Harlem’s iconic Sylvia’s Restaurant celebrated its 60th anniversary Monday, and, in keeping with tradition, a major political player helped honor the small business that’s played host to countless politicos throughout the years.
Standing on Malcolm X Boulevard, just outside the soul food joint, Mayor Eric Adams applauded the Woods family, who own Sylvia’s, for their decades of community-minded leadership.
“This is not a restaurant. This is a family,” Adams said. “We grew up with Sylvia’s, we grew up with this restaurant, and world leaders have come here to eat, to sit down here because it is a symbol of who we were and who we are.”
Founded in 1962 by Sylvia Woods, the Harlem restaurant is world famous for its soul food dishes, like chicken and waffles.
It’s also become a go-to stop for anyone looking to become a contender in politics, both in New York City and the rest of the United States.
Notable politicians who have lunched at the restaurant include Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton, as well as Mayors Mike Bloomberg and David Dinkins — to name just a few.
At the height of the pandemic, when the hospitality industry was teetering on the edge, Sylvia’s, in partnership with the National Action Network and CARES organization, distributed food and groceries to their neighbors in Harlem.
To those who grew up with it as a staple in their lives, the generosity was not surprising.
“I’ve been to Sylvia’s with everyone from James Brown to Barack Obama. Now, Sylvia’s owners are giving back to the people,” Rev. Al Sharpton said at the time. “It’s special for people to come to the place they always came to dine, to know that they care about them.”
