Food Town There’s Soul Much We Love About Soul Food, Houston!

The Bayou City is a place that loves its flavor, community and tradition, and few cuisines capture all three quite like the soul food Houston holds dear. After all, it doesn’t get much better than gathering around a table heaped with crispy fried chicken, smoky collard greens and sweet potato pie, all made with heart and history.

At Food Town, we’re proud to help bring those flavors home, whether you’re a lifelong soul food fan or just discovering what it’s all about. Join our foodies as we do a deep dive into everything from soul food’s historic origins to beloved dishes you won’t want to miss and ways your neighborhood Food Town supports your culinary journey. Let’s get to it!

What is Soul Food?

Though Delish notes that the term “soul food” gained widespread recognition in the 1960s, its roots run much deeper. The cuisine, which celebrates African‑American culture and identity — and is often passed down from one generation to the next — reaches back to the time of slavery in the American South. So, what is soul food?

The Spruce Eats website describes soul food as down-home cooking that focuses on staples such as greens, pork, hush puppies and beans. Enslaved individuals, many of whom brought cooking traditions with them from their home countries, made comforting, nourishing meals out of whatever ingredients they had available. Pork, for instance, was used in countless ways — from ribs and feet which made for hearty meals to rendered fat which aided in cooking and even organs, which could be made into chitlins. You might say soul food was the original start to the “nose to tail” culinary mindset.

Following emancipation, soul food gained a foothold in the U.S. As freed individuals moved northward during the Great Migration, they carried their recipes and sense of culture with them. As such, soul food became a source of pride, anchoring Black families and communities in areas spanning from Chicago to New York and right here in Houston.

What Are the Most Popular Types of Soul Food?

As with any cuisine, soul food is as varied as it is inventive. The flavors and approaches you’ll find in one region will differ from those in another — and every family has treasured recipes. Although we’ve already touched on a few of the most common types of soul food today, we’ve just scratched the surface. Let’s dig a little deeper into a few main dishes most likely to grace the table at a soul food meal.

• Chitlins/Chitterlings: Pig intestines that are thoroughly cleaned, slow-cooked and seasoned, they’re a favorite due to their bold flavor and cultural roots.
• Collard Greens: Often braised low and slow with smoked meat or pork fat, collards are tender, smoky and oh-so satisfying. Want to try them for yourself? You’ll love our recipe for Southern Collard Greens!
• Cornbread: Golden, crumbly and slightly sweet (or savory, depending on the cook), cornbread is often baked in cast-iron skillets where it develops a crispy edge that’s hard to resist. This dish is incredibly versatile. Check out our recipes for White Cornbread with Chilies, Zucchini Cornbread and Crawfish Cornbread!
• Fried Chicken: Crispy, juicy and seasoned just right, fried chicken acts as the centerpiece of many soul food meals.
• Macaroni and Cheese: Melty cheese meets cooked noodles in this fan-favorite dish. And when you bake everything together until it’s hot and bubbly, you strike something pretty close to perfection. We love this more traditional recipe for Crock Pot Macaroni and Cheese, but also like trying our hand at flavor combos such as this Ranch Bacon Mac & Cheese.
• Sweet Potato Pie: A close cousin of pumpkin pie, this silky dessert blends warm spices and sweet potatoes together, creating comfort in a crust. You’ll love our recipe for Southern Sweet Potato Pie, or our Sweet Potato Pie with Pecan Topping recipe, which adds a little something extra.

Food Town is Here for Every Stage of Your Soul Food Journey

It doesn’t matter if you’re a relative newbie or you’ve got soul food in your blood. Your neighborhood store is all about helping you source the best ingredients, tap into big, bold flavors and fill your table with soul food fixings the whole family will love. Here’s how.

• Meat Cut Fresh in Store: Each Food Town has designated meat cutters on staff, meaning you always have access to the precise cuts you’re looking for. (And if you don’t see what you want? Just ask! We are more than happy to cut you something custom.) On top of that, we are proud to stock cuts other stores typically don’t. That includes pig feet, chicken feet and chitterlings.
• International Spice Stations: Located at each and every Food Town, these spice sections offer a virtually limitless supply of flavor options. Pick up an old favorite — or branch out and try something new. Either way, it’s bound to be delicious!
• Fresh Produce Delivered Daily: Fresh corn on the cob, potatoes perfect for mashing, greens guaranteed to please — you’ll find them all at Food Town. Our shipments are delivered daily, and we work hard to keep our Produce sections stocked throughout the day.
• Recipe Inspo with a Tap or Click: You know all those recipes we mentioned up above? That’s just the start of things, neighbor! Our Recipes page, which you can access online or in Food Town+, breaks things down by meal, type — and even holiday or season. (And we’re updating it all the time!) Our Bless Your Soul Food Pinterest board is another great place to source how-tos for everything from grits to candied yams, smothered pork and fried chicken.

We hope this blog helped shed some light on soul food’s rich history, tasty options — and all the ways your Food Town is here to help you add soul to your meals. Ready to roll up your sleeves and try cooking up your own soul food, Houston? We can’t wait to see you! Stop by your neighborhood store soon to scoop up every tasty ingredient for less.

Normal Operating Hours:
Monday – Sunday | 6 a.m. – 10 p.m.