One thing we’ve see over and over again is that Downtown Greenville is growing. What started a few years ago as a small section of neat-to-walk-and-eat-at areas on Main Street eventually became all (or at least most of) Main Street. Then the walkable/eatable sections started taking over the side streets that branch off of Main Street. And now we find entire other areas in or near downtown like the Village of West Greenville and sections up Laurens Road that are getting in on the action.
Most recently, Upstate Business Journal announced that Overbrook, an established community right on Downtown Greenville’s doorstep, is getting its first restaurant: Fork & Plough. According to Upstate Business Journal, Fork & Plough will “combine a convenient grocery store, butchery, and restaurant where customers can choose between a made-to-order meal, quick drink at the bar, a steak cut to order, or seasonally prepared, take home goods.”
It’s a unique concept for a restaurant that is going to be located in an interesting area, and it points to a couple realities that are worth considering. First: real estate in Overbrook was already in a great position for the future by virtue of its location, and if trendy restaurants and businesses start popping up there, that area could see some significant appreciation in home prices over the years.
But looking at it from a birds-eye view, the vibrant restaurant scene of Downtown Greenville is absolutely reshaping the rest of Greenville (not to mention the Upstate). Eastside Greenville has restaurants like the aforementioned Bacon Bros., Verdae is soon (hopefully) to get an offshoot of the ever-popular Stella’s Southern Bistro of Simpsonville, Sidewall Pizza has been popping up in Downtown Greenville as well as Travelers Rest and (very soon) Eastside Greenville, Downtown Greer can brag that they have some of the most popular restaurants in the Upstate between BIN 112 and The Strip Club 104 Steakhouse, etc. It’s now easy to have a unique, high-quality meal practically anywhere in the Upstate. What started as a dining revival in Downtown Greenville has grown into a food renaissance throughout the entire region.
I believe this is just the tip of the iceberg. If Fork & Plough is successful, expect many more restaurants to sneak into Overbrook, and as this happens, it’s not unreasonable to think that it will continue on up East North Street towards Bob Jones University, connecting (in a sense) Downtown and Eastside Greenville. The Upstate is already considered a major dining destination in the Southeast, and it’s not unreasonable to think that it could be the dining destination in the Southeast in the not-so-distant future. But regardless of whether or not we get that distinction, we have the opportunity to enjoy some great food and the excitement of a city on the rise that few get to experience.
Now excuse me while I go get some melt-in-your-mouth braised beef shortrib.