When you visit Manhattan, keep at least one mealtime free for lunch or dinner uptown. The traditional food there is not only good for the soul, but also for the stomach. Among the many Harlem restaurants that offer the delicious fare are:

1. Amy Ruth's 113 West 116th St., NY, NY 10026. More than a century ago, Carl Redding, grandson of Amy Ruth Bass, brought her formidable Southern cooking talents from Alabama to Harlem. Amy Ruth’s still serves its tender smothered steak, country chicken and dumplings, beer-braised oxtail stew and many other delightful dishes.

Amy Ruth’s has regular restaurant hours during the week, and is a favorite destination for Harlem’s Saturday night owls and theater patrons. It’s open from 7:30 a.m. Saturday until Sunday 4:30 a.m. 2. Sylvia's, 328 Lenox Av., NY, NY 10027. The big sign above Sylvia Woods’ Harlem restaurant calls her the Queen of Soul Food, a title earned from more than 50 years of serving the very best.

Today, husband Herbert and four children, Van, Bedelia, Kenneth and Crizette, run the the Woods’ enterprise. It includes the restaurant, banquet hall, catering service and a line of food products. True to her Carolina farm legacy, Syliva’s offers an attractive menu of authentic soul food.

3. Miss Mamie's Spoonbread Too, 366 West 110th St., NY, NY 10025. For those seeking the dim, romantic cafes of lower Manhattan, Miss Mamie’s is not for them. Her restaurant is brightly-lit patterns of red and white tiles and curtains, resembling her Alabama family kitchen.

The Miss Mamie Sampler is a combination platter of fried shrimp, short ribs and chicken, along with cornbread and tasty side dishes. According to reports, it’s ex-President Bill Clinton’s favorite when he visits. Her spoonbread and sweet potato pie are also popular with many regular patrons, as well as with tourists.

References
www.amyruthsharlem.com/
www.sylviasrestaurant.com/about_us.html
www.spoonbreadinc.com/miss_mamies