Today we’re going on a Soul Food Tour of Harlem, NYC with a local who knows all the hidden gems and secret spots! Our expert guide, Larry, is taking us to some of Harlem’s best street food and soul food eateries. We’ll show you why Harlem is a must-visit food destination.
We’re starting at Ginjan Cafe, a local favorite known for its authentic African teas and delicious cuisine. We’ll sample unique bowls, salads, wraps, and snacks inspired by traditional African recipes. The restaurant uses ingredients from the continent to celebrate the culture and food of Africa. Once at Ginjan Cafe, don’t miss out on trying their delicious jollof rice and cassava fries.
Then, we’ll venture to Jacob Soul Food Restaurant, where the locals go for affordable and delicious soul food. Known for its open buffet, Jacob’s is a local favorite where you pay by the pound. The food is not only scrumptious, but budget-friendly, as a plate usually comes out to be $8 or less.
Our final stop is Ourtbox Cafe, a black woman-owned business in the heart of Harlem. We’ll make a special shoutout to Ourtbox Cafe and even encourage our viewers to help save their business through their GoFundMe page.
Along the way, Larry will also give us some insight into Harlem’s rich history, culture, and landmarks, including the iconic Apollo Theater and the Metro North 125th station.
We’ll also take a look at the best free view of Harlem from the station, which offers stunning vistas of the city. Larry will also share some insider tips on how to tell if a person is from Harlem based on the street names they use.
If you’re a foodie or a soul food lover, this Harlem street food tour is a must-see. We hope you enjoy the sights, smells, and tastes as we explore the best food that Harlem has to offer. Join us as we eat and drink our way through one of New York City’s most culturally rich neighborhoods. Get ready to discover hidden gems and secret spots with us on this unforgettable culinary adventure in the heart of Harlem.
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Today we’re eating and drinking our way through Harlem a neighborhood equally known for its culture and Cuisine we’ll be guided by a local who knows all the hidden Gems we’ll show you by Harlem is a c Miss destination Larry we’re starting at ging Jen Cafe and from the
Outside it just looks like your ordinary Cafe but that couldn’t be further from the truth right yeah this is a a local favorite a lot of people come here to do some work but they got excellent food here they got great African teas great African cuisine sandwiches wraps bowls
Soups and so for and this is also a place where I start my walking tours in harl I think we should check it out let’s do it okay we started the company back in 2015 and the whole idea behind it is to make food and beverage products that are based on traditional African
Recipes a lot of ingredients come from the continent but no products or brands have been built around celebrating the people the culture of the continent we have unique um bowls and salads and wraps and snacks that are all inspired by um dishes that we grew up on
Superstar on that is probably the gel offer rice rice cooked in the rich tomato too fried plantains roasted veggies root vegetables potatoes carrots peed potatoes actually Julian cabbage and carrots sted in a little bit of a vinegar the chicken is actually cooked in the stew itself Chutney on top what
Do you think this is a meal right here man it’s supposed to be a snack for us to start I like the the spices how they combine in here I like how the chicken you said is also cooked right in the stew as well it’s so juicy and moist
I’ve not had enough West African food in my life I need to change that I don’t know Larry just cancel the rest of the video and eat here we can make we can make you we can do the whole we can do the whole Buffet here a version of it in every country
You go to that we we actually have moms if you will right pair them up with our with with our chef but we started with mom’s recipe and sort of played around with do you have a lot of people that come in here and say this reminds them
Of home all the time all the time it’s like the best compliment you can pay so I want to recommend my guest to get this I always tell them to get the drink but now I’m going to tell them to get the meal Cava fries cassava we boil deep fry
Them uh and we garnish it with cilantro parsley some fresh onions uh salt and pepper and some uh lemon juice and toss it all up oh it’s not your ordinary fry good stuff I’m try with the ketchup definely never had fries like this before no never I have friends that I went to
College with that I brought here in 2010 you know the plan was to come get fancy degrees and get fancy jobs lawyers Engineers you know but I would not trade the last 10 years of doing this with anything you want to explore West African cuisine but not feel like you
Have to order a ton of things just keep it simple this is where I would go Larry this is a great start this is Hidden Gem for sure yes yes I agree I agree yeah thank you appreciate this is like stepping back in time you’re right 1990s this train station
Fell into disrepair then in 1999 they renovated the train station to make it look like his glorious pass back in 1897 they did a good job oh we got one more of little little surprise I usually show people is we Center ourselves right here in the middle okay and look straight
Down 125th Street the yellow line goes all the way down about eight blocks on the right of the building there’s another building with a sign sticking out like this the world’s famous Apollo Theater this is the picture that people think about when they think about Harlem Metro North 125th it’s the best free
