Sylvia's

Sunday Church in a Dining Room

3.5 of 5

Harlem has been feeding people soul food for generations, and Sylvia's on Malcolm X Boulevard has been doing it in front of a camera-friendly crowd for decades. Yes, tourists come. So do locals. That mix is part of what makes the room feel like the neighborhood and not a theme park.

On Sundays the restaurant runs its gospel brunch from 12:30 to 4, with live music and a soul food kitchen going at the same time. The lineup rotates by the week: Antoine Dolberry on the first and second Sundays, the Deborah Newallo Experience on the third, and Daria Jones on the fourth and fifth. Book through Resy. Eat the food the way it is meant to be eaten, slowly, with a good mood and no phone in your hand.

It is a restaurant first and a show second, and the show is a gift. Dress like you mean it, arrive on time, and expect a full house. If you cannot make a Sunday, the regular menu runs from late morning to 10 at night most days. Come hungry, come curious, and stay for the whole set. Check the calendar before you book, since the performer changes with the Sunday. Arrive hungry and a little early, because the room fills fast and a good table matters.

Order this: The Sunday gospel brunch, Fried chicken and soul food classics, Whatever the kitchen sides say they are today
The damage: $$
Go: Sunday, 12:30, with a reservation
Find it: 328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027