Cancel

    Open app

    Search

    Sandra's Next Generation

    4.6 (670 reviews)
    Closed 12:00 pm - 7:00 PM

    Order Sandra's Next Generation Takeout or Delivery

    Sandra's Next Generation Photos

    SANDRA'S NEXT GENERATION ATMOSPHERE

    What's the vibe?
    Casual
    Moderate noise
    Good for groups
    Outdoor seating

    You might also consider

    More like Sandra's Next Generation

    Recommended Reviews - Sandra's Next Generation

    Your trust is our priority, so businesses can't pay to alter or remove their reviews. Learn more about reviews.
    Yelp app icon
    Browse more easily on the app
    Review Feed Illustration

    Reviews With Photos

    Half portion of Bbq beef ribs. Excellent!
    Raquel T.

    So I moved to Connecticut very recently and honestly have had trouble finding good food compared to where I am from. I say that to say...Sandra's is hands down the best food I have had anywhere since moving here. Not the best soul food, the best food period. And it's honestly some of the best soul food I've ever had. Everything is delicious! I love so much about this place. I love that they give you several options for meals, such as 1 entree with 2 sides; 2 entrees with 2 sides; 1 entree with 4 sides, etc. Most restaurants only give you the choice of 1 entree with 2 sides but Sandra's doing it like this really allows you to try multiple dishes and mix and match depending on how hungry you are. Only thing to keep in mind is if you order a combo plate (2 entrees with 2 sides) the entrees are half portions. I also love how many options there are for entrees, sides, desserts & drinks! The menu is very extensive there's something for everyone including lots of vegan options. There are so many possible combinations that you could eat a different meal here everyday. And that's not even including their daily specials! I learned about Sandra's from a cooking demonstration she did onsite at my job. I'm so glad I went to that work event bc I never would've known about Sandra's, it wasn't on my radar at all. I like it so much I literally went two days in a row. Prices are also super reasonable for the amount of food you get and quality! For comparison, I recently went to a bbq restaurant (I won't say their name here but you can check out my review on them) that charged $20 for only 1 entree and 1 SMALL side and the food wasn't even good. So far I have tried the: vegan mac n cheese, regular mac n cheese, fried catfish, smothered dark meat chicken, beef ribs, turkey chopped bbq, collard greens, yams, sweet potato pie, and the blue lemonade. My favorite entree I've tried so far are the beef ribs. So tender and sticky sweet! Highly recommend these. My fave sides are the yams and collards and shockingly I think I actually like the vegan mac more the regular. All dinners come with cornbread. Wasn't a fan of the cornbread but others in my family liked it and I really appreciate that it's included. I would order everything again except the fried catfish, wasn't a fan of that. There are still so many dishes I want to try. I can see myself eating here several times a month to try everything. Big back, big back here I come thanks to Sandra's! I cannot recommend it here enough!

    Shanda C.

    Smothered pork chops with 4 sides; Mac and cheese, sweet potatoes, and double macaroni and cheese. Oh and let me not forget the cornbread. I wanted potato salad but they had run out, unfortunately and surprisingly since it was 12p. The food was delicious as always. I recommend and will be returning.

    Smothered chicken and Mac & cheese
    Jazz B.

    I have been excited about checking out Sandra's after seeing a TikTok and reading some of the reviews. I caught Metro North from Grand Central and after the 2+ hour ride that's when I found out that they had no seating, which that is my fault for not researching. I ordered online and waited a hour and 13 mins for my food. The service was great. The owner was very friendly as well as the other staff. As I was waiting the gospel music was playing and it was nice. Once I got my food. I immediately gave it a try because I didn't want it cold or reheated for my review. The soul food empanadas with chicken were pretty good I would give them a solid 7 out of 10. The smothered chicken was very salty in my opinion. I would rate it a 5 out of 10, and the Mac & cheese tasted like boxed velveeta which I would rate a 4/10. I'm disappointed at how over hyped it seem. Not pictured was my order of fried fish and it was bland with no seasoning. The lemon on the side did no justice. I could've honestly caught it at a bad time because it was a Sunday and very busy, but I'm definitely not interested in going back.

    Shar'wyn's Church Plate
    Kawone H.

    I visited this place for the reviews. Plus, I was missing the soul food from Chicago, and from my own stove. The outside seating area is nice! Inside, it's your standard soul food to go spot. Great staff! As reviews state, the people that work here are a pleasure. Place your order and get a text when it's ready! The prices are not bad. My order included the fried catfish with 4 sides. While the sweet potatoes had the best flavor, these should have been cooked a bit more. Overall, the food did need more depth to the flavor. The Mac & Cheese had a chalky texture, lacking cheese. The fish was not cooked in hot enough grease. It was not crisp. Nothing was nasty, but nothing stood out. You be the judge yourself.

