Where To Eat Soul Food In NYC

With roots in the American South, soul food is an important part of the culinary scene in NYC—and the rest of the country for that matter. You probably already know about some soul food institutions in Harlem. Those places are on this guide. But you can get fantastic smothered pork chops, fried catfish, mac and cheese, and a lot more at restaurants all across the city.

THE SPOTS

Shaw-nae’s House

People like to say that certain restaurants feel like a friend’s living room. Unless those people are talking about Shaw-naé’s House, we don’t believe them. The Staten Island restaurant has couches where people wait for one of six tables, in a room strewn with mismatched coffee cups, the occasional pair of sneakers, and menus that say, “It’s dinner time. You made it home.” And then there’s Shaw-naé Dixon herself, who flits around blowing kisses, clearing plates, and recommending her signature Sugar Daddy Wings. Get those—they’re drizzled in maple butter, and extra cinnamony, extra sticky, and extra salty all at the same time. Also get the soft, star anise-laced oxtails, and the battered Soul Fries layered with cheese sauce, mac and cheese, and collard greens.

Amy Ruth's

If you aren’t into the fried chicken at Amy Ruth’s, you need to get your tastebuds checked. The massive Harlem spot (just down the street from Sylvia’s) is full of murals of famous patrons, like Whoopie Goldberg and President Obama. But back to their fried chicken, which you can either get on waffles (our choice), or with sides. It’s near-perfect—thin skin that doesn’t get bogged down with too thick of a flour coating, seasoned down to the bone, and salty on the outside. But don’t sleep on their smothered pork chop, which is breaded, fried, and covered in brown gravy. Get it with cheesy grits and black eyed peas.

Sylvia's Restaurant

Leaving Sylvia’s off this guide would be like making a list of the all-time best singers without Aretha Franklin. For soul food, you can’t find a more famous place in Harlem—and for good reason. They’ve been open since 1962, and achieved NYC Institution status long ago. If you haven’t already eaten here, their gospel brunch on Sunday is the perfect introduction. It features a live band backing singers who weave between tables. Get some catfish, ribs, or fried chicken with a side of mac and cheese. Bring lots of friends because the space is huge, making this one of the better options on this list for big groups.

Melba's

Melba’s is a classic that makes some of the best soul food in the city. Founder Melba Wilson (who used to work at Sylvia’s) was born and raised in Harlem and opened this place in 2005. It’s usually easy to get a table, the service is quick and friendly, and don’t be surprised if your neighbor strikes up a conversation with you. Once you’re seated in the room with colorful artwork everywhere (including a few portraits of Basquiat), order the chicken and waffles. (They’re mandatory.) The short ribs are also great, and the collard greens are some of the best we’ve ever had. Those collards are also stuffed into fried spring rolls with rice and cheese. Go ahead and order those as soon as your server says hello.

Mitchell's Soul Food

Mitchell’s is our go-to spot in Prospect Heights for crispy fried chicken, mac and cheese, and juicy collard greens with just a hint of sweetness. They also serve things like fried catfish, oxtails, a bunch of sandwiches, and a large selection of cakes and pies for dessert. This small restaurant has been around since the ’70s, and the dining room has an old-school diner feel with classic black-and-white tiles and booths. If you’re not looking to spend a lot, you can get a great meal for less than $15. Just be aware that this place is cash-only.

Charles Pan-Fried Chicken

A discussion of the best fried chicken in the city is simply incomplete without a Charles Pan Fried mention. The fried chicken coming out of these Looney Tunes -sized cast iron skillets is crunchy, salty, and juicier than a summer tomato. Pair it with some peppery mac and cheese, refreshing collard greens, or fried catfish or barbecued ribs on your 10th visit.

SI Fish & More

Here’s an exciting Saturday afternoon agenda: hop on the Staten Island ferry, say hello to Lady Liberty, and then go eat some sticky-skinned jerk chicken. At SI Fish & More in St. George, you should focus on the “more”—like that jerk chicken, which falls off the bone as soon as you look at it, and also the saucy oxtails. Order those oxtails with a side of mac and cheese, so that the dark brown gravy seeps into the soft noodles. There are a few tables where you can have a quick lunch, or wait for your order while watching music videos playing on a television to the left of the counter. Either way, don’t leave without the banana pudding.

A Taste of Seafood

This soul food spot with three locations in Harlem won us over with their mac and cheese. A great Southern-style mac is a rare find in New York, but the one here has just enough of that custard-like quality to keep you from moving to Atlanta . You can get a seductive pile of pasta swimming in a semi-congealed pool of cheese sauce with plenty of black pepper mixed in, and pair it with a bunch of fried things (shrimp, catfish, okra) to complete the meal. There are only a couple seats at every location, so plan to get takeout.

95 South Soul Food

95 South Soul is a bit of a party spot. Regulars hold court along the big bar during two-for-one Happy Hour and there’s always a DJ. But don’t just come for drinks, because they also have some of the best soul food in Brooklyn. We usually go for the jerk chicken or the fried catfish, which is fluffy inside with a crispy outer crust. You can get both of those as a sandwich with salad or fries, or go for the plate so you can get candied yams and a big portion of mac and cheese on the side.

Miss Mamie's Spoonbread Too

Located just south of Morningside Park near Columbia University, Miss Mamie’s is a soul food restaurant where you’ll want to try as many things as possible. So come with a group and get a sampler plate, which comes with fried shrimp, chicken, ribs, and three sides. One of those sides should be the collards with smoky ham hocks, and we recommend swapping out the subpar ribs for fried catfish that tastes like it’s encrusted with hushpuppies. If you eat in, there’s lots of seating in the relaxing dining room that has a miniature red piano, and Norma Jean (the owner who opened Miss Mamie’s in 1997) will probably come around and check in during your meal.

Jacob Restaurant

Do you have your heart set on eating precisely one big spoonful of mac and cheese along with a single rib, a fried chicken wing, some candied yams, and four to five green beans? If so, go to Jacob’s. At this Harlem buffet, you scoop your own food and pay by the pound, and you can get everything from okra and oxtails to beef short ribs and sweet buttered corn. Throw a sauce-slathered pork rib over your bounty like a cherry on top of a sundae. Most people take their food to go, but we like finding a seat in the dining room, watching some news on the TV, and eating our custom-built hodgepodge of soul food while it’s hot.

Kori's Eats

If you want some deeply satisfying food—perhaps when you need something to soak up the remains of your night out—Kori’s Eats should be your go-to spot in Mott Haven. They have many variations on chicken and waffles, so if you want a combo of chicken tenders and bacon-infused waffles with a Fruity Pebbles milkshake on the side, you can get it here. They also have a steam tray filled with things like fall-apart oxtail and mac and cheese. This place is mostly takeout, but there are a few tables if you want to eat in.

Taste of Heaven

Opened by a chef (who grew up at the nearby Cooper Park Houses) and his wife, Taste of Heaven is a soul food spot in East Williamsburg where “home of fall-off-the-bone meat” should be the motto. There are different specials every day, and each plate comes with two sides. We like the tender-but-not-mushy Jack Daniel’s ribs alongside cabbage and yams. If you want enough leftovers for the next few days, add fried shrimp and a jerk chicken that’s not too spicy in case you don't handle heat well. Just know that this place only has one table and closes at 7pm. They do run out of stuff too, so come for lunch for the best selection.