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The Serving Spoon dishes up soul food while making customers feel right at home

Photo by Jason Lewis

Food

This Inglewood urban eatery has been serving the community for nearly 34 years.

By Megan Reed

“There ain’t no better breakfast” than what The Serving Spoon in Inglewood serves, and their lunch is “Definitely love at first bite.”  

Those two slogans accurately describe this urban eatery, which is located on Centinela Ave., less than a mile west of La Brea Ave.

The breakfast menu’s signature dish is catfish, grits, and eggs.  The menu also includes chicken and beef sausages, salmon croquettes, chicken wings, pancakes, and waffles.

The lunch menu features smothered turkey wings, beef short ribs, oxtails, and baked chicken.

The Serving Spoon has been a community staple for going on 34 years.  The restaurant was established in 1983, when Harold E. Sparks, whose family originated from Mississippi, moved from Ohio to Inglewood to fulfill his dream of opening a soul food restaurant.  His vision was not only to serve excellent food, but also to create an environment where customers feel like they are family and like they are at home.  

Thirteen years ago, Sparks’ daughter Angela and son-in-law Jerry “J.C.” Johnson took over the restaurant, and they continued Sparks’ legacy of serving great food and making their customers feel welcomed to sit down and socialize.

“It’s definitely a community place,” Johnson said.  “Not only are you here to get some good food, you’re also here to have some good company.”

The Serving Spoon is located at 1403 Centinela Ave.  They are open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.  Contact them at (310) 412-3927.  Visit their website at www.theservingspoon.net, and find them on Facebook and Instagram.