The Diaspora Dinner series at Ida B’s Table is a special treat at this soul food restaurant, named after the African-American investigative journalist Ida B. Wells of the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Having this new, stylish establishment serving a soul food cuisine is almost special enough, but having an exclusive menu in a private dining room with just 40 people, interspersed with explanations from executive chef David Thomas is truly an experience in culture and heritage. The menus at these periodic dinners explore the ways traditional African food evolved into Caribbean and American recipes. This particular event in late August was in honor of the 1619 anniversary of the first slaves coming to America, 400 years ago, and it was highlighted on NPR.
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| Main Dining Room |
Being newsworthy is in this restaurant’s heritage. Its namesake, Ida B. Wells, was a former slave who became an intrepid journalist, anti-lynching crusader, women’s rights activist, and civil rights pioneer in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Also, the restaurant is a venture of the Baltimore-based Real News Network, which is housed in the same building.
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| Chef David Thomas |
Update: Unfortunately, Ida B’s announced in early April 2021 that it was closing permanently.