Soul Food Headquarters-Collard Green Cafe

Billboard on US 78 Directs Diners to Great Soul Food.Photo byDown South Today

By Doc Lawrence

“I was born to cook,” says ebullient James Paige, and as the old saying goes, “it ain’t bragging if you can back it up.” Paige, whose Collard Green Cafe has been a fixture in the Atlanta region for many years, is quite comfortable with his current location on busy Mountain Industrial Boulevard next to Sam’s Club.

I stopped by after Church service recently and joined a packed house of diners feasting on fried chicken, meat loaf, spare ribs, sweet potatoes, and other vegetables including the signature collard greens-seasoned to perfection and expertly cooked.

Collard Green Café makes big news in AJC.Photo byDown South Today

James Paige learned to cook growing up in Savannah. Later, he cooked for hungry U.S. Marines at Camp Pendleton, California and moved on to careers at other large companies like Shoney’s. My first meal with him was years ago at his restaurant near the CDC and Emory University. I had my two grandsons and we devoured soul food at its finest.

Fried Chicken at Collard Green Café.Photo byDown South Today

Paige, a tireless cook and skilled restaurant manager, said he plans to franchise Collard Green Cafe soon. “We want to be throughout Georgia, in Alabama, Tennessee, the Carolinas and even Florida,” he announced. There’s every reason to be optimistic. The food prepared and served is traditional Southern and African-American fare, noted for flavor and popularity. Soul food is often called country cooking, the cuisine beloved for generations in the South.

I’ve never wasted time with definations. Like the music from the South like Blues, Gospel, Rock, Country, Bluegrass and Jazz, I just enjoy it.

The late Edna Lewis, a legendary cook and cookbook author who spent her final years in Decatur, Georgia famously observed that “it was the South that gave America its food.” James Paige can rightfully say “Amen!” to that.

There are informal rules for judging restaurant food: flavor and taste rank at the top and encompass seasoning, freshness, balance and more. Fast food, unhealthy and loaded with processed ingredients deserves it’s lowly place. Good food, of course, can be prepared at home. When time is short and precious or when a meal away from home is a reward or special treat, finding a great place where value and high quality reign is good fortune.

James Paige and his Collard Green Cafe stand alone as the place for highest quality Soul Food in metropolitan Atlanta. “Hey, we have great seafood, too!” he added.

Frank Spence (on right) with James Paige after a lunch of ribs, greens, sweet potatoes and banana pudding.Photo byDown South Today

Frank Spence, the late legendary front office Atlanta Braves and Atlanta Falcons executive was our most reliable source for spotting outstanding food. A regular diner at Collard Green Café, he often said this was his favorite restuarant for “good home cooking.”

Drop in for a meal when you’re travelling to nearby Stone Mountain or headed to Atlanta. Be sure and tell James that “Doc sent me.”

www.collardgreencafega.com