Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement
If you're on the lookout for authentic Southern soul food that will tantalize your taste buds, look no further than Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement. Located in Emeryville, California, this pop-up restaurant has garnered a loyal following for its mouthwatering dishes and welcoming atmosphere.
What sets Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement apart is their commitment to serving up traditional homemade soul food with a modern twist. From their signature rosemary fried chicken to their delectable candied yams and mac and cheese, each dish is bursting with flavor and cooked to perfection. The menu is simple yet satisfying, offering a range of options for both meat-lovers and vegetarians alike.
Customer reviews rave about the juicy fried chicken, flavorful greens, and generous portions that leave you feeling fully satisfied. Whether you're dining in or grabbing takeout, Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement delivers on both taste and value.
Chef and owner Fernay McPherson's culinary skills shine through in every dish, reflecting her passion for cooking and commitment to serving up the best soul food in the Bay Area. With a new storefront in San Francisco's Fillmore District, the legacy of Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement continues to thrive, ensuring that lovers of soul food can always find a home away from home.
So, if you're craving a taste of the South and a dose of comfort food, make your way to Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement for a culinary experience that will leave you coming back for more. Get ready to indulge in a feast of flavors that will warm your soul and leave you craving another bite.
Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement Menu
Location
Address: 5959 Shellmound St Public Market Emeryville Emeryville, CA 94608
Phone: (510) 879-7199
Business info
- Offers DeliveryYes
- Offers TakeoutYes
- ReservationsNo
- Vegan OptionsYes
- Limited Vegetarian OptionsYes
- Accepts Credit CardsYes
- Outdoor SeatingYes
- Casual, TrendyYes
- Moderate NoiseYes
- Good for GroupsYes
- Good For KidsYes
- Good for Lunch, DinnerYes
- Garage Parking, Street ParkingYes
- Free Wi-FiYes
- TVYes
- Waiter ServiceNo
- Happy HourNo
- AlcoholNo
- Dogs Not AllowedNo
- Bike ParkingYes
Last Reviews
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Author: Heather M.
Was excellent, but it's closed now. She has a full restaurant in SF's Fillmore District now. Go there for excellent fried chicken and flavorful greens.
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Author: Domonique O.
Visited during the week. They were very much busy full of orders. Ordered the four piece with candy yams, Mac and cheese with braised greens. Now I should have asked for all wings but it was the dark meat nonetheless. Chicken was super crunchy and seasoned. The yams were perfectly tender with a hint of sweet ness. Next the Mac and cheese was so so maybe if it hotter. However the braided greens was smackin!!! Definitely a fav with that cornbread
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Author: Jason F.
Minnie Bell's Soul Movement has certainly led a movement of its own of serving flavorful and juicy fried chicken and sides. After five years, Minnie Bell might be moving on out of the East Bay to focus on their new venture across the bay in San Francisco, but thankfully time was still on my side as I was finally able to get here to order their signature dish before they closed up shop for good. Credit for all of the success of Minnie Bell's Soul Movement must go to that of chef and owner Fernay McPherson who began her culinary journey at the food business incubator and nonprofit La Cocina in the early 2010s. From there began a food truck, catering business and pop-up which would evolve into the kiosk that we all know and love today in the heart of the open food court area of the Emeryville Public Market. Named after Chef McPherson's family members who served as an inspiration, including her late grandmother and great aunt, the term "Soul Movement" which comes from their food truck days, but remains relevant to this day as they have caused a movement, and are still are on the move, as mere months McPherson realized her ultimate goal of opening her very own storefront in San Francisco's Fillmore District, a neighborhood that McPherson will always consider home. It's these traditions of family gatherings over good food that Chef McPherson's love of cooking comes from, and where she realized dreams of opening her own restaurant specializing in traditional homemade soul food. With their new restaurant now open in her home base, the recent news has come forward with the closing of this location of Minnie Bell's Soul Movement in the Emeryville Public Market, and so I made it my mission to get here before they closed before the end of the month, as I knew I had to get here to try their succulent juicy fried chicken. One weekend afternoon I found the time to drive down to the Public Market and order from their touchscreen kiosk. The menu at Minnie Bell's Soul Movement is simple, they have their rosemary fried chicken in which you can order by the piece with a combination of two, four, and eight pieces with cornbread and either one, two, or three small sides. Like their chicken they also served their sides a la carte, they also had one salad, which of course came topped with fried chicken, and beverages. I ordered their two-piece combination with cornbread, and one small side of which I chose their mac & cheese. You also get to choose your option of dark or light meat, of which I chose dark meat, and since I was going to return home to enjoy my meal of what I hope was over the course of many meals, I also ordered a single piece of fried chicken. My total was $16.43 before gratuity was added in, and they send you a text message on your smart phone with your receipt and your order is being crafted. I was surprised that it did take more than an extra few minutes to craft my order, of which I chalked it up to their team hard at work crafting and deep frying my fresh fried chicken order. It would take about ten minutes for my order to be completed and my name to be called out at their counter. I was also given an extra side, to my surprise, of their candied yams, of which I gratefully accepted, so I would have three pieces of fried chicken including two chicken drumsticks, and one chicken thigh, one cornbread square, and two sides mac & cheese and candied yams to enjoy. Once I returned home to enjoy a traditional lunchtime meal of soul food favorites, the chicken was still crispy and piping hot, the cornbread was a little hard and overcooked for my taste, but the mac & cheese and yams were nicely cooked and prepared. Overall it was a fantastic meal sold at a reasonable price point for a decent amount of food, of which I was able to enjoy over the course of two lunchtime periods. This journey to Minnie Bell's Soul Movement makes me want to try their new storefront in the Fillmore District in San Francisco, as their food is not only authentic but reasonably priced, but their menu is accessible enough for any visitor to enjoy without being overwhelmed with choices. Who doesn't love fried chicken? Especially when it is as crispy golden and juicy as it is being prepared at Minnie Bell's Soul Movement! Here's to their continued success, and here's to their successful run here in the East Bay, as they have shown they can lead by example and may their journey be an inspiration to the many more local entrepreneurs who no doubt hope to exemplify their story.
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Author: Kendall C.
Minnie Bell's tastes like authentic southern food, down to the sweet tea! The portions are pretty large. I've found that a good breakdown for two people is two chicken sandwiches (because you'll want a full one to yourself), two sides, and one piece of cornbread. The candied yams are very sweet so if you like that style you'll enjoy these!