16 North Carolina Restaurants With Soul Food As Good As Grandma’s
North Carolina is packed with restaurants that capture the heart of soul food, serving dishes that taste like they came straight from grandma’s kitchen.
From tender fried chicken to creamy mac and cheese and perfectly seasoned greens, each plate offers comfort, flavor, and a touch of tradition.
Locals swear by these spots, returning again and again for meals that warm the soul and remind diners why good food is about love, care, and unforgettable taste.
1. Mr. Charles Chicken & Fish (Charlotte)
Hidden in Charlotte’s west side, Mr. Charles has been frying chicken to golden perfection since 1992. The secret? A 24-hour buttermilk soak that makes the meat fall-off-the-bone tender.
Locals swear by the fish platters too, especially the crispy whiting served with hushpuppies that would make any grandma proud.
The tiny, no-frills spot often has lines out the door… absolute proof that what happens in that kitchen is nothing short of magical.
2. Cuzzo’s Cuisine II (Charlotte)
Soul food meets Caribbean flair at this family-owned gem where Chef Andarrio Johnson crafts lobster mac and cheese that’s practically famous across state lines.
The restaurant’s signature dish, jerk chicken and waffles, brilliantly marries sweet and spicy notes.
Founded by cousins (“cuzzos” in Southern slang), this spot expanded after food trucks couldn’t contain their popularity.
Their banana pudding arrives in mason jars, creamy and nostalgic, making grown men weep with memories of childhood.
3. The Chicken Hut (Durham)
Serving Durham since 1957, The Chicken Hut stands as a civil rights era landmark where community leaders once gathered over plates of crispy fried chicken.
Third-generation owners still use the original recipes that made this place legendary. Their smothered pork chops practically swim in gravy that’s been perfected over six decades.
What makes this place special isn’t just the food. It’s the history soaked into the walls and the servers who might call you “sugar” while sliding an extra cornbread onto your plate.
4. Let’s Eat Soul Food (Durham)
Family recipes reign supreme at this Durham hotspot where owner Chef Clarence’s grandmother’s cooking techniques live on in every dish.
The oxtails fall apart with just a gentle prod of your fork, swimming in a gravy so good you’ll want to drink it.
Weekend specials often feature turkey wings that will make you question why we only eat turkey once a year.
The restaurant’s bright yellow exterior might catch your eye first, but it’s the smell wafting from the kitchen that will pull you through the door.
5. Dame’s Chicken & Waffles (Greensboro)
Chicken and waffles reach art form status at Dame’s, where they call their butter-based toppings “schmears”, cinnamon-vanilla, chocolate-hazelnut, and orange-honeycomb among them.
Founder Dame Moore created flavor combinations that shouldn’t work but absolutely sing on your taste buds.
The Carolina Cockerel pairs a crispy chicken cutlet with a sweet potato waffle that might change your life perspective.
Started in Durham before expanding, Dame’s proves that sometimes the most unlikely food pairings create the most unforgettable meals.
6. Stephanie’s Restaurant II (Greensboro)
Stephanie’s feels like Sunday dinner at your favorite aunt’s house. If your aunt happened to cook the best fried catfish in three counties.
The restaurant’s buffet line stretches with chafing dishes of candied yams, black-eyed peas, and cornbread dressing that tastes suspiciously like Thanksgiving.
Owner Stephanie Carson still works the line most days, making sure every chicken wing reaches the perfect crispiness.
Her banana pudding causes weekly disputes among locals about whether it’s better than their own grandmothers’, arguments nobody really minds having.
7. Ben’s Boyz (Greensboro)
From food truck to brick-and-mortar success story, Ben’s Boyz serves fried fish sandwiches so massive they barely fit in their containers.
Brothers Bennie and Robert Gupton named their signature dishes after family members, keeping their late mother’s recipes alive.
The “Mama’s Shrimp” comes butterflied and fried to such perfection you’ll wonder what kind of magic happens in that kitchen.
Soul food purists drive from counties away for their Thursday oxtail special, which routinely sells out by mid-afternoon.
8. Prime Tyme Soul Cafe (Winston-Salem)
Walking into Prime Tyme feels like stepping into a family reunion where everyone’s bringing their signature dish.
The smothered chicken falls off the bone after being slow-cooked in a gravy that’s rumored to contain 23 different spices.
Owner Miss Vivian started cooking professionally at 62, proving it’s never too late to share your gift.
Her sweet potato pie has a crust so flaky it practically floats off the plate. Regulars know to ask what’s “not on the menu”. There’s always something special brewing in that kitchen.
