Fried chicken can arrive honey-dipped, BBQ style, or smothered in white pepper gravy at one spot. That menu alone made me stop scrolling.
Then I learned fresh flowers go on every table daily.
This Virginia restaurant also earned a visit from Gordon Ramsay for his show about rescuing restaurants. It has served soul food since 2014.
It began in a historic city neighborhood before moving to a bigger home.
The menu here reads like a Sunday dinner invitation. Candied yams, fried cabbage, collards, and turkey wings with house-made gravy all share space with that chicken.
There’s even an egg roll stuffed with collards.
I can’t imagine a better excuse to loosen a belt notch.
The Chicken Comes With A Choice You’ll Overthink
Two pieces of fried chicken sound simple until the menu hands you options. At Southern Kitchen Restaurant in Richmond, the Big Mama Fried Chicken comes deep-fried, honey-dipped, or BBQ style.
You also pick white meat or dark meat. That’s a lot of decisions before you’ve even touched a napkin.
Honey-dipped sounds like dessert moonlighting as dinner. BBQ style brings a smoky, saucy angle.
Plain deep-fried is for purists who want the crust to do all the talking.
Then there’s the Country Fried Chicken, which is a whole different mood. It’s a boneless breast smothered in white pepper gravy.
Think of it as fried chicken wearing a cozy sweater.
My advice is to bring a friend and split two styles. That way nobody spends the drive home wondering what they missed.
Sharing also leaves room for sides, and trust me, the sides deserve attention.
For a Virginia road trip built around fried chicken, this menu covers a lot of ground in one stop. Few places give you this many ways to enjoy one bird.
Pick wisely, or better yet, come back and try them all.
Sides So Good They Might Steal The Show
Candied yams. Fried cabbage.
Collards. Mac N Cheese.
Those four names alone could fill a holiday table, and they’re all regulars on this menu.
The lineup keeps going too. Cheese Grits, Black Eye Peas, Stewed Tomatoes, String Beans, Hand Cut Fries, and Sweet Potato Fries all make an appearance.
Mashed potatoes come with different gravy options. That’s a small detail, but it shows someone cares about how your plate comes together.
Gravy choice is serious business in the South.
Here’s a smart move. Order your main dish, then build your sides like you’re making a playlist.
Mix something sweet, like candied yams, with something savory, like fried cabbage.
Add something green, such as collards or string beans, so you can pretend this meal is balanced. It totally counts.
Probably.
Portions are known for running generous, so leftovers are a real possibility. Plan for a to-go box before you even order.
Your future self, standing in front of the fridge tomorrow, will be very thankful for your planning skills.
Start With An Egg Roll That Took A Trip South
Collard greens inside an egg roll might sound like a culinary dare. At this Richmond spot, it’s one of the most talked-about starters.
The Southern Rolls take a classic egg roll and fill it with chicken, collards, and cabbage. Then they’re served with a sweet honey sauce for dipping.
It’s a clever mashup. You get the crunch of a wrapper and the comfort of a Sunday side dish in one bite.
It’s like two family recipes decided to team up.
The appetizer list doesn’t stop there. Catfish Bites, Buffalo Shrimp, and Mouth of the South Shrimp all wait for your attention.
There’s also a Cornbread Basket, which feels like a warm welcome in bread form.
A good strategy is ordering one starter per two people. That keeps the table happy without filling everyone up before the chicken arrives.
Restraint is hard here, I know.
Honestly, the Southern Rolls are worth trying even if you’re not usually an appetizer person. They capture the whole spirit of the menu.
Familiar flavors, just served in a fun new way.
Not Feeling Chicken? The Backup Plan Is Strong
Somebody in every group skips the chicken. Luckily, Southern Kitchen Restaurant gives that person plenty to love.
Southern Fried Fish features whiting, while Blackened Catfish offers a spicier route. Southern Fried Pork Chops and Meatloaf bring that home-cooked feeling.
The Turkey Wings with house-made gravy have earned plenty of buzz. They’re a classic soul food dish, and gravy makes everything feel like a hug.
Seafood fans can look at the Salmon Cake Dinner or Southern Fried Shrimp. The Herb Roasted Half Chicken is another option for anyone wanting poultry without the fryer.
It’s lighter, but still satisfying.
Sandwiches show up too. Choices include a Fish Po’ Boy, Shrimp Po’ Boy, Chicken Club, Salmon Cake Sandwich, and North Carolina Pulled Pork Sandwich.
That variety matters for family dinners. Picky eaters, adventurous eaters, and people who just want meatloaf can all sit at one table peacefully.
Save room if you can. An Apple Cobbler waits on the dessert menu.
It’s the kind of finish that makes a long drive feel completely worth it.
Gordon Ramsay Showed Up, And The Story Got Better
Few restaurant owners get a call from Gordon Ramsay’s team. Southern Kitchen’s owner did.
