Peppervine
Scallops at Peppervine
Nestled in Piedmont Row in South Park is very unassuming restaurant called Peppervine, which also happens to be one of my favorite restaurants in Charlotte!
Small plates, seasonal menu
Peppervine is a high-end restaurant, serving small plates made from locally sourced ingredients. As such, the menu changes seasonally. While definitely white tablecloth, it boasts a light, bright, and comfortable atmosphere with a modern transitional decor. This makes Peppervine an ideal option for anyone looking for an upscale meal, especially if you have a special occasion to celebrate.
Open for brunch and dinner
Brunch at Peppervine is low-key; it reminds me of a weekday breakfast at an upscale hotel, and very reasonably priced, too. Meals can be shared, but the menu isn’t designed in the same way as dinner. Portions are much larger here at brunch, as they assume that everyone will order their own entrée, and maybe pancakes for the table.
Here’s the rundown for brunch, eats and sweets:
Donuts – Crisp outside, fluffy inside. The blueberry is fresh. They’re not overly sweet which I personally love.
Pancakes – Yummy! Nice lemon flavor, without being tart.
Yardbird – Fluffy and peppery biscuit, sausage gravy. Slightly salty. The chicken was VERY juicy and tender.
Benedict – Soooo good, oh my. Amazing egg, creamy hollandaise. Nice crunch, but not overly crunchy. Flavorful short rib. Incredible.
Avocado Toast - Oniony. Nice flavor from the beets. Seriously delish. The bread has an awesome crust. But if you want to take this to the next level, here’s my pro tip: order this with two poached eggs added. Holy moly.
Burger – Cooked medium, with an onion fondue and house-made pickles. Yum.
Coffee Cake – This had a good flavor, but was admittedly a bit dry.
Later that evening...
Dinner at Peppervine, on the other hand, feels more intimate. The space is the same, and it feels just as light and bright and airy; however, it’s different and I’ve never been able to put my finger on precisely why. Personally, of the two, I prefer dinner.
Here’s what we got for dinner:
Yeast rolls - Soft, pillowy bread. A little buttery with salt in the finish. These are a MUST order!
Pimento Scones – Moist, tender. A little cheese in the finish. Put the green pepper jelly on to take these up a notch; it’s sweet with a rounded pepper flavor. Another MUST order! In fact, do yourself a favor and maybe just place two orders of these at the start. You won’t regret it.
Roasted Beets - Bright with citrus. Slight harissa finish.
Miso Steam Buns – Sweet, well-rounded flavor. A little tingle heat in the finish, but barely. Very, very good.
Boar Bolognese – Tomato-forward flavor, admittedly on the acidic side. VERY yummy though!
Scallops – Perfect sear! Sweet mustard. Super delish. The scallops are always my favorite entrée, no matter how they are being prepared on the seasonal menu.
Short Rib - Tender and yummy. I love the bite from the mustard seed.
Donuts – Good, but hilariously average compared to the rest of the meal. Kind of an afterthought.
Fall Custard – AWESOME! The true embodiment of fall in a dessert. The flavors all paired well, and while it’s definitely dessert it’s not too sweet.
Lemon Tart - A solid lemon tart, nicely balanced. Not too sweet. Very lemony but no uncomfortable pucker.
Consistency is key
Both brunch and dinner at Peppervine have been very consistent, which is paramount in my eyes. I’d give brunch an 8/10 and dinner a 9/10. Seriously delicious, and definitely worth your time.
Update:
Unfortunately, it looks like Peppervine has stopped their Brunch service.
