Black History Month invites us to reflect on the people, places and traditions that shape our communities — and to recognize the entrepreneurs carrying that work forward today. Across the Northshore, Black-owned businesses contribute to the cultural fabric of St. Tammany Parish in countless ways, from food and wellness to agriculture and gathering spaces.
The businesses highlighted here are part of the region’s tourism landscape — places visitors and locals alike can experience firsthand — and they represent just one facet of the many Black-owned enterprises strengthening the Northshore year-round.
Cultivating Culture Community Garden
Founded in 2022 by Tyeena “Ty” Carter, an LSU Master Gardener, Cultivating Culture Community Garden began as a small garden club at John Slidell Park and has grown into a grassroots 501(c)(3) nonprofit rooted in the belief that access to fresh, healthy food is a basic human right. The organization empowers individuals to grow their own food while building stronger community connections through shared gardening experiences.
Through its community garden, food pantry, community fridge and free seed library, Cultivating Culture helps neighbors take control of their health and well-being. Workshops and gatherings such as "Paint, Plant and Sip" and "Terrarium and Sip" combine creativity with practical skills, all grounded in organic gardening practices that support the local ecosystem.
With an emphasis on sustainability, education and social equity, Cultivating Culture creates space for residents to learn, grow and connect — one garden at a time.
Creole Sisters Café & Catering
Chef Tara Williams built Creole Sisters Café & Catering from recipes learned cooking beside her mother, transforming family tradition into a thriving catering business in 2016. That same year, she won national recognition on Harry, hosted by Harry Connick Jr., for her crawfish and sausage pasta — a moment that introduced her Creole flavors to a wider audience.
In fall 2024, she opened her cozy 11-seat café in Slidell, where guests can savor Louisiana classics like filé gumbo, jambalaya and po-boys alongside specialties such as Sweet Chili Fried Ribs and Crawfish Boulette. Recently featured on the All The Waves podcast, Chef Tara continues to carry forward a culinary legacy rooted in family, resilience and bold flavor.
Cajun Blazin Wingz
Cajun Blazin Wingz brings contemporary Louisiana flavor to the table with more than 20 wing varieties and a menu packed with comfort-food favorites. Known for generous portions and bold sauces, the Slidell spot has built a reputation as a casual, energetic place to gather with friends over baskets of wings and house-made sides.
It’s the kind of neighborhood restaurant where flavor experimentation meets familiar comfort — a modern expression of Cajun heat and hospitality.
Brooks on the Water
At Brooks on the Water, Tyra Brooks serves up Southern and seafood favorites with a side of waterfront atmosphere. The menu spans from Yakamein and Fried Catfish & Grits to Buffalo Chicken Eggrolls and Drunken Wings, blending tradition with playful twists.
Open to guests 21 and older, Brooks offers more than a meal — it delivers a social dining experience shaped by music, conversation and the easy rhythm of South Louisiana life by the water.
B & B Generations
B & B Generations in Folsom lives up to its name with a menu centered on soul food staples that feel like Sunday dinner any night of the week. From butter beans with sausage and chicken and dumplings to gravy steaks, smoked brisket and okra with shrimp, the kitchen leans into dishes that comfort and sustain.
Hearty plates are followed by homemade desserts like banana pudding parfait, apple cobbler and sweet potato pie — the kind of finish that speaks to family tables and recipes passed down through time.
The Earthly Elephant & Purple Elephant Bath & Body
In Olde Towne Slidell, Alicia and Carmen Norman — a mother-daughter duo — have created a space where nourishment and wellness meet. The Earthly Elephant serves house-made vegan burgers, salads, soups, superfood smoothies, cold-pressed juices and seamoss, offering plant-based options rooted in intention and care.
Inside the eatery, Purple Elephant Bath & Body operates as a natural skincare and holistic wellness boutique featuring handmade products designed to support everyday self-care. Together, the two businesses reflect a shared philosophy: feeding the body and tending to the spirit under one roof.
BONUS: Alicia and Carmen shared their story on our All The Waves Podcast in our May 2025 episode, "Crafted with Care: Stories from Northshore Makers". Click here to listen.
More Black-owned Businesses to Explore
The businesses featured above reflect just one part of the Northshore’s Black-owned tourism community. You can explore last year’s Black History Month spotlight to read about restaurants and retail shops making waves across St. Tammany on our blog, Black-owned Tourism Supported Businesses in St. Tammany Parish.
For more Black-owned, tourism-related businesses across the Northshore, check out the list below. Supporting local businesses during Black History Month — and throughout the year — helps ensure these stories continue to grow.
Food & Restaurants
Crawford’s 1-Stop, Slidell
Da GM's Smoke & Soul BBQ Food Truck, Slidell
Pop's Café, Lacombe
Roots Plants + Coffee, Slidell
Suga Rose Coffee & Flowers Café, Lacombe
Willie's Taste of Soul. Saturdays at Mandeville Trailhead Community Market, Mandeville
Retail & Services
Black Flower Apparel & Records, Covington
Caribbean Island Mini-Mart, Slidell
Jackson's Essentials Soy Candles & More, Covington
Organically Wicked Candles & Tingz, Slidell
Spoil Me Rott’n Day Spa for Kids, Slidell
Nightlife
BURN Cigar Lounge, Slidell
Northern Lites, Slidell
Do you own a tourism-related business in St. Tammany Parish and want a free profile on our website? Email us at Explore@VisitTheNorthshore.com.