    Fatboy S.

    Would've gone 3 1/2 stars if available. Came here a few years ago and it was really good. This time - not so much. They woman taking our order was great - the rest of the staff wasn't. Food wasn't as good as I remembered. Not sure if I'd come back if/when in the area.

    Tennessee fried salmon, kale greens, macaroni and cheese, cornbread hot sauce
    Jojo S.

    We tried to order online, but because our bill would've been more than $75 so we had to go in to order. We were waited on quickly, but had probably about a 30 minute wait for our food. We sat outside in their cute little seating area. Hennessy fried Salmon 10/10 mac and cheese 9/10 kale greens 8/10 rice wasn't good it was hard. I love kale. I've never had them this style so they were different, but they were still good. Also, I got their peach cobbler 11/10 and mango lemonade. Would definitely return !

    Cornbread. Not very memorable.
    Stephen M.

    I have two words for you: Soul Roll. What a simple yet genius idea to fill egg roll wrapping with the deliciousness of soul food, and I got mine with BBQ chopped turkey. It's pure magic. I got the Hennessy wings lunch combo with mac & cheese and yams. Although I didn't taste Hennessy at all, the wings were INCREDIBLE. They're big, sweet, and sticky. The sides were also fine. The reason this isn't a 5 star review is because of the "fried chicken sandwich" I ordered. They gave me two chicken wings and two slices of bread. That is NOT a sandwich. Since it was my first time trying Sandra's I wanted to get a variety of options so I got fried chicken sandwich, which you would think is different than chicken wings. Nope...I ended up with two different chicken wing orders. Now, since me having ordered this, I've learned many southern restaurants will offer sandwiches in this manner. I wouldn't have minded if it was advertised that way on the menu. Fried chicken sandwiches have been a craze in the last few years so I was expecting an actual sandwich in-line with what everyone else is doing and not just two chicken wings and bread. To be fair, the chick was incredible, I just feel a bit misled. I will definitely be back!

    smothered chicken, greens lima beans, mac and cheese and cornbread.

    I forgot to take a picture before I started eating. So I took the picture while I was eating. I'm from Florida. When I tell you this food is so good. You will not be disappointed. The Best soulfood I've had since I've been in Connecticut and I've been here for 10 years. I will definitely be back. This is my first visit and will not be my last. Love it.

    Side Of Creamy Jerk Salmon (Sm)VEGAN MAC (Sm)VEGAN COLLARD GREENS
    Autumn B.

    The salmon is literally my favorite. This was my first time having the vegan Mac it was really good. The collard greens were good but were a little sweet. Only thing is it is very expensive, this meal cost me $32. Definitely not something I'm willing to spend every weekend but worth every dime lol. The service is good, they are pretty fast. The restaurant does not have indoor seating, however they do have outdoor seating since it is more hot outside. However I did not eat outside because it was way to hot. Overall I love Sandra's !

    Banana Pudding Cake
    Selenia M.

    My sweet tooth was in overdrive on Sunday so I decided to order some dessert and a side of mac & cheese. I already had ample leftovers at home so I bypassed on dinner, although I have had their dinner in the past and it is amazing. I grew up a couple of blocks away from Sandra's. The food has always been A1. I decided to get a slice of their banana, pudding cake and cheesecake with the strawberry sauce. Initially, I wanted banana pudding, but I guess they were sold out. The layers in between the cake had a very pronounced banana flavor, which was great. So I'm definitely interested in going back to get some actual banana pudding once it's available. The cheesecake was also delicious. The graham cracker crust, cheesecake consistency, and light accent of strawberry sauce came together very well. A must try. If you ever want some mac & cheese, but do not want to make an entire dish, I highly recommend getting a side serving. But, if you're hungry, opt for a full meal. Their combos are amazing. You can sample multiple meat options with various sides. A neighborhood staple but if you do not live close by definitely worth the drive or the delivery service fee.

    Outside
    Lamarr E.

    After seeing Sandra's make the top 100 Yelp list in the country, I knew I had to check them out over the weekend. After my meal, I ll have to admit they are one of the best soul food joints in CT. The variety of menu options is what really sets them apart from the rest. They offer bbq, jerk chicken, Rasta pasta, salmon, and all of your other soul food classics. They even have a deal where you can get an entree and 4 sides!! Truly a side lovers dream! The true star of the meal was the Mac and cheese. Super cheesy and seasoned. I also really enjoyed the sweet potato cornbread and the option for kale greens. The restaurant is a bit on the smaller side, so I suggest ordering ahead to avoid long waits. Overall, Sandra's has all you want in a soul food joint! I can see why everyone ranks high on everyone's list.

