Soul Food
South Carolina is the birthplace of barbecue, as the Native Americans demonstrated their cooking methods to the colonists upon their arrival.
Meat was laid over sticks spanning trenches filled with hot coals.
As plantations developed, the task of preparing barbecued meats fell to the enslaved, most commonly men, as the heavy slabs were difficult to rotate over the coals.
Following emancipation, the formerly enslaved often found it difficult to secure employment. Many barbecue joints were opened by those who had prepared the meat for events at the plantation.
Many of our traditional soul foods are derived from the time of slavery. As noted by Joseph Holloway in his book, Africanisms in American Culture, while enslaved and directly following emancipation, African Americans did not have access to better cuts of meat. Traditional soul foods made creative use of inexpensive products procured through farming and subsistence hunting and fishing.
What makes a delicious soul food meal?
Delicious meals were developed from cornmeal, turnip and collard greens, using pig’s feet, ham hocks, and pork skin for flavor. Traditional seasonings were onion, garlic, thyme, and bay leaf. As a matter of fact, the famous “Sylvia’s Soul Food” originated from the town of Hemingway in rural Williamsburg County.
If you stop in a service station with a deli in the Pee Dee, you’ll find the best macaroni and cheese, along with fried chicken, green beans flavored with pork, and collard greens. If you’re lucky, you can sample some chitlin’s (chitterlings, if you’d like to be more formal), gizzards, chicken livers and pork skins. Some of the best soul food, barbecue, and fresh seafood are found in small privately owned restaurants. The owners put a lot of love and soul in whatever they send out of their kitchens!
LaTasha McCutchen
Winner of Hell’s Kitchen season 13
Markeyshi K’Patrick
Markeyshi K’Patrick learned the art of good cooking from her Grandmother Eliza. She has incorporated those teachings in her vegan dishes.
Albert Johnson
Albert Johnson has been cooking up his Uncle Albert’s Famous Bar-B-Que Sauce and winning competitions for over 50 years. It’s available at local IGA and Piggly Wiggly food stores.
Sylvia Woods
The Queen of Soul Food, Sylvia Woods owns Sylvia’s Restaurant in Harlem, NY. After praise by a food critic, the restaurant expanded to take up the full city block. She has expanded her offerings with spice and canned food lines in major supermarkets.
Big John's Soul Food Restaurant and BBQ Grill
1105 E Liberty Street, Marion, SC 29571 (843) 423-8646
City Food and Spirits
1106 E Godbold Street, Marion, SC 29571 (843) 423-0300
Connie's Bakery & Specialty
501 Thurgood Marshall Hwy, Kingstree, SC 29556 (843) 355-2253
Eliza's Vegan Cafe
1832-B W Lucas Street, Florence, SC 29501 (843) 229-0595
Genesis Family Restaurant
516 Cheraw Street, Bennettsville, SC 29512 (843) 479-3344
Jireh Soul Food Restaurant
1026 Cherry Laurel Drive, Hartsville, SC 29550 (843) 332-5000
Lavelle's Diner
359 S Ron McNair Blvd, Lake City, SC 29560 (843) 374-3186
MilNessa's Country Kitchen
903 Oakland Avenue, Florence, SC 29506 (843) 407-9002
Palmetto Cafe and Bakery
1005 E McIver Road, Darlington, SC 29532 (843) 944-0587
Scott's Bar-B-Que
2734 Hemingway Hwy #5420, Hemingway, SC 29554 (843) 558-0134
Shirley's Eats and Treats
646 W Carolina Avenue, Hartsville, SC 29550 (843) 917-0313
Ward's Fish Market
123 N Acline Street, Lake City, SC 29560 (843) 374-9996