco Restaurant & Tapas
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With multiple locations including in Atlanta, Dallas, Memphis, and more, Esco Restaurant & Tapas is proudly co-owned by 2 Chainz. The menu consists of sandwiches, wraps, tapas, and other types of American comfort food. According to the website, the restaurant is perfect for company dinners and celebrations as the interior has multiple HD TVs for guests to see sports and special events, and a DJ booth for musical entertainment. They also cater and have opportunities for rewards and franchising.
Ludacris: Chicken and Beer
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Ludacris owns the restaurant Chicken and Beer located in the Hartsfield-Jackson Airport in Atlanta. Geniusly named after his fourth studio album, the restaurant an ode to his signature style. The food is relatively cheap, as people spend $20-30 on average. The menu mainly contains Southern comfort food including dishes such as chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, fried chicken collard greens with baked mac n cheese, and more. It’s a nice place to grab a bite to eat before heading onto a flight.
LeBron James: Blaze Pizza
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While LeBron James does not fully own Blaze Pizza, he has been an investor and endorser for the pizza restaurant chain since 2012. According to ESPN and other sources, his stake on the company is worth between $35 and $40 million. The menu includes a multiple options such as Blazin’ Summer Deals, 11 inch pizzas, Fast Fire’d Favorites, and more. There are many different locations in multiple states including 21 locations in Texas, 30 locations in Florida, 96 locations in California, and many more.
Nas: Sweet Chick
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Last on our list of celebrity-owned restaurants, Nas is a co-owner of the restaurant Sweet Chick, which has multiple locations around New York. The menu consists of chicken sandwiches, multiple options for chicken and waffles, chicken and fries, and more. It became so successful that by 2019, the restaurant was able to make its debut in London (Suitcase). Like some of the others on this list, Sweet Chick has the option for catering and franchising on its website.
