It’s amazing that more car accidents do not occur at 4th Avenue and Blair Boulevard.
The smell wafting out of Papa’s Soul Food is heavenly enough to cause even the most cautious of drivers to close their eyes and daydream about Jamaican jerk chicken.
Walking into Papa’s Soul Food feels like you’re walking into someone’s home.
The walls are filled with colorful paintings of Blues legends like Lightnin’ Hopkins, Howlin’ Wolf and Son House; sweet R&B music pours over the speakers and a bright red “hate free zone” sign hangs in the window.
Everything feels cozy and warm – it’s the kind of place that makes you want to sit down and stay a while.
Papa, the brains and heart behind Papa’s Soul Food, said he’s really proud of his restaurant.
“Some people may think it’s small, but to me, it’s a palace,” he said.
Much of the furniture in the restaurant is made from recycling old pieces. The cool metal covering on the bar was thrown out by BRING Recycling. Papa said he loves the way it looks.
An old roommate made the metal piped structure that houses the restaurant’s alcohol out of scrap pieces of pipe and chain-link fence.
Even the fancy storage benches along the counter were made out of recycled wood from the restaurant’s old deck that was damaged during a storm.
After speaking with Papa, it is easy to see where the restaurant gets its charm. He is a big man, with a kind smile and a deep laugh that’s as authentic as his food.
“We try to do everything traditional,” he said.
“(The restaurant) is very unique because you won’t find anything else like it in the area.”
Everything is made and cured in-house, down to the last slice of bacon. Meat is slow cooked for six to eight hours over a wood fire that never peaks over 225 degrees.
“You’re not eating anything that came from a box or frozen package,” he said.
Papa said all of the items on the menu are family recipes, and he’s only taught one person that’s not in the family how to cook like him.
“It’s weird because now when I taste something it’s like, did I cook this? We cook exactly the same,” he said.
He said the restaurant has been 30 years in the making and it started out of a food trailer off Polk Street. His mother had a similar establishment but it was not quite as blues-oriented as his place.
The restaurant features live music almost every night from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. This week’s schedule includes performances by Vevie Walker, Al Rivers & Papa Soul Blues Duo, and the Eric Richardson Jazz Trio.
The latest edition to the menu is breakfast on Saturdays.
When asked if his restaurant was the best in town, Papa smiled and said, “But of course.”
He would know – he said he has worked for almost every restaurant in town.
Papa isn’t just the patron saint of soul food, he’s also a local celebrity. People traveling down 4th Street stop to wave, scream hello or chat with him.
As Papa explained the smoker outside, a man in a truck slowed down, pointed to the restaurant and told his friends, “You guys want some good eats, right here at Papa’s is the place. Pulled pork is the bomb.” He waved and then he drove away.
The man was right: Papa said pulled pork is the house favorite, but he is particularly fond of the restaurant’s hot links.
Papa’s Soul Food is definitely not a well-kept secret – it’s one of the most popular restaurants in town.
Traffic from the U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials has made Papa a very busy man.
He said, “We’ve been under the gun. There is a line for dinner pretty much until closing.”
Papa said the secret to the success of his restaurant is the mixture of culture and good food.
[email protected]