Once upon a time, Lauren and I were looking for a good brunch place in Greenville. My mom did a quick Google search and suggested Tupelo Honey. From the moment we walked in, I could tell I was going to like this place. The atmosphere was fun, colorful, and inviting, and it smelled absolutely amazing. I now make it a point to go to Tupelo every time I’m in Greenville, and sometimes Lauren even drives up from Augusta because it’s that good, and Shay always makes time to meet us there, no matter how busy she is.
And we always have this amount of joy, even if we’ve had to wait an hour for a table.
Once you order, they bring you a plate of these huge, warm housemade biscuits that are served with housemade blueberry preserves, which are out of this world, and some honey (which I assume is the tupelo variety). Also the biscuits are huge. And flaky. And warm.
Are you drooling yet?
My favorite appetizer is the “Southern Popcorn,” or as you might know it better, fried okra ($7.95). It’s well worth the price, as they give you approximately 4,000 pieces of okra. It’s perfectly fried and only has a little bit of the “slimy-ness” that people associate with okra, which I personally think is delicious. They serve it with “Carolina white sauce” which pairs perfectly.
Give me ALL THE OKRA
On the past couple of trips, we’ve also gotten the fried green tomatoes ($7.95), because Shay has suddenly found a deep affinity for them. They’re breaded in cornmeal and served over their delicious goat cheese grits and sprinkled with fresh basil. They’re also so freaking tasty.
Seriously. Why is there not a Tupelo in Charleston?!
Lauren always gets the Venerated Veggie Bowl (Our Goat Cheese Grits, topped with salsa verde black-eyed peas, savory sautéed greens and crispy fried okra. Served with Sunshot Salsa, $12.95). I’m pretty sure she dreams about those goat cheese grits sometimes. All the flavors mesh really well together and there’s a great harmony of texture in the bowl. Plus it has “veggie” in the title, so it tricks you into thinking it’s healthy.
It’s not. But it is delicious.
I try to get something different every time, although it’s hard because I definitely have a favorite. The Southern Fried Chicken BLT (Crispy-fried, natural, hormone-free chicken
breast, maple peppered bacon, dijonnaise, fresh lettuce & tomato on an artisanal bun, $10.95) is out of this world. It’s HUGE and bursting with flavor. So yummy.
Served here with the salsa verde black eyed peas
Shay recently got the In Praise Of BBQ plate (8 ounces of slow-cooked, hand-pulled pork ‘cue tossed with smoked jalapeno barbecue sauce. Served with fried okra and New South sautéed greens, $13.95). I’m usually hesitant to order BBQ from a non-BBQ restaurant, but Tupelo’s version is delicious. It’s tangy and has a little kick to it which sets it apart from most southern BBQ offerings.
You definitely won’t leave hungry.
Their sides are all delicious and reasonably priced at $3.75 each. They also have a veggie plate option, where you can choose 3 for $10.95 or 4 for $12.95 and build your own meal. All 13 sides that they feature are awesome–I’ve never been disappointed by any of them so far. I’m especially fond of the mac and cheese (obviously), the salsa verde black eyed peas, and the cheesy smashed cauliflower.
Veggie plate with smashed cauliflower, brussels, and mac & cheese. Pretty good choice, if you ask me!
There are currently 8 locations throughout SC, NC, and TN. I think it’s about time they build one in Charleston. I’m pretty sure I could singlehandedly keep them in business. Plus, they just debuted their new brunch menu!
Waaah, I want to go to there.
Tupelo Honey Cafe
1 North Main Street
Suite – T
Greenville, SC 29601
864-451-6200
