How Boozie Brunch is putting Bay Area restaurants on the map

OAKLAND, Calif. - Social media influencer Novi Mitchell, the creator of Boozie Brunch, has the inside scoop on the best places for mouthwatering eats— and she’s also serving up opportunity.

The Black Bay Area food vlogger uses her platform to put mom-and-pop restaurants on the map.

"I’ve been to over 2,000 restaurants," Mitchell said.

Her Boozie Brunch Instagram page, which boasts 146,000 devoted followers, is more than just a curated feed of delicious meals. Plus, the Oakland native’s bubbly online presence is the real deal.

Deeper than followers

What they're saying:

Mitchell didn’t stumble into food vlogging — she’s always been a foodie. But with so many hidden gems in the Bay Area, she just had to share them with her community.

In 2016, she launched Boozie Brunch.

"Since I was a kid, I always wanted to go outside and go to cool restaurants," she said. "My husband we would always go on little food journeys... The Bay area (wasnt) getting the best press and I wanted to showcase a different side."

Those food adventures have ripened over the years. In Boozie Brunch’s early days, she posted sporadically, but in 2023, she made a choice to ramp things up—posting more frequently and growing her audience.

Today, her Boozie Brunch community is thriving, and it’s open to everyone.

"I really want people to go on a food adventure with me. That’s what it’s all about," she said.

Scroll through her feed, and that adventure will take you everywhere—from Lil Sista’s Goody’s, a family-owned soul food spot in Napa, to RÊVE, a Michelin-rated French bistro in Lafayette.

"I can connect the dots—I can be the bridge between restaurants, organizations, businesses, and the culture of the community. That’s why I’m doing it," she said.

Despite building a loyal online following, many don’t realize that Mitchell dedicates her weekends to creating content all while holding down a full-time job at Microsoft during the week.

‘I’m juggling'

Dig deeper:

"This is a hobby. I do have a career, so I’m juggling," she said.

Go beyond the eye-catching Instagram videos— Boozie Brunch is a space that celebrates diversity, casting a light on Black-owned eateries

"I feel like there's a lot of opportunity to represent different cultures, different backgrounds," she said.

For Samara’s Southern Creations in Oakland, business was steady before Boozie Brunch featured the restaurant. But after Mitchell raved about the deep-fried waffles with peach cobbler butter and the house skillet cornbread, things took off.

"From the very next seating, we've been like booked and busy. She's been a huge impact on our success," said owner Sarah Earring. "It hasn't slowed down. We still have reservations that are fully booked. We still have lines."

That impact? It’s called the Boozie Effect.

"Great energy, nice vibes, good music, and cocktails — emphasis on the good cocktails," Mitchell said.