NYC: Brunch at Sylvias – Soul food in Harlem

Sylvia’s is an old favorite of mine. In fact it was the very first restaurant I dined at in Harlem, and I love the genuine neighborhood feel of that place. Watching how locals gather in the restaurant and spend hours chit-chatting over a plate of fried chicken, is quite an experience, and another reason why I like Sylvia’s so much. Even if you’re just a visitor without a clue about soul food, they’ll treat you like a regular and make you feel at home.

In New York, Sunday is brunch day, and New Yorkers really know how to brunch, so one Sunday afternoon, I met for brunch with some New York friends at Sylvia’s. At Sylvia’s the food is tasty and the servings are huge. The entrées come with two sides of your choice, so there’s no way you’ll be leaving this place hungry. There was music when we were there, but we were seated outside, so we couldn’t hear the music inside. Instead we had sunshine in our hair and front row views of Malcolm X Boulevard.

I had a fried chicken/BBQ ribs combo with black-eyed peas and mac ‘n’ cheese. The fried chicken at Sylvia’s is awesome. It’s crispy on the outside and really juicy inside and I had it with a waffle on the side, sprinkled with syrup and melted butter. It was delicious. While black eyed peas have never been my thing (I guess it’s an acquired taste that I’m really struggling to acquire), the mac ‘n’ cheese side at Sylvia’s is a must-order, if you ask me.

Sylvia Wood opened the restaurant back in 1962 and she authored several cookbooks. She even had her own food product brand. Sylvia Wood passed away in 2012.

A little further down the road is Marcus Samuelsson’s Red Rooster restaurant, which also serves southern food.

Sylvia’s Restaurant, 328 Malcolm X Boulevard, Harlem, New York