| Sylvia's Restaurant of Harlem | |
|---|---|
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 Interactive map of Sylvia's Restaurant of Harlem | |
| Restaurant information | |
| Established | 1962 (1962) |
| Food type | Soul food, Southern[1] |
| Location | 328Malcolm X Boulevard,New York City,New York, 10027 |
| Coordinates | 40°48′31″N73°56′40″W / 40.808718°N 73.944538°W /40.808718; -73.944538 |
| Website | sylviasrestaurant |
Sylvia's Restaurant of Harlem, often calledSylvia's Soul Food or justSylvia's, is asoul food restaurant located at 328Malcolm X Boulevard, between 126th and 127th Streets, inHarlem,Manhattan,New York City.[1] Founded in 1962 bySylvia Woods,[2] it sells a line of prepared foods, beauty and skin care items, cookbooks, and achildren's book written by Woods.[1] The restaurant attracts a clientele that ranges from Harlem locals to visiting celebrities.
Sylvia's Restaurant of Harlem was founded as asoul food restaurant located at 328Malcolm X Boulevard, between 126th and 127th Streets, inHarlem[1] in 1962 bySylvia Woods.[2]
It has since expanded to a much larger space at its present location, and an adjacent building. The restaurant also sells a line of prepared foods, beauty and skin care items, cookbooks, and achildren's book written by Woods. Woods purchased the original luncheonette by borrowing money from her mother, who had to mortgage her farm to provide it; Woods repaid the loan a year after opening. Since opening, the restaurant has remained within the family, and as of 2021 is owned by Sylvia's son, Kenneth Woods, and managed by Sylvia's grandson, CEO K. De’Sean Woods.[1]
The restaurant attracts a clientele that ranges from Harlem locals to visiting celebrities.[3]Whoopi Goldberg,Bill Clinton,Nelson Mandela,Caroline Kennedy,Jesse Jackson,Al Sharpton,Magic Johnson,Barack Obama,Bernie Sanders andBruno Mars are among those who have dined there. Sylvia's was also featured on aManhattan-themed episode of theTravel Channel'sMan v. Food in early 2009. On September 19, 2007, commentatorBill O'Reilly received criticism regarding comments he made onhis syndicated radio show, about having lunch at Sylvia's withAl Sharpton. O'Reilly concluded that stereotypes regarding African Americans were not true based on observations he had made at the restaurant.[4]
In response to theCOVID-19 pandemic, Sylvia's Restaurant participated in relief efforts by donating meals toHarlem Hospital. Sylvia’s also operated a food pantry donating over 1,000 meals a week to those in need.[5] The restaurant announced plans to open a pop-up pantry featuring meal kits to serve the community.[6]
