Soul-food spot headed to South Side

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

The South Side will soon get a welcome shot of soul in the heart of its businessdistrict.

Carmi Soul Food Restaurant, a neighborhood favorite in Allegheny West for the past seven years, will cross rivers and move into a long vacant property at 1825 E. Carson St., co-owner Carleen King confirmed.

“What we have planned — it’s exciting,” she said. “What we’ve been given is so much more than we hoped for. I saw the woodwork and exposed brick and thought, ‘I am in love.’

“I’ve been saying this will be my ‘juke joint’ — a place to listen to really goodmusic with good food and have a cocktail if you want,” she said adding that she hopes to have regular gospel and jazz Sunday brunches at the new location.

Mrs. King, who runs the business with her husband Michael (together theyput the “Car” and the “Mi” in the name) said that the move was necessarybecause their current building at 917WesternAve.isbeingsold.

The new location will have a full bar — the current spot is BYOB — and a larger kitchen so that the menu can expand to include appetizers and vegetarian items, although Mrs. King said that longtime customersneedn’t worry that it will suddenly become a bastion of health food.

“Our staples will remain the same,” she said of a menu that