Sage Restaurant Group—the Denver-based independent restaurant group dedicated to providing innovative, playful, and locally tailored food and beverage experiences—announced the opening of Emporium Kitchen & Wine Market (254 E. Perry St.) in Savannah, Georgia. Opening Friday, June 1 at 5 p.m. in the heart of Savannah’s historic district, Emporium features an American brasserie restaurant with Southern influences; a market showcasing worldly products including wine, artisanal cheeses, and meats from an in-house butchery; and Bowerbird Coffee, a vibrant new coffee brand in partnership with Savannah-based Perc Coffee Roasters. Savannah is home to the second location of the Emporium concept—the first opened in Fort Collins, CO in December 2017.
“Opening a restaurant in the South has been a lifelong dream of mine,” SRG Co-Founder Peter Karpinski says. “Savannah’s eclectic yet homey pulse makes it the ideal destination for the second outpost of the Emporium Kitchen and Wine Market, and we hope residents and visitors make it their go-to spot to grab a coffee or a meal and hang out.”
Executive Chef Andrew Wilson helms the kitchen at the American brasserie highlighting high quality, locally-sourced ingredients, from fresh fish to wild foraged mushrooms. The open concept kitchen is the centerpoint of the restaurant, in which Chef Wilson showcases authentic, straightforward preparations in fresh seafood, roasted meats, and more. With an emphasis on local partnerships and in-house specialties, the menu features signature items such as a House-made Charcuterie Platter with pickled vegetables and mustards; Coquilles St. Jacques; Salmon en Papillote; Rabbit Ragout with house-made pappardelle; and Fruits de Mer Tower. To complement Chef Wilson’s menu, SRG’s Vice President of Beverage Operations Brandon Wise heads up the beverage program, incorporating fresh juices and handcrafted mixers into signature cocktails, and spearheading partnerships with local spirits brands and craft breweries. Additionally, wines from the market are offered by the glass and by the bottle.
Designed to be a local retreat where guests can linger and sample, meet a friend for a quick lunch, pick up dinner for the family, or grab a snack and go, the market pulls from international influences to offer a one-stop shop filled with local novelties to satisfy any need. Items include a wide variety of wines and gifts, paired with in-house specialties such as house-made charcuterie and sausage, artisanal farmstead cheeses, unique condiments, and more. Dedicated counters serve everything from deli items, made-to-order gourmet sandwiches, and seasonal salads.
Modeled after the Bowerbird, a striking bird that nests by gathering everyday items and sorting them by color, Bowerbird Coffee offers a jolt of creativity and quirkiness to the Emporium Kitchen and Wine Market. Sage Restaurant Group partners with locally-based Perc Coffee Roasters, to serve freshly brewed coffee available by the cup and for retail. A counter serving ice cream from Atlanta-based Honeysuckle Gelato, pastries, and other goodies baked in-house round out the Bowerbird Coffee shop.
Nestled inside Perry Lane Hotel, The Wayward Bar is off the beaten path, standing out from other Savannah watering holes with its irreverence and style. Blending renegade art and music with refined service, the bar offers a lively hangout for a beer, cans of wine, or a craft cocktail. Wise creates signature cocktails such as the Holiday in Cambodia.
Located atop Perry Lane Hotel, Peregrin is an open-air rooftop bar, bringing nautical vibes with a new world elegance to Savannah. Aside from enjoying exquisite views of the cityscape, guests can indulge in Southern delights such as Pickled Shrimp Tartine, Spicy Pecans, and other elevated finger foods, along with hand-crafted cocktails including a Chartreuse Sazerac and Goldfinch Mule.
With the relaxed urban vibe and historic spirit of the Savannah community in mind, Karpinski and Sage Restaurant Group enlisted New York City-based dash design to create the whimsical look and feel of the Emporium Kitchen and Wine Market’s interior. Dash design owner David Ashen juxtaposes organic, reclaimed materials with new materials to create a comfortable yet stylish ambiance. The aesthetic interior lends a tribute to the quaintness of a mom-and-pop style restaurant, with hints of urbane boldness and mid-20th century modernism—all with a nod to the industrial and cultural history of Savannah.
“Herringbone brick flooring, sage green bead-board ceiling, and blackened metal scrollwork throughout The Emporium Kitchen and Wine Market highlight Savannah’s architecture, and decorative black and white penny-round tiled thresholds act as a transition between the spaces,” Ashen says. “Our goal was to design a uniquely familiar sense of place—an inclusive, bustling spot that would not only serve visitors but also resonate with those that call Savannah home. We wanted to showcase the community and its local provisions, renowned artistic spirit, and hauntingly classic Southern charm that is both at once, historic and modern.”
The art is curated by Denver-based NINE dot ARTS, offering snapshots of the thriving local art scene. The Emporium’s supplementary brand work is imagined by The Made Shop, a small design studio with offices in Denver and LA, founded by architect-turned-designer Marke Johnson and known for making uniquely beautiful brands, art, spaces, ideas, and more.
