Black Restaurant Week Relaunches ‘More Than Just a Week’ Campaign

Black Restaurant Week has relaunched its More Than Just a Week campaign promoting Black-owned culinary businesses and professionals in Dallas and elsewhere in Texas. BRW started last Friday and is set to run through Sunday, March 26.

BRW was founded in 2016 by three friends who met while volunteering and serving in Houston, Warren Luckett, Falayn Ferrell and Derek Robinson. The friends started the week as a one-city food experience, during which participants could dine in or order from a number of Black-owned restaurants in the city.

From Texas, Colorado, Las Vegas and Arizona to Canadian cities like Toronto and Vancouver, the marketing and awareness campaign for the idea has grown to showcase over 1,250 Black-owned culinary businesses. Restaurants have seen an uptick in food traffic, which has converted into an average 15% increase in sales.
“The 'More Than a Week' campaign started last year as an effort to highlight the deep impact BRW has outside of hosting our traditional two-week campaigns,” Robinson said. “We have increased programming for restaurants this year, and we’re hosting our signature events such as Nosh, a culinary showcase highlighting caterers and restaurants with catering operations and our presence online. Companies can use our community calendar to show supporters what they have going on outside of their participating week.”

Local Black-owned businesses being featured this week will have events and menus showcased on the BRW website, and some will offer special deals and signature menu items. Below is a look at some local restaurants.

Chef Point Kitchen & Bar

5220 Highway 121, Colleyville

Chef Point has been featured on Food Network shows like Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives and has been covered by The New York Times, CNN and other outlets. Serving American cuisine in a casual setting, this spot will host a one-night-only Nigerian Pop-Up Dinner that includes a five-course meal for $71 on March 23.

Smokey John’s Bar-B-Que

1820 W. Mockingbird Lane

Family-owned and operated, Smokey John's, serves barbecue out of its Mockingbird Lane restaurant and also has a catering and concessions business at the State Fair. For BRW, Smokey John's is offering sandwich plates for $12.75 (15% off the regular price) with the choice of meat (except ribs) and two sides. The Smoke Deluxe includes the choice of any two meats, two sides, Texas toast or cornbread for $16.95 (15% off the regular price).

Uncle Wille’s Pies

305 N. Hampton Road, Desoto

Uncle Wille’s Pies is an award-winning, Southern-style boutique bakery that has served the community with made-to-order desserts since 1996. With the promo code "blackfoodie," patrons can receive 30% off any whole pie and cake, whole peach cobbler or banana pudding, whole cheesecake and mini desserts.

Reggae Wings & Tings

3315 N. Town East Blvd., Mesquite

We visited Reggae Wings and Tings earlier this year. For BRW this Jamaican and Caribbean restaurant offers a large Escovitch tilapia with two sides for $12.99 and 10 jerk wings for $10.

Cookie Society

9320 Dallas Parkway, Frisco

Cookie Society serves up some of the best cookies in North Texas. Life-changing cookies. For BRW the store has a Cookie Breakfast for $15.50, a four-pack with one honey butter biscuit, strawberry Pop-Tart, banana bread stuffed French toast cookie.

Other restaurants participating in BRW are OOOWWWEEE Wangz N Catfish in Fort Worth, Da Bomb Brownies and Savorite Southern Cuisine, which we visited and loved. These spots don't have specific specials detailed on their websites.