Best Soul Food Restaurants in Miami

Soul food has been an African American culinary specialty for centuries. It’s savory comfort food served with heartfelt hospitality that nourishes the body and the soul, hence the name. Check out these Greater Miami & Miami Beach restaurants serving the best soul food around. There’s no doubt they will become among your favorite food spots in the destination.

Great Food & History at Red Rooster

Experience African American history as you dine on award-winning food at Red Rooster Overtown. Legendary artists like Sam Cooke and Ella Fitzgerald would perform in Historic Overtown and socialize in the spot that’s occupied today by the restaurant. Celebrity chef-owner Marcus Samuelsson runs the show at Red Rooster, where you can enjoy cornbread with spiced rum butter, barbecued ribs with house-made sauce, the signature fried chicken with greens and menu items curated by “Top Chef” Season 22 winner Tristen Epps, a Red Rooster alumnus. Get ready for his oxtail fried rice dish or fried green tomatoes with Overtown comeback sauce. Special events will have you coming back for more.

Feel at Home at Lil Greenhouse Grill

Lil Greenhouse Grill energizes Historic Overtown with edgy, bold neo-soul cuisine and laid-back vibes. Offering a healthier take on traditional soul food, this local favorite blends nostalgic dishes with a warm, community feel. Smooth jazz, R&B and Motown tunes set the mood. The sweet and spicy shrimp, baked mac and cheese and savory seafood cakes will keep you coming back for more.

The Soul of Miami at Jackson Soul Food

When you think of soul food restaurants in Miami, Jackson Soul Food has to be near the top of the list. With culinary roots dating back to 1946 in Historic Overtown, the Jackson family has grown the reputation of being the heart and soul of Miami, with well-seasoned food and an at-home atmosphere. Yellowtail snapper, shrimp or boiled fish with grits and smothered fried chicken are local favorites. Jackson Soul Food has locations in Historic Overtown, Opa-locka and Miami International Airport

Soul Food From All Over at We Shuckin Southern Eatery

We Shuckin Southern Eatery, located in Opa-locka, serves up African American culture and Southern-style comfort food. Diners can enjoy fresh, homemade meals set to groovy tunes from the 1960s and ’70s. Locals can’t get enough of the Jivin’ Chicken Wings with sweet and spicy sauce, signature mac and cheese or candy yams. We Shuckin is also known for regional soul food specialties, like Carolina Lowcountry catfish, Georgia collard greens and Florida fish and shrimp. This is one of the best places in Miami to get your Southern soul food fix.

The Best Mac and Cheese at World Famous House of Mac

If heart and soul are the key ingredients in soul food, then Chef Derek “Teach” Turton has mastered the recipe at World Famous House of Mac, located between Historic Overtown and Allapattah. In 2013, Turton transitioned from the music industry, where he managed Pitbull, to what he loved most: food. Applying his culinary education, he whipped out his five-cheese mac and cheese with a host of toppings like jerk and Buffalo chicken, shrimp and lobster. The restaurant has a celebrity following and stands out for its jaw-tingling sweet and zesty sauces on chicken wings and buttermilk fried chicken and waffles. A plant-based menu is also available. The customer rewards program offers returning customers treats and goodies.

International Soul Food at Blue Collar

Blue Collar dishes out a delicious mix of international favorites, including Chanukah Latkes, Cuban Sandwich Spring Rolls and soul food classics. This Upper East Side/MiMo restaurant satisfies your jones for soul food with shrimp and grits with New Orleans barbeque sauce, jalapeno cornbread, and griot, a crispy pork shoulder covered with spicy Haitian relish and gravy. Expect a super-casual but intimate atmosphere where you can feel free to wear your flip-flops.

Classic Soul Food at The Licking

The Licking keeps expanding and has now grown into one of the most-popular restaurants in the destination. From South Beach, North Miami, Opa-locka and South Miami to Miami Gardens, The Licking serves classic soul food dishes, including fried chicken and red velvet waffles and fried turkey wings with sides like collard greens with smoked turkey and mouthwatering candied yams. VIP membership affords guests exclusive offers and rewards. Fun fact: DJ Khaled is a co-owner and music industry executive Elric Prince is a cofounder of the restaurant, so be on the lookout for celebrity diners.

Sunday Dinner All Week at Sunday’s Eatery

Nothing brings to mind scrumptious soul food quite like Sunday dinner. Famed rapper Trick Daddy taps into the Sunday dinner energy with his restaurant Sunday’s Eatery in Miami Gardens. Order favorites like fried shrimp, fried ribs or crispy chicken wings, all served with rice, candied yams or string beans. The chance of grabbing Trick’s autograph adds to the appeal of this popular restaurant. Sunday’s Eatery is closed Tuesdays.

Fried Pork Chops & Ribs at Eloise & Earnestine Soul Food

Named after the late local matriarchs Eloise Etheridge and Earnestine Jackson, Eloise & Earnestine Soul Food is a popular Liberty City spot for old-fashioned soul food. At E and E, run by Eloise’s family, you can expect a warm, welcoming atmosphere for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Delight in what makes this restaurant a local favorite: fried pork chops, barbecued ribs and chitterlings. A tender side of collard greens that “The Hungry Black Man” blog raved about is topped only by one of their made-from-scratch desserts, like banana pudding or peach cobbler.

Eat Big at MLK Restaurant

At MLK Restaurant – which stands for My Little Kitchen and is an ode to Martin Luther King Jr. – the long lines of diners waiting to get into this intimate spot in Liberty City attest to its popularity. Bring a big appetite for the large portions. You’ll want to have room for their specials, like smothered chicken and grits or the fried catfish and eggs. MLK serves breakfast and brunch to satisfy hungry customers until midday.

Fresh Seafood at Conch It Up Soul Food Restaurant

The sign over the takeout window at Conch It Up Soul Food Restaurant reads “The Best Conch in Town,” and that boast rings true at this local favorite in Liberty City. It’s known for its fresh seafood, especially the briny, delicious conch served stewed, fried, tossed in a salad or smothered in sweet and sour sauce. Anticipate a heaping portion of rice or succulent collard greens with your entree.

Southern Comfort Food at Whisk Gourmet Food & Catering

Southern comfort food is the hallmark of Whisk Gourmet Food & Catering in South Miami. The intimate restaurant is casual with an upscale feel and offers soul food classics like buttermilk fried chicken and waffles, fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits. Its daily specials reflect Miami’s diversity, so look for Latin or Caribbean dishes that highlight the chef’s Creole training in New Orleans.

Keep discovering Miami’s diverse dining scene at the best international restaurants in the area.