Congrats to Jay Foster, Matthew Washington, and Erin Traylor for getting ISLA VIDA AFRO-CARIBBEAN GRILL open in the Fillmore District—they just did a trial run over the weekend! Boom.
Isla Vida will be open again this Wednesday, serving up wood-fired meats like jerk rotisserie chicken, tostones, Cubanos, and made-to-order churros. Chef Jay Foster says, “”With Isla Vida, we explore the next chapter of soul food, through the African diaspora in the Caribbean. We even custom-made a wood-fire grill for the kitchen. Cooking on an open fire lets us prepare the food the way our ancestors did.”
To recap, this black-owned business took over the former Black Bark BBQ space, and they’re interested in hiring people from the Fillmore neighborhood (as they say in a press fact sheet: “Training and mentoring is an integral part to the Isla Vida mission and vision of bringing Black-owned businesses back to the Fillmore neighborhood.”).
They are offering a fast-casual experience, and intend to run their own delivery service. Hours will be Wed-Sun 11am-8pm, with plans to open at 10am on the weekends for brunch soon (there’s outdoor seating too!). Welcome to the neighborhood! 1325 Fillmore St. at Ellis.
Jay Foster doing his magic at Isla Vida. Photo: Melissa de Mata.
