Asheville-based Tupelo Honey Cafe has opened its first collegiate location at Furman University’s Trone Student Center.
“This is a unique opportunity for Tupelo Honey Cafe to create new fans on college campuses. It is also an opportunity to partner with a significantly larger and accomplished company that specifically operates in this competitive space within food service,” said Stephen Frabitore, CEO of Tupelo Honey Cafe. “This is a test … it represents a great business opportunity for Tupelo.”
The 2,700-square-foot restaurant is located in a space formerly known as The Paddock Restaurant, which opened in 2013 and offered hamburgers and sandwiches. Now, the space is a hub for Southern-fried fares.
Tupelo Honey is offering “trimmed down” versions of its brunch, lunch and dinner menus at Furman, according to Frabitore. However, it’s reviving its all-day brunch menu. The restaurant stopped offering its non-signature brunch items all-day last year after a menu overhaul at all its locations.
The Furman restaurant’s all-day brunch menu includes sweet potato pancakes, chicken and biscuits as well as the “Tupelo Genuine Country Breakfast,” which includes farm fresh eggs and a selection of bacon, ham, goat cheese grits and more. Supper specials such as shrimp and grits and mountain trout are served after 4 p.m.
Tupelo Honey Cafe is also offering exclusive menu items such as hush puppies, fried pickles, a bacon and bleu cheese salad and a fried chicken sandwich served with jalapeño slaw and bacon jam. The sandwich is also offered in the “wicked” version, which trades the bacon jam for a hot spice. Also, the restaurant is offering small plates that feature fried green tomatoes, pimento cheese nachos and shrimp tacos.
“Furman is constantly focused on providing quality food options for its students, whether it is in the dining hall, Paladin food court and now at Tupelo Honey at the Paddock,” said Rebecca Vuksta, director of auxiliary services at Furman University. “It has been excellent so far, and everyone involved has been very pleased.”
The new restaurant has indoor seating as well as outdoor seating on an adjacent patio, where Tupelo plans to offer an outdoor grilling option on weekend nights, according to Frabitore. “It is incredibly peaceful and a beautiful place to dine,” he said.
Tupelo Honey Cafe is open to both students and the public during these hours: Tuesday and Wednesday (11 a.m. to 9 p.m.), Thursday and Friday (11 a.m. to midnight) and Saturday (10 a.m. to midnight).
For more information, visit tupelohoneycafe.com.
