Which of Charlotte’s Top 5 soul food restaurants are best? You decide.

We’re one step closer to finding the Charlotte area’s best soul food restaurant, and the decision is in your hands.

It all began with asking for your go-to soul food spots for comforting, well-seasoned favorites like smothered pork chops and fried fish, creamy mac and cheese, and tender collard greens.

We put your nominations to a vote, and thousands of votes later, we have reached the Top 5 soul food restaurants in the Charlotte area.

Now, we move on to find the Top 2 spots.

Here’s the schedule for this contest:

• The third round will determine the Top 2. It is now live and will be until noon Wednesday, May 20.
• The fourth round will determine the winner. It begins shortly after noon Wednesday, May 20 and will be live until noon Friday, May 22.

Top 5 soul food restaurants

1. Home Style Kitchn
2. Nana Morrison’s Soul Food
3. Ruby’s Soul Food & BBQ
4. Cuzzo’s Cuisine
5. Food for Your Soul

Top 10 soul food restaurants

1. Nana Morrison’s Soul Food
2. Home Style Kitchn
3. Cuzzo’s Cuisine
4. Ruby’s Soul Food & BBQ
5. Ken Cooks
6. Kitchen & Kocktails by Kevin Kelley
7. Taste of Soul Plant-Based and Vegan Cuisine
8. Food for Your Soul
9. Mert’s Heart and Soul
10. Sol’ Delish

The full list of Best Soul Food nominees

1. Chicken Box Cafe
2. Cuzzo’s Cuisine
3. EJ’s Soul Food & Vegan
4. Everybody Eatz
5. Food for Your Soul
6. Freshwaters
7. Home Style Kitchn
8. Ken Cooks
9. Kitchen + Kocktails by Kevin Kelley
10. LuLu’s Express
11. Mert’s Heart and Soul
12. Mr. Charles Chicken and Fish
13. Nana Morrison’s Soul Food
14. Queen’s Soul Food Restaurant
15. Ruby’s Soul Food & BBQ
16. Sandra Lee’s Country Kitchen
17. Soul Central
18. Sol’ Delish
19. Soul Kitchen
20. Sunset Soul Food
21. Taste of Soul Plant-Based and Vegan Cuisine
22. United House of Prayer Cafeteria

Best of Charlotte: Coffee Shop | Chicken Wings | Doughnuts | Burgers | Ice Cream | Brewery | Pizza | Sushi | Tacos | Food truck | Bar | Ramen | Brunch | Patio | Barbecue | Pie | Fried Chicken | Fries | Cookies | Steak | Bagels | Sports Bar | Indian | Sandwiches

Uniquely Charlotte: Uniquely Charlotte is an Observer subscriber collection of moments, landmarks and personalities that define the uniqueness (and pride) of why we live in the Charlotte region.

This story was originally published May 18, 2026 at 12:02 PM.

Heidi Finley

The Charlotte Observer

Heidi Finley is a writer and editor for CharlotteFive and the Charlotte Observer. Outside of work, you will most likely find her in the suburbs driving kids around, volunteering and indulging in foodie pursuits. Support my work with a digital subscription