Southern and soul food have a special place in the American food canon, and not just because of the way we drool when we think of pork chops or chicken smothered in salty, thick gravy or impeccable regional barbecue…or the soft, chewy bread on a New Orleans Po’ Boy.

Okay…maybe some, or all, of those are the reason southern cuisine is so loved. While some restaurants are longstanding spots that lean more soul than southern, a handful of newcomers have taken their versions in offbeat and sometimes modern directions. With that in mind, the following are essential southern food restaurants that must be tried in and around Woodland Hills.

The Boiling Crab, located at 23397 Mulholland Drive, fuses the flair of having a good time with warm hospitality and passion for excellent seafood, offering a taste of a backyard crab fest in Woodland Hills. This is a Cajun lover’s dream come true, boasting a menu that encompasses everything from crab and crab legs to lobster, shrimp, crawfish, oysters, clams, mussels, fried catfish/shrimp/chicken tenders/calamari/oysters and even gumbo. The Boiling Crab is open Monday through Thursday from 3 pm to 10 pm and Friday/Saturday/Sunday from 12 pm to 10 pm.

Cea-Lo L.A., located at 5150 Sepulveda Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, has become one of Los Angeles’ leading restaurants in the San Fernando Valley area, regularly applauded for gracious service and a casual take on fine dining. New York City’s own Chef Christopher Montgomery, a South Bronx native now residing in Los Angeles, specializes in local and seasonal ingredients which he uses to craft French, American, gourmet southern and modern cuisine with an urban twist. Fusing the flavor of the streets with the skill and prestige of the culinary world, Chef Chris delivers a unique, personal experience with a diverse palette. As fate would have it, during an unprecedented time of a global pandemic, Chef Chris is currently living out his dream of opening his very own restaurant – Cea-Lo – in Sherman Oaks, considered the sister restaurant to the family eatery where he began his journey, in The Bronx. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 4 pm to 10 pm.

Lucille’s Smokehouse Bar-B-Que, located at 6220 North Topanga Canyon Boulevard Building E Suite 1480 at The Village at Westfield Topanga, is part of a chain of southern cuisine restaurants that have become favorites amongst those with a penchant for rich, savory barbecue. Picking up culinary inspiration from some of the best barbecue shacks in the south, Lucille’s developed a thriving concept around “serving the most scrumptious BBQ with the finest southern hospitality,” and it wasn’t long before folks declared it a “saucy success.” Of course, even the best barbecue tastes better with some music to go along with it, which is why no visit to Lucille’s is complete without a stopover in the Flying Pig Lounge – for some southern libations and foot-stomping fun. Open daily from 11 am to 10 pm.

Fishbone Seafood, boasting locations all throughout California but residing at 5577 Reseda Boulevard in Tarzana, specializes in fresh fish, either fried or grilled, and remains a family-owned-and-operated fish market/restaurant featuring a southern style of service when it comes to all its seafood specialties. Established in 2016, Fishbone offers a variety of fish, shrimp and oysters which conjure up memories of popular “Friday Fish Frys” that once drew families together throughout the south. The restaurant remains dedicated to serving freshly-prepared seafood at reasonable prices, all while offering the best dining experience in the industry. Open Monday through Thursday from 11 am to 8 pm, Friday/Saturday from 11 am to 10 pm and Sunday from 11 am to 8 pm.

T&C’s Tackle Box Southern Seafood and More, located at 17620 Bellflower Boulevard Unit B108 in Bellflower, specializes in mouthwatering southern seafood cuisine and much more, offering a dizzying selection of catfish, shrimp, fried lobster, Po’ Boy sandwiches, salmon, fried okra, greens, mac and cheese and even chicken and waffles. Established in 2015, T&C’s humble beginnings came in the form of a food truck, which has evolved to become a successful brick-and-mortar eatery for Angelinos with a taste for the “southern good life.” T&C’s Tackle Box Southern Seafood and More is open Tuesday through Saturday from 11 am to 8 pm.

With a smattering of comfort food restaurants having opened in L.A. recently, the city has taken its already next-level southern eats to an extreme plateau – one that thankfully still includes lots of seafood and Canjun-esque dishes. The aforementioned spots represent some of the best of these types of restaurants around Woodland Hills…so prepare to get your spice on.