I probably have waaay too many apps. I am a collector. If someone recommends one, I grab it. If I read about one that might help me, I download it. Some have been crap. Some didn’t get updated. Some lost their tech support. Some just disappeared.

I should do an app audit every so often but I don’t and haven’t. Sounds like I need to schedule that, right?

One app that I use consistently as I plan my travels is EatOkra. I can’t remember how I found out about it but bless them! EatOkra lists black-owned restaurants by location, cuisine and type.

Before my FODMAP debacle, I used it to search for cuisine I couldn’t find in Birmingham. Sadly, Birmingham lacks a variety and diversity of dining choices. You can find lots of barbecue joints but no Bahamian restaurants.

Now I use it to coordinate my events and meals and then I search the menus to see if I can find or adapt something to eat.

So, why is EatOkra necessary? Because minority owned business don’t receive the attention and love they deserve. Not only that, they are often ignored by the local and national media. Word of mouth sharing is great but you can’t share what you don’t know ESPECIALLY if you’re a visitor. Having a repository of restaurant information is perfect for me because it saves me research time. I’d rather go to one place to find information than having to hunt all over the internet.

EatOkra is free and downloadable on all platforms. Even better, you can add a black-owned restaurant! I’ve only added one restaurant, but I tell restaurants owners I meet they should join. And they should!

Do you have a favorite travel app? Tell me, I’d love to add it to my list.