Viiew is this one we we’ve agreed this is the best freev viiew of Harlem yes so you could tell if somebody from Harlem by what street name they choose to use so 125th street is Martin Luther King Boulevard but if you come to Harlem and
Say I’m looking for so and so at Martin Luther King Boulevard people know right away you’re not from Harlem right cuz we still say 125th and if you’re really cool you won’t say 125th you’ll say two there’s a lot of famous soul food in Harlem we’re at Jacob restaurant this is
A buffet I’ve never heard of this why is this your Local’s pick I like Jacobs because this is where the local people go to eat soul food every time I come here I it’s a open Buffet you pay by the pound usually my plate usually comes out
To $8 and less that’s pretty cheap uh and the food is delicious as you will see and um I usually walk around this way there’s like a whole Buffet strategy yes it is a strategy right you got the lasag you got the rice and beans you got
This sweet Canyon yam oh yeah yeah now we’re talking you think it’s a good choice yeah yeah it looks nice look at the color on that looks good yeah and I can hear I can hear the crunch this is the lone healthy thing we’re getting a single sliced
Avocado yes yes it’s like having a Diet Coke with this so when the restaurant’s full and it’s 40° outside we sit outside that smell hit me me right away start with the cold Salad oh yeah this is soul food is Comfort F yeah and this is making me feel really good right now I’m actually curious about this Fried Chicken here oh I hear a crunchiness mhm crispy I like it how important is soul food to the the culture of Harlem soul food is
Everything because doing a great migration when millions of people from the South came to the north migrated to the north most of the households they make soul food as especially when they have a family gathering the first question is who made the potato salad right right now anybody can just come in
Anybody’s kitchen to make something you got to know what you’re doing that’s why people love Jacobs you eating food that reminds you of family gathering I want to know who made these candy yams are fantastic wow yeah in the summertime this this outdoor area is pretty packed
Yeah you see the diversity of Harlem has this street changed a lot in the last I don’t know 10 20 years you used to have more Mom and Pop shops but now you have a little bigger Brands uh you can’t talk about Harlem without talking about Langston Hughes he wrote about Lennox
Avenue uh Lennox Avenue is like one of the most famous Avenues in h i don’t know what I’m enjoying more about this the fried chicken or the the mac and cheese it’s on another level here oh my goodness you picked a winner there m that barbecue sauce barbecue
Sauce is kicking I think this is actually a really cool spot for a casual lunch or dinner you know you don’t have the time to go to one of the famous down joints come over here I could see myself spending way too much money here I think
If I came on an empty stomach it’d be bad it’d be 2 to 3 lbs of food eat with your eyes I eat with my eyes if it was all you can eat o I’d be here all day it wouldn’t be pretty you know Larry I think that Harlem gets certain negative stereotypes
About it as far as being dangerous can you set the record straight with that for a tourist who may want to visit here it was a little rough Growing Up In Harlem in the’ 60s and’ 7s but now Harlem has changed Harlem has gentrified a lot and from the 1990s to current
Times all the places in Harlem to me are the same they’re not dangerous at all Harlem reminds me of any other block or neighborhood in New York City is more safe than it ever was when I was growing up so to me there’s a big difference people come to Harlem with preconceived
Ideas but after they finish my tour they see that Harlem is nothing like they expected it to be and then they they could form their own opinion their own ideas I mean I think it is important to come form your own opinions to come up here yourself meet at the restaurants
Meet some of the people yes the local people you told me about this spot last night you just discovered this Cafe and we’re sticking to this hidden gems in Harlem theme why why art box as I was doing my tour she gave me a card and she
Said I’m new want you come check me out I had some free time yesterday pleasantly surprise he makes a great banana pudding someone mentioned it as they walked out they said enjoy the banana pudding I think that’s what we’re going to do good afternoon after we opened September 16th 2022 Growing Up In
Harlem I remember seeing a lot of small mom and pop shops I worked as a letter carrier in Harlem and I remember delivering mail to some of these small businesses and always wishing and hoping that I could one day own a small business in my community artbox Cafe is
A small black womanone coffee cafe in Harlem that also serves as an event Studio this was once the Studio of Mr Alexander Gumby first African-American male that came out as a gay black male and he used this as a scrapbooking mum for all of his work and that is where
The name derived from art box spelled o Ur for hour and I added the te the pronunciation became art boox what would you say you’re most well known for our famous banana pudding and also our carrot cake which you’ll be tasting today you would get all of my
