09/03/2026
What exactly is soul food, and what did we eat?
Soul food is deeply rooted in the American South and in African American culinary traditions passed from one generation to the next. Its history is tied to making the most of affordable and locally available ingredients, with many of these dishes becoming staples of Sunday family dinners, church gatherings, and celebrations.
Our country morning breakfast included skillet-fried chicken (of course!), bacon, sausage, pancakes, cheese grits, seasoned potatoes, corn pudding, scrambled eggs, country ham, fried apples, cinnamon rolls, and biscuits and gravy. It was the kind of spread that encourages you to linger at the table just a little longer.
Not only was the food delicious and filling, but the experience itself was truly soul-filling.
If you ever find yourself traveling through Nashville, I encourage you to seek out a dining experience like this. You may come for the meal, but you’ll leave with something even more meaningful. Perhaps it will be a new perspective or an unexpected conversation, but most certainly a memory you’ll carry long after the last bite.
After all, some of the best meals don’t just fill your stomach. They fill your soul.
