Soul Hole

While the inside of Soul Hole adds to the southern charm of the fare offered, I'd suggest grabbing a seat along Union Street and watch Traverse City's Old Town pass you by.

(I am sad to say that Soul Hole closed its doors for the last time on Saturday, December 15, 2012. This closing came down to Michigan's awesome bureaucrats and their failure to realize that some small businesses simply can't wait months for a decision. Way to go guys! Way to go. I'm leaving this post up to sing the praises of one my favorite downtown spots. I will miss this amazing joint!)  

Every now and then, I get a hankerin' for some collard greens. To you Northern Michigander folks, that may sound strange, but, for real, these things are delicious!

Care to know what else is delicious at Traverse City's Soul Hole? Pretty much everything.

Eclectic Southern Cuisine. That's Soul Hole's motto. And they do it well!

Soul Hole's menu features some of Traverse City's best examples of Southern Cuisine. Whether you're seated indoors (where the massive dessert case tempts your every sense) or taking advantage of the outdoor seating, the atmosphere at Soul Hole is eclectic and amazing, made even more so by their food!

Grab a booth at Soul Hole in Traverse City and prepare yourself for some of the toughest decision making of your life.

And, speaking of their food, let's jump into some of the menu highlights, shall we?

I love this part of the blog!

Let's talk about the starters. The highlights here include hushpuppies ($6.95) and crab cakes ($9.95). As a whole, the starters range from $3.95-$9.95 and no matter what you're ordering, you can't go wrong!

Moving on to sandwiches, hear me when I say this: Do not miss the Po' Boys, especially the Oyster Po' Boy, good Lord it's amazing! And only $10.95! Another amazing "sandwich" is the Bayou Burger (1/2 pound of ground beef, crawfish, onion, creole spices and fried green tomatoes served with sweet potato fries and jalapeno catsup). This thing is...dare I say it?...the best burger in Traverse City! And, again, only $10.95! The Sandwich section has some other outstanding choices as well, with prices ranging from $6.95-$10.95.

The Entrees are where most folks find the one item that Soul Hole does to perfection: Chicken and Waffles. This dish consists of cornbread waffles topped with smoked country ham and buttermilk fried chicken breast, served with mashed yams, braised cabbage and bourbon spiked Michigan maple syrup. Wowza. It carries one of the highest prices on the menu, $18.95, but is completely worth it.

If chicken and waffles isn't your thing, how about shrimp and grits ($14.95)? Or Catfish tacos ($13.95)? Or house cured and smoked pork ribs ($24.95 Full or $14.95 Half)? Or Jambalaya ($9.95)? Oh yes, this menu has something for everyone!

Rounding out the menu is a perfect selection of sides (like collard greens, all sides $2.95), salads (like the blackened tuna salad for $10.95) and a daily selection of soups.

Finally, as I mentioned before, the desserts at this joint are phenomenal! Do not forget to check out the dessert case, usually full to bursting with cakes and pies. They also offer beignets with ice cream for $7.

The Oyster Po' Boy on the left, collard greens in the middle and the Bayou Burger on the right. Freaking tasty!

Soul Hole is a typical find within the lesser known Traverse City dining scene. It is different, eclectic, has carved out its own niche and owns that niche completely. It is small on space, but big on taste. This restaurant, like so many other foodie finds within the Traverse City region, is delicious to a fault. That fault? Well, once you've latched onto a favorite dish, it's incredibly hard to stray from it and sample the rest of the menu....believe me, I know. Damn you, Oyster Po' Boy, for being so very delicious!

Quick note: Very soon, Soul Hole will be revamping their interior to make way for a newly acquired liquor license. Currently, alcohol is not available, but that is about to change!

(All photos by Lisa Kelly and Brooks Vanderbush)