Only Black-Owned Restaurant on New York’s City Island Receives Racist Hate Mail

Several minority-owned restaurants on City Island in the Bronx, N.Y., have received racist hate mail and flyers.

As of Monday, Nov. 7, the New York Police Department (NYPD) has not announced any arrests, per CBS News, though a source told the news outlet that the Hate Crimes Unit had identified a suspect.

Darryl Lelie, the owner of Seafood Kingz 2, said he found disturbing racial stereotypes in the form of a cartoon last week in his mailbox, Spectrum NY1 reported. The owner said he would file a formal complaint with local police and organize a rally with elected officials to speak out against hate.

“You get mad about it but that’s only creating more of a fire and desire in me to press on and be successful,” Lelie told the outlet.

Lelie opened his family-oriented seafood restaurant in the Bronx neighborhood in February, making it the first Black-owned restaurant in the area. His 21-year-old son, Dalvin, serves as the head chef, offering a variety of seafood options such as king crab legs, fried lobster tails, fish, shrimp, and more.

The Seafood Kingz owner, who has been in the restaurant industry for two decades, is not surprised by the hate mail. He told NY1 that his older customers would share stories on how City Island “used to be when they were growing up.”

“You couldn’t stay on this island past six o’clock or you would be confronted with racial tension or something,” he continued.

Caliente’s on City Island Avenue, another Black-owned business, was allegedly targeted, and Jewish-owned Archie’s Tap & Table reportedly contacted the NYPD with a complaint.

Little Frida’s Eatery, a family-owned restaurant that serves Mexican cuisine, also received hate mail within less than two months of opening. The owner, Nazareth Perez, said he received a white envelope with a stamp from New Jersey. It contained a flyer and what appeared to be a political cartoon with racist wording at the top.

“It was a little bit disappointing. It’s 2022 and no one should be making fun,” Perez said, per CBS News.