10 Virginia Soul Food Spots Serving Notable Southern Dishes
Virginia’s soul food scene is a treasure trove of Southern comfort and flavor that’ll make your taste buds dance with joy.
From Richmond’s bustling food districts to hidden gems in Norfolk, these restaurants serve up plates steeped in tradition and seasoned with love.
I’ve spent years exploring these culinary havens, sampling everything from crispy fried chicken to velvety mac and cheese, and I’m thrilled to share my favorite spots with you.
1. Mama J’s Kitchen: Richmond’s Soul Food Royalty
The moment you step into Mama J’s, the aroma of home-cooked goodness wraps around you like a warm hug from grandma. Last summer, I waited in line for 45 minutes just to taste their legendary fried catfish – crispy on the outside, melt-in-your-mouth tender inside – and I’d do it again in a heartbeat!
Velma Johnson (the real Mama J) started this Jackson Ward institution after years of catering, bringing family recipes that have stood the test of time. Her catfish, fried chicken, and candied yams transport you straight to a Southern Sunday dinner. The cornbread arrives piping hot, crumbly yet moist – perfect for sopping up every last bit of gravy.
What really sets this place apart isn’t just the food (though Lord have mercy, that mac and cheese could make a grown person weep with joy). It’s the genuine hospitality that makes everyone feel like family. The walls lined with community photos tell stories of neighborhood history, while servers remember regulars by name and favorite order. When you’re hankering for authentic soul food with a side of Richmond warmth, Mama J’s isn’t just a meal – it’s a homecoming.
2. Croaker’s Spot: Where Seafood Meets Soul
Holy mackerel – or should I say holy croaker? The first time I tasted Croaker’s Spot’s seafood chowder, I nearly fell out of my chair! This Richmond institution serves up what they call ‘Food for the Soul’ and boy, they aren’t kidding around.
Founded by the late Neverett ‘Never’ Eggleston III in Jackson Ward, Croaker’s has a storied history dating back to Harlem in the 1970s. Their signature dish, the Eggleston’s Famous Croaker Platter, features a massive pan-fried whole croaker fish smothered in spicy gravy and accompanied by cornbread. The portions here are downright biblical – I once saw a man’s eyes widen to saucer size when his platter arrived.
The walls tell stories of Richmond’s cultural heritage with vintage photos and memorabilia celebrating African American history. Jazz often fills the air, creating the perfect backdrop for their incredible crab cakes – packed with lump meat and barely held together with what seems like a prayer and a whisper of breadcrumbs. Don’t miss their corn pudding either – it’s sweet, custardy, and might just make you slap the table with delight. Croaker’s doesn’t just serve food; they serve history on a plate.
3. Southern Kitchen: Home-Style Cooking In Richmond’s Heart
Y’all won’t believe what happened when I first visited Southern Kitchen! I accidentally ordered their ‘Big Breakfast’ thinking it was regular-sized – the waitress actually chuckled and asked if I’d brought friends. When that mountain of food arrived, I understood why!
Tucked away in Richmond’s Shockoe Bottom, this unassuming spot has been dishing out home-style Southern goodness for decades. The chicken and dumplings here taste exactly like my grandmother used to make – tender chunks of chicken swimming in rich broth with pillowy dumplings that somehow manage to be both light and substantial. Their sweet potato pie should be illegal – caramelized top, velvety filling, and a crust that shatters perfectly with each forkful.
What makes Southern Kitchen special isn’t fancy decor or trendy fusion dishes. It’s authenticity. The same families have been coming here for generations, sitting in worn booths under ceiling fans that have been spinning since the Reagan administration. The servers call everyone ‘honey’ or ‘sugar’ regardless of age, and they remember exactly how you like your grits. Come hungry and leave with your buttons straining – that’s the Southern Kitchen way. And those biscuits? I’d wrestle an alligator for just one more.
4. Grace’s Place Soul Food Café: Alexandria’s Local Treasure
Last month, I got hopelessly lost in Alexandria and stumbled upon Grace’s Place by pure luck – talk about a happy accident! My growling stomach led me through their doors, but it was their smothered pork chops that made me a regular despite the 40-minute drive from my house.
