» This Is It

This downtown neighbor serves the kind of traditional African-American food that soothes and nourishes.

A move up the street to a larger and spiffier new location has not stifled the soul of this soul-food institution. Devotees of the home-cooked menu expect hearty meals, including meatloaf, yams, braised oxtails, chitlins, barbecue ribs and biscuits. It's also a handy spot for breakfast, and the TV is always on for customers looking for news programs or soaps. At lunch or dinner, order cafeteria-style: a meat, three vegetables and cornbread.

The restaurant opened in 1959 and was an instant success. It drew crowds of people, including local politicians celebrities and professional athletes. The cost for a hearty meal was only 89¢ a plate. Every Saturday and Sunday night, the restaurant was transformed into a nightclub. A DJ would spin records while they served the best soul food in town.

For 24 years, This Is It was operated at 1003 Andrews. Then in 1982, the restaurant was moved to West Gray. By this time, the restaurant had become so well known that it was used as a location for the movie "Jason's Lyric," starring Jada Pinkett.