A Guide to Southern and Soul Food in Philadelphia

Gourmet chicken takes center stage at BlackHen, the creative and quirky younger sibling to owner Felicia Wilson and chef Darryl Harmon’s instant classic AMINA. While AMINA serves upscale Nigerian and Southern cuisine in its regal digs, the pair’s playful follow up dishes their TikTok-able take on soul food just a few doors down on Old City’s unofficial restaurant row. Popcorn chicken is served alongside actual popcorn in vintage-y, red West Bend poppers, while fried chicken is dished out on black buns (thanks to activated charcoal). Decked out in chicken-inspired, pop art-esque decor, the BYOB’s dining room feels like you’re sitting in your best girlfriend’s house — you know, if she was a gold earring-wearing, impeccably dressed hen.

Named after Booker Wright — a Black waiter who risked his life voicing what it was like to work at an all-white restaurant in 1960s Mississippi — this West Philly destination draws crowds with Southern-inspired cuisine, happy hour drinks and daily brunch. Booker’s dining room is a certified vibe with bright walls, a buzzy atmosphere, and live jazz or throwback jams humming in the background. The menu features imaginative variations on traditional dinner dishes like vegan black-eyed pea hummus; tried-and-true brunch staples like grits topped with beef andouille sausage and shrimp; and much more.

This homey Brewerytown soul food eatery got its name because of the way its food is so good that it melts in your mouth like… exactly. Fried wings and shrimp sell out fast, and the sides — perfectly (you guessed it) buttery baked mac and cheese, savory greens, sweet candied yams and more — are equally in high demand. The restaurant’s homebaked desserts — double chocolate cake, sweet potato cheesecake, sweet potato pie and more — come straight from the oven of chef and owner Kevin Bell’s mother.

Do you like hidden gems as much as we do? Head to the Fresh Grocer just off City Avenue and look for a bright pink and black banner, chef-owner Saudia Shuler’s smiling face, and the buffet-style, takeout counter for an amazing meal from Country Cookin. Hungry diners come from near and far to pile their carryout containers high with barbecue chicken, baked mac and the restaurant’s famous yams.

Kids are the hardest critics, but when they say something is good, you know it’s good. And chef Deborah Harrison-Muhammad, the heart and hands behind this Brewerytown takeout restaurant, is fully kid-approved, having fed two growing boys, their cousins and their friends her homestyle southern cooking and baked goods. Speaking of baked goods, do not miss the restaurant’s signature Girlie and Amir Goodies, scrumptious homemade treats including lemon cake, pineapple upside-down cake and chocolate mousse cake.

With a belly-warming mix of soul, Southern and Caribbean cuisines, GiGi and Big R more than satisfies the lunchtime crowd. Talk about bang for the buck: The hefty styrofoam platters stuffed with cheesy macaroni and cheese, jerk chicken and gooey yams are a great value. (Truthfully, you can probably get multiple meals out of each.) Can’t make it down the West Philly brick-and-mortar? Keep an eye out for their restaurant on wheels around town and at events.

After years of moonlighting as a pop-up smokehouse on Sundays while operating as a bakery the rest of the week, the staff at Gilben’s has decided to make its side hustle its main gig. The charming West Oak Lane takeout destination offers a long list of southern and soul food favorites — turkey wings, fried and baked chicken, and brisket, to name a few. Plus, the spot is also making a name for itself in the cheesesteak game, serving up the delicious king of sandwiches on long, garlic-y, made-from-scratch rolls.

A family affair, this Reading Terminal Market restaurant’s menu takes inspiration from recipes perfected and passed down by co-owners Perry Ipson and his cousin Stacy McCarthy’s grandmother Ma Lessie. Serving flavorful soul food canon, including the fried chicken and waffles alluded to in its name, this market stall frequently has a line, but it’s well worth the wait. Grab a platter and a seat in the charming, adjoining dine-in area (though as any Reading Terminal veteran knows, seats may be hard to come by) and people-watch as you chow down.

Walking into The Nile Cafe in Germantown is like walking into your aunt or grandma’s kitchen: All the pretense comes down, and all the stress goes away. You can just relax over a piping hot plate of plant-based soul and Caribbean cuisine. Everything on the menu is vegan and made using local produce, from the scrumptious barbecue “chick’n” to the pepper “steak” and collard greens to the Jamaican “beef” pattie.

Want a great meal with a side of personality and passion? Then Pretty Girls Cook is the BYOB for you. Featuring soul-infused American comfort food, menu items rock fun monikers like No Slacking on Ya Mac’N BBQ Short Ribs, Mac Daddy Mac & Cheese, and Maine Jawn. The restaurant’s Sunday brunch is a huge hit, serving up favorites like juicy chicken atop a yummy waffle and irresistible lobster and grits.

Southern dishes made with rare-around-here ingredients are the focus at SOUTH on North Broad Street. Three-quarters of a mile north of City Hall, the Bynum brothers’ upscale restaurant and jazz club serves up fare like freshly shucked oysters, fried green tomatoes and shrimp remoulade, shrimp and grits, buttermilk fried chicken, and vegan jambalaya. You can also expect good old-fashioned hospitality and an extensive wine program. With live music every night of the week, dinner and a show at SOUTH is the perfect excuse to get a little glam (no sneakers, hoodies or sweat suits here) and have a stylish night out.

Sometimes the heart wants what the heart wants. And sometimes the heart wants a delicious, homestyle meal to go, reminiscent of Sunday dinners, family reunions and summertime cookouts. If that’s the case, then prepare to have your heart stolen by Soulful D’lites’ platters of authentic southern fare, including flavorful catfish or whiting platters (that come fried, baked, grilled or sauteed), satisfying sides of string beans and greens, and more.