Charlies Country Ribs has been serving up soul food, Southern-style BBQ since 1996

Wednesday, May 31, 2023
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- At Charlie's Country Ribs, you'll find Denise Wade in the kitchen singing to gospel music, while her husband Charlie is in the yard grilling the restaurant's namesake country ribs.

The couple opened the restaurant 28 years ago, serving up Southern-style soul food and barbecue platters.
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Charlie does the meats; Denise does the sides and sweets.

She learned to bake from her grandmother, he learned to barbecue from his grandfather.

They started the business after the lighting company Charlie was working for downsized.

Their pastor, having tasted Charlie's ribs, suggested he start selling them.



Demand was so high, they decided to open a brick-and-mortar and estimate they had 600 customers on Day 1.

Their son works with them in the kitchen.
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Their daughter has her own food truck in Georgia.

The scratch-made, generations-old family recipes include a secret barbecue sauce, and the place is also famous for its cornbread.

Charlie's Country Ribs | Facebook | Instagram
2528 W. Diamond Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 19121
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