Founded in 2016, Black Restaurant Week is dedicated to celebrating the flavors of African-American, African and Caribbean cuisines nationwide.

After creating Black Restaurant Week in Houston, founders Warren Luckett, Falayn Ferrell and Derek Robinson wanted to impact more Black-owned restaurants nationwide. So, they dedicated one week to each region, including the Midwest, Southwest and Southeast.

Black Restaurant Week showcases participating Black-owned restaurant menus and products through promotional campaigns and adds them to a directory, to introduce them to a national audience.

Since its founding, Black Restaurant week has supported more than 600 Black-owned restaurants. Last year, participating restaurants reported they had an uptick in sales, followers on social media and overall brand awareness.

The 10-day Midwest showcase, which kicked off on July 23 and runs through Aug. 1, celebrates Black owned restaurants and focuses on their road to recovery after the pandemic.

Kansas City has more than 60 participating restaurants including Gate’s Barbecue, Blue Nile Café, Fannie’s West African Cuisine and KC Daiquiri Shop are offering a special Black Restaurant Week menu. For a full list of participating restaurants, visit their website: https://blackrestaurantweeks.com/midwest-directory/.

And follow their Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blackrestaurantweek.

There is a chance for customers to win prizes while dining at Black Restaurant Week restaurants. Visit https://blackrestaurantweeks.com/midwest-directory/ for more information on how to win.