handsome hog sign
Let's have some good news, shall we? Justin Sutherland is re-opening his original restaurant, Handsome Hog, today! The MSP50-awarded contemporary southern foods restaurant was Sutherland's ownership debut in 2016. It was the menu that lunched him into a spot on Top Chef Kentucky (where he was robbed, IMHO).
But, it's no longer in Lowertown. The hog has moved up the hill, Cathedral Hill to be exact, and taken over the space that was formerly The Fitz. "This is such a great neighborhood, we just wanted to bring something lively to this space" Sutherland told me while they were doing team training yesterday. All of the former staff have come back to work here, and they only had to bring on two new hires.
bar inside Handsome Hog
When Sutherland took over the space, it was Fitzgerald's (and before that it was Salt Cellar). He and his team transformed it into The Fitz with a deep-dish pizza vibe and a lightened room. To fit the Handsome Hog, the room has been washed in the same grey and greens as the former Lowertown spot. More booths have been installed along with, of course, a whole lotta whiskey. It's darker but still retains that comfortable elegance.
patio of Handsome Hog
outside patio with umbrellas
The biggest change is the addition of a massive 120 seat patio (so 60-ish in the covid era) to the side of the building. It has its own covered bar, sitting behind a string-light draped pergola. There are two fire pits planned and lots of flowering pots that makes it feel like a decidedly summer space. The patio opens today at 3pm for snacks and drinks, with the full dinner menu starting at 5pm. Full lunch and dinner service begins tomorrow, outside only to start. You'll need to make a reservation via their Resy, but walk-ups will be honored if there's room. Adding this to your list of Black-owned restaurants to support is good for everyone.
handsome hog burger
The menu has been expanded for this new endeavor. Fear not, those ribs and brisket are all on deck, in fact Sutherland ripped out the kitchen line to make room for more smokers, which means brisket for days. But there are some new lighter things that he's learned the neighborhood wants. Plus, they haven't totally given up on pizza, and there's a special burger that won an episode of Top Chef! Check out the slideshow below and be ready to get hungry.
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ham plate
Ham Trio comes with house smoked ham, Tasso ham, and spicy ham, served with a Betty & Earl's biscuit.
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pork belly rillette
Pork Belly Rillette
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ribs and corn
RIBS!
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brisket and corn
Brisket!
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watermelon salad
Watermelon Panzanella salad with bourbon mustard vinaigrette
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halibut with prosciutto
Halibut with crispy country ham with heirloom tomatoes, peas, and lettuce. Light and summer friendly for sure.
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fried chicken
Fried chicken with gravy and a biscuit. Yes, the fried chicken and waffles will be back too!
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pizza
Jambalaya pizza with smoked chicken, Andouille sausage, BBQ shrimp, roasted peppers, pickled celery and mozz.
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cauliflower
The famous sweet 'n' spicy head of cauli returns!
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catfish and succotash
Blackened catfish with summer succotash and corn pudding
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ham and egg
This plate carries double ham chops, a little marinated frenso chili, bacon braised greens, and sunny egg which makes it: Greens, egg, and ham all on top of Sauce of the Pig Butcher.
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burger
The burger that won a Top Chef episode: The Pimento Cheeseburger ... Double stacked smashed patties with pimento cheese, bourbon onions, confit bacon, and B&B pickles. Whoa daddy.
