This installment of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s monthly coastal dining roundup covers a new Savannah restaurant featuring house-made pasta and a new venture on Jekyll Island by prominent Brunswick-based restaurateurs.
New Italian restaurant Veratina opens in Savannah
The space at 606 Abercorn St. in Savannah has been home to a succession of restaurants for more than three decades, including popular spots like Leoci’s Trattoria, Sweet Leaf Smokery and Good Eats.
But patrons who are familiar with the address might not recognize the interior, which has been significantly restored and renovated by Alicia Farrell and James Ciminillo, the husband and wife team who own and operate Italian restaurant Veratina, which debuted in early December.
Credit: Courtesy of Veratina
Credit: Courtesy of Veratina
“Lightening it and brightening it was a big deal for us,” Farrell said. The couple preserved the old pine floors in the front room, enclosed the side porch, created a comfortable bar in the back and made other improvements to make the space more inviting.
Chef Ciminillo’s menu, which changes often, typically includes three house-made pasta dishes. Recent offerings have included pappardelle with gravy, pancetta and carrots and bucatini alla gricia with guanciale and Parmigiano-Reggiano. Focaccia and other breads are also made in-house.
For now, Veratina is open with counter service from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesdays through Sundays, but the hours will expand when the restaurant gets its alcohol license, probably in February. Future plans include a dinner menu with table service, a brunch menu and the addition of pizza.
Credit: Courtesy of Veratina
Credit: Courtesy of Veratina
Farrell said that she hopes Veratina will attract some tourists, but she also wants the restaurant, which is just a block away from Forsyth Park, to become a neighborhood spot.
“It’s just so nice to build relationships with everybody,” Farrell said of the early support from locals.
After deciding to move south from Pittsburgh a few years ago, Farrell and Ciminillo chose Savannah over other destinations. Farrell noted the allure of the beauty of Savannah, which she said “feels more like home” than Charleston or Asheville.
The couple are also planning to open a Savannah location of Coop De Ville, a southern table, fast-casual restaurant, bar and entertainment space in the heart of Pittsburgh’s Strip District. The Savannah outpost will be in the Eastern Wharf development near the east end of River Street.
Veratina, 606 Abercorn St., Savannah. 912-239-0550, veratinasav.com.
Credit: Bill Dawers for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Credit: Bill Dawers for The Atlanta Journal-Constitution)
Jekyll & Tide now open on Jekyll Island
“We opened up the spaces to create a lightness that allows folks to linger a bit longer,” said Nicki Schroeder of the new Jekyll & Tide Restaurant and Bar, “and we crafted the menus, cocktails and wine lists to align with that idea. It is not a place you want to rush out of.”
Jekyll & Tide, which occupies the space that was formerly home to Driftwood Bistro at Villas by the Sea Resort, focuses on local seafood, steaks, sandwiches on house-made breads and salads with local ingredients. The Jekyll Room serves a fine dining menu six nights a week. The more casual Tide Room, which serves a tavern-style menu, is open for lunch and dinner Mondays through Fridays and brunch on Sundays.
Jekyll & Tide is the third establishment that the Schroeder family has opened along the coast in the past two years. Nicki, her husband Keith Schroeder and their daughter Madison Schroeder also operate SchroGlo Community Bar & Restaurant and Schroeder’s Market in downtown Brunswick.
“We spent much of our free time visiting Jekyll Island to find some moments of tranquility. It became our private space. When the opportunity arose to play our part, it was hard not to say yes,” said Keith Schroeder, who won a James Beard Award in 2015 for his cookbook “Cooking Light Mad Delicious: The Science of Making Healthy Food Taste Amazing.”
The Phil Morrison Trio performs at Jekyll & Tide on Saturday evenings.
Jekyll & Tide Restaurant and Bar, 1175 Beachview Drive N., Jekyll Island. 912-635-2521, villasbythesearesort.com/dining/.
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About the author: Bill Dawers is a freelancer based in Savannah. A native of Frankfort, Kentucky, he lived in St. Louis and Philadelphia before moving nearly 30 years ago to Savannah to enjoy the city’s quirks, charms and beauty. He also teaches at Georgia Southern University.
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