30 soul food restaurants worth the trip across United States, editor-ranked. All cuisines in United States.
Husk ★ 4.9 · Charleston
downtown · 76 Queen St, Charleston, SC 29401
Sean Brock's Husk in Charleston opened on Queen Street in 2010 and rebuilt Southern fine dining around heritage Anson Mills grains, Sea Island peas.
Tip: Book on huskcharleston.com. The bar serves the full menu walk-up from 17:00 onward, no reservations needed.
Husk ★ 4.9 · Charleston
downtown · 76 Queen St, Charleston, SC 29401
Husk in Charleston opened in 2010 under Sean Brock and rebuilt Southern fine dining on heritage grains and hyper-local produce. Located in Downtown.
Tip: Book on the website. Bar seats walk-in at 17:00 and serve the full menu.
The Grey ★ 4.9 · Savannah
historic-district · 109 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Savannah, GA 31401
Mashama Bailey's Grey runs from a restored 1938 Greyhound bus terminal on MLK, a Port City Southern menu rooted in West African and Lowcountry technique.
Tip: Book via Resy for the formal Dining Room. The Diner Bar takes walk-ups along the bar and runs a la carte until close.
The Grey ★ 4.9 · Savannah
109 Martin Luther King Jr Blvd, Savannah, GA 31401
Mashama Bailey and John O. Morisano's flagship in a 1938 Greyhound bus terminal. Bailey: 2019 James Beard Best Chef Southeast, 2022 Outstanding Chef winner.
Niki's West ★ 4.8 · Birmingham
acipco-finley · 233 Finley Avenue West, Birmingham, AL 35204
Niki's West on Finley Avenue West Birmingham has run the canonical meat-and-three since 1957, with a cafeteria steam table by the Alabama Farmers Market.
Eagle's Restaurant ★ 4.8 · Birmingham
smithfield · 2610 16th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35204
Eagle's Restaurant on 16th Street North in Smithfield is the Black-owned soul-food anchor since 1951, with Friday catfish and weekday meat-and-three plates.
Stella's Southern Brasserie ★ 4.8 · Greenville
downtown · 340 Rocky Slope Road, Suite 100, Greenville, SC 29607
Stella's Southern Brasserie runs French-influenced Southern from a Rocky Slope Road storefront: shrimp and grits, fried green tomatoes, bourbon-pecan tart.
Elvie's ★ 4.8 · Jackson
809 Manship St, Jackson, MS 39202
Elvie's holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its Mississippi French menu: Gulf oysters, duck fat frites, and duck confit cassoulet in a marble-bar dining room.
Tip: Walk-in breakfast is the city's best-value Michelin meal; arrive before 09:30 for a table.
Elvie's ★ 4.8 · Jackson
809 Manship St, Jackson, MS 39202
Elvie's holds a Michelin Bib Gourmand for its Mississippi French menu of Gulf oysters, bouillabaisse, duck confit cassoulet, and house-baked pastries.
Tip: Morning pastries and coffee are a Michelin-calibre deal; Elvie's is as good at 08:30 as at 20:00.
610 Magnolia ★ 4.8 · Louisville
old-louisville · 610 Magnolia Avenue, Louisville, KY 40208
Edward Lee's 610 Magnolia in Louisville runs a weekly tasting menu out of an Old Louisville Victorian, the chef's Southern-Korean flagship since 2003.
Tip: Book on OpenTable for parties of six or fewer. Wednesday and Thursday seats open up first.
L'Opossum ★ 4.8 · Richmond
oregon-hill · 626 China Street, Richmond, VA 23220
L'Opossum in Oregon Hill is David Shannon's quirky French-Southern fine-dining room. James Beard Best Chef Mid-Atlantic semifinalist (2016) and Southern.
Husk Savannah ★ 4.8 · Savannah
historic-district · 12 W Oglethorpe Ave, Savannah, GA 31401
The fourth Husk opened on Oglethorpe in January 2018, running the heritage-grain Lowcountry programme Sean Brock built at the original Charleston room.
Tip: Reserve via Resy. The bar serves the full menu walk-in 17:00 onwards. Brunch runs Saturday and Sunday 10:00-14:00.
Common Thread ★ 4.8 · Savannah
thomas-square · 122 E 37th St, Savannah, GA 31401
Brandon Carter's Common Thread on East 37th, a Bon Appetit Best New Restaurant 2022 and a 2025 James Beard Best Chef Southeast semifinalist. Victorian house.
Tip: Reserve on Resy. Tasting and a la carte both run; check the menu page before booking.
Paschal's ★ 4.7 · Atlanta
downtown · 180 Northside Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30313
Paschal's in Atlanta has served soul food since 1947, when brothers Robert and James Paschal opened on Hunter Street. Located in Downtown. Priced at $$.
Tip: The current Castleberry Hill location since 2002 expanded with a banquet space; the original Hunter Street site is preserved at Clark Atlanta.
Busy Bee Cafe ★ 4.7 · Atlanta
downtown · 810 Martin Luther King Jr Dr SW, Atlanta, GA 30314
Busy Bee Cafe in Atlanta opened 1947 on MLK Drive and won the James Beard America's Classics Award in 2022 for its decades of soul food service near the AUC.
