I had someone who is in a position to know that no less than fifteen new restaurants have opened in or near downtown Savannah in the last year. My first reaction was that the number was a bit inflated. That is until you actually put pen to paper and count the number of new restaurants that have opened for business in the last 12-14 months. The headliners are The Grey, The Florence and Pacci. Beyond that, you have The Collins Quarter, Treylor Park, Liberty Street Grill, The Ordinary Pub and CO Savannah. For an area the size of our historic district, that’s actually pretty impressive.
A number of these new spots are beginning to pop up in Savannah’s Victorian District. Sly’s Sliders and Frys is a great spot if you haven’t tried it yet. Foundery Coffee on Anderson and Habersham is an Eat It and Like It favorite for meetings and The Vault, the latest from Ele and Sean Tran, is going into the old Bank of America building on Bull and 38th. They should be open by Mid-Fall. “We are going for a market feel”, Ele tells me. “We will have seating, but also grab-and-go sandwiches and sushi.” Grab and go sushi on Bull and 38th? Yes, this city has come a long way.
Elizabeth on 37th, of course, was Victorian before Victorian was cool and the masses have had no trouble flocking to a neighborhood with nothing else around to enjoy one of Savannah’s greatest treasures. But there is a new restaurant about to open that could, and I stress could, hit a blast of fresh air onto an already developing Habersham Street corridor. Cotton and Rye is, as of this writing, the yet to be open space on Habersham and 33rd. If you visited FORM for their signature cheesecakes once upon a time, this is the same space. The die-hards may remember it as EOS. Regardless of the name you remember it by, you will undoubtedly recognize the space as an old converted bank, complete with a vault in the back corner. The vault is still there and will be a private dining room. “We’d really like to fit no more than six in there”, co-owner Kimberly Whitestone tells me. She along with her Chef/husband Brandon and co-owner and Chef Zach Shultz have turned what was a microscopic kitchen into a full blown spotless extravaganza. “We’ve probably put over $600,000 in here”, Shultz tells me. One look at the shiny new kitchen and you immediately see how. There were no corners cut here. The space is beautiful.
The menu reads like a slice of Americana, really. There are Shrimp and Grits, a variety of salads like the Lolla Rossa: pickled pink tomatoes, sliced paper thin, with spicy peanuts, citrus, fresh cheese, and lemon oil. A fantastic blend of flavors. They have a New England Lobster Roll, Pork Cheeks, Veal Skirt Steak and of course, a burger. Their burger is a thing of beauty. Six-year-old cheddar cheese, pecan smoked bacon, caramelized onions and a huge knife dug into the top of it to help you slay the beast. I had the pleasure of nibbling on some of these items recently and while I enjoyed it all, those Shrimp and Grits were five alarm awesome. Cheddar cheese grits, rock shrimp, scallions and cherry tomatoes, loaded in a skillet and topped with panko bread crumb and parmesan cheese. They had me at cheddar grits, which incidentally they are sourcing from a farmer in Darien. Canewater Farm. The grits themselves are fantastic.
I’ve have several opportunities to chat with the trio who have put all of the hard work and long hours into this space. Brandon and Kimberly were at The Olde Pink House before they made the move here. Zach was in the restaurant supply business in town. The menu, both food and cocktails, were developed in Brandon and Kimberly’s tiny kitchen over the last few months on their days off. They shared the occasional tease of a photo on social media, but otherwise kept it all pretty close to the vest. Until now, of course. They open July 21st. First Sunday Brunch will be on the 26th.
“It was important for us to do Brunch from day one”, Brandon tells me. “There aren’t really any places out this way where you can go for brunch.” I’ve seen the Brunch menu. There’s everything from Steak and Eggs to a few Benedicts such as the Shrimp and Spinach with almonds, feta and potatoes and a few sandwiches like the Cuban. I’ve seen a photo of their Cuban and they are promising to impress this Cuban. I will let you know.
Kimberly is working on the cocktails up front with, what I’ve seen, a smiling and knowledgable bar staff. Drinks like The Watermelon Refresher, The Libbie (peach and gin), and The Cherry Smash. Muddled cherries, Rye, mint simple syrup, and lime juice topped off with ginger beer. I tried a few of their cocktails (don’t judge). They were all wonderful.
If you follow me week to week, then you know I don’t typically do “reviews”, like you can find on any number of websites soliciting people’s opinions. I made the call to step out here because I did get a sneak preview of the menu and I believe Cotton and Rye has all the potential in the world to be a great addition to the Victorian District. There are a handful of parking spaces on their property and the neighborhood desperately needed some polish. Is it a great restaurant? I have no idea. Service, staff, and time will determine that. No pressure guys and gal, but the district is counting on you.
See you on TV.
Jesse
