Arts and Culture | Food and Drink

Melba Wilson on founding a neighborhood staple, highlighting Harlem’s businesses, and bringing people together through food

Wilson opened her namesake restaurant at Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 114th Street in 2005, receiving critical acclaim and becoming a neighborhood staple.

By Conner Sund / Illustrations Editor
By Ariana Eftimiu and Ava Markhovsky • February 28, 2025 at 2:08 AM













Photo by Melba's Restaurant / Courtesy of
Melba poses behind the counter at her restaurant.











Photo by Melba's Restaurant / Courtesy of
Chicken and waffles at Melba’s





















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