Tupac-Inspired Café to Open in New York

Tupac Shakur’s legacy lives on in many ways. His music continues to make a Hall of Fame impact, his life is being turned into a feature film, and now, his dream café will open for a limited time in New York.

The late rapper’s estate has announced plans to turn Lower East Side’s Sweet Chick into Powamekka Café, a restaurant concept that Shakur came up with prior to his tragic death in 1996. It will be open to the public from April 7-9 at 178 Ludlow St. in the icon’s home state.

Tom Whalley, the estate trustee, said it will bring ‘Pac’s notebook sketches to life. “Tupac’s creative vision was limitless. He was constantly working on ideas and plans that reached far beyond music and film,” he said. “One of the things he was extremely passionate about was opening a restaurant; he even sketched out plans and a concept for a menu. We are proud to bring Tupac’s Powamekka Café to life.”

As Whalley mentioned, Shakur wrote about this concept in one of his famous notepads. Over the course of three pages, Makaveli dubbed it “a passionate paradise 4 people with power 2 play and parlay.” He also called it “the perfect hideout 4 those who wish 2 escape the worldz cold reality.”

In his sketches, ‘Pac said that his café would offer “southern and creole food from generationz of recipes and traditions.” According to Billboard, this version of the restaurant will feature some of ‘Pac’s favorite food, including meatloaf, gumbo, and his cousin Jamala’s fried chicken wings.

A one-day only Powamekka Café opened to huge crowds in Fresno back in September of 2016. It offered Brenda’s Baby-Back Rib Burger, a California Love Chicken Sandwich, Hennessy Apple Butter Wings, and Thugz Passion drinks.

The New York Powamekka Café will be open April 7-9 at 178 Ludlow St.