Help Our Neighborhood Restaurants: Find Comfort At Melba’s In Harlem

Scores of Big Apple eateries are evaporating amid the coronavirus crisis. So each week, Help Our Neighborhood Restaurants will highlight top neighborhood spots fighting to stay afloat while adhering to strict safety standards: the HONoR Roll. Thanks to Kyrie Irving and Beyond Meat, a New Yorker in need will get a plant-based burger whenever you order.

In such a time of uncertainty, everyone could use a little comfort. And that’s exactly what’s on the menu at Melba’s.

“I did not have a loan when I opened nor do I have any partners or investors,” says Harlem-native Melba Wilson of her eponymous soul food establishment. Niece of the legendary Harlem restaurateur Sylvia Woods, she’s been serving southern fried chicken, eggnog waffles, and comfort with the community in mind since 2005.

Wilson chose 114th Street because it was then one of the most notorious drug blocks in the neighborhood, and she wanted to lead a revitalization. “Harlem has always been a gold mine,” Wilson says. “I am one of few entrepreneurs who is born and raised in this community and invested in Harlem way before many saw the value.” The neighborhood has since witnessed a proliferation in restaurants and small businesses. But now, there isn’t people to fill seats or frequent storefronts, and many eateries have shuttered their doors once again.

On any given day, Melba welcomed 250-350 guests into her “homey by day, bustling by night” institution on Frederick Douglass Blvd., from students and seniors to artists and celebrities. She likens her customers to family, and is known to greet guests with a hug.

“Restaurants take care of so many, now we need to be taken care of,” says Wilson. “I have never experienced anything like this before in my life but as my grandmother would say, ‘This too shall pass.’ Amen? Amen!”

Melba’s Restaurant

Address: 300 West 114th Street (at Frederick Douglass Blvd.)

Suggested dishes: Melba’s spring rolls, southern fried chicken wings & eggnog waffles

Price range: Average main course is $14

Phone number: (212) 864-7777

Website: www.melbasrestaurant.com