Lips Cafe
Photos by Curt Saunders
“I wanted to do more than the societal roadmap that's put out for you,” says Jamane Weekes, co-owner of Lips Cafe. “You go to college, which I did; you get a nine-to-five, which I did; then you go home and try to get some leisure time. I found myself looking for a way out.” Luckily, the East Flatbush native, 31, didn’t have to look far. His mom Donna, 54, had a bold entrepreneurial streak that he admired. Over the years she’d launched her own clothing line, tried real estate and even dabbled in DJing.
“I’ve always looked at her like, ‘Wow, you can really do anything you want.’” So Jamane left his marketing analyst job to join forces with Donna for a new venture. In November of 2019, the mother-and-son team opened Lips Cafe in Flatbush.
“Honestly, we learned everything on the go, and it took a community effort to get us here,” Jamane says, explaining that other Black businesses in the area, notably DaleView Biscuits and Beer and Brooklyn Perk, graciously helped them through the journey. Despite the learning curve, Lips Cafe — with its serious coffee drinks, rich decor evoking Paris, extensive menu rooted in the family’s Saint Vincentian culture, and an array of public events — has quickly become a neighborhood staple.
““We really get a kick out of someone getting, like, a bake and saltfish and a lavender rose latte.”
The already iconic Lips Cafe logo — a full pair of lips, gleaming and fire engine red — was originally the logo for Donna’s clothing and accessories line, Ethel Fashions. “I thought it was really cool and should’ve gotten more attention,” Jamane says.
The duo built the Lips Cafe design concept around it, incorporating red velvet chairs, a neon “Lips Service” sign, and the logo itself anchoring the space. Pulling the theme together with chic details, the cafe features a rotating display of paintings from local artists; rustic reclaimed wood paneling; more comfy seating in deep blue and green velvet, plus pops of yellow crocodile-embossed leather; and cascading pothos plants.
It’s a whole vibe and the perfect backdrop for a lingering lunch or work date, not to mention the cafe’s series of art showcases, comedy nights and other events.
Lips Cafe also sells its own merch (hoodies, tees, totes, clutches, trucker hats and mugs), as well as items from local makers, including candles, soaps and beaded jewelry. Jamane recalls a recent visitor telling him that he and Donna represent hope. “I couldn’t really understand what they meant — we’re not Malcolm X or Martin Luther King or anything like that,” he says. “But he explained it like, ‘You guys come from where we come from. You talk how we talk; you look how we look. It makes us feel like we could do this too.’”
You might think of cafe fare as baked goods and sandwiches, and that was the case when Lips Cafe first opened in 2019. “But this is Little Caribbean,” Jamane says of the cafe’s Flatbush location.
“The culture here is *so* Caribbean, and I listened to what people wanted. People would come in and say we don’t have no hard food; we don’t have no rice — so I let Mom know.” Donna, born and raised in St. Vincent, expanded the menu with her original recipes and made-fresh cooking.
The most popular item, hands down, is the bake and saltfish. Donna’s *perfect* iteration is a delicious combo of golden fried dough and saltfish sauteed with tomato, garlic and sweet peppers. But everything on the menu is seriously good. We also recommend the spice-kissed rice bowls with shrimp or curry chicken, served with creamy callaloo and sauteed cabbage (a vegan version is available too); the mango salsa salad with salmon; and the saucy fried chicken and waffles.
“But don't get it twisted; we're known for the coffee too,” Jamane says. “We really get a kick out of someone getting, like, a bake and saltfish and a lavender rose latte. Here you get two different worlds coming together.”
1412 Nostrand Ave, Brooklyn, 347-240-4439, Lips Cafe
