Black Restaurant Week: Rise and Grind Cafe

BUFFALO, N.Y. — Buffalo is highlighting Black-owned restaurants in the City of Buffalo. It's part of Black Restaurant Week. Monday is day two of the event. Channel 2 visited the Rise and Grind Cafe. Operations manager Chantell Wilson says every day is a grind. 

"It's exciting, exhilarating, but it's constantly running," says Wilson. 

Like the cafe's name, Rise and Grind Cafe. Wilson says when they opened three months ago, folks are constantly stopping in for a made-to-order meal. 

"The biggest thing for me is when I go somewhere, and I spend my money, I can not stand for anybody to have an attitude or be upset with me because I'm ordering," says Wilson. 

So when she started in the restaurant, customer service became her main priority. The Rise and Grind Cafe is one of the 40+ restaurants participating in Black Restaurant Week. Its purpose is to highlight black-owned restaurants in The City of Buffalo. Monday marks day two of the week-long special. 

"It's not about you spending money for us; it's about your experience," Wilson says. 

Other participating restaurants include:

1.  FruitLady
2. Mike’s Steak Joint
3. Cake Crazy Bakery
4. At Eleven Wings & Cuisines
5. Miss Goodies
6. Park Vue Restaurant & Bar
7. Ike & BG’s Restaurant
8. Juicey Quartz Juice Bar
9. Jukebox Bar & Grille
10. Big Mama’s Hustle & Soul
11. Rise & Grind Café
12. Margie’s Soul Food
13. Guud & Evul Vegan Eats
14. Golden Hour Treats & Things
15. Solo Eats
16. Sunshine Vegan Eats
17. Sweets Lounge
18. Jackson Soul Food
19. Brothers Restaurant & Bar
20. BeeSweet Cakery
21. The Juice Lounge
22. Sweet to the Belly
23. A Taste of Soul
24. Phat Catz 
25. Sweet Assassin
26. Dr. Bird’s Rasta-Rant
27. Yamama’s Kitchen
28. Lloyal’s Famous Lasagna with a Touch of Soul
29. CEO Kitchen
30. Jeonis Wing Stop
31. Pudgy Potatoes
32. Carine’s Caribbean Cuisines
33. Top Class Eatz
34. Freddy J’s
35. Pandora’s Sports Bar & Restaurant
36. Buffalo Plant Burger
37. Crenshaw’s Chicken and Waffles
38. Je Ne Sais Quoi
39. Luxor Steak & Lobster
40. Buffalo Kitchen Club
41. The Rose Bar & Grille
42. Kalypso Restaurant
43. Pine Hill Halal Market
44. MAC Lady Catering, LLC

This event leads up to the Juneteenth weekend.