Enlarge Sadie's apple berry salad.

Posted: September 29th, 2010 Jarvis Holliday

PHOTOS BY JAMES WILLAMOR

The Crossroads Correspondents will be previewing restaurants for the Oct. 7 Taste of the World. For more info and to make a reservation, click here.

Soul food, comfort food, down-home cooking; however you describe it, Sadie’s Soulful Southern Experience is one of the best. And we’re not just talking about the restaurant’s position in Charlotte; Sadie’s is highly regarded nationwide.

There remain many local people who don’t know what they’re missing. Located in East Charlotte, Sadie’s doesn’t have a prime location like Mert’s Heart and Soul (Uptown) or Price’s Chicken Coop (South End), but it’s worth the drive. Just ask the regulars.

They come for the fried chicken, pork chop, fish, and the sides, which are so flavorful you might choose to make a meal out of them alone. Here, the sides are referred to as “side conversations” and you’ll leave talking about the macaroni and cheese, cabbage, fried okra, potato salad, pinto beans, squash and onions, sautéed apples, sweet carrots, slaw, and more. And don’t forget the fried corn on the cob.

But as with most soul food restaurants, an indicator of its greatness is the quality of its fried chicken. At Sadie’s, it’s cooked to order so it’s always piping hot, crispy on the outside, and tender on the inside. And the fried chicken served with a sweet potato waffle is one of the most popular entrées. 

Owned by Joseph McGuire and Tamara Thompson, Sadie’s is named after Thompson’s grandmother. When you think of grandma, especially in the African-American community in the South, you think of great home-cooked meals. That's what Sadie’s is all about: Home-cooking—just done at a restaurant.

Sadie’s is the 2008 and 2009 Steve Harvey’s Hoodie Award winner for Best Soul Food, and was a finalist again this year. The Hoodie Awards are a nationwide contest; not only has the little East Charlotte restaurant beat its competition from across the country, but it’s common for out-of-towners to visit Sadie’s simply because they heard about it from Steve Harvey’s syndicated radio show.

Sadie’s Soulful Southern Experience
5708-H N. Sharon Amity Rd.
www.sadiesoul.com
(704) 532-5570

Tweet

Previous Page