    Fried chicken wings,cornbread, Mac & cheese,& collard greens.
    Angela R.

    Food is always delicious! I ordered fried chicken wings w/ collard greens & Mac & cheese. It comes w/ cornbread. The cornbread was nice & moist as always! It's hard to find a restaurant that doesn't have dry cornbread. The collard greens had chucks of turkey. The chicken wings were fried to perfection not over or under cooked. The Mac & cheese was moist & cheesy. I recommend ordering in advance b/c they're so busy. Staff is always friendly & courteous! It's a little expensive but what isn't nowadays.

    Church Plate

    See all

    Photo of Mr R.
    0
    20
    3

    3 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Marie R.
    2036
    428
    2336

    1 year ago

    Helpful 60
    Thanks 16
    Love this 56
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 1
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    9 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Jazz B.
    0
    18
    51

    7 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    28 days ago

    The food is good but the staff taken orders. Is rude to the point I sent someone else back in to get my food. She made it so I won't return

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 2
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Fatboy S.
    7
    781
    3637

    10 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 months ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    8 months ago

    Food is consistently incredible! Portions are large and flavor is perfection. Sandra's stays in rotation for me.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 1
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    3 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    10 months ago

    The food is great, the customer service is too! I highly recommend Sandra's Next Generation!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 5
    Thanks 2
    Love this 2
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 17
    Thanks 0
    Love this 13
    Oh no 2

    1 year ago

    The banana pudding is outstanding! The customer service is dope too. I have to come back and try the entrees next time.

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 8
    Thanks 2
    Love this 6
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ezem N.
    1
    50
    51

    3 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    10 months ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Business owner information

    Photo of Sandra P.

    Sandra P.

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 2
    Oh no 2

    5 years ago

    Helpful 10
    Thanks 0
    Love this 7
    Oh no 0

    3 years ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Alex P. T.
    3754
    356
    11194

    4 years ago

    Helpful 17
    Thanks 0
    Love this 18
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Great food great everything The food is great I love to get Sandra's on new years

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0
    Photo of Ebony H.
    9
    99
    260

    3 years ago

    Helpful 1
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 3
    Thanks 0
    Love this 1
    Oh no 0

    2 years ago

    Helpful 4
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 1

    1 year ago

    Helpful 2
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    4 years ago

    Helpful 7
    Thanks 0
    Love this 5
    Oh no 0

    1 year ago

    Service of great food with a smile. Brought take out to a new level/ with seating outside!

    Helpful 0
    Thanks 0
    Love this 0
    Oh no 0

    Page 1 of 17

    Ask the Community - Sandra's Next Generation

    Do you sell chitterings on other days than Friday?

    No, sadly we can’t locate any chitterlings at this time.

    View All 2 Questions

    You might also consider

    Southern Dishes Seafood & Desserts

    Southern Dishes Seafood & Desserts

    4.7
    (28 reviews)
    10.9 mi

    *** DO NOT ORDER THROUGH THE YELP APP OR GRUBHUB*** Use DoorDash only…read more It was my first time ordering online, so I made this mistake tonight. I showed up for my pickup only to find that they didn't get my order. The staff told me that they only do DoorDash I had to cancel the order with GrubHub and then replace my order. Thankfully, there was enough of what I needed to get an order to go. Now that I got the unpleasant part of the story out of the way, let's talk about the amazing place that Southern Dishes is. If you've din d in a traditional southern food restaurant before, you'll recognize the setup. Meals are served cafateria style, that are portioned for you by the staff. You place an order at the counter and grab a seat or wait to be called if you're going to-go. Once your name is called you grab your tray and bring back to your table. Tonight's trip was a simple kid's meal of a (large) fried chicken strip (white meat) and mac and cheese for my son and a large collard greens (made with turkey). Having had all three before, I can vouch for their yumminess. I would be lying if I didn't say that I shared a few mouthfuls of the mac and cheese. This is the bomb, or whatever everyone is calling it. The mixture of cheeses, these crispy top, the well cooked pasta...it's the trifecta of the perfect mac & cheese. If you like collard greens, these are legit southern greens, not like the other ones that restaurants try to pass off as the real thing. The potlikker (liquid from the greens) is amazing. Other mentionables are the fried chicken, the fried fish and of course the wonderful banana pudding! For an authentic southern meal in CT, make the drive to Meriden. You will not be disappointed.

