Tucked in Bowie’s Gateway Center, Ruby’s Southern Comfort Kitchen is a family-owned Maryland soul food gem built on something far more meaningful than a business plan—it’s a living tribute to a grandmother’s love. 🍗
Opened in November 2018 by Candi and Jason Dailey, Ruby’s is named after Candi’s paternal grandmother—a South Carolina-born matriarch who migrated to the DC area in the early 1900s and whose recipes, life lessons, and cooking traditions are infused into every dish served today.
From bold blackberry beef short ribs to creamy Robert’s Mac & Cheese and Aunt Ruth’s Holy Trinity greens, this Bowie Southern comfort food destination delivers Sunday dinner warmth.
How Ruby’s won Bowie’s hearts
Ruby’s Southern Comfort Kitchen captured Bowie’s devotion through family recipes passed down through generations, a counter-service format that makes outstanding soul food accessible daily, and a grandmother’s story that resonates with every guest who walks through the door. 💛
Candi Dailey grew up spending summers with her grandmother Ruby and cooking alongside her father and mother in the kitchen—“between the two of them and my mom, it was just very natural for me to be in the kitchen,” she said, a warmth that translates directly onto every plate.
After building Potomac Hospitality Group with 20 years of combined hospitality industry experience, the Daileys opened Ruby’s as a tribute to family—delivering the same southern foods Candi grew up cooking to a Prince George’s County community hungry for genuine soul food. 🤍
What truly won hearts is the philosophy behind every dish—Ruby’s isn’t just a restaurant, it’s “our favorite Auntie’s house, deep in the south, where the mac and cheese and collard greens are incomparable.”
The Daileys’ resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic—keeping all employees on payroll and pivoting to curbside and delivery—earned them deep community respect and a Northwestern Mutual business feature that introduced their story to a national audience. 💪
Beyond the restaurant, Candi launched Ruby’s Family Reunion—an annual 20,000-attendee food, music, and culture festival in Bowie celebrating Juneteenth—proving the Daileys’ commitment extends far beyond feeding customers to genuinely uplifting the entire community.
This combination of generational family recipes, inclusive comfort food, and community-first values has made Ruby’s Southern Comfort Kitchen the most beloved family-owned soul food restaurant in Maryland.
Food Highlights
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Deep Fried Chicken Wings: The most-ordered dish at Ruby’s—perfectly seasoned, golden-fried wings—making them the undisputed crowd champion of this Bowie Southern comfort food menu. 🍗
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Blackberry Beef Short Ribs: A show-stopping signature entrée featuring fall-off-the-bone braised beef short ribs glazed in a rich, sweet-savory blackberry reduction. 🍖
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Fried Whiting & Fried Catfish: Beloved Southern seafood staples—a consistent crowd pleaser that regulars pair with collard greens and candied sweet potatoes. 🐟
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Bayou Shrimp Pasta: A Creole-inspired fan favorite featuring plump Creole shrimp, caramelized onions, tomatoes, collards, and bacon crumbles in a creamy Parmesan sauce served with a choice of biscuit or cast-iron cornbread. 🦐
- Fried Pork Chops: A soul food classic done right, featuring thick-cut pork chops with a perfectly seasoned golden crust. 🥩
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“Great Dana” Peach Cobbler: A warmly named dessert staple featuring a sugar biscuit topping served piping hot over sweet, tender peaches—another family-name tribute. 🍑
- Blackened Salmon: A popular dish featuring boldly seasoned salmon with a perfectly charred blackened crust.
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Ronnie’s Sweet Potato Pie: A legendary family dessert described as “the essence of southern charm”—featuring a perfectly spiced, silky smooth sweet potato filling in a buttery crust. 🥧
Atmosphere
Ruby’s Southern Comfort Kitchen operates as a warm, welcoming counter-service soul food kitchen where the aromas of comfort food greet guests the moment they step inside. ☕
The fast-casual format keeps the experience accessible and community-oriented—guests order at the counter, and the kitchen delivers made-with-love soul food that tastes anything but fast or casual once it hits the table.
The dining room carries the spirit of Ruby’s founding story in its DNA—“the door is always open, and the aromas of comfort food greet you.”
Ruby’s annual Juneteenth Family Reunion festival, drawing 20,000 attendees, is a powerful extension of this community warmth—proving that this family-owned Maryland soul food restaurant is not just a place to eat but a genuine cultural institution in Bowie and Prince George’s County.
Bottom Line
Visit for generational family recipes honoring Grandmother Ruby’s South Carolina legacy, the legendary Blackberry Beef Short Ribs and Blackened Salmon that elevate this soul food kitchen, Robert’s baked-till-bubbling Mac & Cheese, Aunt Ruth’s Holy Trinity Greens, and Ronnie’s Sweet Potato Pie served with true Southern charm. ✨
Address:
4410 Mitchellville Rd, Bowie, MD 20716
📞 (240) 260-3989
🕔 Open Tue–Fri 12 PM–8 PM, Sat 11 AM–8 PM, Sun 11 AM–6 PM (closed Monday)