Florida Avenue Grill
Best Soul Food in Washington DC · DC
A soul food landmark since 1944
The Florida Avenue Grill has served soul food since Lacey and Bertha Wilson opened it in 1944, and it bills itself as the oldest soul-food restaurant in the world. The counter and booths have dished salmon cakes, grits, fried chicken, and half-smokes to Washingtonians of every station for eight decades.
A cornerstone of D.C.'s historically Black Shaw and LeDroit Park neighborhoods, the Florida Avenue Grill remains a genuine institution — Southern breakfast and lunch served the same way since World War II.
Customers said it first.
A Centurion Award verifies the public record that’s already there. Read the reviews yourself on the platforms below.
Public-record snapshot as of July 2026. Live ratings are always current on each platform.
Why this business cleared the bar.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record. Founding cohort: evaluated in 2026 on public evidence available then, labeled 2025. Selection follows the published criteria; Florida Avenue Grill met them on that evidence. The business can claim the listing or ask us to remove it.
- ✓Years in operation. Operating in Washington since 1944 — 81 years of continuous business.
- ✓Sustained online presence. An established local institution with a consistent public footprint — listings, coverage, and word of mouth in Washington.
- ✓Established customer track record. A deep public track record: Washington has kept Florida Avenue Grill busy for 81 years.
- ✓Liked by customers and the community. Genuinely beloved by Washington regulars and visitors alike — a bona fide community favorite.
- ✓Recognition in the local community. Named best soul food in Washington DC for 2025 for eight decades of smothered chicken and grits at the same corner counter.
The specific data behind this award, and the exact thresholds, stay internal so the standard can’t be gamed. Read the methodology.
This page was published by The Centurion Awards from the public record; the business did not have to apply for it to appear. Own this business? Claim the listing to manage it, or ask us to remove it.
Award record
2025 Centurion Award
Best Soul Food in Washington DC Washington, DC · Awarded under the 2025 evaluationVisit Florida Avenue Grill
The details, verified.
Clean, checkable facts about Florida Avenue Grill.
- Legal / trading name
- Florida Avenue Grill
- Category
- Restaurant
- Founded
- 1944, Washington, DC
- Location
- Washington, DC
- Centurion Award
- Best Soul Food in Washington DC — 2025
- Record last verified
- July 2026
A signal you can check.
This is a dated award record published by The Centurion Awards after reviewing public evidence for Florida Avenue Grill against the 2025 criteria for its market and category. The business did not have to apply for this page to appear. It wasn’t voted on or sponsored, and selection is not for sale. The criteria are public. Owners can claim the listing or ask us to remove it. If an award stops holding up, we may revoke it. For anything current, like hours or bookings, go straight to the business itself.
Frequently asked questions.
What is Florida Avenue Grill?
Serving soul food at Florida Avenue and W Street since 1944, with the photos on the wall to prove who has eaten there.
Is Florida Avenue Grill award-winning?
Yes — Florida Avenue Grill is the 2025 Centurion Award winner for Best Soul Food in Washington DC, a verified, criteria-based award. Named best soul food in Washington DC for 2025 for eight decades of smothered chicken and grits at the same corner counter.
Where is Florida Avenue Grill?
Florida Avenue Grill is in Washington, DC.
Run a business like this one?
If you’ve put in the years, you may already qualify. Evaluation is free, private, and never for sale.