It may be tiny, but from the way tables are packed, it seems like someone is shouting from the rooftops that all need to swing by for breakfast or lunch—and that birdie has a very loud caw.
The Rooster Food + Drink is a simple spot, with enamelware mugs for bottomless coffee as a permanent fixture in the place settings and a dining area that’s not larger than most home kitchens around here. But every dish feels like someone infused it with a touch of magic, which isn’t that far from the truth. Hatched by Lisa Resch of Carolina Catering Co. (still going strong with gala after gala lined up this season) and Bryan Sutton (formerly at the helm of Veranda E), the restaurant combines their talents into can’t-beat plates of food. There are poached eggs galore (some with rosemary waffles, some with braised pork shoulder), shrimp and grits, Sutton’s signature crunchy grouper with a tropical touch and Resch’s salads infused with a little bit of this and a little bit of that (think: pesto chicken atop a little gem and kale with Grana Padano and toasted pumpkin seeds). The menu is still evolving, and don’t be fooled looking at the website—every day there is a blackboard chock full of specials to go along with what is posted.
After leaving with our bellies full and minds blown, we’re excited to keep coming back for more.