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In an age where fast-food chains partner with artists and celebrities establish franchises, it’s increasingly common for rappers to venture into the food industry. Numerous musicians have names inspired by culinary delights — think of Salt-N-Peppa, cupcakKe, and Ice-T. Cooking holds a special place in many people’s hearts, whether it’s through cherished Sunday dinners or the simple meals needed during tough times.
Eminem’s concept eatery, Mom’s Spaghetti, takes its cue from his iconic track “Lose Yourself,” which also serves as the anthem for his semi-autobiographical film, 8 Mile. As the name implies, the menu features everything from straightforward spaghetti to pasta and meatballs sandwiched between Texas toast. In a similar vein, Ludacris’ Chicken + Beer reflects elements from his fourth album, showcasing items that celebrate his Southern heritage, such as shrimp and grits, catfish, and collard greens.
Rap-Up compiled a selection of artists who have launched their own dining establishments. Ranging from expanding franchises to fresh new ventures, here’s a glance at 10 rapper-owned restaurants that deserve your attention.
1. 2 Chainz’s Esco Restaurant and Tapas
Known primarily for his music, 2 Chainz has also established himself as a successful entrepreneur. The creator of “I’m Different,” he is behind Esco Restaurant and Tapas, which began franchising after resolving a lawsuit with Pablo Escobar’s family. Launched in 2016 with Mychel “Snoop” Dillard, Esco now has locations in Memphis, Dallas, Columbus, and throughout Georgia. The diverse menu includes tapas, seafood, and traditional Southern comfort food like Cajun salmon and collard greens.
In an interview on “Assets Over Liabilities,” 2 Chainz remarked, “I prefer to call this more of a vibe or a lounge because while we serve excellent food, we also offer other stimulating elements such as music, TVs, and fantastic drinks.”
2. Bun B’s Trill Burgers
In 2023, Bun B took his smash burger brand to new heights by opening the first physical location of Trill Burgers. The restaurant features popular selections such as the OG Burger — which also has vegan alternatives — that first gained traction at pop-up events. Since its inception in 2021, Trill Burgers has gained immense popularity, drawing in celebrity fans like Drake, DJ Khaled, Ludacris, Busta Rhymes, and fellow Texan Travis Scott.
“When these burgers entered my life, I was like, this is it,” Bun B shared on REVOLT’s “Drink Champs” in 2023. “This is what I’ve been longing for all my life. I haven’t experienced anything quite like this since probably Hip Hop, my wedding, and now this.”
3. Eminem’s Mom’s Spaghetti
Inspired by the legendary lyric from Eminem’s “Lose Yourself,” the themed Mom’s Spaghetti eatery launched in 2021. Originally a pop-up since 2017, it was created in tandem with the rapper’s team and a local Detroit restaurant group. The menu offers deliciously simple spaghetti options — plain, with meatballs, or with vegan “rabbit balls” — and s’ghetti sandwiches, all priced under $15. For those unable to visit its brick-and-mortar site in downtown Detroit, Mom’s Spaghetti also provides pasta sauce and merchandise for purchase online.
Lil Baby and restaurateur Chad Dillion, who tragically lost his life in a shooting in July, co-founded The Seafood Menu Restaurant & Lounge in Atlanta. Although it shut down in January, its website showcased delectable dishes like fried catfish and various seafood boil selections, alongside seven unique sauces, ranging from Caribbean jerk butter to hot honey and garlic butter.
5. Ludacris’ Chicken + Beer
Roughly 13 years after his fourth album, Chicken – N – Beer, hit shelves, Ludacris named his restaurant in its honor. With two locations at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Atlanta and Los Angeles International Airport, this eatery serves up a variety of delights including crispy fried chicken, shrimp and grits, and side dishes like mac and cheese, dirty rice, and collard greens. Notably, this isn’t the “My Chick Bad” hitmaker’s debut in the culinary scene; he once owned a Singaporean venture in Atlanta called Straits.
6. Moneybagg Yo’s Cache 42
Cache 42 opened its doors in April 2023, marking Moneybagg Yo’s first entry into the restaurant industry in his native hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. The establishment serves upscale dishes such as oxtail egg rolls, lamb lollipops, tomahawk steak, and a surf and turf option. Daris Leatherwood, a former personal chef to Lil Wayne, oversees its culinary endeavors.
7. T.I.’s Trap City Cafe
After a prolonged three-year journey, complete with various obstacles, T.I. successfully launched his Trap City Cafe. Located adjacent to the rapper’s Trap Music Museum in Atlanta, the venue offers brunch, lunch, and dinner with a diverse menu lineup.
8. Quavo’s V12 Restaurant & Sports Bar
Alongside co-owners Vinny and Kelan Watson, Quavo launched V12 Restaurant & Sports Bar to revitalize the dining and sports bar experience in Atlanta. According to its reservation site, this venue aims to be a “new classic and staple for both locals and visitors alike.” Starters consist of fried popcorn shrimp, lobster bites, and spinach dip, while main courses range from seared salmon and beef short ribs to various chicken meals. Quavo’s restaurant also boasts an impressive roster of celebrity endorsements: Latto, Megan Thee Stallion, Ari Fletcher, and even Lana Del Rey, with whom Quavo worked on “Tough.”
On choosing to collaborate with Vinny and Kelan, the rapper candidly discussed with REVOLT, “It felt organic. They are amazing partners, and I’ve always visited their other places — like Sovereign Sweets — that they’ve created, and I wanted to be part of it.”
9. Flavor Flav’s Flav’s Fried Chicken
In January 2011, Flavor Flav partnered with Iowa restaurateur Nick Cimino to bring Flav’s Fried Chicken to life; however, the venue closed its doors mere months later. Given that the New York rap icon attended culinary school, expectations were high, yet the business aspect proved challenging.
When queried about how his restaurant stood apart from chains like KFC and Church’s Chicken, he noted, “The secret of FCC lies not in the breading, but within the meat. I always season my meat first […] If you were to remove the breading from my chicken, the flavor would still stand out.”
10. Trick Daddy’s Sunday’s Eatery
Trick Daddy’s Sunday’s Eatery offers the experience of Sunday meals any day of the week. Nestled in his hometown of Miami, the restaurant features a menu packed with Southern delights, including fried ribs, turkey wings, pork chops, and Cornish hen. The rapper has ensured that his sides are noteworthy as well; offerings include candied yams, peas and rice, sweet corn, and macaroni and cheese.
They even offer blue banana pudding, which TikTok food critic Stefan Johnson described as “sweet but not overwhelmingly sweet. It’s creamy, almost as if they soaked the Nilla Wafers in a special mixture.”