Tupelo Honey
Mountain Blueberry French Toast
BRUNCH! One of my all-time favorite meals and weekend activities. I’ve heard amazing things about Tupelo Honey for almost a year, so I decided to give their recently relocated location in Uptown Charlotte a try.
A 19-year history
Tupelo Honey was originally started 19 years ago in Asheville, North Carolina, and the restaurant has expanded to 18 locations across 11 states. With this many locations, the group must be doing something right…so off I went with friends.
“Vibey” atmosphere
The vibe of the new location is super cool. It’s light, bright, and airy. A little midcentury, a little Boho, a little rustic. In the center of the restaurant is a huge bar with tables on either side. There is also a large, covered outdoor patio with an equally delightful ambiance.
So. Much. Food.
Naturally, we ordered way too much food when we came: a starter, two entrees EACH, and dessert! I mean, we couldn’t not try this much food — there are too many things on the menu that looked good. We even pre-warned the waiter about the amount of food we were about to order…and when he reached me last, he playfully asked, “And what two entrees will you be ordering?”
Here’s the rundown:
Biscuits for a Cause. Two cathead buttermilk biscuits served with blueberry jam and whipped butter. Proceeds go to the Tupelo Honey Relief Fund that aids Tupelo employees in need. Off to a good start. The biscuits had a nice flavor to them, and the jam was delicious. Not too sweet and packed with flavor. I found the biscuits to be a little dry – ever so slightly — but I prefer a dryer biscuit, it was perfect for me.
'Old Skool' Breakfast Bowl. Two fried eggs, parmesan & rosemary potato cracklins, cheddar cheese, bacon crumbles, salsa, red pepper coulis, served over goat cheese grits. I’m not even sure what I was eating here. It was impossible to decipher ingredient from ingredient. Everything just blended together — and it wasn’t a bad thing! The flavors and textures worked well together. I would definitely order it again. And those potatoes!! Crispy exterior, tender interior… they’re CRACK. We almost ordered extras to bring home!
Fried Chicken & Biscuits. Buttermilk fried chicken, smoked ham, milk gravy, basil. A very interesting dish. I'm generally not a gravy guy, but this one was the perfect complement to the dish. The tender biscuit (albeit a little dry) gives way to crispy yet succulent—fried chicken covered in a super-flavorful and creamy gravy. YUM! Huge hit at the table.
Shoo Mercy Omelet. Panko-crusted fried green tomatoes, country ham, bacon, pimento cheese, pickled jalapeños, served with parmesan & rosemary potato cracklins. There’s nothing revolutionary with this dish. It’s a solid omelet — it tastes exactly like you think it would.
The Classic Griddle. Sweet potato pancakes, whipped butter, powdered sugar, and maple syrup. There’s nothing revolutionary with this dish. I was expecting these pancakes to taste more like sweet potatoes; however, they just tasted like regular pancakes. Hopefully, they were healthier?
Mountain Blueberry. Brioche French Toast, scratch-made blueberry compote, fresh blueberries, served with whipped cream and powdered sugar. No question, this was my favorite entrée. It was perfection. Soft, pillowy bites of French toast that are sweet, but not too sweet. Topped with the perfect berry compote that adds more flavor and a slight acidity. If you don’t order this as your main meal, get an order for the table to share. You will thank me later.
Fit To Be Tied Pickled & Fried. Two medium-poached eggs, hollandaise, fried pickles, melted pimento cheese, bacon crumbles with a choice of buttermilk biscuits OR fried green tomatoes. Served with parmesan & rosemary potato cracklins. My least favorite dish. It was still very good; however, the dish was a bit too bitter/acidic for me. I can’t fault the restaurant, though, as it was a result of how I ordered it. Hollandaise should always have a bit of bitterness to it — after all, it’s basically butter, egg yolks, and lemon juice (sometimes substituted by white vinegar). I ordered it with the fried green tomatoes, which are also naturally bitter/acidic. As much as you want fried green tomatoes in your life, my recommendation would be to order this dish on the biscuit to balance the flavor. I think it would an incredible dish served that way.
Heavenly Banana Pudding. OK - DO NOT MISS THIS! I don’t care how full you are. You see how much food we ordered, and we were BEYOND full, yet I still found a way to eat this. It was THE BEST Banana Pudding I’ve had IN MY LIFE….and now I’m craving it thinking about it.
So, my verdict? 9.5/10. It was almost a perfect brunch. Amazing, friendly service. Amazing food. Great atmosphere. And the best part was the food — as it should be. I will be returning ASAP to get my fix; I just have to remember to book a reservation a couple of weeks in advance, as this place gets PACKED. You’ll understand why once you go.
