Check out these soul food restaurants
If you're looking for some good soul food in these six cities, we've picked out a few Black-owned places worth a visit.
One of the greatest joys in life is finding good soul food. Good food can bring everyone together, and it can be a warm comfort when you need it. So theGrio has compiled a list of Black-owned soul food places in six cities.
And since food is meant to be shared, please let us know about any good places we missed!
Nashville
Silver Sands Café: If you’re looking for family recipes that warm your heart as well as your stomach, look no further than the Silver Sands Café. Folks there have been making soul food for over 50 years, with recipes that have been served by three generations in the restaurant. It’s a family-owned restaurant, which means you know those recipes have been treated with care.
Kingdom Café & Grill: Not only does this café have good soul food but it’s also using the business to give hope to others. Run by a pastor, this soul food place is willing to hire people who need a job to get on their feet. And Pastor Howard Jones makes sure he uses fresh ingredients at the Kingdom Café & Grill.
Chef Tam’s Underground Café: You might have seen Chef Tamra Patterson on the Food Network, where she was a winner on celebrity chef Guy Fieri’s “Guy’s Grocery Games.” Patterson is now working on spreading her fusion of soul food and Cajun food to “every state where her family may have been owned,” according to her website.
Atlanta
Busy Bee Café: Travel Noire declared Busy Bee Café the best soul food place in the state of Georgia – and for good reason. This restaurant has been around since 1947, and having hosted civil rights leaders over the years, it’s a little piece of history in Atlanta, with good food, too!
K & K Soul Food: If you’re craving soul food at any time of the day, you can always swing by K & K Soul Food. It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, so you’ll always be able to find that homestyle taste you’re looking for.
Old Lady Gang Southern Cuisine: This restaurant was founded by “The Real Housewives of Atlanta” star Kandi Burruss. She named the place after her mother and her two aunts, who taught her about good food and whom she affectionately calls the “old lady gang.”
Dallas
Ella B’s: Sometimes, soul food needs to be an entire experience, not just a table and some food. That’s why Ella B’s will often provide live entertainment on Friday or Saturday night. You can fill your soul and your stomach at the same time!
Savorite Southern Cuisine: This restaurant is known for its fried catfish, but you should really give everything on Savorite Southern Cuisine’s menu a try. It’s the perfect pick for catering, too, if you’re looking to give your wedding or family reunion some homestyle love.
Chicago
Soul Veg City: If you’re looking for a vegan option to satisfy your soul food cravings, Soul Veg City is where it’s at. The chefs and staff have been serving plant-based food for over 40 years and the owners have even had to expand their restaurant to keep up with demand.
Soulé Chicago: Bringing the warmth and flavor of New Orleans to Chicago, Soulé Chicago has been serving the community since 2017. It even sells its own brand of seasoning so you can bring that taste to your dinner table if you can’t get a reservation.
Luella’s Southern Kitchen: Back in the 1940s, a woman named Luella moved to Chicago from Mississippi, and now her great-grandchild is serving her homestyle soul food to the community. Check this place out for a true family feeling.
New York
Black Nile: Not only is the food served by the Black Nile delicious but everything is halal. This restaurant is run by a Black couple who are Muslims. The husband and wife, who say on their website that they are “city kids with southern roots,” serve seafood and soul food at Black Nile.
The Soul Spot: People have their own take on soul food, and The Soul Spot has added a Caribbean twist to the menu that makes it stand out. The restaurant has been offering dine-in as well as catering services to the area since 2003.
Sylvia’s Restaurant: We couldn’t possibly make a list of soul food places in New York City and not include Sylvia’s Restaurant. Founded in 19620 by Sylvia Woods, the “Queen of Soul Food,” this famous restaurant has played host to celebrities and political leaders alike.
Los Angeles
Dulan’s Soul Food Kitchen: Adolf Dulan, the founder, rose to fame as the face of a different restaurant, Aunt Kizzy’s Back Porch. But in 1999, he established a soul food kitchen that continues to offer LA residents amazing food and a great atmosphere.
Souley Vegan: If you’re looking to find the soul food experience and taste but want more vegan-friendly options, Souley Vegan has you covered. The owner, Tamearra Dyson, has been a vegan for years, and she knows how to prepare good vegan options without sacrificing taste.
Fixins Soul Kitchen: Founded by Kevin Johnson, a former NBA All-Star and former mayor of Sacramento, this kitchen touts its “Black Excellence” in selections, setting and service. It all started when Johnson missed home-cooked meals while traveling with the NBA, and it’s grown from there.
Hopefully, this list will whet your appetite for finding a place to sit down and enjoy a good meal. That place might become a local favorite you can go back to again and again, or it might be the perfect place to stop while you’re traveling and looking for a little taste of home.
Eat well!
