North Carolina’s soul food scene is a tapestry of family recipes, cultural heritage, and down-home cooking. From Charlotte to Winston-Salem, these beloved eateries serve up plates that warm both belly and spirit. The following spots aren’t just restaurants—they’re community gathering places where traditional Southern cooking shines through every bite.
Nana Morrison’s Soul Food: Family Recipes Since the 1940s
Recipe cards yellowed with age guide the cooks at this Charlotte and Cary institution. The crispy-outside, juicy-inside fried chicken draws devoted fans who’ll drive hours just for a taste. Each bite of their creamy mac and cheese delivers comfort in cheese form.
The collard greens simmer low and slow, soaking up flavors from smoked turkey wings rather than traditional ham hocks—a small twist that regulars appreciate. Three generations of the Morrison family have kept watch over the kitchen, ensuring consistency in every dish.
Weekend lines form early, especially after church on Sundays. The modest dining room buzzes with conversation as strangers become friends over shared plates of cobbler.
Mert’s Heart & Soul: Charlotte’s Downtown Soul Food Haven
Tucked among Charlotte’s gleaming skyscrapers, Mert’s brick exterior and neon sign beckon hungry visitors. The famous “soul roll”—essentially a Southern egg roll stuffed with rice, black-eyed peas, and chicken—represents everything wonderful about this place: creative yet deeply traditional.
Salmon cakes arrive crispy-edged and tender-centered, while shrimp and grits come loaded with flavor from bacon and mushrooms. The cornbread arrives sizzling in cast iron skillets, begging to be slathered with honey butter.
Photos of Charlotte’s Black history line the walls, connecting diners to the community that birthed these recipes. Servers know regulars by name and newcomers by the wide-eyed look when they taste the food.
Soul Central: Bold Flavors in North Charlotte
Fall-off-the-bone oxtails steal the spotlight at Soul Central, where tradition meets modern flair. The meat arrives tender enough to eat with a spoon, swimming in rich gravy that begs to be soaked up with a piece of cornbread.
Weekend specials draw locals who know to arrive early—the smothered pork chops typically sell out by mid-afternoon. The dining room feels like someone’s home, with mismatched chairs and family photos creating an atmosphere of genuine hospitality.
Don’t skip the sides here—particularly the candied yams that strike a perfect balance between sweet and savory. Soul Central might be newer to Charlotte’s scene, but its recipes taste like they’ve been perfected over generations.
JJ’s Mama’s Soulfood & More: Lexington’s Hidden Treasure
Blink and you might miss JJ’s Mama’s, housed in an unassuming building off Lexington’s main drag. Inside, magic happens in the form of smothered pork chops that knife through like butter. Each plate comes heaped with three sides—the candied yams and mac and cheese inspire poetry from first-time visitors.
Banana pudding here isn’t an afterthought but a destination dessert, layered in tall glasses with vanilla wafers that maintain their crunch somehow. The restaurant’s walls showcase local sports teams and community events.
Service runs on small-town time—relaxed and personal. Many dishes come from the owner’s grandmother’s recipes, tweaked just slightly over decades but maintaining their soulful essence.
Let’s Eat Soul Food: Durham’s Community Favorite
The aroma hits you first at Let’s Eat—a symphony of spices, slow-cooked meats, and buttery baked goods. With two Durham locations, this spot has become a neighborhood staple where judges, construction workers, and professors all stand in the same line for oxtails that melt in your mouth.
Their yam soufflé elevates the humble sweet potato to art form status, while the meatloaf comes draped in a mushroom gravy worth sopping up with every available carb. The dining room buzzes with conversation between strangers who become temporary friends over shared appreciation of good food.
Daily specials rotate based on what’s fresh and in season—a commitment to quality that keeps locals coming back weekly.
Mr. Charles Chicken & Fish: Charlotte’s No-Frills Classic
Since 1992, Mr. Charles has been frying fish to golden perfection without changing a thing about the recipe. The catfish emerges from the fryer with a cornmeal coating that shatters delightfully against the fork, revealing steaming white flesh underneath.
Chicken wings and thighs receive the same reverent treatment—crispy outside, juicy inside, and seasoned all the way through. Hushpuppies arrive hot enough to steam when broken open, while collard greens simmer with smoked turkey wings lending depth.
The space itself makes no pretensions toward fancy dining—plastic forks, Styrofoam plates, and a steady stream of regulars who couldn’t care less about ambiance when the food tastes this good. Cash only, as the handwritten sign reminds you.
Everybody Eatz: NoDa’s Soulful Gathering Space
Murals splash color across the walls of Everybody Eatz, where Charlotte’s artsy NoDa neighborhood meets traditional soul food cooking. Fall-apart turkey wings swim in savory gravy that somehow manages to be both light and deeply flavorful—a culinary contradiction that keeps tables full.
The five-cheese mac and cheese deserves its legendary status, with a crust that forms on top while the inside remains creamy and indulgent. Weekend evenings bring local musicians who provide a soundtrack for dinner, creating a vibe that’s equal parts restaurant and community living room.
Young chefs work alongside veteran cooks in the open kitchen, visibly passing down techniques that can’t be learned from cookbooks. The restaurant’s name proves accurate—everybody really does eat here.
Sweet Potatoes Restaurant: Winston-Salem’s Artistic Soul
“When was the last time you had chicken and waffles that made you close your eyes while eating?” asks a regular at Sweet Potatoes. Located in Winston-Salem’s arts district, this spot elevates soul food classics through careful technique rather than fancy ingredients.
The chicken arrives with a peppery crust that shatters at first bite, paired with waffles substantial enough to hold up to maple syrup and hot sauce (yes, both—trust me). Sides made from scratch include black-eyed pea hummus—a creative twist that honors tradition while nudging it forward.
Local artwork adorns brick walls, and servers know the story behind each piece. Weekend brunch draws lines down the block, filled with people willing to wait for food that tastes like someone’s grandmother made it—if grandmother had gone to culinary school.
Prime Tyme Soul Cafe: Winston-Salem’s Sporty Soul Spot
Basketball jerseys and sports memorabilia create the backdrop for some of Winston-Salem’s most talked-about smothered pork chops. The meat falls apart under your fork, swimming in onion gravy that customers have been known to request in to-go cups for later enjoyment.
Collard greens here come chopped fine rather than in the typical large pieces—a regional difference the owner proudly maintains from his grandmother’s Eastern Carolina style. Portions arrive so generous that to-go boxes are part of the standard table setting.
The restaurant buzzes during big games, with regulars claiming their usual tables beneath screens showing sports. Between plays, conversation inevitably turns to the food—particularly which sides pair best with which mains.
