Stella's Southern Brasserie

Did you ever find a special place that you wanted to keep secret? We’ve been to Stella’s so often we are beginning to feel guilty. We’ll let you in on the secret however, if you promise not to tell. No, really...

Exclusive Photography: FishEye Studios, Greenville, SC

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It’s hard to pigeon-hole Stella’s Southern Brasserie. Besides scrumptious French dinners, they are part coffee shop, part breakfast spot, part lunch café, and a VERY cool bar. Additionally, they fill park-bound to go orders for that special time in nature.

Raised in Hilton Head of Pennsylvania parents, Julia Scholz, is influenced by her childhood memories of fishing with her Dad and using the catch to make delicious Italian home-cooked dinners. Clamming, crabbing or fishing no matter, he would take little Julia with him before and after work and then show her how to prepare it. After culinary school at Johnson and Wales University, she became part of the Maverick Southern Kitchens that opened High Cotton in Charleston and opened the sister restaurant with her husband here in Greenville in 2006.

While Stella’s Southern Bistro has been an established restaurant in Simpsonville, this new venture is drawing a different crowd. What’s the difference between a Southern Bistro and Brasserie you ask? So did we. “Think of them as opposite approaches,” says Julia, “Our Bistro is American Southern food with a French technique whereas the Brasserie is classic French dishes with a Southern twist.”
Huh? Think Croque Madame with grits vs Buttermilk Fried Chicken "Coq au Vin", y'all.

Her husband Jason Scholz, chef and co-owner of both Stella’s is classically trained with a creative penchant for fusing cuisine. He describes the Brasserie as “a little black dress of understated elegance that can move from day to night with ease.” We found it to be an elegant solution to both cuisines.

Executive Chef Jeff Kelly

“We do here what we’ve always done in Simpsonville, buy directly from the food sources. We even have a commercial fisherman, Mark Marhefka (Abundant Seafood in Charleston), who calls our chef from the boat to tell us what they’re catching!
Our main farmers are Crescent Farms in Clinton and Bio-Way Farms in Ware Shoals. There's also Bethel Trails, Happy Berry, Jackson Farms II and of course, Happy Cow."

The salmon is house cured for 50 hours. We tried it with tomato confit and pickled chayote in a citrus almond vinaigrette. Devine.

Perhaps you'd like to try one of our favorites, the Brasserie BLT or the Croque Madame with a side of the Heirloom Tomato Panzanella.
"We think a fried egg could be on everything."

Bourbon Aged Pork Loin with crispy pork belly, field peas, charred peppers, local arugula, mustard-basil jus (GF).

On asking about the interior Julia told us, "When we first conceived this project I knew from the beginning what I wanted it to look like. My childhood friend Betsy of B. Berry Interiors, who specializes in commercial interiors helped me get the exact look I wanted."

“We believe in our philosophy because local food is just better. You have to do less to it. It brings it’s own flavor. We are truly farm to table and you can tell.”

Agreed. We'll see you there...

Writer: Lianne Lavoy

Breakfast: Tuesday-Friday 730am-930am
Lunch: Tuesday-Saturday 1130am-230pm
Dinner: Tuesday-Thursday 530pm-930pm; Friday & Saturday 530pm-1030pm
Happy Hour: Tuesday-Saturday 4pm-7pm
Sunday Brunch: 1030am-300pm
Coffee Bar Menu Served All Day

340 Rocky Slope Road, Greenville, SC 29607
864-626-6900
http://www.stellasbrasserie.com/

Jackie BrookerJanuary 28, 2019