clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile
Silver Sands Cafe [Facebook]

Tandy Wilson Leads the Charge to Help Nashville Staple Soul Food Restaurant

Silver Sands Cafe was hit by a tornado, then had fumbled contractor repairs, and then, COVID-19 hit

by Delia Jo Ramsey

If you buy something from an Eater link, Vox Media may earn a commission. See our ethics policy.

Family-owned and operated for more than 50 years, Silver Sands Cafe has seen devastation hit threefold over the last few months. First the staple breakfast and lunch restaurant was forced to close after suffering sizable tornado damage. Then, a contractor fumbled repairs. Now the soul food destination is now one of many local restaurants struggling to move forward amid the COVID-19 shutdown.

Silver Sands’ Sophia Vaughn is the third generation owner of the restaurant — starting her days at 2 a.m. in the kitchen for her first loyal customers at 6 a.m. City House’s Tandy Wilson, alongside Lee Initiative, took to Instagram to share Vaughn’s story and launch a fundraiser to help her get back in the kitchen.

For those who live in Nashville, buy a Memorial Day Picnic Basket for pickup at City House on May 23 between 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m. For $101, the basket includes Silver Sands-style fried chicken with hot pepper seasoning, buttermilk dressing, and eight Cornlight muffins. There’s also cabbage slaw, Italian pasta salad, shaved fennel and snow pea salad, and s’mores brownies. Purchasers can add a wine pairing for $40 more (750ml bottle of 2018 Simone Capecci Ciprea, Pecorino from the Marche region) or beer pairing for $20 (6-pack of Blackberry Farms Pale Ale). You can also donate directly via the City House website.

The Lee Initiative is also accepting donations for Silver Sands, and will match funds up to $10,000. For more information about Silver Sands, check out this film commissioned by the Southern Foodways Alliance.