This family-owned café might be easy to miss from the outside, but locals know it as the real deal. Grace herself often works the register, greeting customers by name and occasionally slipping regulars an extra piece of her cornbread – golden-crisp outside, steam-billowing soft inside. The oxtails here fall clean off the bone with barely a nudge from your fork, swimming in a rich gravy that demands to be sopped up with something starchy.
The walls feature photos of Alexandria’s historic neighborhoods alongside pictures of Grace’s family going back generations. Every Thursday, they serve turkey wings so tender you’ll question everything you thought you knew about this underappreciated poultry part. Their collard greens have a perfect balance of smoke and tang, cooked with smoked turkey instead of traditional pork. And whatever you do, save room for the banana pudding – made fresh daily with real vanilla wafers that somehow maintain their integrity despite swimming in custardy goodness. Grace’s isn’t trying to reinvent soul food – they’re preserving it, one perfect pork chop at a time.
5. Comfort Zone Sports Bar & Grill: Hampton’s Soul Food Touchdown
The first time I walked into Comfort Zone, I was on a mission to watch the game – but the plate of oxtails that passed by me smelled so heavenly, I forgot all about the touchdown happening on screen! This Hampton hotspot perfectly balances sports bar energy with serious soul food credentials.
Owner Jerome Crawford played college football before pursuing his real passion: cooking the dishes he grew up eating in his grandmother’s kitchen. The result is a menu that satisfies both your hunger for comfort food and live sports. Their smoked turkey wings have a cult following – slow-cooked until tender, then flash-fried for a crispy exterior that seals in all that smoky goodness. Multiple TVs broadcast games while patrons debate whether the mac and cheese or yams deserve MVP status.
Weekend brunches here are legendary, with chicken and red velvet waffles that’ll make you question why you ever settled for plain ones. The sweet potato waffles come topped with cinnamon-spiced apples and whipped cream that melts into every square pocket. Even their greens get special treatment – cooked with smoked turkey necks and a splash of vinegar that cuts through the richness perfectly. What makes Comfort Zone special is how they’ve created a place where solo diners feel as welcome as rowdy game-day crowds. Come for the game, stay for the food that makes you want to hug the chef.
6. Ms. Girlee’s Kitchen: Portsmouth’s Seafood Soul Sanctuary
You haven’t lived until you’ve tried Ms. Girlee’s crab cakes! I once watched a table of sailors fresh off deployment nearly weep with joy when they took their first bites – these golden-brown beauties are 95% jumbo lump crab held together with what seems like magic and a prayer.
This Portsmouth institution sits just blocks from the Elizabeth River, ensuring the freshest seafood makes it to your plate. The restaurant’s cheerful yellow exterior gives way to a cozy interior where nautical decor meets soul food comfort. Their seafood gumbo arrives steaming hot, loaded with shrimp, crab, and andouille sausage in a rich roux that took me straight to New Orleans despite being firmly planted in Virginia. The cornbread arrives in cast iron skillets, its crust crackling with butter.
Ms. Girlee (real name Carolyn Guyton) learned to cook from her grandmother, who fed Portsmouth’s dockworkers back in the 1940s. That legacy continues with dishes like her signature fish and grits – crispy fried catfish atop creamy grits with a secret spice blend that customers have tried (and failed) to replicate for years. Even the sides shine here – particularly the stewed tomatoes and okra that somehow avoids the sliminess that gives okra a bad name. Whether you’re a Portsmouth local or just passing through, Ms. Girlee’s kitchen feels like coming home to the grandmother you wish you had.
7. Harvey’s: Danville’s Time-Honored Tradition
The moment I pushed open Harvey’s heavy wooden door, I felt like I’d stepped through a time portal! This Danville institution has been serving soul food since 1982, with recipes that go back generations. The wood-paneled walls and vinyl booths haven’t changed in decades – and locals wouldn’t have it any other way.
Mr. Harvey himself still works the kitchen most days, his hands moving with the confidence that comes from making the same perfect fried chicken for over 40 years. The secret’s in his seasoned flour and double-frying technique, resulting in chicken that’s shatteringly crisp outside and juicy inside. Their country ham biscuits are the stuff of local legend – salty Virginia ham on buttermilk biscuits so light they practically float off the plate.
