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Black-owned eateries in Eugene Beyond Black History Month, continue supporting Black-owned businesses through these local restaurants, food trucks and coffee shops. BY EM CHAN• TWITTER @CATCHUPTOEMILY Tony Brown has owned and operated Tony’s BBQ for over 20 years. Tony’s BBQ is open for business and enforcing safety precautions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant can be found on Highway 99 in Eugene, Ore., Feb. 24, 2021. (Madi Mather/Emerald)
Black History Month brings awareness not just to the Black activists and leaders who have had an impact on the country, but to the individuals and organizations in our local communities as well. It may just be one month long, but supporting Blackowned initiatives must be something we do year-round in order to make a difference. One of the overlooked spheres of Black influence is in the food industry, so I set out to find the Black-owned eateries in Eugene. From superb soul food to traditional African food and more, here are the businesses you can support.
Equiano Coffee Since 2013, Equiano has been selling specialty coffee that’s roasted in Eugene. Its coffee beans are single-variety and sustainably sourced from small farms in Colombia, Brazil, Guatemala, Vietnam and beyond. Okon Udosenata, owner and coffee roaster, has won numerous awards for his coffee roasting. The location also has a tasting room for patrons to try different roasts, but due to COVID-19 restrictions this space remains closed. You can buy coffee grounds online and in-person.
BBQ by Tony Tony’s has been serving Texas-style barbeque in Eugene since 1997 and continues to serve the classics. The restaurant has won dozens of awards for its amazing signature dishes. From beef brisket, tri-tip and pulled pork to BBQ chicken meals or sandwiches, there’s something hearty on the menu for any meat eater. If you’re just looking for its signature sauce, you can purchase a one-gallon jug of it.
IRIE Jamaican Kitchen As the only Jamaican food offered in Eugene, Irie’s flavorful dishes are something you shouldn’t skip. It is family owned and operated, and you can find its food at the Saturday Market, its cart on 13th Avenue or you can order catering. The food is flavorful and a great value with large and filling servings. One of the restaurant’s standout offerings are its fried plantains, which are sweet and melt perfectly in your mouth.
Makeda’s Cuisine Eugene’s first Ethiopian and Eritrean food truck is Makeda’s Cuisine, a humble
cart that opened up in October. Paolos and Eden Kid, the food truck’s owners, wanted to introduce the community to Ethiopian and Eritrean food. Ethiopian and Eritrean food are very similar, with only a few ingredient differences due to varied climates between the two countries. If you’ve tried Addis Eithiopian, you’ll definitely enjoy the slight differences that Makeda’s offers — plus, Makeda’s serves sambusas: crispy, triangular shaped, fried pastry pockets filled with savory filling.
Noisette Pastry Kitchen Noisette Pastry Kitchen is a classic stop for anyone with a hankering for bread or pastries for breakfast. Known for its breakfast pastries, the restaurant usually sells out of them before noon. Noisette sources many of its ingredients locally and serves and sells Equiano coffee as well. From bread and traditional European pastries to custom order cakes, Noisette has something sweet (or savory!) for any and everyone.
Once Famous Grill Situated in the BeerGarden, Once Famous Grill has been run by Keith Lewis, former Ducks football and NFL player, since 2016. Serving food with “a southern flair,” staples of the food truck include deep fried seafood and sandwiches. From classics like surf & turf, deep fried shrimp and catfish, to foot-long philly cheesesteak, cheeseburgers and more, you’ll definitely be hooked on the high quality and large proportions of every order.
Stewart’s Soul Fusion This soul fusion food truck opened in mid-August, serving both classic soul food with — you guessed it — a twist. The eatery has a rotating selection of barbeque sandwiches and traditional soul food including mac & cheese, candy yams and cornbread. It has “Soul Sundays” every weekend when they serve Soul Plates, with patrons choosing one protein and two sides. For right now, some other eateries have chosen to remain closed because of the pandemic. These include the Taco Intrusion food truck, One Bad Dawg food truck and Straight Outta Soul Food, which is in the process of renovating its brick and mortar. One Bad Dawg is hoping to reopen in the spring if conditions have improved, while Taco Intrusion and Straight Outta Soul remain closed indefinitely.
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