Minnie Bell’s Soul Movement is a soul food restaurant, yes, but it’s also a lesson in history and family ties. Chef and owner Fernay McPherson tells that story through the rosemary fried chicken, the mac and cheese she helped make when she was five years old, and the murals that adorn her brick and mortar restaurant in the Fillmore. Diners first came to know McPherson’s cooking through her catering business, and later via the food truck she launched in 2013. She eventually opened a restaurant in Emeryville’s Public Market in 2018, selling her distinctive soul food, up until 2024 when she opened her full restaurant location on Fillmore Street. That opening was celebrated as a homecoming for McPherson, who grew up as a third-generation resident of the Fillmore, and the restaurant gained attention from the Michelin Guide, which added Minnie Bell’s to its California Guide in May 2026.
The food is a tribute to her great-aunt Minnie, and grandmother, Lillie Bell; McPherson says she learned her recipes through those two family matriarchs, who both immigrated from Texas in the 1960s. Given the recent Michelin nod, it seemed like a good time to visit this local favorite.
The Fillmore is known as the “Harlem of the West,” and that history is front and center as you walk in — a black and white mural depicts a historical view of Fillmore Street in the 1960s, with its vintage cars and signage for restaurants and businesses of the day. Around the corner near the booths, diners can see black and white photos of a youthful Minnie in cap and gown for high school graduation and a professional photo of Lillie Bell when she was 21, watching over the dining room. It’s a cozy space with tables ready to greet groups of all sizes, while a bar equipped with TVs takes up space on the south side of the restaurant, serving as a spot for drinks and dinner for solo diners or smaller parties.
There is red Kool-Aid and sweet tea, along with Sprite and Coke (and its diet options), but if you’re looking for alcoholic beverages, Minnie Bell’s has that, too. The restaurant has only four or so beers on tap, but the wine list is more expansive, with two to five options per category from local wineries to places abroad, like Spain and Germany. (The largest category is the Bubbles section, with five selections, given that it’s seen as a good pairing for fried chicken.) Among the wine options, McPherson champions Black-owned wine companies where she can, including the McBride Sisters Wine Company and P. Harrell Wines. There are a few cocktails in the mix, as well, and while I did not try them on my recent visit, I am eyeing the Sabe Vodka-spiked Kool-Aid, and Peach Cobbler, made with Earl Stevens Sparkling Mango Peach, and both sweet and dry vermouths.
The oxtail ($35) is not on the regular menu, but if you see it on the specials board outside the restaurant, get it. McPherson’s dish is full of tender oxtail meat on the bone, with potatoes, carrots, and green onions to round things out. I was glad we bought one for the table to share.