After opening its first restaurant in Miami-Dade County’s historic Black heritage neighborhood of Overtown in 1946 and its second location in Opa-locka in 2015, Jackson Soul Food has now brought its legendary family recipes to Miami International Airport (MIA).
Jackson Soul Food owner Shirlene Ingraham and Michael Svagdis, SSP America CEO, were recently joined by the county mayor and a who’s who of current and former county commissioners to celebrate the grand opening, just beyond security in MIA’s Concourse E near gate E2.
“Millions of travelers from all over the world can now enjoy Jackson’s popular soul food and get another taste of what our diverse community has to offer,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava in a news release. “Being able to celebrate their ribbon-cutting during Black History Month makes this opening even more special.”
Branded as Jackson Square, the MIA location also includes Jackson Soul Food’s Chick-fil-A franchise and is accessible to passengers inside concourses D and E. The locations are being operated in collaboration with a division of SSP Group, a leading operator of food and beverage brands in travel locations worldwide
Jackson Soul Food in Overtown is a Miami institution.
(Phillip Pessar)
“My team and I are so glad to bring the same family-oriented atmosphere and home-made food to the airport that we offer our guests at our Overtown and Opa-locka locations,” Ingraham said in a statement. “The opening of our MIA location, along with the Chick-fil-A location, mark an important milestone in my life.”
Ingraham started learning to cook at the age of 6 at her parents’ restaurant, Mama’s Café. She would hide in her parents’ car at 4 a.m. so she could go to work with them and would stand behind the counter on a block crate, helping to serve biscuits. Jackson Soul Food would grow to become a popular draw for both Miami residents and celebrities, with its menu of traditional soul food dishes such as fried catfish, meatloaf, ribs, candied yams, fried okra, collard greens, and macaroni and cheese.