What I love most about Harvey’s is how it brings together the entire community. On any given day, you’ll see factory workers, bank executives, and everyone in between sharing tables and passing hot sauce. Their banana pudding comes served in a mason jar with a perfect ratio of vanilla wafers to pudding to sliced bananas. Don’t miss their Brunswick stew either – loaded with pulled chicken, lima beans, and corn in a tomato base that’s been simmering since sunrise. Harvey’s isn’t concerned with food trends or Instagram worthiness – they’re too busy preserving a slice of Southern food history that keeps Danville coming back for more.
8. Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement: Arlington’s Modern Soul Sensation
Confession time: I’m usually skeptical of newfangled soul food joints, but Minnie Bell’s had me eating my words – along with the best rosemary fried chicken I’ve ever tasted! This Arlington newcomer proves that soul food can honor tradition while embracing innovation.
Chef Fernay McPherson named the restaurant after her great-grandmother Minnie and grandmother Lillie Bell, whose recipes form the backbone of this menu. The space is modern – all exposed brick and Edison bulbs – but the flavors are deeply rooted in Southern tradition. Their signature rosemary fried chicken gets brined for 24 hours before being dredged in seasoned flour and fresh rosemary, resulting in an herbaceous crust that’s completely addictive. The chicken comes nestled alongside hot honey for drizzling, creating a sweet-spicy-savory trifecta that’ll haunt your dreams.
Beyond chicken, their black-eyed pea salad deserves special mention – served chilled with bell peppers, onions, and a zingy vinaigrette that cuts through richer dishes perfectly. The mac and cheese arrives bubbling hot with a four-cheese blend and crispy breadcrumb topping that I may have fought my dining companion for (sorry, Mark!). Minnie Bell’s represents soul food’s exciting future – respecting its roots while finding fresh expressions. When they serve their seasonal peach cobbler in summer, made with Virginia peaches and a biscuit-like topping, it’s worth planning your entire day around.
9. Sweet & Savory Soul: Virginia Beach’s Coastal Soul Treasure
“Lord have mercy!” I exclaimed involuntarily after my first bite of Sweet & Savory’s seafood mac and cheese. The elderly gentleman at the next table nodded knowingly and said, “First time, huh?” This Virginia Beach gem combines coastal seafood bounty with traditional soul food in ways that’ll make you question why everyone doesn’t do it this way.
Located just blocks from the oceanfront, this family-owned spot sources seafood caught daily by local fishermen. Their signature dish features cavatappi pasta in a smoked gouda cheese sauce loaded with lump crab, shrimp, and chunks of lobster – all topped with a buttery crumb crust. The crab cakes contain no fillers – just sweet blue crab meat, minimal binder, and seasonings that enhance rather than mask the seafood’s natural flavor.
The restaurant itself is casual and welcoming, with walls adorned with vintage photos of Virginia Beach’s African American community and fishing industry. Don’t miss their candied yams – tender chunks of sweet potato glazed with brown sugar, butter, and warm spices that taste like Thanksgiving regardless of the season. For dessert, their sweet potato cheesecake marries two classic desserts into something entirely new yet comfortingly familiar. What makes Sweet & Savory special is how it honors both land and sea traditions, creating soul food that captures Virginia Beach’s unique culinary identity.
10. Boyd’s Steakhouse & Soul Food: Norfolk’s Perfect Marriage
“Take your time deciding,” my server at Boyd’s advised with a knowing smile. “Everything’s good, but the oxtails sell out fast.” She wasn’t kidding – by 7pm, they were posting handwritten “No More Oxtails” signs at the register, leaving latecomers visibly disappointed!
Boyd’s unique concept marries traditional soul food with steakhouse classics, creating a menu that satisfies multiple cravings at once. The Norfolk restaurant occupies a converted bank building, with the old vault now serving as a private dining room. Their oxtails deserve their legendary status – slow-braised until they surrender completely, swimming in a rich gravy alongside rice that soaks up every drop of flavor. But don’t overlook their steaks either – the ribeye arrives perfectly medium-rare with a caramelized crust that would impress even dedicated steakhouse aficionados.
The sides here could be meals themselves – particularly the candied yams that strike the perfect balance between sweet and savory, and mac and cheese with a crust so perfectly browned you’ll fight for corner pieces. What makes Boyd’s special is how it creates a fine dining experience without pretension – white tablecloths and attentive service paired with generous portions and soulful flavors. Their sweet potato cheesecake makes a compelling argument for ordering dessert even when you’re already stuffed – its graham cracker crust and velvety filling spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg provide the perfect finale to a memorable meal.