As the first independent self-governing African American community north of the Mason-Dixon line, Lawnside made its claim to fame with barbecue. This small town’s outstanding barbecue joints drew crowds of people from not just local towns, but the entire greater Philadelphia region.
As Evesham Avenue is no longer lined with barbecue spots, the community’s taste buds have shifted to focus on a new sensation: pudding.
Once known for its barbecue, Lawnside is now known for some of the best pudding in the entire state. Similar to how barbecue pulled people to Lawnside, The Puddin’ Palace is drawing people from different walks of life to the historic town.
The Puddin’ Palace, founded in 2018, is owned and operated by Lawnside’s LaGracia Givings and Miranda Jordan. When the family started the business, they thought it would only be something they did on weekends and special occasions; little did they know their pudding would be the most popular food in Lawnside since the barbecue of the 20th century. Jordan explains the role the surrounding area has played in helping their business: “Lawnside and the surrounding areas play a major role in our business. I’m from Pennsauken and the support from my [town] means so much to us.” She explains the impact of word of mouth marketing: “We get a lot of support from the Haddon Heights area, as the Lawnside students helped spread the word throughout the high school.”
By 2019, The Puddin’ Palace had amassed local fame gaining thousands of followers on Instagram. They were featured on Fox29’s The Q on a #FoodieFriday segment. The popularity helped them introduce many new flavors.
The dessert boutique now offers more than 10 tasty flavors of pudding, along with unique seasonal flavors and pies. The pudding can be purchased in cups, jars, half-pans, full-pans and holiday specific gift packages. A few of the most popular flavors are Banana Chessmen, Strawberry Shortcake, Oreo, Birthday Cake and Red Velvet.
The Puddin’ Palace is open five days a week, Tuesday through Saturday, offering same-day pickup and delivery. Non-contact delivery options are now available for the South Jersey and Philadelphia areas. Their pudding can also be found at select restaurants in the area such as El Burger Bar in Camden, Sicklerville Soul in Sicklerville, Tyemeka’s Soul Food in Germantown, Back Alley BBQ in Pennsauken and TJ’s Pizzeria in Voorhees.
Providing excellent food is something Lawnside has seemed to always have a knack for. Coupling excellent food with superb service, The Puddin’ Palace now heads the food scene in the historic town. With The Puddin’ Palace at the helm, Lawnside’s food reputation is in good hands.