Elizabeth Freeman and Marva Gibson, her mother, had always dreamed of opening a chicken spot.
“I’ve cooked for almost all my life,” Freeman said. “I come from a family of cooks.” Her cousins, as an example, own G&G Steakout restaurants, which have a legacy dating back to 1980s.
Sadly, Gibson died in 2021, but Freeman kept moving forward with their vision. In 2024, she completed the yearlong Foodlink Career Fellowship, which provides people with the skills to succeed in mid-level culinary jobs.
Next, “Chef Liz” founded the Bougie Street Chef, a catering and meal prep company, using The Commissary downtown as her base of operations. “I just loved it,” she said. She found people were receptive to her food and she enjoyed the work.
When it came time to fulfill the original goal of having a restaurant, though, she decided she didn’t want to go it alone. Enter Jamihl Diaz, the second oldest of her four children, who had never worked in the food industry but agreed to take on the role of operations manager.
“We definitely wanted to be in the community I grew up in,” Freeman said.
Gibson had run a daycare from her home in the 19th Ward that Diaz and many family members had attended. He fondly remembers walking to the nearby corner store to get a beverage and a 25-cent package of Lemonhead candies and then heading to the Arnett Branch Library down the street.
As it turned out, the site of that former corner store, on a tree-lined corner of Arnett Boulevard and Rugby Street, was available. “We loved it,” Freeman said. “It was an empty spot. It was an open shell. It was gutted.”
It took 1 1/2 years to transform the space into Table 19, an intimate full-service restaurant. They had to build a commercial kitchen in an old building from scratch, learning along the way which equipment they needed (and didn’t need) and the kind of power it would require.
“Starting any business has its ups and downs but restaurants are tough,” Diaz said. “There were definitely financial hardships along the way.”
Now, two large windows flood the space with natural light. It has seating for 45 people and a bar that seats four. A wall in the back of the restaurant pays tribute to chefs – most of them Black women – who have inspired Freeman.
The restaurant’s name is a nod to the 19th Ward neighborhood, but 19 also happens to be Freeman’s favorite number. She also had read that the number represented God. “I thought it just fits,” she said. “This is not a coincidence. This just fits too well.”
The menu at Table 19 spans Southern and Caribbean culinary traditions, with dishes well-seasoned with Freeman’s own “bougie seasoning” blend.
In the first few weeks of operation, its hearty Gullah Geechee Plate has been a best seller. Tender baked chicken with crispy skin is served with traditional Gullah red rice, cornbread as well as two sides.
Classic sides include candied yams; rice & peas; coleslaw; corn; fries; collard greens; red rice; cabbage; cornbread; roasted broccoli; and mac & cheese. “The mac and cheese is a killer,” Diaz said. “Everyone tells me the mac and cheese is to die for.”
Yardtail turkey, another popular dish, is turkey prepared like oxtails; drums and wings are chopped into pieces and cooked low and slow with a savory gravy and vegetables and served alongside braised cabbage and cornbread.
Among the island offerings are pollo guisado, a flavorful braised chicken stew served with a side of mofongo.
Fridays feature fried fish and Saturday brings traditionally prepared Southern oxtails. A kid’s menu is offered.
Beer and wine are planned for the near future. Until then, the restaurant offers mocktails, sweet tea and house lemonade.
Freeman and Diaz have been encouraged by the support they’ve received from the nearby community, with Sundays bringing waves of people from nearby churches.
“So many people are so happy,” Diaz said. “It makes us happy to make them happy and do something that’s beneficial for all of us. It is a business, but it’s a business where we’re doing something for us and our community. It feels good.”
That the business represents a culmination of a dream that started with his late grandmother makes the months of hard work even more worthwhile.
“It didn’t have to die with her,” he said. “My mom continued that dream for her sake and her mother’s sake. I know my grandmother would be very proud of that.”
If you go
Table 19 is at 366 Arnett Blvd. in Rochester’s 19th Ward. It is open 2 to 10 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday and noon to 5 p.m. Sunday. It is closed Mondays. A discount is offered for cash payment. To order takeout call (585) 319-3495. Find a full menu at table19roc.com.
Accessibility: Parking is available on the street. The restaurant is wheelchair accessible and has a large accessible unisex bathroom. Most of the tables are standard height.
Tracy Schuhmacher covers Rochester’s food and drink scene. Notice something opening or closing in your neighborhood? Send tips to tracys@gannett.com.
This article originally appeared on Rochester Democrat and Chronicle: New Rochester restaurant brings Southern, Caribbean flavors to 19th Ward
Reporting by Tracy Schuhmacher, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Tracy Schuhmacher, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle | USA TODAY Network
