Portraits of jazz giants hang on the walls of this perpetually packed two-story Harlem fave. A bottle of Frank’s RedHot dresses every table—a sign of the soul food goodness to come. Indeed, the richly battered catfish or the fried chicken and waffles platters (many named for famous African Americans, including Rev. Al Sharpton, and Doug E. Fresh), served with your choice of white or dark meat, go down peppery-sweet with a splash of the hot stuff. Long spears of delicately fried okra are delivered without a hint of slime, and the mac ’n’ cheese is gooey inside and crispy-brown on top. Titanic helpings of cinnamon-crusted peach cobbler and thickly iced red velvet cake lend the menu a grandmotherly touch.
Start your perfect Saturday or Sunday in leisurely fashion at one of Harlem’s best brunch places. Drop by popular neighborhood soul-food joint Amy Ruth’s for fried chicken and waffles, Toast, for classic egg dishes and sandwiches incorporating the namesake ingredient, or splurge on cocktails and global fare at Red Rooster Harlem. Afterward, hit the neighborhood’s shops or the Studio Museum in Harlem.
RECOMMENDED: Full guide to Harlem, New York