Soul Food in Denver

This small spot tucked a block off Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard may not look particularly welcoming from the outside, with its caged-in windows and barred door, but you’ll find warm hospitality inside Blazing Chicken, along with a menu full of homestyle Southern classics. From the fried chicken to the gumbo to sides like mac and cheese and collard greens studded with shredded ham hock and bolstered with cabbage, this is soul food done right.

3 articles

Coleman's Taste of Detroit Soul Food

2622 Welton St. Downtown Denver

303-296-3389

Soul Food, Southern, Recommended

Henry Coleman knows from Detroit soul food, Detroit comfort food, Detroit's streetside, slapdash, eat-while-walking cuisine. From behind the rail of his kitchen at Coleman's (in the former home of Ethel's House of Soul), he knocks up specials (roasted barbecued chicken breast with greens and rice and gravy, if you're lucky), bakes the cornbread, slow-cooks his brisket and hot links, and fries up an incredibly good fried chicken.

4 articles

Genna Rae's Wings and More

1819 E. 28th Ave. North Denver

720-287-3523

Soul Food, Recommended

Genna Rae's is not the kind of restaurant that charges $30 for dinner while claiming to be a neighborhood restaurant just because there's a community table set up in the dining room. In fact, this takeout-only storefront in Whittier doesn't claim to be a neighborhood place at all. It doesn't have to, because it's obvious to even the most casual observer that this is the truest, simplest iteration of a neighborhood joint. Owner Genn Dickerson knows his customers and what they like: wings with hot, honey hot or honey barbecue sauce; a monster twelve-ounce burger for $12; spicy Southern greens with mac and cheese; and perfectly crispy fried fish. Have a seat on one of the three barstools while you wait for your order, chat with the incredibly friendly staff, then come back again and again.

1 article

Gumbo's Louisiana Style Cafe

1033 E. 17th Ave. Central Denver

720-266-5300

Soul Food, Southern

5 articles

Heavenly Soul Cafe

13682 E. Alameda Ave. Aurora

720-328-2661

Soul Food

1 article

Love, Peace & Sol Cafe

3435 Albion St. East Denver

720-227-6935

Vegan, Soul Food, Slideshow

10 articles

Mississippi Boy Catfish & Ribs

5544 E. 33rd Ave., Denver Park Hill/Mayfair/Lowry

601-880-9828

Soul Food

This spot got its start as a food truck before opening up a brick-and-mortar location in Northeast Park Hill. Specializing in fried catfish, barbecue and other Southern specialties, it's the Denver destination for down-home comfort food.

Momma's Soul Kitchen

14200 E. Alameda Ave. Aurora

720-749-5892

Soul Food, Menu

Pappadeaux Seafood Kitchen

7520 E. Progress Place, Englewood Southeast Denver Suburbs

303-740-9449

Cajun, Creole, Soul Food, Southern, Menu

This Texas-based chain draws inspiration from the vibrant French Quarter in New Orleans, and it attempts to channel that scene in both atmosphere and cuisine. Wooden slats and and brick walls provide the base for the bayou-themed decor in Pappadeaux's low-ceilinged, massive outpost in the Denver Tech Center. Groups flood the place for the seafood-based menu, which includes Louisiana specialties like shrimp creole, crawfish etouffee and gumbo, as well as plenty of fruity, alcoholic beverages. A Sunday brunch buffet invites a veritable orgy of eating, with diners able to sample not just the entrees, but breakfast fare such as pancakes, omelets and much, much more.

Pearl Street Grill

1477 S. Pearl St. South Denver

303-778-6475

American, Brunch, Mexican, Soul Food, Southern, Southwestern, Recommended, Menu

This South Pearl landmark looks like a cross between Cheers and a location for Friends, but it serves swell bar burgers, nachos and other grill standards. The international beer list is overwhelming, the atmosphere unassuming and friendly, and the secluded patio a great summer hideaway.

9 articles

Q's Quisine

18631 E. Iliff Ave., food truck @ Sand Creek Lounge Aurora

720-476-8127

Soul Food, Barbecue, Menu

Q's Quisine

5428 S. Parker Rd. Aurora

720-476-8127

Barbecue, Soul Food, Menu

Randall's

3349 York St. North Denver

720-583-0473

Soul Food

Owner Randall Borne spent years perfecting recipes from his native Louisiana, selling dishes from a mobile cart before landing in his first permanent space. All those years of practice paid off: The crispy chicken wings, shrimp po’boy and intensely savory pork chops are all winners.

4 articles

The Rock N Soul Cafe

5290 Arapahoe Ave. Boulder

303-443-5108

American, Coffeehouse, Soul Food, Southern, Tea, Music Venues, Menu

1 article

The Soul Kitchen & Bar

98 Wadsworth Blvd. Lakewood

303-237-2475

Soul Food

1 article

The Soul Kitchen

14107 E. Colfax Ave. Aurora

720-474-1996

Soul Food, Southern, Menu

Jay Berry opened Kirk's Soul Kitchen in 2012, adding another option in the area's slim soul-food scene. The restaurant is dedicated to his stepfather, Kirk, who told him, "Stay focused because you could do anything you put your mind to." What Berry does at Kirk's is serve great homemade food, including fried chicken, collard greens and an incredible banana pudding.

4 articles

The Spillway Grill

13740 E. Quincy Ave. Aurora

303-693-0755

American, Soul Food, Southern, Tex-Mex, Bars and Clubs, Music Venues

1 article

Swirk Soul Food

2205 S. Peoria St. Aurora

303-337-0549

Soul Food, Southern, Menu

The sign outside this small, takeout-only spot in an Aurora strip mall reads "Swirk Supreme Food," and what a supreme selection it has: barbecue, sandwiches, seafood and more. Not sure where to start? Go for the Southern King Platter Dinner, which includes a fried catfish fillet, two jumbo shrimp, one hot link and barbecue chicken, with your choice of two sides.

Waffle House

8401 Pearl St. North Denver

303-287-1337

American, Breakfast/Brunch, Diner, Fast Food, New American, Soul Food, Southern, Specialties, Traditional, Menu

You know you've become an American icon when you make regular appearances in Larry the Cable Guy's standup routine, and by that standard, Waffle House is the Elvis Presley of Interstate dining. With more than 1,400 franchises in 25 states (including Denver / Boulder), this Georgia-based breakfast joint, founded in 1955, is among a handful of 24-hour chain diners that serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner all day and night long. Despite the jokes about sticky silverware, all of its waffles are served on real china. And it doesn't matter when you want a meal, you can order anything off the menu—including soups and sirloins, country ham sandwiches and German waffles topped with any number of hot compotes. Many Waffle Houses have jukeboxes, and all of them offer bottomless cups of coffee and breakfast bar service for fans of a bacon-and-eggs-laden buffet. Just look for the yellow neon—or look on Voice Places.

2 articles

Welton Street Cafe

2883 Welton St., Denver Five Points/RiNo

303-296-6602

Soul Food, Recommended, Best Of, Menu, Slideshow, Essentials

For over two decades, the Dickerson family has kept the catfish, fried chicken, smothered pork chops and other soul-food specialties coming for hungry diners in Five Points — though it's moved a few times since opening. In 2022, it shuttered its longtime home with plans to move into a new space. That process took longer than expected, but with the community’s support, it’s now back in full force — and has a new addition: a full bar.

8 articles

Soul Food in Denver

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