I wandered down to the new Soho South Café for brunch on Sunday, but got there a little late for the brunch menu, which ends at 2 p.m.
The full lunch menu was still being served, however, so I settled in at the bar for a Monte Cristo and a Bloody Mary (or two).
Most readers of this column probably already know the popular lunch spot was sold, closed down for a number of months and has reopened under the ownership of Daniel Reed Hospitality.
Soho’s sister restaurants Local 11 Ten and The Public Kitchen & Bar have brought a fresh vibe in recent years to the local restaurant scene.
Both those restaurants attract tourists, for sure, but they are outside the most intense tourist districts and are heavily patronized by locals. Just last week, a friend and I met in the lounge of the American Legion on Bull Street and then splurged for dinner next door at Local.
Given its existing local clientele, Soho South Café seems a good fit for the Daniel Reed Hospitality brand. But the company has given itself a bit of a challenge, too. Soho and Public are on the same block of Liberty Street, so they are bound to compete to some degree for business.
At the same time, the proximity allows for quick referrals if one of the establishments is packed and possibly for easier management.
The small space at Public can fill up pretty fast, especially if a larger or louder party camps out at the bar.
By contrast, Soho South Café has a gracious bar that looks out on Liberty Street.
The newly designed interior has some elements reminiscent of the old space, but for the most part now feels markedly airier. The restaurant now takes full advantage of the soaring ceiling and big windows.
It was a pretty gray day on Sunday, but the dining room and bar were still flooded with natural light.
Soho South Café is open from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Evening entrees are priced from $11 to $24.
The new bar will certainly help boost that weekend dinner business. A pianist has performed on the first couple of Saturday nights.
The mix of former regulars and curious newcomers lured by the buzz had Soho fairly full on Sunday afternoon, but the sheer size of the space and the new interior design gave the café an air of easy elegance and comfort.
If Soho can achieve that effect regularly, it’ll be around for a while.
City Talk appears every Sunday and Tuesday. Bill Dawers can be reached via billdawers@comcast.net and http://www.billdawers.com. Send mail to 10 E. 32nd St., Savannah, GA 31401.
