BlankSpace MKE

This is the magic of Milwaukee Black Resturant week!!!!

There is an art to preparing food. Chefs are culinary artists and Food entrepreneurs. We honor their gifts of feeding our bellies and making magic in the kitchen.

BlankSpace MKE believes in helping to support the sustainable business of all creatives.

Thank you MILWAUKEE for helping us curate a successful week!!!

Each year - we’ve been asked the question - what is the purpose of Milwaukee Black Restaurant Week. Let us share once more:

In 2016 - BlankSpaceMKE (founded by black women Symphony Swan-Zawadi & Bridget Robinson-Whitaker) launched a week dedicated to celebrating the entrepreneurship of our locally Black owned eateries and wanted to encourage the community to do the same. What began 8 years ago as a social experiment to see if patrons could realize the power of their dollars when we work together to support a unified mission is still one of the most exciting times of the year in Milwaukee for Black owned restaurants.

We do this every year at no cost to the restaurant owner. This has remained a grass roots effort to engage Milwaukee in building wealth in our community. We do not profit from this event.

Every year many of our participating restaurants realize significant sales increase (some almost doubling in daily sales), a surge in media attention and a boost of new customers from the week because of our social experiment.

Each year we research local black owned restaurants and INVITE THEM to allow us to include them in the project. With their permission, we use data collection from the week to demonstrate the effectiveness of cooperative economics and the significance of the local dollar to sustain businesses. Business approval is a requirement.

We then ask residents of Milwaukee to visit one or more restaurants on the list. Spend money! Eat good food. And document their attendance by “checking in” on social media using the hashtag and taking a photo of your receipt. We also ask that everyone will take the survey to share out about their experience at the end of the week. We track all of this data for our final community report.

Who are we?

BlankSpaceMKE is an urban art cooperative with a very basic principle of spreading the message about cooperative economics – build people to build unity to build wealth to build power! We operate as a virtual collective marrying the concept of art and activism. We were established in 2014.

Milwaukee Black Restaurant Week becomes an opportunity for us to demonstrate the power of cash mobs when strategically aimed at supporting minority owned businesses – specifically in this week – restaurants. We believe that by supporting Black Restaurants (and other Black local businesses) we can make a significant impact on strengthening communities and creating new opportunities for future entrepreneurs.

Though the title suggests a mere week of great eating, the platform has allowed black owned restaurants the opportunity to bring in new customers and raise awareness about social entrepreneurship. Milwaukee and surrounding area communities will be encouraged to support businesses and get to know the owners who manage the establishments.

For more information and to get involved next year- contact us at:

[email protected]
414.861.9115

We LOVE to see it!! 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾

Thoroughly enjoyed these lovely ladies

5 things to know and do the weekend of April 28 Celebrate Black-owned restaurants during Black Restaurant Week; shop from Black entrepreneurs at the “Spring Fling” vendor showcase; experience local music talent at Coffee Makes You Black; offer feedback on MPS’ five-year strategic plan; and buy local art at The Domes.

It’s FriYAY!!

Is it too early to talk about food?
Nope 👎🏽 😂

Milwaukee Black Restaurant Week 2023 has your plans for Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner! Treat the family, a friend, co-worker or even a neighbor.

For breakfast - head over to Kitchen located at 731 West Jackson Street. Watch it jumpstart your morning.

For lunch - head over to Crave BBQ located at 4923 West Fondulac. https://www.crave-bbq.com/menu

Or Big Daddy's BBQ and Soul Food located at 9201 West Capitol Drive

Or Grandma’s Hands located at 2721 North Blaine Place.

For dinner - SO MANY OPTIONS! Consider visiting or or Cream City Sports Bar

Check out the full lineup below ⬇️



Now here’s the real question - who are YOU supporting today?

BlankSpace MKE Tuesday April 25th - Sunday April 30th

Thanks Mayor Cavalier Johnson!!!

BlankSpace MKE Tuesday April 25th - Sunday April 30th

Thanks for the love!!! 🤎💪🏾

BlankSpace MKE Tuesday April 25th - Sunday April 30th