Southern Kitchen: A Taste of the South

By: Benita Ki | July 14 2011
Posted in Seattle - Find It - Seattle

Gloria Martin, owner of Southern Kitchen. Photos by: Benita Ki

Perched on the awkward intersection of 6th Ave, South Sprague, and Division Avenue in Tacoma, Southern Kitchen is a cute, homey restaurant that looks out onto busy city streets but perhaps belongs in the heart of the South. Run by friendly staff and dishing up delicious Southern food, this charming spot is a landmark in Tacoma.

The restaurant's roots go back to 1985, when a woman from Alabama bought the old building and opened up Southern Kitchen. In 1995, however, Gloria Martin bought the restaurant, and over the last decade and a half, developed it into the local favorite that it is today. Martin is a warm, friendly woman with roots from North Carolina and is proud of the reputation Southern Kitchen has earned and the number of awards it has racked up over the last several years. "We've made a mark for ourselves," says Martin. She attributes a lot of Southern Kitchen's success to its unique commitment to producing authentic Southern food. She says, "I can say that ninety percent of all our food is completely from scratch, and that's rare [in the restaurant business]." Southern Kitchen also makes all of their own spices.

The economical (and extremely delicious) $4.95 breakfast special.

Their "corn cake," Southern Kitchen's signature corn bread in a flat pancake-like form, is extremely popular and made from scratch. Martin beams as she tells me, "The best compliment I've ever gotten is when people from Louisiana, Georgia...say they can't get food this good down in the south." They have a sign in the window advertising a breakfast special for $4.95, and for a choice of bacon, ham, or sausage; eggs; biscuit; and hashed browns, home fries, or grits—it doesn't get any better than that.

The small restaurant is always bustling, especially on the weekend. "It's almost like a big café," says Martin. The cozy, home-like ambience and the great customer service make every experience at Southern Kitchen like eating in a family dining room. And the good food and good people are enough to make it a nationally famous joint. Food Network recently featured Southern Kitchen on "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." How did such a small diner get national recognition? The same way most customers hear about the well-loved local business: word-of-mouth. Tons of local customers wrote the network. Martin says they don't really need to advertise; new customers are always coming in at the recommendation of someone else.

Never been to the south? A plane trip won't be necessary if you're looking for amazing, award-winning Southern food served by the friendliest people. Head on over to Southern Kitchen (1716 6th Avenue) in Tacoma for some fried chicken, corn cakes, and a homemade strawberry lemonade today!

Benita Ki is a recent graduate of the University of Puget Sound, avid ultimate Frisbee player, coffee addict, and food fanatic.