After seeing the party bus/food tour concept in other cities, Bev Freeman began working on one for her community in San Diego that she hopes will feel like a familiar get-together — a solid connection centered around food and drinks from Black chefs and Black-owned restaurants. “I like to explai n it as it really feels like a mobile family reunion. Even though we’re intentionally centered around Black culinary culture, the experience is really designed for everybody,” says Freeman, founder and CEO of Taste Black—San Diego Food Tour. “I want people to know that if you appreciate amazing food, community, and celebration, they’re definitely welcome.” Taste Black — San Diego Food Tour is a curated culinary tour highlighting restaurants in San Diego County that are either owned or led in the kitchen by Black restauranteurs and chefs. Starting with their kick-off tour on Jan. 24, 2026, up to 30 guests will board a party bus traveling to four to six restaurants over four to five hours. They’ll meet the chefs and owners, have food and drinks along the way, and connect with other food lovers in the community. Freeman, 46, is also a senior talent acquisition partner and program manager for a health care organization and lives in Mira Mesa, which is where she grew up before moving to Atlanta and Tampa, Fla. for a number of years, and then returning to San Diego. She took some time to talk about the role food has played in her own family, and making a point of sharing the work and stories of other Black folks in San Diego through these food tours. Q: Why was Taste Black something you wanted to start? A: Quite honestly, food has always been central to my life — we’re talking about family gatherings, church events, celebrations, everyday connection. I grew up surrounded by incredible cooks, especially my mom. Her cooking kind of brought people together and what those moments around the table kind of taught me, early on, is that food is more than about just eating; it’s about love, it’s about culture, it’s about connection. When I moved back to San Diego, I became aware of how many highly skilled, talented Black chefs exist right here in San Diego. We’re kind of always saying that there aren’t any experiences for us, but there are a lot of people out here who are producing amazing food, and I don’t really think they receive the recognition that they deserve. That’s really why I started it. I thought it would be a great time, I thought it would be like a family reunion sort of vibe with all different people from all walks of life on the bus, just interacting with each other, coming together. Q: You’re a San Diego native? How would you describe your experience growing up here? A: I was raised in Mira Mesa. I went to elementary school, middle school, high school here. Mira Mesa is a very culturally diverse neighborhood, so it was a great experience. I was very much exposed to different cultures, different traditions, different foods, and I really think that diversity kind of shapes my palate, my worldview, and just gave me a deep appreciation for food because it connects people across communities. Q: How would you say that your experience growing up here, and living here now, have informed the creation of Taste Black SD? A: Growing up in a culturally diverse San Diego neighborhood, and returning as an adult, kind of made it clear to me that our stories aren’t told enough, especially the Black culinary experiences. At the same time, San Diego thrives on diversity, so Taste Black reflects the spirit of creating an experience where people from all backgrounds can come together, through the food, to experience the food and uplift the Black culinary scene here in San Diego. Q: What’s been your process for finding Black-owned restaurants and places with Black chefs heading up the kitchens? A: It’s been very community driven, so a lot of referrals, a lot of research, a lot of social media discoveries and finding out which chefs follow other chefs, reaching out to them, building relationships, having them make introductions for me. Also, just cold calling restaurants, sending lots of DMs (direct messages), lots of emails going out to the restaurants explaining what we’re doing. The response has been overwhelmingly positive. So many of the chefs and owners have expressed how meaningful it feels to be intentionally celebrated and supported. It’s been really inspiring just to see the excitement and the pride around creating something that kind of uplifts the community. Q: Why does it matter that your focus is on Black restaurants in San Diego? Why is this important to you? A: I think it’s important to highlight because, again, I feel like not enough exposure is given to these restaurants. I feel like it’s such a diverse area here. Growing up in San Diego, there’s so many different cultures, including to try I feel like there’s a huge I don’t know if I want to say this on record, but San Diego pretty much very well known for its Mexican food, but there are other, you know, racist culinary gyms to discover here in San Diego besides that. So I really wanted to bring awareness to that. Q: As a San Diego native, what are some places where you/your family used to love to go eat? And where are some of your favorite places to eat now? A: The OG spot, Huffman’s Barbeque ( Catering) used to be one of our favorite restaurants; Imperial Fish Market, I used to go there a lot; Lou Bora’s, which was a Cajun/Creole restaurant that was in San Diego in the late ’90s. Really, really good, delicious food, and I actually worked there as a server and cashier when I was in high school.Now, it’s definitely all of the restaurants that are on the tour — Surf Soul Spot, Coops West Texas BBQ, Caribbean Taste, Moms Chicken and Waffles, Louisiana Purchase, Flavors of East Africa, Coco Maya. Q: San Diego is known for its food scene; how would you describe the food and restaurant culture here? A: We have incredible diversity that’s influenced by many, many cultures. That’s one thing I really love about San Diego, that there’s so much creativity here. I think there’s still room to more intentionally highlight underrepresented communities and not just the Black culinary scene, but I think that Taste Black fills that void and helps do exactly that. ...read more read less