Are You Hungry? Visit These Soul Food Restaurants in the Phoenix Area
As you know, "Soul Food," is our staple! Neckbones, chitlins, catfish, pickled pig feet, fried chicken, etc. have fed generations of black people. You may (or may not) be surprised to know that the Valley of the Sun has done an admirable job of continuing the soul-food tradition and is home to a number of eateries.
Of course, I haven't listed all of the soul-food restaurants, but these are ones that I know best!
Mrs. White's Golden Rule Cafe
808 E Jefferson St
Phoenix, AZ
(602) 262-9256
Mrs. White’s is the long-time champ of Soul Food in the Phoenix area! That fried chicken is unbelievable!
Lo-Lo’s Chicken and Waffles
10 W. Yuma St
Phoenix, AZ
(602) 340-1304
2765 N Scottsdale Rd.
Scottsdale, AZ 85257
(480) 945-1920
Make sure you plan to take a nap after you go to Lo-Lo’s because you will catch a serious case of the “Itis!” You’ll want to eat everything on the menu! Lo-Lo embodies what a real soul food restaurant is all about! They also have a location in Scottsdale.
Julie’s Chicken & Waffles Fine Dining Theatre
2050 W Guadalupe Rd
Mesa, AZ 85202
Julie's Chicken & Waffles Fine Dining Theatre is an upscale soul food restaurant with a full bar in Mesa, AZ. Julie's Chicken & Waffles Fine Dining Theatre also features live poetry, comedy, dancing, jazz entertainment, old school Saturdays and our once-a-month celebrity night.
DJ's Fish and Chips and Smokin' BBQ
6260 S. 35th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ 85041
People are raving about the shrimp at DJ's Fish and Chips ... and Smokin' BBQ! So far I've tried the BBQ ribs, baked beans, cole slaw and cornbread. I can tell you that the cornbread is bangin' and the ribs are really good! If you're in the neighborhood, check this place out! They also do catering.
Honey Bears BBQ
2824 N Central Ave, Phoenix - (602) 279-7911
5012 E Van Buren St, Phoenix - (602) 273-9148
7670 S Priest Dr, Tempe, AZ- (480) 222-2782
Honey Bears is a long-time Phoenix tradition! I love the ribs and the BBQ Chicken sandwich! I’ve been to all of the Phoenix-area restaurants, but my favorite is the Van Buren location (the original) because it has that down-home feel to it!
Lucille's Smokehouse BBQ
Tempe Marketplace
2030 East Rio Salado Pkwy
Tempe, AZ 85281
480-966-RIBS (7427)
I wish I could eat at Lucille's every day! The food is amazing! I'm a big fan of all the BBQ dishes! In fact, I've never eaten anything but BBQ there! I hear that the catfish and shrimp is off tha chain, but I'm addicted to the BBQ. Lucille's makes you feel like you're in the South and it's an ideal restaurant for large parties. I love to go to Lucille's on weekends because they usually have live blues performances.
Lovejoy’s BBQ
735 E Bell Road
Phoenix, AZ
(602) 993-7472
The Lovejoys brought a much-needed and well-received BBQ presence to north Phoenix! My family has been going there for years!
Michael's Cafe
5025 N. 7th Ave.
Phoenix, AZ
602-248-2233
Finally had a chance to visit Michael's Cafe in October 2011 and judging from the crowd I saw on a Friday night, this gathering spot in central Phoenix will be here for a long time to stay. Michael's Cafe, 5025 N. 7th Ave., Phoenix, bills itself as a soul food restaurant but the venue offers much more. It's a great place for grown, soulful folk to dance, have a few drinks, socialize and network.
If you know about other soul food joints in the Valley, please add them to the Comments section or if you are a restaurant owner, list your eatery in PhxSoul.com's FREE Online Business Directory!
Just visited a Jamaican Restaurant and it was truly good:
Esther's Jamaican
5025 W Olive
Glendale, AZ 85301
623-934-4444
Entrees include: Rice and beans, oxtail, cow foot soup, jerk chicken, curry goat, curry chicken, red snapper, jamaican patties.
I ordered two entrees: the goat and snapper, potato salad, fried cabbage, rice and beans, fried plaintain, homeade ginger beer. All good!
Posted by: Karen D | June 21, 2011 at 11:44
Does anyone know if the owners of Restaurant 28 opened a new location? The one is Glendale is closed and we LOVED their food! :( Missing them horribly.
Posted by: Aisha | June 17, 2011 at 16:22
Karim's Cobbler Shop has the best peach cobbler in town. You have to try it with ice cream mmmm....mmm good.
Posted by: Tahirah and Naeem Abdullah | May 04, 2011 at 13:13
My wife and I went to eat at Julie's this past friday and the location in Mesa (Dobson & Guadalupe) was closed....I was the ad in thewriteup but no luck..can someone help me out...
Posted by: Clint Perkins | April 18, 2011 at 09:28
What i want to know is whos serving fish and grits on Fridays..?!! Just moved here and been a victim of LO-LOs as recent as a week ago.
Im in Chandler so driving up that way is ok i guess just wish it was MORE IN CHANDLER lol.
Posted by: K.T. | April 07, 2011 at 18:45
Julia's Chicken n Waffles in Mesa...they've only been open for about 2 months and the food was delicious!
Posted by: Sharmaine | April 07, 2011 at 10:49
Lolo's also has a location in Scottsdale at Thomas and Scottsdale Road.
Posted by: LaTricia Woods | February 02, 2010 at 08:48
I will be visiting your city this July for my birthday. I am wondering where are they steppin and bopping in Phoenix. I am 40 so the teeny bopper/hip-hop young people crew is not my thing. I prefer adults and would love some advice as to where the GROWN & SEXY party.
Any info would be appreciated. coco4sandy1967@yahoo.com or sxychocolate35@yahoo.com
THANKS
Posted by: Sandy Mosley | June 19, 2008 at 13:34
I have a great submission for your list of Soul Food spots:
Big City BBQ in Mesa makes the best fried chicken and fried catfish.
1425 S Alma School Rd #105, Mesa, AZ 85210
Tel:480-844-1010 Fax:480-844-1919
Mesa Restaurant Hours
Mon-Thu 11:00 am - 9:00 pm
Fri 11:00 am - 2:00 am
Sat 11:00 am - 10:00 pm
Sun 11:00 am - 2:00 am
Posted by: Ralph | June 19, 2007 at 23:29