Seattle, WA
For Soul Food in Seattle, the local food press points to COMMUNION Restaurant & Bar, Lil Red Takeout & Catering, and Wally’s NW Soul. Picks from The Infatuation, updated July 2026.
Editor’s picks
Press picks, until locals rank their own Top 5s. Sourced from the local food press. As seen in The Infatuation. Updated July 2026.
COMMUNION Restaurant & Bar · Central District
Chef Kristi Brown's Central District restaurant in the Liberty Bank Building serves what she calls Seattle Soul: pork neck stew and cornmeal-crusted catfish sit alongside soul food classics reworked through a Northwest and Vietnamese lens. Brown has drawn James Beard recognition for the cooking.
Lil Red Takeout & Catering · Columbia City
A husband-and-wife takeout counter blending Erasto Red Jackson's smoked meats with his wife Lelieth's Jamaican cooking. The thick-sliced, tender brisket charred at the ends is a signature, backed by collard greens, mac and cheese, and oxtail alongside jerk chicken.
Wally’s NW Soul · Central District
From longtime caterer Walter Washington, this Central District counter turns out a catfish po'boy fried in a cornmeal crust crunchy enough that the crust alone could stand as its own snack, plus a banana pudding pound cake worth returning for.
Simply Soulful · Central District
A longtime Madison Valley soul food spot now settled in the Central District, built around a glossy gumbo loaded with chicken and shrimp, crisp fried catfish with salt worked into every bite, and yams finished with a vanilla-brown sugar sauce. Straightforward comfort food done well.
What’s your #1 Soul Food in Seattle?
Rank your top five and be the first to set Seattle's local ranking.