Soul food satisfies not only the soul, but also all five senses, and there are great restaurant choices of this down-home comfort cuisine in New York City. You'll enjoy all the soul food dishes that have become American classics, and maybe a few unique specialties as well.
Sylvia's is one of the most famous soul food restaurants in New York City. People line up waiting for a table, and once you're inside and tasting the food, you'll understand why. For breakfast, you can enjoy a traditional ham and eggs meal, or opt for Sylvia's southern fried chicken and grits or salmon cakes and eggs. When lunchtime rolls around, first order an appetizer such as coconut shrimp, catfish fingers, or chicken livers; then dig into salmon croquettes, baked ham or a salad topped with grilled chicken. Dinner is the time to feast on Sylvia's "world famous talked about bar-b-que ribs w/ her original sassy sauce." Other choices include smothered chicken, fried or grilled catfish, baked macaroni and cheese, collard greens, garlic mashed potatoes and okra and tomato gumbo. Leave room for sweet potato pie, coconut cake or other desserts. Sylvia's also has a children's menu.
Sylvia's
328 Lenox Ave.
New York, NY 10027
(212) 996-0660
sylviasrestaurant.com
Amy Ruth's is a Harlem soul-food restaurant that's been in operation since 1998, and it serves the traditional meals the owner learned from his Alabama-native grandmother Amy Ruth Moore Bass. The restaurant, in the true New York fashion of "city that never sleeps," serves food on Friday and Saturday from 7:30 am to 5:30 am the following morning. The menu includes such comfort foods as fried, smothered, baked or barbecued chicken--the last is known as the "President Barack Obama" entrée. You can also enjoy fried or smothered pork chops, barbecued spare ribs, sweet beer-braised oxtail stew and savory jerk shrimp. Sides include string beans, buttered corn, cabbage and other traditional dishes. Amy Ruth's also hosts special events such as jazz on New Year's Eve. Check the restaurant's website for occasional listings.
Amy Ruth's
113 West 116th St.
Harlem, NY 10026
(212) 280-8779
amyruthsharlem.com
Rack & Soul specializes in soul food and wood-smoked barbecue, serving lunch and dinner and offering take-out, delivery and catering. The menu includes some soul food classics and other dishes you may not typically see on the New York side of the Mason-Dixon line. For starters, enjoy fried crawfish tails with white remoulade sauce, crab cakes, cornmeal fried oysters and shrimp and okra gumbo. Lunch and dinner entrées include smothered chicken, oxtails, fried catfish, a Creole chopped salad and several barbecued dishes such as chicken, beef short ribs, baby back ribs and pulled pork. Side dishes include broccoli, black-eyed peas, lima beans, baked beans, candied yams and Belgian waffles. Plan ahead and leave room for dessert such as red velvet cake, pecan pie and coconut pineapple cake.
Rack & Soul
258 West 109th St.
New York, NY 10025
(212) 222-4800
rackandsoul.com