    So good. Huge portions. Highly recommend. Honey cornbread is worth the trip alone. Great staff,…read moregreat food

    Photos
    Southern Dishes Seafood & Desserts
    Fried catfish, mac & cheese, collard greens!
    Fried catfish, mac & cheese, collard greens!
    Deliciousness

    See all

    Deliciousness
    State Street Cafe

    State Street Cafe

    4.3
    (329 reviews)
    5.5 mi
    $$

    Amazing place! I have driven by so many times and had to try after seeing the great reviews!…read moreHad the chorizo bowl with poached egg. DELICIOUS! Everyone else as so nice as well!

    Literally THE BEST BREAKFAST PLACE ANYWHERE! I'm giving 5 stars, which I only reserve when…read moreeverything is phenomenal. Today was my 4th time coming here and it did not disappoint. We tried to get in yesterday but it was super crowded and we didn't want to wait amongst a lot of people (too much sickness going around). However, I wish we had gone, because our breakfast wasn't anywhere as good as today. I started with a Carmel latte which was really good. I had the croissant French toast which was utterly amazing! I have to say that I am NOT a breakfast person. I'm not a fan of eggs, but I will eat them and I hate to start the day with a sugar bomb! However, the croissant French toast was a true delight. It came topped with fresh, not frozen sugary stuff, beautiful juicy strawberries, a nice light whipped cream, and a not so sugary chocolate sauce on the side. It did have a lot of whipped cream so I loved that to the side. It was served with syrup but I didn't use any. The flavor of the croissant with the strawberries was enough for me. I barely dipped it in the chocolate. It was delectable! I've also had their Irish Benny on another trip which was amazing and the pumpkin pancakes. There is NO other breakfast place where I cannot make a decision because there are so many delicious items to choose from. And, I know that anything I choose is going to be utterly amazing. Their portions are big and their prices are very fair for what your get. I felt like I had a whole pint of strawberries on my croissant. My husband had the meat lovers omelet with oatmeal. He said everything was perfect. The staff is very friendly and very attentive. This is a typical breakfast place. It's not fancy but friendly and clean. And everyone seems happy! The kind of place I like. You have to get here early or you'll have a wait. I say the wait is well worth it. We went at 8:30 on a holiday and were able to be seated immediately. That's the first time that's happened though. I want to try their lunch, but their breakfast is so amazing, I would probably order breakfast for lunch which is something I NEVER do! If we had this place near us (we're from Philly), it would be the death of me! I'd be going all the time.

    Photos
    Regulars
    Regulars
    BREAKFAST STEAK TACOS ($22)
    BREAKFAST STEAK TACOS ($22)
    CHICKEN FINGERs and waffles

    See all

    CHICKEN FINGERs and waffles
    Jazzy’s Cabaret

    Jazzy’s Cabaret

    3.4
    (63 reviews)
    0.8 mi
    $$

    Very cool place. I love a good lounge atmosphere. There is a parking lot across the street and…read morethere is street parking. I went a few months ago so this review is long overdue. The food was okay however when I did go the DJ was amazing!

    Jazzys is a community favorite for weekend brunch events, open mic nights, and weekend nightlife!!…read moreAnyone who's been out in New Haven on the weekend has probably heard of Jazzys! This Black owned business keeps the New Haven nightlife full of life. Now onto the food, I've been to several events that catered from Jazzys and the food is always always AMAZING for catered events!!! I went to a Yale sponsored panel that featured sweet potato corn bread from Jazzys--- absolutely delicious. They also served curry chicken, baked chicken with their signature sauces, cilantro rice, rice and peas, lentil Pattie's, plantains and cabbage. I was blown away. I went to Jazzys to dine in for dinner and unfortunately the food wasn't as good in the restaurant. The menu also wasn't as expansive. I'm not sure if it was an off night for Jazzys but I wasn't impressed by my dine-in experience. That being said, I've had catered food from Jazzys about 5 times and each time the food is amazing! TLDR: this a great option for night life or catering.

    Photos
    This sweet honey butter cornbread is moist and delicious
    This sweet honey butter cornbread is moist and delicious
    Marley is a sweet spicy jerk with bake plantains and cabbage is so flavorful
    Marley is a sweet spicy jerk with bake plantains and cabbage is so flavorful
    Wyclef, this black rice and yellow cabbage  is amazing!!!

    See all

    Wyclef, this black rice and yellow cabbage is amazing!!!

    Sandra's Next Generation - soulfood - Updated July 2026

    Loading...
    Loading...
    Loading...