"This counter-service restaurant in Bayview is where to roll up with a group, plop down with some beignets, and get powdered sugar in unspeakable crevices. Our favorite dish here is the caramelized shrimp over grits dotted with thick chunks of bacon, but they also do great chicken and waffles and biscuit sandwiches." - julia chen 1, lani conway, ricky rodriguez, patrick wong
"Opened in April at 4618 Third Street; owner Vanessa Lee calls the cuisine "soul fusion," with recipes based on soul food and Southern cooking but with a twist—diners can try Lee’s takes on fried chicken and waffles, shrimp and grits, and more." - Dianne de Guzman
"Longtime fans of Bayview’s now-closed Auntie April’s have another fried chicken destination to call their own: Smoke Soul Kitchen, an excellent brunch and lunch spot in the same space. The counter-service restaurant serves soul food staples like chicken and waffles, puffy beignets, and grits topped off with bouncy, caramelized shrimp. Get here for last-minute morning catch-ups with a group—it’s usually easy to walk in and debrief on the latest under the colorful mural or on the sidewalk seats." - ricky rodriguez, julia chen 1, lani conway
"Smoke Soul Kitchen is a Bayview brunch spot filling the Auntie April’s-sized hole in the neighborhood’s heart—it’s in the same space, and, like its predecessor, also serves fried chicken and waffles that should be added to the state flag. The menu also covers other excellent soul food staples, like shrimp and creamy, bacon-dotted grits, dense biscuit sandwiches, and fluffy pancakes with a sheen of powdered sugar. Head here for a relaxed group brunch that doesn’t require making a reservation weeks out, or any time you want to start your morning with sweet tea and something fried." - Julia Chen
"The former Auntie April’s space in Bayview is now Smoke Soul Kitchen, a soul food spot serving brunch and breakfast. Expect dishes like sweet creme pancakes, shrimp and grits, and smothered chicken." - julia chen 1