Aliya Huey Is Behind One Of Brooklyn’s Buzziest Restaurants

Aliya Huey. Photo by Flo Ngala.

Did you know that out of nearly one million restaurants in the U.S., only about eight percent are Black-owned? And get this—less than one-third of one percent of all American restaurants are owned by Black women. Let that sink in.

As we celebrate Women’s History Month, we’re giving these trailblazing women in the culinary industry their well-deserved flowers! Join us for the She Did That.‘s Queens of the Food & Beverage Scene series in partnership with MadameNoire.

To kick things off, we’re serving some serious inspiration with Aliya Huey, co-founder of Aliya in Brooklyn, New York. Located in Williamsburg, the speakeasy-like den offers a relaxed ambiance, a welcomed reprieve from the rowdy scenes around New York City.

The tapas-style menu by Chef and Partner Scotley Innis showcases dishes such as Lamb Shank Pot Pie, Plantain Fries, Oyster Mushroom, and Lobster Tostones. The Cocktail Den offers an innovative selection of signature cocktails crafted by renowned mixologist Mike Haze like the sweet and sour Bonita Applebum made with Cognac, apple juice, lime, maple, torched rosemary, and cinnamon.  

Source: Karston Tannis / Karston Tannis

Stay tuned as we shine a light on women who are pouring into our community and cooking up success, one delicious dish at a time!

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MadameNoire: You’re relatively new to the restaurant scene in New York City, recently celebrating Aliya’s one-year anniversary—congratulations! What motivated the expansion of your entrepreneurial journey to Brooklyn?

Aliya Huey: Brooklyn is home. I’m a Brooklyn girl through and through, so it’s only right that my first namesake would be in my hometown. I’ve also always been drawn to hotels so our restaurant is housed within Hotel Indigo. This is where my career really took off and hotels are an intersection of where people connect, escape, or just feel taken care of. That’s the experience I want for Aliya’s guests.

March is Women’s History Month and there’s so much to celebrate. When you reflect on women who have paved the way for you in the culinary space, which name immediately comes to mind and why?

Sadly, because there aren’t many women of color in hospitality and restaurants, it’s tough for me to pick just one specific person. However, running a restaurant requires so many skills that I didn’t know I needed. I find inspiration from women who share their wisdom. I read a lot and right now, I’m reading What Mommy Never Told You by Erica Pittman, and one quote from her that resonates with me is: “You don’t have to be perfect to be successful, you just have to show up, and show up with a plan.” This is helping me right now because ironically, every day I question my success.

Beyond the unique menu offerings, what experience do you want guests to have when they walk into Aliya? How do you ensure that every detail aligns with this vision?

I want them to feel like they’re in my home, comfortable, relaxed, and completely at ease. Imagine me making cocktails, food is being prepared for you, Janet Jackson and Q-Tip playing in the background, Game of Thrones on the TV, coffee table books scattered around, and candles are lit. It’s all about the vibe, where you can just enjoy the moment and feel like you’re a part of something special. Every detail in Aliya is meant to make you feel like you’ve walked into my living room.

What impact do you hope Aliya will have on the culinary world, and how do you want to be remembered as a woman in the industry?

I don’t want to reinvent the wheel, I want to create simple yet dope experiences. Dining out with friends needs to feel natural, effortless, and unforgettable. I aim to make people feel at home while offering exceptional food and atmosphere. I hope to inspire others, especially women and people of color, to build spaces where food is the center of our celebrations.

Restaurants have the power to bring people together. What are your earliest memories around the table growing up and how do you cultivate a sense of community through Aliya?

I went to boarding school in the hills of Jamaica in the West Indies and everything was done together; breakfast, lunch, and dinner, sitting around long communal tables. My grandparents had five daughters, and my mother was the only one to have children. She had two daughters, my sister and I, and my sister has a daughter. So, we’re a family of eight women. We would spend a lot of time together especially during the holidays, watching TV, just being in each other’s company. That’s the feeling I want to create at Aliya, where everyone feels like they’re part of the family.

Source: Karston Tannis / Karston Tannis

What was your biggest obstacle getting Aliya off the ground and how did you overcome it?

My biggest obstacle was funding. I didn’t seek loans or government programs, and I didn’t go out to investors. Everything was done in-house. It was exceptionally hard because I knew exactly what I wanted Aliya to feel and look like, and I had to find a way to make that happen. Great friends who had faith in my vision supported me with their credit cards and that definitely helped. It required a lot of personal sacrifice, smart budgeting, and a whole lot of patience.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received along the way that you’d like to share with women who are inspired by your journey?

The best advice I can give is just to start. Often, we wait for the perfect moment or for everything to fall into place, but if you don’t start, it will never happen. Even if it feels messy or imperfect, just start. Another is to always have someone on your team who knows finance. It’s a game-changer, and I’ve learned that the hard way. My last piece of advice is to avoid comparing yourself to others. There’s a line in the poem “Desiderata” [by Max Ehrmann] that says, “If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.” I try to follow this rule every day. 

Join She Did That. and MadameNoire on April 6th in New York City for Queens of the Food & Beverage Scene. Shop, sip, and experience best-selling dishes from some of the most popular Black women-owned restaurants in the industry. Click here for tickets and additional information!   

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