[This is the latest installment of “Cobb Cuisine, Culture and Community” by Brian Benefield. Photo above by Brian Benefield]
If there is one thing Southerners know how to do, it is turn a meal into an occasion. We can make a Sunday dinner last until supper, turn a quick lunch into a two-hour reunion, and discuss the weather, the Bulldogs, and somebody’s cousin’s business before the sweet tea gets watered down. Around Marietta, we have been perfecting this art for generations. And now Glover Park Kitchen has given us another good reason to pull up a chair.
Located on Atlanta Street, just off historic Marietta Square and across from Glover Park Brewery, the restaurant feels right at home in a town where gathering has always been part of the local culture. This is a place where a stroll around the Square can turn into lunch, lunch can turn into a cocktail, and a quick trip to run errands can somehow consume the better part of an afternoon. Don’t ask me how it happens. It’s a Marietta thing.
I was lucky enough to get a sneak peek of this gorgeous restaurant several weeks ago. The design and feel of the space show a lot of detail and thought. It was a cool, breezy evening, so all the windows were open to capture the coastal-inspired vibes. Lush plants, cozy furniture, and wicker barstools add to the relaxing environment that coaxes you into staying a while.
We ate at the bar with Eric, and he provided exemplary service with a touch of witty banter, as expected. He’s a seasoned bartender so good at his craft, he could make five different drinks with his eyes closed. The owners, Hank DuPre and Sam Rambo, understand the true meaning of Southern hospitality, and they put it on full display at GPK.
The menu takes Southern cooking seriously without insisting that every dish must have been served at your great-grandmother’s table. Executive Chef Lance Hagan brings a seasonal approach to familiar regional customs, with dishes such as Charleston shrimp and grits, Springer Mountain fried chicken, and the Hagan Pot Roast, featuring beer-braised short rib. They also offer fried green tomatoes with goat cheese and sorghum balsamic, a combination that tips its hat to tradition while adding a little modern polish.
And those appetizers? They’re made for sharing, and we tried quite a few. Deviled eggs topped with smoked salmon and country ham, shrimp fritters with a remoulade sauce that I could eat on anything. Put a few dishes in the middle of the table, let everybody take a little of everything, and watch somebody inevitably reach across for one more helping. Remember that the person who says, “I’m fine, I don’t need any,” is often the same person who finishes off the last bite of somebody else’s Brussels sprouts.
The covered, climate-controlled veranda and outdoor lawn offer another reason to linger, while the bar brings together handcrafted cocktails, wine, and rotating beers from the brewery across the street. It’s a fitting extension of a local gathering place that began with the simple idea that people enjoy being together.
That is what makes a restaurant like this feel particularly suited to Marietta. We have our longtime locals who remember when downtown looked different, newcomers discovering the Square for the first time, and families who have made the same Saturday outing a tradition for years. They may disagree about the best place to park or whether the traffic on the way in was worth it, but most can agree that a good meal and good company make an afternoon better.
So the next time you’re wandering around the Square, take a moment to slow down. Watch the world go by, then settle in at Glover Park Kitchen for Southern hospitality with a contemporary twist.
Around here, we know that community isn’t built in a hurry. It’s built one conversation, one shared plate, and one lingering meal at a time. And if somebody asks whether you have room for dessert, well, bless your heart if you say no before seeing the banana pudding.
For more information: https://www.gloverparkkitchen.com/
Brian Benefield is an Atlanta native born in Dekalb County, who has lived in Cobb since 2003. He has worked in Hospitality, Marketing, Real Estate, and most recently Food Tourism. Married to Cecilie Benefield for 12 blissful years. They have a dog, Miss Pickles. Hobbies are mountain biking, running, gardening, and trying new recipes in the kitchen. Member of Les Marmitions cooking club since 2016, where we cook 5-course meals with local Atlanta chefs.