Greenville restaurant week during uncertain times

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - We have been spotlighting local restaurants since Greenville Restaurant Week started.

We’re checking in to see how these businesses have recovered after the pandemic and how they’re staying afloat during inflation, facing a looming recession.

Iron Hill Brewery now has a full bar on a Monday, but front of house manager Leah Frantz remembers when the tables were empty.

“We’re finally getting back into being nice and busy. We’re fully-staffed, which is amazing,” Frantz said.

Frantz says in 2020, there were weeks of taking to-go orders only. Slowly, but surely, local restaurants are recovering. However, inflation has affected costs.

Kristin Raines is the assistant general manager of The Melting Pot, in Greenville. There, they give customers interactive dining through fondue dishes.

“We shut down in March. And we opened back up in May,” Raines said, “So, that was about a total of seven weeks.”

Raines says their prices have had a lateral increase, rather than a jump. They took the downtime to make renovations.

“With the recession, everything is a little more expensive. Products are more expensive, gas,” said Raines.

Frantz says the brewery compensates as best as they can.

“Unfortunately, prices all over have gone up, but we try to keep our quality as fresh and local and as delicious as possible, so that it’s worth it,” said Frantz.

Both managers agree that Greenville’s restaurant week is helping through exposure.

“We get a lot of people that come in here who have lived in Greenville for 10/15 years and didn’t know what The Melting Pot was,” Raines said.

And it’s also bringing guests to their doors. Whether it’s the fondue experience or what’s on tap; Frantz hopes restaurant week is a start to a great relationship with new customers.

“It’s definitely brought in people throughout this week,” Frantz said, “We were really busy this weekend. And a lot of people wanted to try us out, which is awesome. And that’s the goal.”

Here is a list of participating restaurants:

• Abanico Tapas Bar: 21 E. Washington St., Greenville
• Arizona Handcrafted Fare & Drink Co.: 3952 Grandview Dr., Simpsonville
• Basil Thai Cuisine: 9 N. Laurens St., Greenville
• CAMP: 2 E. Broad St., Greenville
• Cantina 76: 103 N. Main St., Ste. 101, Greenville
• Chef 21 Sushi Burger: 699 Fairview Rd., Ste. C, Simpsonville
• CityRange Steakhouse Grill: 615 Haywood Rd., Greenville
• Coral: 654 S. Main St., Greenville
• Firebirds Wood Fired Grill: 1025 Woodruff Rd, Greenville
• Fork and Plough: 1629 E. North St., Greenville
• 4Ace’s Kitchen and Cocktails, Greenville
• Grill Marks: 209 S. Main St., Greenville
• Grill Marks: 700 Haywood Rd., Ste. 2023B, Greenville
• Habitap: 1325 Miller Rd., Greenville
• Halls Chophouse: 550 S. Main St., Greenville
• Harvest Kitchen: 112 Cannon St., Greer
• Iron Hill Brewery: 741 Haywood Rd., Greenville
• Juniper: 315 S. Main St., Greenville
• Jianna: 600 Main Street, Greenville
• Larkin’s on the River: 318 S. Main St., Greenville
• LaRue Fine Chocolate: 556 Perry Ave B115, Greenville
• Lazy Goat: 170 Riverplace, Greenville
• Limoncello: 401 River St., Greenville
• Maestro Bistro & Dinner Club: 104 S. Main St., Greenville
• The Melting Pot: 475 Haywood Rd., Ste. 5, Greenville
• Nose Dive: 116 S. Main St., Greenville
• Oak Hill Cafe: 2510 Poinsett Hwy, Greenville
• Passerelle Bistro: 601 S. Main St., Greenville
• Persis Biryani Indian Grill: 1451 Woodruff Rd, Greenville
• Restaurant 17: 10 Rd. of Vines, Travelers Rest
• Rick Erwin’s West End Grille: 648 S. Main St., Greenville
• Roost Restaurant, 220 N. Main St., Greenville
• Ruth’s Chris Steak House – Greenville Downtown: 250 Riverplace, Ste. 200, Greenville
• Ruth’s Chris Steak House: 851-A Congaree Rd., Greenville
• Soby’s: 207 S. Main St., Greenville
• Southern Culture Kitchen and Bar: 2537 N. Pleasantburg Dr., Greenville
• Stella’s Southern Bistro: 684 Fairview Rd., Simpsonville
• Stella’s Southern Brasserie: 340 Rocky Slope Rd., Greenville
• The Cook’s Station: 515 Buncombe St., Greenville
• The Melting Pot: 475 Haywood Road #5, Greeenville
• Topsoil Kitchen and Market: 13 S. Main St., Travelers Rest
• UP on the Roof: 250 Riverplace, Ste. 800, Greenville
• Urban Wren, 116 N. Markley St., Ste 102, Greenville

Restaurant week continues until Sunday, Aug. 28. Restaurants will offer special dining promotions all week. Learn more here.

Copyright 2022 WHNS. All rights reserved.