D.C.’s soul food restaurants memorialize the city’s Black history. Institutions such as the Florida Avenue Grill, Henry’s Soul Cafe on U Street NW, and Petworth’s Hitching Post were serving up comforting staples such as fried chicken wings, mac and cheese, and crab-smothered sandwiches long before high-end condos and plant shops moved into some of the District’s busiest corridors.
Each of the establishments on this map offers its own spin on the classics. Craving healthier soul food? NuVegan Cafe and Everlasting Life’s all-vegetable dishes might taste even better than the real deal. Would you rather have jerk chicken than fried chicken with your meal? Andrene’s Caribbean & Soul Food Carryout has that, and more island favorites, at its Brightwood Park outpost. Some go-tos have temporarily closed during the pandemic. Torrie’s, the 20-year-old diner in Shaw, hopes to reopen in early 2021. Sweetpea’s Classic Soul Food, serving gravy-smothered pork chops since 2018, has disconnected its phone line.
The next time a soul food craving hits, consider ordering from these 15 restaurants.
D.C. is shutting down indoor dining from Christmas Eve through January 14. Many restaurants offer outdoor seating, but this should not be taken as endorsement for dining out, as there are still safety concerns. The Washington Post is tracking coronavirus cases and deaths in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. More information can be found at coronavirus.dc.gov. Studies indicate that there is a lower exposure risk when outdoors, but the level of risk involved with patio dining is contingent on restaurants following strict social distancing and other safety guidelines.
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