These 10 businesses in Topeka have special deals for Black Restaurant and Food Truck Week

Keishera Lately, Topeka Capital-Journal
·4 min read
Owners of Hook & Que food truck, Millie and John McMurray, hand out a customer's order Monday afternoon. The food truck was Monday's featured restaurant for the Topeka Black Restaurant and Food Truck Week.
Owners of Hook & Que food truck, Millie and John McMurray, hand out a customer's order Monday afternoon. The food truck was Monday's featured restaurant for the Topeka Black Restaurant and Food Truck Week.
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Topeka is celebrating the last full week of Black History Month with the love of locally cooked meals.

Black Restaurant and Food Truck Week started in 2021 through Warehouzz Management, Chris Ware's event and artist management company. Now in its third year, Ware said it's vital to keep the tradition alive for the Topeka community and restaurant owners.

"I just want to keep encouraging our Black restaurants and food trucks to get out there and be seen a little more," said Ware.

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All customers interested are encouraged to ask for a "2023 or a 785 special" Each special may include a particular meal that food truck and restaurant owners have created for the week or a $7.85 meal. Each weekday is designated for a specific restaurant or food truck.

"That's one big thing that I hear in Topeka a lot is that we don't support each other," said Ware. "So, this event is just to encourage us to support each other and other races to support us as well. It's not just for Black people. It's for everybody."

What restaurants and food trucks are on the week lineup?

Hook and Que started the week on Monday in the front of Laces, 250 S.E. 29th St, with fish, chicken and shrimp meals. Owner John McMurray said business was steady.

"February is Black History Month," McMurray said, "so we're trying to support local African-American businesses, or any business for that matter."

Hook and Que began operating in the middle of last year.

"It's important for myself as a Black business owner and other Black business owners to get out in the community and try to give back to the community," McMurray said.

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The schedule through Sunday is as follows:

  • Smokin H's BBQ, owned by Harrison Mitchell, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday will be at 305 S.E. 17th St. Smokin H's menu items feature chicken and beer brauts, full and half slabs of baby back ribs, pulled pork and more.

  • JLG Mexi Q, owned by Jeremy and Sylvia Guerrero, from 1 to 8 p.m. Tuesday will be in the parking lot of Laces, 250 S.E. 29th St. JLG Mexi Q offers "traditional smoke with a Mexican twist" with such menu choices of fajita bowls, brisket nachos and others.

  • SoulFire Food Co., owned by husband-and-wife duo Tim and Ambroja Watson, at 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday will do business from their storefront, 2512 S.E. California Ave. SoulFire Food Co. offers unique dishes like Indian tacos and taco burgers.

Soul Fire Food Co. will be cutting up meats and sides as one of the featured restaurants and food trucks for the Topeka Black Restaurant and Food Truck Week.
Soul Fire Food Co. will be cutting up meats and sides as one of the featured restaurants and food trucks for the Topeka Black Restaurant and Food Truck Week.

  • Shopper's Kitchen, owned by Sylvia Hopper will offer breakfast services from 7 to 9:30 a.m. and lunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Wednesday at 4140 S.W. Huntoon St. Hopper offers waffle and sausage meals, baked chicken sandwiches and more.

  • HotDog & Smoothie Shack, owned by Haley Lovelace and Charles Steele, will have their storefront, 5938 S.W. 17th, Unit 400, open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Thursday. The HotDog and Smoothie Shack opened late last year offering such smoothie flavors as Hawaiian Blast and Strawberry Colada, along with signature HotDog flavors like New York Dog and Down South Dog.

  • Smokey Dunks, owned by Duncan Lee, from 5:30 p.m. until sold out Friday will be in the lot next to Wild Horse Saloon, 3429 S.W. Topeka Blvd. Customers can find smoked buffalo and chicken tacos, rib tips, smoked turkey legs and more on the menu.

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  • Flavor Wagon, owned by Tre'Jor and Sarah Hopkins, from 4 to 11 p.m. Friday will be in the parking lot of Happy Basset Brewing Co., 6044 S.W. 29th St. It will offer chicken frites, flavored wings and street tacos.

  • Kononiatouch African Cuisine, owned by Millicent Opoku, from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday will be at Forest Park Retreat Dining Hall, 3158 S.E. 10th St. It will have such authentic African dishes as jollof, tilapia, fufu with chicken or vegetable soup, fried plantains and more.

  • Nanny's Soul Food, owned by Shavonn Smith, will take call-in orders at 785-383-9883 Sunday until they're sold out. Nanny's Soul Food menu items includes gumbo and Smith's "heart attack fries."

Opoku said she often goes to Kansas City to eat, so she's excited to bring it home with Kononiatouch African Cuisine.

"That is why this Black History Month, I want to introduce it to the people, to our community, for us to know that we have an authentic African food place coming from our own roots," she said.

Keishera Lately is the business reporter for the Topeka Capital-Journal. She can be reached at klately@cjonline.com. Follow her on Twitter @Lately_KT.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Topeka restaurants, food trucks offer deals for Black History Month