This story is featured in the May/June 2025 issue of ESSENCE.
Paris, the “City of Love.” I first fell in love with this city at the tender age of 7. My mom, who didn’t get to see the world as a child because her parents couldn’t afford it, wanted a different experience for her children. And what an experience it was. This trip would be the genesis of my love of travel; and even after touching nearly every corner of the globe as an adult, I still always find my way “home” to Paris.
What is it about the city that I find so enchanting? It’s a question I often hear—from some who scoff at the idea of yet another “soulless big city,” or from others who recount negative encounters they’ve had with rude Parisians. But if you go beyond the Eiffel Tower, you’ll find that the joy is in the magic of Black Paris: the people, the food, the neighborhoods, the culture—our culture—and oh so much more.
A Culinary Journey Through Black Paris
First and foremost: When I say the food is good, it’s really that good. I often say that the best fried chicken I’ve had in my life is in Paris—and it’s at none other than Gumbo Yaya Southern Kitchen, arguably the best soul food restaurant in the city.
Across Paris’s arrondissements (or municipalities), African and Caribbean restaurants create a gastronomic tapestry that reflects the city’s rich diaspora. Le Petit Dakar, for example, offers Senegalese delicacies that transport you directly to West Africa. Babylone Bis provides a fusion of Afro-Caribbean and French flavors that speaks to the complex history of cultural exchange—and it’s a celebrity hot spot, too.
There are many more: Mama Jackson, Osè African Cuisine, New Soul Food and Jah Jah by Le Tricycle are just a few additional options. In Paris, Black culinary entrepreneurs are finding new and unique ways to celebrate the global influence of African culture, transforming the city’s food landscape one plate at a time.
Historical Roots and Cultural Exploration
Paris has long been a sanctuary for Black artists, writers and intellectuals. The 1920s and 30s (and even decades later) saw a migration of Black expatriates who sought liberation from the racism of the United States. Jazz musicians like Sidney Bechet found not just acceptance but celebration, while writers like Richard Wright and James Baldwin discovered a freedom of expression impossible in their homeland. Ricki Stevenson’s Black Paris Tours offer a rich and unique cultural experience: Travelers explore the legacy of Black artists, gaining insight on how these icons helped shape the city. On one tour, for example, you’ll discover the bustling area of Little Africa—and take a shopping break at the hottest African Diaspora concept store in Paris.
Contemporary Black Paris
Today, Black Paris is not just a historical concept but a living, breathing cultural phenomenon. Neighborhoods like Barbès-Rochechouart and La Chapelle pulse with the energy of African and Caribbean communities. Art galleries such as 193 Gallery showcase contemporary Black artists, while the Musée du Quai Branly provides a profound examination of African and Indigenous art and cultures.
Festivals such as Afropunk, Africolor and the Fête de la Musique have also descended upon the city, becoming landmark events and drawing musicians, artists and culture enthusiasts from around the world. Over the summer, the HHLS Cruise offers an R&B cruise on the Seine River in Paris; it may or may not have been the site of my Parisian birthday party a few years ago. And with Paris almost synonymous with luxury, Black celebrities spend their days and nights at hotels such as the Ritz Paris, the Four Seasons Hotel George V, Shangri- La Paris and Hôtel de Crillon, a Rosewood Hotel. Each of these is a testament to the vibrant, evolving nature of the Black identity in the City of Love.