Southern Side Kitchen

Southern Side Kitchen is a counter service restaurant located at 10 S Summit Ave in Shillington, Pennsylvania, a borough that sits just southwest of the city of Reading in Berks County. The kitchen specializes in Southern and soul food cooking, serving platters, sandwiches, small plates, sides, and homemade desserts to a largely local clientele that includes office workers on lunch breaks, families picking up dinner, and solo diners stopping in on their way through town.

The restaurant operates on a straightforward model. Guests order at the counter, meals are prepared and packed to order, and food can be eaten on site at the available seating, carried out, or delivered. The format keeps service moving during busy stretches while still allowing the staff to talk through the menu with anyone who is unfamiliar with the dishes or unsure what to pair together.

The Food

The menu is built around the traditional Southern plate: a protein, two or more sides, and bread. Fried and baked chicken, fried fish (catfish in particular has become one of the kitchen's better known items), smothered and gravy based preparations, and slow cooked meats form the backbone of the main offerings. Sides rotate but typically draw from the familiar soul food repertoire, including macaroni and cheese, collard and other greens, candied yams, cabbage, green beans, rice, potato salad, and cornbread.

Southern Side Kitchen also prepares appetizers and small plates, most notably soul rolls, an egg roll style item filled with Southern ingredients and served with a house sauce. House-made sauces are a recurring element across the menu, including a spicy version that turns up alongside several dishes. These sauces have developed a following of their own and are part of what distinguishes the kitchen from other takeout options in the area.

Desserts are made in house and change with what the kitchen is baking. Sweet potato cheesecake, peach cobbler, and banana pudding are among the items that appear regularly. Because dessert production is limited and made in batches, availability varies by day, which is worth keeping in mind if you are ordering for a group.

The menu is not static. Certain days bring different features, and barbecue offerings such as chicken and ribs appear on a rotating schedule rather than daily. Regular customers tend to check ahead or follow the restaurant's postings to see what is being served before they place an order. Portions are substantial, and platters are generally sized so that a single order can cover more than one sitting.

Ownership and Character

The business is owner operated, and the owner, Eushanada, is frequently present and working directly with customers. That hands-on approach shapes the experience: orders are taken personally, questions about the menu are answered at the counter, and repeat customers are often recognized by name. The atmosphere is casual and unpretentious, with the focus placed on the food itself rather than on decor or formal table service.

Southern Side Kitchen has also maintained a presence beyond its Summit Avenue location, appearing at area farmers market settings where customers have been able to pick up food and house sauces. This dual presence has helped build recognition across greater Reading and the surrounding Berks County communities.

Service Options

• Counter service ordering with on-site seating
• Takeout, which accounts for a large share of orders
• Delivery
• Catering for private events, gatherings, and workplace functions
• Lunch, dinner, and dessert service

Catering is a meaningful part of the operation. Because the kitchen already cooks in the platter and pan format typical of Southern cooking, scaling up for parties, family gatherings, church events, and office meals is a natural extension of the daily menu. Customers planning catering orders are encouraged to call ahead, since larger orders require advance notice and menu selections may depend on what is being prepared that week.

Location, Parking, and Access

Shillington is a compact borough bordering Reading, making the restaurant convenient to residents of Shillington, Kenhorst, Mohnton, Wyomissing, West Reading, and the city itself. The S Summit Ave location is a short drive from Lancaster Avenue and the Route 222 and Route 724 corridors, which places it within easy reach of commuters traveling between Reading and points south and west.

Parking is one of the practical advantages of the location. The restaurant offers on-site parking, a free parking lot, free garage parking, and free street parking in the surrounding blocks. For a takeout focused business, this makes quick pickup considerably easier than it would be in a denser downtown setting.

The entrance is wheelchair accessible, and accessible parking is available in the lot. The counter service layout means guests do not need to navigate a full dining room to place an order.

Practical Information

• Address: 10 S Summit Ave, Shillington, PA 19607
• Phone: +1 610-802-9290
• Payment: debit cards, credit cards, and NFC mobile payments such as tap to pay through a phone or watch
• Atmosphere: casual, family friendly, and suitable for children
• Busiest meal periods: lunch and dinner

Calling ahead is the most reliable way to confirm the day's menu, check dessert availability, and place a pickup order during peak hours. Lunch lines can form, particularly on days when a popular feature is running, and phoning in an order ahead of arrival shortens the wait considerably.

Who It Suits

Southern Side Kitchen fits a range of situations: a fast individual lunch, a family dinner that nobody has to cook, a dessert run, or a catered spread for a larger event. Solo diners are a common part of the customer base, and the counter format works well for anyone eating alone. Families with children are accommodated, and the portion sizes make the restaurant a practical option for households that want leftovers built into the order.

For anyone new to Southern and soul food, the staff can suggest combinations, and the small plates offer a lower commitment way to sample the kitchen's style before moving on to a full platter.