Supporting and Celebrating Black Culture in St. Louis

St. Louis doesn’t just promote, but celebrates its Black-owned businesses and heritage, offering travelers more than a few experiences to support local Black entrepreneurs. Culinary experiences are an easy  one. Gourmet Soul Restaurant is reinventing traditional soul food in fun, innovative ways, while places like Turn are putting a healthy spin on comfort food. Pharaohs Donuts and La Patisserie Chouquette bring the sweetness with both local favorites and fancier pastries, offering curbside orders and – in Pharohs case – the occasional free afternoon giveaway! It’s not just culinary discoveries. Hospitality icons like Central West End Bed and Breakfast allow visitors to support Black-owned accommodations. A bit of yoga The Collective or art-based mindfulness at Shine In All Shades provide unique escapes all run by Black locals. Retail therapy is still a thing, supporting local businesses like the jewelry makers on display at Diversity Gallery or the authors sold at EyeSeeMe Bookstore. And while so much talk has erupted about tearing down and defacing statues, St. Louis is proud of its statues celebrating Black history, including Frankie Muse Freeman (Kiener Plaza), Harriett and Dred Scott (Old Courthouse), George Washington Carver (Missouri Botanical Gardens), and Ozzie Smith, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock and James Cool Papa Bell (Busch Stadium). Visits to the Scott Joplin House or the National Blues Museum will bring the sounds of some of the nation’s most iconic Black musicians to life. For more information and resources to plan your trip, visit: https://explorestlouis.com/