La Case Paulette. photo: Vitaly Soroka.
Celebrating and empowering Black communities should not just be limited to Black History month, but this is a good time for us to reflect on how we as individuals can help dismantle institutionalized racism in the spaces we occupy.
To keep the conversations surrounding the Black Lives Matter movement from 2020 alive, it’s important to continue to do our part in uplifting BIPOC communities going forward. One way you can do so from your own home is by supporting Black-owned businesses and donating to community organizations. Needless to say, any contribution is particularly valuable during these times due to the negative financial impact of the ongoing pandemic.
To get you started, here is our curated list of Black-owned shops, restaurants, and organizations for you to get to know. Make a donation, share their pages on your social networks, enjoy a delicious takeaway meal or find your next favorite clothing item from our guide below.
This list was put together with the help of Black Brown Berlin. Check out their interactive map for a more comprehensive list.
RESTAURANTS
Bejte-Ethiopia
Bejte-Ethiopia has been gracing Berlin with its Ethiopian cuisine for 21 years now. With a cozy Ethiopian-inspired interior, Bejte has a wide selection of colorful dishes and also holds traditional coffee ceremonies. Make a reservation or order online. Bejte-Ethiopia also offers catering and vouchers you can give to your friends. They are located at Zietenstraße 8, 10783 Berlin-Schöneberg.
photo: Bejte-Ethiopia
Schwarze Heidi
Jeniffer Mulinde Schmid is a Ugandan-Kenyan actor, comedian, and restaurateur who grew up in Switzerland and is also the name behind Schwarze Heidi, the place to go for all things Swiss food. On their menu you can find traditional Röschti, cheese fondue and Toblerone mousse. The restaurant also offers Swiss tapas, which they’ve nicknamed “Schwapas.” They also have an online shop where you can order an entire cheese fondue set that even includes a tablecloth, flowers, and cherry schnapps, perfect for an indulgent evening at home. You can find Schwarze Heidi at Mariannenstrasse 50, 10997 Berlin-Kreuzberg.
photo: Schwarze Heidi
Bantabaa Food Dealer
Cooking up Gambian food in Kreuzberg, Bantabaa offers a variety of rice dishes, finger food, and plenty of fried plantains. This place is also great for those wanting vegan and vegetarian options. Bantabaa is also currently using single-use packaging for their deliveries, so check them out for a waste-free takeaway meal. They are located at Wrangelstraße 82, 10997 Berlin-Kreuzberg and you can also find them on the Wolt and Lieferando delivery services.
photo: Bantabaa Fooddealer
Massai
A fine-dining African experience with a warm atmosphere, Massai serves dishes from Mali, South Africa, Ethiopia, Eritrea and more. The diverse menu offers delicacies such as minced meat dumplings and – for the adventurous foodies – even ostrich meat. There are also vegetarian options. Massai’s positive ratings complement its friendly staff and decorative interior. The restaurant currently only does delivery Friday through Sunday, but it will surely be worth reserving a table there when it opens up again. Massai is located at Lychener Str. 12, 10437 Berlin-Prenzlauer Berg.
photo: Massai
Revolution Burger
Revolution Burger is a one-man food truck with raving reviews, some of them claiming it serves “the best burgers in Berlin.” The burgers are combined with delicious ingredients such as blue cheese, aioli, braised onions, and mushrooms. You can find Revolution Burger in various locations throughout the week. Mondays at Hermannplatz, Tuesdays at Rathaus Schöneberg, Wednesdays at Alice-Salomon-Platz, Thursdays at Waldsassenerstraße, and Saturdays at Südstern.
SHOPS
Pamplemousse Lingerie
Pamplemousse Lingerie sells handmade lingerie created from sustainable materials. They have a wide range of shapes and sizes, colors, and textures. As you can see from their Instagram page their romantic and sultry lingerie is for all bodies, and they have recently started making lingerie for people with penises. You can contact them via the email address on their Instagram to make an order.
photos: Pamplemousse Lingerie
La Case Paulette
Run by sisters Anne-Cécile and Audrey Picardo, La Case Paulette is a French fashion retailer and cultural center featuring clothing, jewelry, art, and home decor created by selected designers and artists. The Picardo sisters’ vision is to represent a more multicultural image of France – as it says on their website “no, French culture does not stop at the borders of Paris.” The store features clothing made from sustainable and environmentally-friendly materials, and the designers and artists are mostly women.
