In late summer, soul food restaurant, Soulé 2, will open in North Lawndale. Soulé opened in 2017 in West Town and has served several celebrity customers. The restaurant is known for its fried catfish, wings, and grits.
Chef and owner of Soulé, Bridgette Flagg, grew up in North Lawndale. Flagg states,
It’s my neighborhood, and they deserve it. This will be the first sit-down restaurant with a bar in 50 years.
Soule 2 will be a full-service restaurant with a bar and a mezzanine so celebrities can dine undisturbed https://t.co/rbPAQsgCPt
— Eater Chicago (@eaterchicago) February 19, 2022
Soulé 2 will be built from scratch. The original plan Flagg had for the North Lawndale restaurant was to convert an old church, however, that building was not stable. Flagg’s construction crew broke ground in January with plans to open this summer. The construction crew says Soulé 2 will be ready in May, Flagg is saying July.
This restaurant will be three times the size of the original soul food eatery and will have a bar. Soulé in West Town is BYOB. The new eatery will be able to seat 100 diners, and the new construction will include a deck.
Soulé 2 will have the same foods the original restaurant is known for with an extended menu. Flagg plans to continue to avoid pork but will add short ribs, beef, and oxtails.
Flagg feels confident her celebrity clientele will follow her to the West Side restaurant.
The construction of Soulé 2 ($600,000) was funded by the Neighborhood Opportunity Fund, community groups within North Lawndale, and Flagg herself. Once the restaurant is open, she will be hiring people from North Lawndale including those who need a second chance. This will mean 60 new jobs for the neighborhood.
I want to take these guys off the street and give them an opportunity.
Flagg says North Lawndale is a food desert. Soulé 2 is being built on Roosevelt Road. Most of the restaurants already there are fast food or take-out. Additionally, the neighborhood has only one grocery store and that is currently being renovated.
The address for the North Lawndale location is 3615 West Roosevelt Road, and it is scheduled to open in late summer.
Flagg wants to build up her community and she hopes Soulé 2 will inspire others to do the same.
Written by Jeanette Vietti
Sources:
Chicago Eater: A Soul Food Chef Returns Home to North Lawndale to Build the Neighborhood’s First Restaurant in 50 Years; by Aimee Levitt
Soulé: https://www.soulechicago.com/press-1
Featured Image Courtesy of Daniel X. O’Neil’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of Daniel X. O’Neil’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
