Browse: Home / 2007 / January / Urban Food Group Buys Restaurant Savannah, Closes It, and Is Set To Reopen as ‘South’

Urban Food Group Buys Restaurant Savannah, Closes It, and Is Set To Reopen as ‘South’

By chris on January 2, 2007

Urban Food Group Logo Oft tumultuous Restaurant Savannah in North Hills has just been sold to Urban Food Group–owners of Frazier’s, Porter’s, and Vivace–who then immediately closed the Southern restaurant’s doors.  They are now making minor renovations, including paint and lighting,  and will reopen in early February as South.  Yes, that’s right, they will be keeping the Southern theme which makes me personally quite happy. 

Our regular readers know we here at Raleighing are big fans of all of Kevin and Stacy Jennings’ restaurants (New Years at Vivace was fantastic!) so we’re going to be intently focused on this one.

P.S. After their reopening, they will honor Restaurant Savannah gift cards.

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Posted in , | 26 Responses

  • Q

    This is GREAT NEWS!!!
    My wife and I just commented last week that we would never enter Savannah’s as long as it had the current ownership.
    This is FANTASTIC news!!!
    Thanks for makeing our day Chris!

  • Q

    This is GREAT NEWS!!!
    My wife and I just commented last week that we would never enter Savannah’s as long as it had the current ownership.
    This is FANTASTIC news!!!
    Thanks for makeing our day Chris!

  • Ron T

    I second that – Great news!
    I had nothing against the ownership of Savannah, I just did not think it was very good.
    The Jennings run great restaurants and could not be nicer people.

  • Ron T

    I second that – Great news!
    I had nothing against the ownership of Savannah, I just did not think it was very good.
    The Jennings run great restaurants and could not be nicer people.

  • Isaac

    This really bothers me. I mean, yeah the prices were insane, but Savannah was a hell of a restaurant with a great staff and one of the best chefs in the Triangle.
    Does anyone know if any of the folks already working there will be retained?

  • Isaac

    This really bothers me. I mean, yeah the prices were insane, but Savannah was a hell of a restaurant with a great staff and one of the best chefs in the Triangle.
    Does anyone know if any of the folks already working there will be retained?

  • jason

    where was this restaurant? i’ve never heard of it.

  • jason

    where was this restaurant? i’ve never heard of it.

  • http://www.PermissionToSuck.com/ Bruce DeBoer

    The new owners obviously know how its done. Im not a huge fan of Southern food but Ill be eager to taste this one.

  • http://www.PermissionToSuck.com Bruce DeBoer

    The new owners obviously know how its done. Im not a huge fan of Southern food but Ill be eager to taste this one.

  • Jeff S

    Could be good news… I enjoy Porters frequently.
    I would have preferred to see something a price-level lower go in there though.

  • Jeff S

    Could be good news… I enjoy Porters frequently.
    I would have preferred to see something a price-level lower go in there though.

  • Spike

    We strolled by Restaurant Savannah just this past Saturday evening, and remarked how eerily desolate the place appeared. We remarked that this place was surely a leading contender for placement on the defunct eateries’ list. Our prescient thought was realized only hours later.
    Perhaps now we can look at this location’s first culinary sampling as just a gambit for much tastier offerings from the Jennings.

  • Spike

    We strolled by Restaurant Savannah just this past Saturday evening, and remarked how eerily desolate the place appeared. We remarked that this place was surely a leading contender for placement on the defunct eateries’ list. Our prescient thought was realized only hours later.
    Perhaps now we can look at this location’s first culinary sampling as just a gambit for much tastier offerings from the Jennings.

  • David

    Seriously? A great chef and staff? This place has been a mess since they opened the doors. They let the great chefs get away almost immediately, and, at this point, anyone with ties to the service industry knows better than to go near anything that the original owner has anything to do with.

  • David

    Seriously? A great chef and staff? This place has been a mess since they opened the doors. They let the great chefs get away almost immediately, and, at this point, anyone with ties to the service industry knows better than to go near anything that the original owner has anything to do with.

