AMY RUTH’S

Feed your mouth and your soul

The mantra of Harlem soul food restaurant Amy Ruth’s is, “Comfort, Cuisine, Courtesy, Culture,” and there’s no better way to sum it up. Family recipes are at the heart of this restaurant that features Southern cuisine, from waffles with pork chops to cheesy grits and peach cobbler, many of them named after luminaries like Jennifer Holliday, Ruby Dee, former president Barack Obama, and Harlem chef Carl Redding, one of the founders. In fact, the restaurant was named for Amy Ruth Bass, Redding’s grandmother.

Not surprisingly, Redding learned to prepare many of the Southern specialties served in the restaurant from his grandmother in Alabama. He opened Amy Ruth’s on Mother’s Day in 1991 to carry on the tradition of the dishes he’d learned to make at his grandmother’s side. While classic fried chicken, short ribs, and shrimp and grits are featured, so are dishes like smothered turkey wings, pan-seared salmon with peach butter, and fried whiting. Kids will enjoy the waffle menu, with savory versions topped with pork chops or chicken, and dessert offerings with blueberries or strawberries, among others. And speaking of dessert, save room for it! Don’t resist the banana pudding, pineapple coconut cake, and sweet potato pie. While there’s no separate kids’ menu, there’s really no need for one with so many kid-friendly dishes!

With pictures of music luminaries lining the walls and chicken and waffles on your plate, Amy Ruth’s is the place to go for New York City history and soul food traditions.

TIP: Nearby Hex & Co. Games Café is the place to go if you love board games and smoothies with friends.