Camden Grown Iconic Restaurant Wins Coveted Award

Charles Curtis III

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 For over 30 years a small restaurant with humble beginnings has been cooking its way into the stomach and hearts of the city. Located at 1754 Haddon Avenue, Corinne's place is a local Camden, NJ restaurant established in 1989 by Corinne Bradley-Powers. With all of your favorite dishes from the traditional fried chicken and baked mac and cheese, to the savory cajun turkey and bbq pork ribs. Corinne's Place menu is jam-packed with all the culture, flavor, and love you would expect from a long-standing soul food establishment. 

 And while the pandemic spelled an end for most restaurants, it would only highlight the timelessness of Corinne's food and its place in the community. In compliance with the restrictions on in-door dining Corinne’s Place would take a unique approach to continue serving quality food and providing the warm, homey atmosphere it was known for.  A nearby lot would be transformed and affixed with a beautiful fountain to aid in creating the welcoming ambiance taking the love from the dining room to the yard, the outdoor location is aptly named. “The Oasis.” Its consistency and service like this have allowed Corinne’s reputation to spread far and wide. In fact, in 2022 the iconic restaurant would be recognized nationally as the winner of the prestigious “Classics Award”. This award has only six recipients per year, recipients of this award are selected by the James Beard Foundation. 

 The James Beard Foundation is a nonprofit organization whose mission is, “celebrate, support, and elevate the people behind America’s food culture and champion a standard of good food anchored in talent, equity, and sustainability.” The Classics Award is awarded to locally-owned restaurants that have “timeless appeal and are beloved regionally for quality food that reflects the character of its community.” Winning this award inducts Corinne’s Place into an exclusive club as one of only five New Jersey restaurants to have won this award! Previous New Jersey recipients include John’s Roast Pork and Chef Vola’s in Atlantic City. ​

 The James Beard Foundation would attribute Corinne's success to its soulful menu,

“The Cajun-spiced turkey wings, the picnic-perfect black-eyed peas, the tender pig’s feet in a zesty sauce, the smothered pork chops, or the sweet potato pie. But there’s no doubt her classic fried chicken—it's simply seasoned crust fried to a golden, heat-bubbled cracker shell concealing juicy meat—is also a prime reason this restaurant has remained an enduring touchstone for home-style soul food.”

 Corinne’s Place has continued to remain a staple of Camden dining surviving multiple eras in the city; it is clear to see why Corinne was awarded such a prestigious award and why Corinne’s Place remains relevant over 30 years later.