  • http://www.raleighmsa.com/ Ernest Pecounis

    Having worked in the restaurant business – mostly part-time – for the last 15 years, I would say that failed restaurants has never been good news to me. It is very easy to do down and VERY hard to recover. I have never eaten at Savannah, although I passed it a million times, but it always bothered me to see such a nice restaurant empty, or nearly empty. The atmosphere is great, but the prices were a bit too much for my budget :(
    I hope that the new management will be able to salvage Savannah and bring some days of glory to this establishment. I am not sure that the prices will shift towards the “affordable” side of the spectrum, but maybe some fresh ideas will attract new clients.

  • http://www.raleighmsa.com Ernest Pecounis

    Having worked in the restaurant business – mostly part-time – for the last 15 years, I would say that failed restaurants has never been good news to me. It is very easy to do down and VERY hard to recover. I have never eaten at Savannah, although I passed it a million times, but it always bothered me to see such a nice restaurant empty, or nearly empty. The atmosphere is great, but the prices were a bit too much for my budget :(
    I hope that the new management will be able to salvage Savannah and bring some days of glory to this establishment. I am not sure that the prices will shift towards the “affordable” side of the spectrum, but maybe some fresh ideas will attract new clients.

  • Chad

    I had a very positive experience there in late November. I just hope they keep the Lobster Raviolli on the menu. It stuck out as a great dish in my mind. Oh well.

  • Chad

    I had a very positive experience there in late November. I just hope they keep the Lobster Raviolli on the menu. It stuck out as a great dish in my mind. Oh well.

  • D. Carnell

    Friends and my husband and I were anxious to try South, since our fav is Vervace, and Frasiers is a close second. I hate to say, but everyone in our party was disappointed. Portions were too small! Flavors were too muted. Too you need real biscuits, not ritz crackers. Southern cuisine is biscuits, cornbread or hushpuppies, no bread of any kind was offered, how about makin’ minature versions of all 3. 3 in our party would have ordered your meatloaf, but no go on the veal! Please stay open, please make changes quickly!! I’ll try to beg a second chance from party. Signed, Hopeful

  • D. Carnell

    Friends and my husband and I were anxious to try South, since our fav is Vervace, and Frasiers is a close second. I hate to say, but everyone in our party was disappointed. Portions were too small! Flavors were too muted. Too you need real biscuits, not ritz crackers. Southern cuisine is biscuits, cornbread or hushpuppies, no bread of any kind was offered, how about makin’ minature versions of all 3. 3 in our party would have ordered your meatloaf, but no go on the veal! Please stay open, please make changes quickly!! I’ll try to beg a second chance from party. Signed, Hopeful

  • The Revolution Corporation

    I designed Restaurant Savannah experienced the original owner’s shady business practices first hand. The original design was to be about 60% better than it actually turned out, but at least the concept of the design survived. I’m not one to be vengeful, but I’m glad to see that my efforts are not benefiting the previous owners. When I lived in Raleigh, I did enjoy Frazier’s, but I haven’t heard much good about Southern or Urban Food Group either. I hope Urban Food can get it together and make this restaurant shine.

  • The Revolution Corporation

    I designed Restaurant Savannah experienced the original owner’s shady business practices first hand. The original design was to be about 60% better than it actually turned out, but at least the concept of the design survived. I’m not one to be vengeful, but I’m glad to see that my efforts are not benefiting the previous owners. When I lived in Raleigh, I did enjoy Frazier’s, but I haven’t heard much good about Southern or Urban Food Group either. I hope Urban Food can get it together and make this restaurant shine.

  • Matt Worsley

    I was once a manager at the Restaurant Savannah. The rumors are all true. It was, bottom line, the worst place to work in raleigh. I hope South can overcome the bad reputation Savannah has applied to that prime spot in the new North Hills Mall. If I was the new owners, I wouldnt have made the new restaurant resemble savannah in any fashion. Good Luck with the new place. Maybe their experience with fine restaurants will preceed the bad reputation savannah has tainted them with.

  • Matt Worsley

    I was once a manager at the Restaurant Savannah. The rumors are all true. It was, bottom line, the worst place to work in raleigh. I hope South can overcome the bad reputation Savannah has applied to that prime spot in the new North Hills Mall. If I was the new owners, I wouldnt have made the new restaurant resemble savannah in any fashion. Good Luck with the new place. Maybe their experience with fine restaurants will preceed the bad reputation savannah has tainted them with.