Levy Takes Inspiration from His Family to Open Up Soul Food Cafe in Bunn

BUNN, NC – This small town in Franklin County is known for its farmland, filled with tobacco and soybean fields and producing North Carolina A&T football legend – Tarik Cohen. But, it’s about to be known for the hottest Soul Food Restaurant on the block named Levy’s Soul Cafe.

It has been open for over a month, but it delivers with its mouth-watering pork and beef ribs, chicken, oxtails, chopped BBQ, green beans, potato salad, chicken and dumplings, and various types of Soul Food while washing it down with Lemonade or Sweet Tea. Levy’s Soul Cafe is located in Bunn Crossing Shopping Center (23 Highway 98 across from the Food Lion).

Owner Levy D. Smith, a native of Goldsboro, North Carolina, served over two decades in the United States Marine Corps. Known as “Smitty,” he was raised by mostly women who were exceptional cooks. When he was initially stationed in San Diego, CA he would consistently eat fast food. Smith reflected, “Whenever I wanted mac and cheese, I would call one of my aunts who specializes in it. I would call my grandmother who made homemade soups and chicken and dumplings. Some of these specialties were also in my mother’s specialties.” Growing up, Smith loved collard greens, chicken and dumplings, pork ribs, and candied yams.

He developed a passion for cooking in high school, along with five of his teammates. On this experience, Smith explained, “All of my buddies were football players and we thought we were the ‘Grill Masters’ even back then.” Smith added, “We would take turns cooking at each other’s houses every weekend with a little Seagram’s Gin and some Old English. We would make a party of it and cooking was always involved.”

“Operating a restaurant has always been a part of my DNA,” Smith explained. On reflecting on his family’s entrepreneurial heritage, he pointed out, “My great-uncle had a restaurant in the 1900s in the Shipyard in Norfolk, VA called ‘Ishler’s Soul Food Cafe.’ My grandfather on my father’s side had a restaurant in the old Hayti part of Durham called Isler’s Little Grill. My uncle and my grandfather had one in Virginia called ‘Guess’ Horseshoe Cafe’ and I had some great uncles and cousins who had ‘Juke Joints’ and establishments when plenty of our people weren’t doing those things. They set the level really high during those days.”

Smith points out a couple of different inspirations for his starting this cafe by discussing, “I’ve had a couple of business endeavors in the past. This one here was a culmination of all the years of selling chicken and ribs on the street corner, having a place that was already established for it to go out of business. Then, I got to go in and do my thing to change it a little bit. This one is a ‘labor of love,’ to manifest my dreams to ‘build a place from the dirt.” He added, “I saw this vision and it manifested. I told my 16-year-old son whatever you imagine or whatever you dream, you manifest it with hard work, determination, and grit.” Smith’s son is currently an employee of the restaurant as a Fry Cook and a Cashier. Plus, Smith teaches his son to cook.

“The uniqueness is a cultivation of old and generational recipes from my family, as well as my experiences and tastebuds as a child of me remembering the various dishes that my mother and grandmother used to make,” Smith commented. He added, “The business aspect of entrepreneurship is in my DNA. I haven’t done any different than what some of my ancestors had done. The uniqueness is Levy’s Soul Cafe.”

Smith looks for individuals who want to learn and be a part of small businesses. He helps people to get many chances in life, as well as young people who lack experience. He wants to be remembered by those people who reflect, “Mr. Levy taught me discipline, punctuality, how to be a good customer service representative, to feel good about myself, and anything I put my mind to that I can accomplish.” He added, “I don’t look for anything else except for a person who is willing to learn.”

Levy’s Soul Food Cafe is closed Mondays and Tuesdays. They’re open Wednesdays and Thursdays from 11 am – 7:30 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 11 am -8 pm, and Sundays from noon – 6 pm. Check out LEVY’S MENU here.

It is highly recommended and you won’t be disappointed. Smith’s tagline is “Food So Good, Your Tongue Will Slap Your Brains Out!” for a reason…because the food is so good!