Let’s be honest: there’s something about soul food that feels like a warm hug from the inside out. If you’ve ever found yourself craving crispy chicken, buttery cornbread, or sides that could make you weep, you’re not alone. Ohio’s soul food scene is a delicious reminder that comfort can be plated, served, and, yes, smothered in gravy. Ready for a taste adventure that’s half nostalgia, half new obsession? Here are five unforgettable spots you’ll want to add to your eat-it-again list.
1. Rasheedah’s Cafe
Some places manage to feel like you’ve been invited to someone’s Sunday dinner, and Rasheedah’s Cafe in Cincinnati just nailed that vibe. When it opened in 1993, it wasn’t just another spot for fried chicken. It became a halal soul food haven for families, students, and the church crowd, and its menu reads like a love letter to comfort food.
You could walk in on a Wednesday and find the owner greeting regulars by name, or overhear debates about whose grandma makes better salmon croquettes. The beef short ribs arrive tender enough to make you forget your phone for three whole bites. Mac ‘n’ cheese is golden and proud, unapologetically rich, and the candied yams are sweet enough to count as dessert (or therapy).
Fun fact: Rasheedah’s has survived economic dips, gentrification, and two decades of food trends. The place isn’t about reinvention. It’s about giving you a plate that feels like home, whether you grew up in Cincinnati or just wish you had. Savor the cornbread and leave a little room for nostalgia on the way out.
2. Zanzibar Soul Fusion
Ever noticed how some restaurants make you want to dress up just a little? Zanzibar Soul Fusion in Cleveland has that effect. The place is always buzzing: think girls’ night, date night, or just your solo treat-yourself moment. Their menu brings Southern classics into the 21st century, but not at the expense of flavor or fun.
You’ll spot walleye cakes next to smothered ribeye and BBQ beef shank, with a side of cornbread that’s more cake than bread (and isn’t that secretly what you want?). The vibe is unapologetically bold, with music just loud enough to encourage laughing a bit too hard over sweet tea.
Opened around 2010 (though recipes date back to 1985 when they were first crafted at the Carnegie Hotel’s kitchen under Angie’s Soul Food), Zanzibar doubled as a community haven and a palate playground. If you want your comfort food with a side of millennial swagger, this is your spot. Go hungry, leave happy, and maybe sneak a selfie by the mural.
3. Angie’s Soul Café
Every city needs an Angie’s, a place where you’re greeted with a grin and possibly a free sample. Angie’s Soul Café in Cleveland delivers that plus peach cobbler that could inspire poetry. Since the 1990s, it’s been a second home for regulars, college students, and families in search of Sunday dinner any day of the week.
Fried catfish comes out sizzling, collard greens are slow-cooked with just enough kick, and the cornbread is sweet enough to be dessert. Locals swear by the oxtails and smothered pork chops, while visiting foodies inevitably Instagram their plates (and the neon sign out front).
Whether you dine in or grab takeout, Angie’s proves tradition never goes out of style. Don’t forget napkins, soul food this good gets messy fast.
4. Eli’s BBQ
Some places just smell like memories. Eli’s BBQ in Cincinnati isn’t technically all soul food, but let’s be real: when the ribs are this tender and the cornbread this buttery, who cares about labels? The vibe is backyard barbecue meets neighborhood reunion, minus the awkward small talk.
Open since 2011, Eli’s draws crowds with its hickory-smoked pulled pork, spicy sausage, and sides like jalapeño cheese grits. You can eat indoors or at the picnic tables, surrounded by the smoky perfume of nostalgia (and actual barbecue). The homemade barbecue sauce recipe is still a closely guarded secret.
Here’s a fun bit: Eli’s started as a food stand at Findlay Market. Now, it’s a Cincinnati staple. Bring friends, bring your appetite, and don’t wear white. Barbecue this good is a hands-on experience, and honestly, messy just means you did it right.
5. J’Mae’s Home Cooking
You know you’ve found something special when the plates are piled high, the staff treats you like kin, and the dessert steals the show. That’s J’Mae’s Home Cooking in Toledo: comfort cuisine at prices that’ll make you smile.
For around $13, you get a protein (think BBQ baked chicken, meatloaf, or fried turkey), plus three generous sides that are every bit as soulful: green beans, mac ’n’ cheese, mashed potatoes, and fried okra all strike a homestyle chord.
It feels like family here: the staff “make you feel like you were home,” and dishes like the carrot cake have guests calling it “the best I have ever had.” J’Mae’s isn’t fancy, but that’s the point. It’s about wide-open flavor, full bellies, and lingering at the table for one more bite. A perfect Toledo addition: go hungry, leave full, and don’t forget to save room for dessert.
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