Ingredients and I have to make it fresh every day but when we sell out we sell out can make banana pudding without vanilla wafers and some chaita bananas this is a family recipe and that’s why I had to make the pudding before you guys got here so that it can settle so you
Guys Save The Best For Last so right now we’re cutting up a chaita banana to go on top of our vanilla wafers and then we’ll be adding another layer of pudding and another layer of Wafers on the top and this recipe is a vegan banana pudding which is very important especially with people
That have specific dietary needs are you guys ready to take a taste oh yes you told me that banana pudding is very connected to soul food as well right yes because the banana itself is a food from Africa and the other interesting thing this is vegan I don’t know if I’ve ever
Featured a vegan dessert on the channel in seven years so we’re going to we’re going to we’re going to go with this let’s try Try M now it’s like I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter I can’t believe that this is vegan can’t believe it this is so good they bring back memories yeah I used to eat these cookies we used to like sneak them in the middle of the night but my
Grandmother made banana pudding that was the treat and that’s what soul food is all about it’s connecting your emotions to the memories I love these vanilla wafers on top just nice and crunchy and the banana pudding super super creamy look another layer this would be good to share with
Somebody and you can get plenty of coffee as well you know I’ve had like 10 spoonfuls but it seem like I’m not making progress here I’m I’m kind of with you there this is the never ending bottomless banana pudding a bottomless banana pudding that’s a good that’s a good idea for
Dessert I like that you just keep eating oh this is too much than I was thinking about it since yesterday I could include this m it’s off the beaten path we’re going to take a big nap after today but we’re trying the carrot cake and paired with the coffee on and you’re
Not going to believe why I have to leave a acupuncture appointment acupuncture thought you were going to say you have a physical and they’re going to do like a blood pressure check no no the actun oh yeah oh even better see I I I put the to go plate backwards
Cuz we never take anything to go cuz we always finish everything but I finally admitted defeat here I don’t even know what to go means few minutes before you came in we had some people from the community that came in the homeless Community they know that they can come
Here some sometimes you know I feel that they should be included as well it’s about helping one another and seeing where people need help at the areas and inviting them and including them so that they know that they’re not excluded in whatever we have going On now if you’ve enjoyed Larry as a co-host imagine him leading a tour of Harlem for you he has one of the highest rated tours on all of Airbnb Larry tell them about your tour a soul of Harlem walking tours a two and half hour tour Harlem’s history Harlem Renaissance the
Major players in Harlem you are here walking tours.com take his tour you won’t regret it if you’re visiting the city all right Larry I’ve actually been here before Harlem Hop’s first blackowned craft beer bar in Harlem that’s right why do you like it so much cuz they got 16 distinct craft beers uh
They do a lot of work for the community and they got B food you’re still thinking of food at this point uh I really want something to drink at this point I want something to drink too yes yes do it let’s go it opened about 5
Years ago uh the owners uh Kim Stacy and Kevin are all HBCU grads and they wanted to have a place where the locals can come and drink great craft beer in Harold some of the best beer from New York state New Jersey Connecticut from
All over we have 16 beers on tap we have to promote our own brand Harlem hops P 57 Imperial logger my beer brand copper Sun Brewing has been doing very well here as well we have one of the best Vibes here you could be from Germany Uptown downtown doesn’t matter whether
You like beer or not you’re going to feel welcomed and have a great time I’d love to try number 11 we rinse the glass so the beer pours very nicely when it hits that side end I’m going to try to do this pour as perfectly as possible
This is the pier 57 so it was thought that the oldest brewery in the world was based in Germany up until they found the oldest functioning Brewery ruins in Egypt Africa is the birthplace of everything most importantly beer was not invented it was discovered remember that Cheers Cheers thanks Guys there’s light orange peel notes in this one ooh yeah no I read that I didn’t know I was going to say I like wow how did read that up there I was going to say how did you know that of all the videos I have shot in a
Really long time I cannot say I have felt this much hospit Hospitality from the owners wow do you think that’s something that’s unique to Harlem you think about the H renissance you think about southern hospitality you know people have frequency concepts of Harlem but once they come to Harlem personally
They see that Harlem is a pretty friendly Place great great food great food great food great drinks Harlem got everything that you could ever want this is definitely a neighborhood that I think too many tourists sleep on for the wrong reasons now that you’ve gotten a local perspective on Harlem in this
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Video “Harlem NYC's BEST Street Food & Soul Food (Hidden Gems!)” was uploaded on 01/05/2024. Watch all the latest Videos by Here Be Barr on Gretopia