Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe, a historic Boston eatery on Columbus Avenue in the South End, has served the South End community for nearly a century. Renowned for hosting legendary African American jazz musicians like Cab Calloway, Duke Ellington, and Sammy Davis Jr. during segregation, Charlie’s has a fascinating history.
The upper floor of Charlie’s once served as a union hall for the Brotherhood of Sleeping Car Porters, the first Black union founded by A. Philip Randolph. Charlie’s Sandwich Shoppe was also listed in the 1949 “Green Book” as a key Black-friendly establishment during Jim Crow.
Since opening in 1927, Charlie’s has been an old-school diner and neighborhood coffee shop, famous for breakfast and hash dishes. Operating 24/7 for 36 years, the restaurant reopened in 2014 with a new dinner menu while maintaining its traditional breakfast and lunch offerings…