It has been a while since a new restaurant opening in Savannah has created the buzz we are seeing surrounding Common Thread. Ironically, the last time this city was this excited about a new place to eat, it was either Starland Yard and Pizzeria Vittoria or La Scala Ristorante Italiana, both of which are located within walking distance of this newest eatery.
I got a quick -primarily cosmetic- tour from Executive Chef John Benhase over the weekend. We wanted to see what this restored Circa 1895 house looked like and how it was transitioning to a restaurant. We discussed nuts and bolts a few months ago. You can see that article here.
Going forward, here are a few things you may want to know if you are planning to Eat It and Like It at Common Thread in the very near future.
*If you have visited FARM Bluffton, then you know what the menu is going to be like. Chef Brandon Carter and his partners have made FARM one of the best restaurants in the region. Common Thread is an extension of that, but will obviously be a little different. That said, like FARM, it is possible that their menu will change regularly, if not daily.
*The man in charge of that menu in Savannah will be Executive Chef John Benhase. Chef returned to Savannah a couple of years ago from Atlanta with a vision to fit in to the city’s blossoming food scene. He was and continues to be part of the Starland Yard project and is also creator of the LOKI Food Truck, one of Savannah’s best food trucks.
*In the kitchen, Chef John is thrilled to have been able to attract solid talent to work with him. “We got resumes from all over the country.” He says. His two main guys are from Atlanta and Washington DC. “We’ve got some serious talent in there. I’m really excited about that.”
*The restoration of the house at Abercorn and 37th street has been impeccable. A tremendous job done by JTVS Builders. Meanwhile, the decor (and particularly the lighting) is absolutely gorgeous. Well deserved kudos to KSMcrorie Interior Design of Bluffton.
*Several dining rooms dot the 1st and 2nd floors. There is handicapped access to the first floor of the restaurant, but no elevator to the 2nd floor. The dining rooms are big enough to have nicely spaced tables for now. They are shooting for a capacity of 60 to perhaps 80 seats to start. They certainly have space for more, but that will come later.
*There is a smallish bar upstairs. Especially when you consider the size of the bar area at HUSK Savannah, for example. My guess (and I didn’t count) is the bar area will fit maybe 20 people tops. A post-pandemic number of course. The bar is beautiful. The room adjacent to the bar will have love seats and tables to serve as an extension lounge to the bar area. There is no separate ‘bar menu’. You can eat anything they serve anywhere in the building. Thank goodness.
“I want this to be a neighborhood place.” Chef says. “Of course, we’d like to have people from out of town visit, but we love the neighborhood we are in.”
*Two of their dining rooms on the 2nd floor are set up beautifully to host small parties. Complete with sliding doors to make it a one room party or two. Outside, a beautifully done courtyard will offer more space to enjoy on a pretty evening.
*For now, there are no plans, serious or otherwise, for lunch service. Dinner only. Five days a week for now. Parking? Street parking or good ol’ Uber.
The magic question now becomes, when, right? There are still a few procedures to go through (like taking delivery on furniture?) but it is hoped that you will be able to enjoy toward the end of the month-ish. Maybe.
You know how that goes. We’ll keep you posted.
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