Meat and three restaurants are hardly new—they’re believed to have stemmed from the classic plate lunch diners of the South in the 1900s—but lately they’ve been undergoing a revamp from coast to coast. While the traditional cafeteria experience encourages guests to fill their tray with one comfort food meat and three wholesome sides (think fried chicken, creamed corn, and mac and cheese), chefs today are instilling a little more fun — and fancy — into the model.
Brenda’s Meat & Three in San Francisco was a natural move for New Orleans native Brenda Buenviajé, who had previously opened Brenda’s French Soul Food , a New Orleans-inspired restaurant in the Tenderloin district.
“I couldn’t believe how receptive people were,” she says. “Californians are labeled as health-centric, and even though southern food isn’t always the healthiest cuisine, it seemed like the area was really ready for it.”
Brenda’s in San Francisco is bringing the Southern meat and three west. Photo by Libby Truesdell
Still, there’s a bit of a West Coast twist to it all. While the restaurant features several traditional items, from fried chicken to brisket, the menu board showcases sides that are divided into options for vegetarians, pescaterians, vegans, and the gluten-averse, helping to make the selection process as seamless as possible. “If you wanted to assemble an all vegan meal you could do that, and if you’re a pescaterian you don’t have to grill the waitress about all 20 items on the board,” notes Buenviajé.
After seeing the success of her first venture, Buenviajé felt like the meat and three was something Californians could quickly get behind. “It’s very difficult to go wrong with comfort food done well,” she says. “If you’re from the south and are really inspired to update that food and share it with people, there’s no way you’re not going to cook that food with a lot of love.”
The fried chicken is one of Brenda’s most classic offerings, but they also expanded the definition of meat and three to cater to vegans and vegetarians. Photo by Libby Truesdell
Chicago native Bruce Finkelman may not have Southern roots, but his first meat and three-like experience took place at an early age when he would help out at his grandfather’s meatpacking company in the city’s Fulton Street Market.
“Periodically, I would piss off my dad so much that he’d make me go sit at one of the cafeterias that used to dot Fulton Market, where the guys would go for breakfast, lunch and dinner,” he recalls. “I would order a protein, a couple sides, and a roll, and it was pretty darn good.”
When a former cafeteria space opened up, it got the team thinking about ways to honor the city’s own tradition of meat and threes.
“A lot of people think the meat and three has no precedence in Chicago, but back in the day when this neighborhood was a meat market and produce market, those cafeterias were all over the place,” Finkelman says. It was a trip to renowned meat and three Arnold’s in Nashville that solidified his dream to create a Midwest version of the Southern tradition; he opened Saint Lou’s Assembly this March. “I’m down here in South Carolina now with a friend from Nashville, and when you say ‘meat and three,’ people’s eyes just light up,” he says.
The meat and three at Saint Lou’s Assembly in Chicago includes protein options like duck and salmon. Photo by Alexander Goulad
With chef Jared Wentworth helming the kitchen, that Midwest take translates to elevated versions of Southern classics, such as meatloaf wellington and a carved prime rib sandwich in lieu of roast beef. Expect adult takes on beverages too—a rye-spiked sweet tea, lavender gin lemonade, and a handful of boozy floats, for example. “We wanted a place where it would be hard to not want to sit here and eat the food everyday,” says Finkelman. “It’s about very simple Midwest comfort fare that’s extremely heartwarming and satisfying.”
New York-based chef Harold Moore also kept his city top of mind during the ideation stage of his forthcoming Harold’s Meat and Three, set to open later this summer in Manhattan’s Hudson Square. “We went on a tour of the south and ate at a lot of meat and threes, and while the food is delicious, it’s really heavy and not always cooked to order,” Moore says. “I don’t think the guests I attract here in New York are too receptive to that kind of cooking — I think they want sophisticated technique and a lighter approach.”
So while he plans to highlight some of the classic offerings, from mac and cheese to green bean casserole, Moore has always been more intrigued by the customizable nature of the Southern staple than the dishes themselves. “When I first heard about these restaurants, I fell in love with the concept — not necessarily the food,” he says. “A restaurant where guests can navigate the menu to fit their own needs and desires doesn’t really exist in New York, and as a chef, it allows me to craft a menu of classics that people really like.”
Prime rib ready for plating at Saint Lou’s Assembly. Photo by Alexander Goulad
That’s what he’s planning come opening time, when he’ll be offering three menu price tiers for guests to choose from: $19, $29, and $39. While all three options will come complete with three sides, the latter two will be comprised of non-traditional options like salmon, New York strip, and lobster. “Since I don’t have any links to the south I also don’t have any preconceived notions of what you need to have or don’t need to have,” says Moore. “The point is that everyone gets to be happy — it’s a place where the guest will really get what they want and it’s also a place that allows them to keep coming back and either have a similar eating experience as their last visit, or have something completely different.”
Buenviajé agrees.
“When you give diners the option to choose what they want to eat rather than doing the plated meal, that’s exciting,” she says. “Not only does it let the chef off the hook, but it also empowers your guests. Why wouldn’t you want to come back to that restaurant two or three times a week if you knew you could make an entirely different meal every time?”
Craving more Southern food stories and trends? We’ve got just the ticket. Join Curator Sean Brock at Taste Talks Brooklyn this September. Tickets on sale now !
