First-Ever Milwaukee Black Restaurant Week This Week

MILWAUKEE - Twenty restaurants around the city are taking part in Milwaukee Black Restaurant Week from Monday, April 17, through Sunday, April 23.

This is the first-ever event and organizers hope to bring the community together with food and showcase African American entrepreneurship.

Participating restaurants and dates are:

• Monday, April 17: Rise and Grind Cafe, 6007 N. Teutonia Ave.; Jizzle's, 4618 W. Burleigh St.; Skybox, 2213 N. Doctor MLK Drive.
• Tuesday, April 18: Mama Nana's, 7276 N. Teutonia Ave.; Pass Da Peas, 7870 W. Appleton Ave.; Something Smells Good, 8704 W. Brown Deer Road.
• Wednesday, April 19: Perkins, 2001 W. Atkinson Ave.; Dee's Elegance, 7420 W. Villard Ave.; Irie Zulu, 7237 W. North Ave., Wauwatosa.
• Thursday, April 20: Rise and Grind Cafe; Ashley's, 1501 W. Center St.; Chic Cafe, 770 N. Jefferson St.
• Friday, April 21: Perkins; Mr. BBQ, 5908 N. 76th St.; Daddy's Soul Food, 754 N. 27th St.
• Saturday, April 22: Coffee Makes You Black, 2803 N. Teutonia Ave.; Tony's BBQ Unlimited, 3510 W. Villard Ave.; Yummy's, 10250 N. Cedarburg Road, Mequon.
• Sunday, April 23: The Big Eazy, 2053 N. Doctor MLK Drive; Terry Lynn's, 10704 W. Hampton Ave.

All restaurants are in the city of Milwaukee, unless otherwise noted.

Blank Space MKE, organizers of the event, point out that while African Americans make up just 13% percent of the U.S. population, they will have a buying power of $1.4 trillion by 2019. They are hoping to put some of that money back into the black community while introducing foodies to new dining experiences.

No coupons are needed and restaurants will have their own specials. For more information and to take a survey to be eligible for prizes, visit Blank Space MKE's website.

To track the impact the event is having on the community, Blank Space MKE is encouraging patrons to take a picture of their receipt, post it on Facebook, Twitter at @blankspacemke, or Instagram, and tag Blank Space MKE with the hashtag #mbrw17. The group will then tally up the receipts to see how much money was contributed to the community.