Biki John, Anne-Cécile and Audrey Picardo, photo: Vitaly Soroka
photos: La Case Paulette
Le Magass
Your next favorite vintage and second-hand store, Le Magass offers unique pieces curated by Afro-Polish designer and musician Mavin Magassouba. On his blog, Magassouba has described the style of his store as “80s disco chic and 90s rave lifestyle,” inspired by his love of upcycling and his African and Polish roots. Made for all genders, the eclectic fashion of Le Magass certainly catches the eye. Le Magass is located at Reuterstrasse 59. 12047 Berlin.
photo: Le Magass
Ncosi Apparel
Ncosi Apparel was created by Melly Lenka and Buti Sekhalanga from Germany and South Africa, respectively. They design and create vibrant clothing made from Shweshwe, a South African printed fabric. Offering an array of gorgeous prints and patterns, they currently specialize in children’s clothing and three-layered face masks – perfect for these current times. Ncosi Apparel’s vision is to introduce more African print options in children’s fashion, as well as bringing more color to their community.
photo: Ncosi Apparel
Kashkats
Working on your fitness? Kashkats is a fitness apparel brand selling combat-heavy resistance bands perfect for lower body exercises at home. On their Instagram page, they also offer workouts you can follow along with and nutrition tips. From time to time they also have giveaways. Kashkats will be expanding its range to include more fitness apparel and accessories in the future.
photo: Kashkats
COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS
AfroPolitan Berlin
Launched in 2016, AfroPolitan Berlin offers workshops, business coaching, seminars, and networking opportunities to help empower Black people, people of the Afrodiaspora, and their surrounding communities. While many of their projects focus on business and entrepreneurship, AfroPolitan Berlin also provides resources for overcoming crises as well as psychosocial discussion groups. It is a place for people to exchange ideas, develop their identities and celebrate their cultures.
Each One Teach One
Each One Teach One opened its doors in 2014 as a neighborhood library and has now expanded to include a wide variety of resources for Black communities. The library is at the heart of this organization and presents literature written by people of African origin addressing topics such as Black history, colonialism, and racism. A large part of their work focuses on children and young people, organizing youth travel, cultural events, workshops, and counseling. Pointing to the lack of access to education during slavery and colonialism, Each One Teach One highlights the importance of sharing knowledge among Black communities.
photo: Each One Teach One
BIWOC Rising
BIWOC Rising aims to empower women*, transgender and non-binary people. BIWOC Rising addresses the fact that the coworking scene that has bloomed in Berlin in recent years has mainly been designed for the privileged among us. These coworking spaces have also contributed to gentrification that disproportionately affects marginalized groups such as the working class, immigrants, BIPOC communities, and others. BIWOC Rising focuses on creating a safe space for intersectional communities who face discrimination, offering mentoring, workshops, seminars, and networking opportunities.
MyUrbanology
Run by two Afro-German women Steph and Alina, MyUrbanology is an online platform for Black communities, featuring job postings, recommended reading, spaces to connect, information for families, and a directory of people who provide various services. After noticing posts on social networks written by Black people searching for Black experts such as doctors, lawyers, actors, and more, Steph and Alina decided to create the MyUrbanology directory where the community is welcome to post their services for a small monthly fee. My Urbanology also accepts donations via email.
photo: My Urbanology
Black Brown Berlin
Founded by Femi Oyewole, Chanel Knight, Rhea Ramjohn, and Tristan Littlejohn, Black Brown Berlin highlights and celebrates BIPOC excellence throughout the city. Providing thoughtfully curated digital content, Black Brown Berlin informs, connects, and serves Berlin’s inclusive black and brown community. Their paid services include seminars, workshops, digital marketing, and a job board directory, and they also accept donations.
photo: Roger Sabaté
