Tiny’s Famous Eats brings fast-casual soul food to Riverside

Tiny’s Famous Eats aims to be “the Chipotle of soul food” in Riverside

A new soul food spot with a “fast casual” twist is set to open Saturday in Riverside, offering takeout and dine-in seating. 

Owner Marcus Edwards said he’s aiming for an in-and-out experience that’s quicker than traditional soul food restaurants, where customers can wind up waiting 45 minutes or more.    

Edwards said he and his family have been working through the kinks with a series of soft openings over the last three Saturdays, testing equipment and fine-tuning the flow of orders.  

“We plan to open this Saturday,” Edwards said during an interview Monday at the restaurant, located at 226 Riverleigh Avenue, just off the traffic circle.  

Tiny’s Famous Eats will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Edwards said.  

A quick-serve model, with some items cooked to order

Edwards describes the concept as “fast casual soul food,” likening it to a Chipotle-style model: customers order at the counter, choose a meat and sides, and can take their food to go or eat at a table inside the 10-seat restaurant.    

The goal, he said, is to keep orders moving. Once a customer reaches the counter, Edwards said, the wait time should be around 10 to 12 minutes.  

Some items — including fried shrimp, fish, chicken tenders and French fries — are cooked to order, he said, while other components are prepared ahead to keep service moving.  

A location geared to lunch traffic

Edwards said he plans to push for a lunchtime crowd, since the restaurant is located near major local workplaces, such as the county center, the courthouses and the State Police barracks

“There’s not many places to really eat right around here,” Edwards said.  

Family recipes, and a name with history

The restaurant’s name is personal. Edwards said his mother’s name is Tanya Edwards, and “her nickname is Tiny.”  

His mother previously operated a soul food business in the Mastic-Shirley area in 2020. It did well, but it closed after she developed a knee problem that made it difficult for her to stand and work long hours.  

Edwards said his mother taught him the recipes and showed him how to cook the food — part of what prompted him to shift gears from his prior work as a personal trainer.  

Edwards, 36, said he earned a business administration degree from Babson College and worked as a personal trainer before deciding to learn the restaurant business.    

He also spent time in California, moving to Los Angeles while his girlfriend pursued medical training; he said she is a psychiatrist. They have an 8-month-old daughter. The couple and their child travel between coasts to be together as a family.

Edwards said opening on the East End was also a practical decision: he has more local connections here, and the cost to launch the business was significantly lower than it would have been in Los Angeles.  

A small menu built around plates, wings and sides

Opening-day offerings center on mix-and-match plates built around fried, baked or BBQ chicken wings, chicken tenders, fried fish bites and fried jumbo shrimp, along with classic sides such as mac and cheese, candied yams, green beans, potato salad, macaroni salad, sweet cabbage, mashed potatoes, French fries and cornbread, according to a menu provided by the Edwards.

Prices range from a $15.99 “soul plate” (one meat, two sides and cornbread) to a $25.99 “big soul plate” (two meats, two sides and cornbread). A veggie plate option is also offered in two sizes: $12.99 (small) and $15.99 (large).

Edwards said some items — especially fried foods — are best eaten right away, while other menu items hold well for takeout.  

For customers looking for a signature order, Edwards pointed to chicken wings paired with a house sauce  and sides.

“The mac and cheese is really good,” he said, adding that the kitchen focuses on higher-quality ingredients and avoids processed cheeses.  

Edwards said his preferred meal is chicken wings — “preferably just the drums” — with mac and cheese and candied yams, plus homemade cornbread.  

He also highlighted “Tiny sauce,” which he described as a honey-mustard-based sauce that customers have likened to the sauce made by the now-defunct Spicy’s.   

A family operation for now, with plans to expand

For the soft openings, Edwards said he and his mother handled much of the prep and cooking themselves, with siblings coming in on Saturdays to help serve.  

He said the restaurant will offer some outdoor seating during warmer weather.  

Over time, Edwards said, he would like to broaden the menu with additional items such as ribs, meatloaf and meatballs.  

For now, he said the focus is on executing the opening menu consistently and building a local customer base.

Tiny’s Famous Eats: Open daily 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
226 Riverleigh Avenue, Riverside NY 11901
Tel. 631-284-3213
Website: TinysFamousEats.com
Instagram: @TinysFamousEats
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