Tip: Cash and card. Lunch and early dinner only Tuesday to Sunday; line forms before noon weekends.
Olamaie ★ 4.7 · Austin
downtown · 1610 San Antonio St, Austin, TX 78701
Olamaie in Austin is Michael Fojtasek's Michelin-starred Southern dining room in a converted house near downtown, named for three generations of women.
Tip: The four-course prix fixe is built with chef de cuisine Amanda Turner; vegetarian path is available on request.
Olamaie ★ 4.7 · Austin
1610 San Antonio St, Austin, TX 78701
Olamaie in Austin is Michael Fojtasek's Michelin-starred Southern dining room in a converted house near downtown, with a four-course prix fixe of modern.
Tip: The four-course tasting accommodates a full vegetarian path on request; ask at booking.
Supperland ★ 4.7 · Charlotte
plaza-midwood · 1212 The Plaza, Charlotte, NC 28205
Jeff Tonidandel and Jamie Brown's Supperland in Plaza Midwood is a Michelin-recommended Southern dining room set inside a converted 1950s church.
Tip: Beverage director Colleen Hughes won Michelin's Exceptional Cocktails Award in 2025. Order a drink from her list, then book the Sunday supper.
Bully's Restaurant ★ 4.7 · Jackson
3118 Livingston Road, Jackson, MS 39213
Bully's is Jackson's James Beard-winning soul food institution, with steam-table oxtails, neckbones, catfish, and homemade cobblers from a morning start.
Tip: The steam table closes when the food runs out, usually by 15:00; arrive at opening for the full selection.
Lockeland Table ★ 4.7 · Nashville
east-nashville · 1520 Woodland St, Nashville, TN 37206
Chef Hal Holden-Bache's Five Points room in East Nashville opened 2012 in a corner storefront, running wood-fired pizzas and Southern-accented neighbourhood.
Tip: Happy hour 16:00-17:30 runs half-price pizza and pours at the bar; James Beard Community Kitchen nominee.
Burdell ★ 4.7 · Oakland
temescal · 4640 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
Geoff Davis's soul food room in Oakland's Temescal carries Michelin Recommended status and made Food and Wine's Best Restaurants in America list.
Burdell ★ 4.7 · Oakland
temescal · 4640 Telegraph Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
Burdell is Geoff Davis's Michelin Recommended soul food room in Oakland's Temescal. Collards and fried chicken alongside contemporary Southern plates.
Lemaire ★ 4.7 · Richmond
downtown · 101 W Franklin Street, Richmond, VA 23220
Lemaire inside the Jefferson Hotel is named for Etienne Lemaire, Thomas Jefferson's maitre d'. Chef Patrick Willis since 2009; grande dame of RVA.
Elizabeth on 37th ★ 4.7 · Savannah
thomas-square · 105 E 37th St, Savannah, GA 31401
Elizabeth on 37th opened in a 1900s Victorian mansion in 1981; Elizabeth Terry won James Beard Best Chef Southeast in 1995. Classical Lowcountry benchmark.
Tip: Tasting menu by reservation only; book OpenTable two weeks ahead. Jackets suggested.
Mrs. Wilkes Dining Room ★ 4.7 · Savannah
historic-district · 107 W Jones St, Savannah, GA 31401
Mrs. Wilkes has run from a Jones Street basement since 1943, Southern home cooking at ten-person communal tables Mon-Fri. Family-style daily-changing dishes.
Tip: Cash or check only. Daily $35 per person communal lunch (tax included). Opens 11:00; arrive by 10:30 for a manageable wait.
Saint Bibiana ★ 4.7 · Savannah
700 Drayton St, Savannah, GA 31401
Coastal Italian dining room inside Hotel Bardo on Forsyth Park since September 2023, now led by exec chef Jim Anile. Garden and Gun: 30 new Southern 2024.
Miller Union ★ 4.6 · Atlanta
west-midtown · 999 Brady Ave NW, Atlanta, GA 30318
Chef Steven Satterfield's modern Southern room in Atlanta's West Midtown opened 2009 and won a James Beard Best Chef Southeast in 2017 for produce-driven.
Tip: Lunch is the quieter seat. Resy reservations open 30 days out; the bar takes walk-ins.
Mary Mac's Tea Room ★ 4.6 · Atlanta
midtown · 224 Ponce de Leon Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
Mary Mac's Tea Room in Atlanta opened 1945 and runs Southern Sunday dinner classics in a four-dining-room compound on Ponce de Leon, with the same recipes.
Tip: Order the pot likker as a starter; it comes free with cornbread. No reservations Monday through Thursday lunch; OpenTable for dinner and weekends.
Niki's West ★ 4.6 · Birmingham
acipco-finley · 233 Finley Avenue West, Birmingham, AL 35204
Niki's West on Finley Avenue West in Birmingham has run the canonical meat-and-three since 1957, with a cafeteria steam table by the Alabama Farmers Market.
Eagle's Restaurant ★ 4.6 · Birmingham
smithfield · 2610 16th Street North, Birmingham, AL 35204
Eagle's Restaurant in Smithfield Birmingham is the Black-owned soul-food anchor since 1951, with Friday catfish and weekday meat-and-three plates.