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| Enjoy Southern fare, like a T-bone steak with grilled onions, mashed potatoes and gravy, and collard greens, at The Coffee Cup. |
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| Gardine Wilson says his eatery is “a place where you can go and get love.” . |
Historic eatery offers a tradition
of fresh, down-home meals
Come on back home, the restaurant’s slogan invites.
Indeed. The food, and the welcoming spirit, are alive at legendary soul food restaurant The Coffee Cup’s much-rejoiced second establishment, which brought it to a red brick building on J.W. Clay Boulevard in October.
The Cup has been serving up soul food in Charlotte since the late 1940s. In 1968, it became the first restaurant in the city where white and black people could dine in the same room. Through the years, its following has continued to grow, thanks in part to using fresh, organic vegetables from local farms, altering a few recipes to use smoked turkey instead of pork for a healthier flavor alternative and continuing time-honored cooking techniques.
Fried chicken and collard greens
Last year, the eatery got caught in the middle of a passionate public outcry when Beazer Homes bought the land on West Moreland Street that the original restaurant rested on and indicated it would raze the building for new development. Owner Gardine Wilson, who lives in the University City area and had expansion ideas, began searching for a new uptown location. But few people knew that he already had secured a second spot in northeast Charlotte in which to serve fried chicken, collard greens and other Southern favorites.
“We had plans to move the concept to the university area … to be our first branch-out to take Coffee Cup to another level,” said Wilson, who has owned the restaurant for five years.
“It has been such a warm reception here.”
Wilson’s survive-and-thrive attitude also defines the food. “Soul food itself was originally out of a spirit of survival,” he said. “It is a way of connecting to our ancestors.”
The most noticeable difference about the University City location is that it is open for dinner. And the demographics change throughout the day: Morning diners, including guests from nearby hotels, and business-type lunch patrons and everyday folks give way to dinner tables filled with families and college students in search of a home-cooked meal.
For dinner, tablecloths and candles come out to set a different tone, and a few appetizers, soup of the day and salads were added to the menu.
“Nobody is doing homemade food anymore,” Wilson said. “We thought the fresh, organic vegetables for dinner would be win-win for the family, because they’re trying to be healthy. A lot of kids are bringing their parents here (because they’re tired of fast food).”
Colorful walls painted pale yellow and deep purple, lightly stained bead board and large windows create an inviting atmosphere in the 110-seat restaurant. If you want your meal to go, head over to the window to the right of the entry. Place your order, then grab a stool at the counter to wait. That area is where Wilson plans to locate a coffee bar by mid-May. For dining in, wait to be seated at a booth along the walls.
“It’s a place where you can go and get love,” Wilson said. “That’s what we provide. With good soul food, you can feel the person through the food.”
Mom’s meatloaf and corn bread, too
On a recent outing with my husband, the simplicity of the food and its preparation nourished our souls from beginning to end. The menu is pure soul food at its best. T-bone steak, country-style steak, stewed beef, pork chops, chicken and fish are staples. Then select two vegetables from among collards, cabbage, candied yams, macaroni and cheese, pinto beans, green beans, mashed potatoes and rice.
Start off as we did with glasses of sweet iced tea and lemonade ($1.75 each). Soft drinks and coffee also are available (alcohol is not served).
When our meals arrived, we eyeballed the plates loaded with food and knew we would not leave hungry. My husband’s plate featured a pan-fried Pork Chop ($9.95) that was well-seasoned and moist. The deep green collards had a subtle hint of smoked turkey, and the mashed potatoes were creamy.
My plate featured a fried Chicken Wing and Breast Portion ($8.95) that was nice and crisp, without being greasy on the outside, and moist and tender inside. Flavorful and vibrant green beans also hinted at smoked turkey, and the macaroni and cheese was a pleasing version, with clingy globs of melted cheese holding the pasta together.
Entrees at the Cup come with a choice of an ample serving of biscuits or corn bread. Although you won’t go wrong with either, for us, the corn bread — warm, moist and crumbly — was the favorite.
“The corn bread is a recipe that’s been with the Cup for quite some time,”
Wilson said.
Weeknight specials are a big draw. Monday’s offering of meatloaf, mashed potatoes and collards has proven to be a good way to start the workweek for many. Made from Wilson’s mother’s recipe, it includes celery, onion, bell pepper, crackers and seasonings. It has a tomato glaze that can be topped with a beef-flavored glaze if desired, Wilson noted.
Other nights feature turkey and dressing, liver and onions, and ribs. “On Thursday night, we have Chicken Lasagna ($8.95),” Wilson said. “It’s a soul food lasagna that is off the base of the fried chicken, with an Italian seasoning tomato sauce. Then we use collard greens instead of spinach. It is a recipe that really hooks people.”
If you’re glutton for punishment, as we were, you’ll somehow find room for dessert. The Peach Cobbler ($3.75) is a tasty combination of peaches and flaky crust dusted with cinnamon. Other favorites are Sweet Potato Cobbler ($3.75) and Pound Cake ($3.50).
Our lunch for two (including tax but not tip) was $28.11.
Fastfacts
The Coffee Cup
9311 J.W. Clay Blvd.
704-510-2020
ww.coffeecupsoul.com
Hours: Monday-Thursday, 7 a.m.-9 p.m.; Friday-Saturday, 7 a.m.- 10 p.m.; closed Sunday.
Dinner prices: appetizers, $4.95-$7.95; entrées, $6.95-$15.95; desserts, $3.50-$4.50.
Special notes: Delivery ($50 minimum order) and catering available. Tuesday is Family Night (children 10 and under eat for half price), with a meal consisting of either pot roast or turkey and dressing, selection of vegetables and apple cobbler. Plans are in the works for late-night music entertainment on Saturday, as well as a Sunday brunch.