The restaurant appeared on his show 24 Hours to Hell and Back. Filming happened in late 2019, and the episode aired in February 2020.
That timing lines up with a big change. The restaurant had just moved to its current home in 2019, after earlier spots in Jackson Ward and Shockoe Bottom.
Founded in 2014, Southern Kitchen started in Jackson Ward, one of Richmond’s most historic neighborhoods. Moving to a larger location gave it a fresh chapter.
TV attention didn’t stop there. The restaurant has also popped up on Real Housewives of Potomac and in local food segments.
Still, fame doesn’t fill a plate. What matters is that this Virginia kitchen has kept going strong for over a decade.
That kind of staying power takes real effort.
Fun fact for your next trivia night: one of Richmond’s soul food favorites has survived a Ramsay makeover. Not many restaurants can put that on their resume.
It makes a pretty good conversation starter while you wait for your food.
The Woman Behind The Gravy Deserves A Shout-Out
Behind every great plate of fried chicken stands someone with a vision. Here, that someone is owner Shane Roberts-Thomas.
Southern Kitchen is locally owned, family-owned, woman-owned, and Black-owned. It’s also known as one of the largest Black-owned restaurants in Richmond.
Her goal is pretty clear. She wants to preserve and promote Southern cooking traditions while creating a welcoming, loving experience for everyone.
You can see that idea in the small touches. Fresh flowers land on every table daily, which is a lovely detail for a busy restaurant.
It feels thoughtful, like someone set the table just for you.
Service here is often described as friendly and attentive. That matches the warm mission behind the place.
Supporting a family-owned spot means your dinner helps keep a local story alive. It’s a nice bonus on top of the honey-dipped chicken.
I believe food tastes better when there’s heart behind it. Knowing someone fought to protect these recipes makes every bite of collards a little more meaningful.
Plus, it gives you something to feel good about besides that second helping of yams.
Fridays Come With A Jazz Soundtrack
Fried chicken and live jazz is a pairing that just makes sense. Southern Kitchen hosts Friday Night Jazz, turning the end of the week into a little celebration.
Live music brings a different energy to dinner. It feels more like an event than a quick bite.
Fridays also open earlier, at 11 AM, so you could grab lunch and come back later. That might be a lot of fried food in one day, but I won’t judge.
For a date night, this is an easy win. Good music, cozy tables, and plates of soul food make planning simple.
You look thoughtful without trying too hard.
Families can enjoy it too. Music gives kids something fun to notice between bites of mac and cheese.
Since Fridays tend to draw a crowd for the music, making a reservation is a smart move. The restaurant accepts reservations, which saves you from hovering near the host stand.
Bring a friend who loves jazz, or one who claims they don’t. A good tune paired with crispy chicken can change minds fast.
Wednesday Is The Day To Bring The Kids
Kids Eat Free on Wednesdays. Parents, go ahead and circle that day on the calendar.
The kids menu covers the classics little eaters actually want. Chicken Tenders, Drumsticks, Fried Fish, and Shrimp are all on it.
Drumsticks are a great intro to Southern fried chicken for young fans. They’re easy to hold, fun to eat, and pretty much made for small hands.
Wednesday dinner runs from 4 PM to 9 PM, so an after-school meal fits nicely. You skip cooking and dishes, which feels like a mini vacation midweek.
The outdoor patio is another plus for families. Kids can enjoy a little fresh air while you finish your candied yams in peace.
One tip: let your kids try a bite of your collards or cabbage. You might accidentally raise the next big soul food fan.
Or they might make a face, which is also entertaining.
Either way, a free kids meal leaves more room in the budget for Apple Cobbler. That sounds like a fair trade to me.
Everyone wins on Wednesday.
Plan Your Trip Around These Hours
Shopping bags in one hand, fried chicken in the other. That’s a real possibility here.
Southern Kitchen sits inside Stony Point Fashion Park at 9210 Stony Point Pkwy, Richmond, VA 23235. You can easily pair dinner with a little retail therapy.
Timing matters, so pay attention. The restaurant is closed Mondays, and Tuesday through Thursday it opens at 4 PM and closes at 9 PM.
Friday and Saturday hours run from 11 AM to 10 PM. Sunday goes from 11 AM to 8 PM, which is perfect for an after-church style meal.
Can’t sit down? Take-out is available, and delivery runs through Uber Eats, DoorDash, and Postmates.
Private dining is offered for bigger celebrations too.
The outdoor patio is a nice choice on a pleasant Virginia evening. Inside, the dining room feels welcoming and polished without being stuffy.
After all those fried chicken stops across the state, this one earns a spot on your list. Make a reservation, pick your chicken style, and leave room for cobbler.
Your stretchy pants will understand.