9. Taste of the Triad (Winston-Salem)
Football-sized portions rule at this Winston-Salem institution where the turkey wings require their own zip code.
Chef-owner Marcus runs the kitchen with military precision (he’s a veteran) while somehow making every dish taste like it was cooked with unhurried love.
The mac and cheese contains five different cheeses and comes with a warning: “You might need a nap after this.”
Friday’s fish fry attracts a cross-section of Winston-Salem residents, from courthouse judges to construction workers, all united by the pursuit of perfectly crispy whiting.
10. District 924 Restaurant & Lounge (Winston-Salem)
Soul food gets a modern twist at District 924, where traditional recipes meet contemporary presentation.
Their shrimp and grits arrive topped with a bourbon cream sauce that would make any Louisiana chef tip their hat in respect.
Weekend brunch brings out Winston-Salem’s stylish crowd for chicken and red velvet waffles.
The restaurant doubles as a lounge after dark, where craft cocktails named after local neighborhoods flow freely. Somehow, the food maintains its soulful integrity even with the upscale surroundings.
11. The Prime Smokehouse (Rocky Mount)
Blues music sets the soundtrack at this Rocky Mount treasure where pit-smoked meats meet classic soul sides.
Chef Ed’s smoked chicken wings, brined for 24 hours before hitting the hickory wood, have developed a cult following across eastern North Carolina.
The collard greens cook with smoked turkey necks instead of traditional ham hocks, creating a flavor that’s both familiar and surprisingly new.
Located in the historic Douglas Block, The Prime Smokehouse honors Rocky Mount’s rich African American heritage while creating new culinary traditions.
12. Fuller’s Old Fashioned BBQ (Fayetteville)
Fuller’s buffet line stretches nearly the length of the restaurant, offering an encyclopedia of Southern cooking that would make any grandmother nod in approval.
The fried chicken stays impossibly juicy inside while maintaining a crust that shatters with each bite. Family-owned since 1986, Fuller’s serves Eastern-style BBQ alongside soul food classics.
Their banana pudding, made fresh daily and still warm when served, has been proposed over and written into wills.
True story: a military family once drove straight from the airport to Fuller’s before even going home after deployment.
13. Jack’s Seafood & Soul Food (Raleigh)
Jack’s looks unassuming from the outside, but locals know this Raleigh spot serves catfish so fresh you’d swear it was swimming that morning.
The cornmeal coating creates a perfect crunch that gives way to flaky, tender fish.
Their seafood combo platters could feed a small family, piled high with fried shrimp, scallops, and hushpuppies.
The restaurant’s walls display photos of satisfied customers spanning three decades. Pro tip: their homemade hot sauce comes in unmarked bottles. Use sparingly unless you’re feeling particularly brave.
14. Raleigh Soul Kitchen (Raleigh)
Nestled in southeast Raleigh, this kitchen serves history on a plate through recipes passed down five generations.
Their oxtail gravy simmers for eight hours, creating a sauce so rich it’s practically currency in some neighborhoods.
Chef-owner Corey transformed his great-grandmother’s Sunday specialties into daily offerings. The yams come candied to perfection, not too sweet, with hints of vanilla and nutmeg.
Local gospel choirs sometimes perform during Sunday service, making meals feel like a spiritual experience in more ways than one.
15. Becky’s & Mary’s (High Point)
Sisters Becky and Mary have been finishing each other’s sentences and recipes for over 40 years at this High Point institution.
Their fried chicken livers, a true Southern delicacy, convert even the most skeptical diners with one crispy, peppery bite.
The sisters still hand-pick collard greens at the farmers market every morning before dawn.
Their peach cobbler, made with fruit from nearby orchards, has a crust so perfect it’s been proposed over seventeen times (according to the tally they keep behind the register).
The small dining room feels like eating in someone’s home because, essentially, you are.
16. Rocky’s Hot Chicken Shack (Asheville)
Nestled in the mountains, Rocky’s proves soul food thrives even in hipster-heavy Asheville.
Their Nashville-style hot chicken comes in heat levels from “wimpy” to “oh my god,” with the latter requiring a signed waiver and causing grown adults to weep openly.
Traditional sides get mountain twists, think collards with smoky bacon and mac and cheese with local cheddar.
Owner Rocky Lindsley adapted his grandmother’s recipes while honoring their essence. The banana pudding provides sweet relief after the chicken’s fiery assault, cooling taste buds and restoring smiles.