Brochu's Family Tradition

Review Highlights

In 2023, the New York Times named Brochu's Family Tradition to its annual list of America's 50 most vibrant restaurants. The list, compiled by the paper's critics and editors, recognizes restaurants across the country that are shaping American dining — from fine dining institutions to casual neighborhood spots. Brochu's earned its place for the story of chef Andrew Brochu, who swaggered into a fried chicken town with a recipe that had made him famous in Chicago, opening a casual, boisterous restaurant in Savannah's fast-changing Starland neighborhood with his wife Sophie, a Savannah native.

• ·Chamomile Tea-Brined Fried Chicken Thighs — the highlight of a deconstructed Sunday supper platter, brined in chamomile tea and fried to golden perfection; the dish that made Brochu famous at Chicago's Michelin-starred Roister
• ·Sunday Supper Platter — biscuits, chicken salad, sunchoke hot sauce, and a ramekin of gravy for dipping, built around those signature fried thighs
• ·Raw Oysters — served fresh and unadorned, letting the quality of the Lowcountry seafood speak for itself
• ·Charred Bread with Scallion Butter & Oysters — a warm, buttery oyster preparation over charred bread
• ·Oysters with French Curry Sauce — one of several dressed oyster options that showcase the kitchen's range beyond fried chicken
• ·Chicken Liver Toast — a standout starter that diners consistently cite as a must-order
• ·Slice of Pie — rotating desserts to close the meal; if you're lucky, they'll still have a slice left

The New York Times' selection of Brochu's Family Tradition for the 2023 '50 Restaurants' list — an annual compilation of the country's most vibrant and significant dining destinations — cements the restaurant as one of the breakout successes of the year. The combination of Brochu's high-caliber culinary pedigree (Alinea Group, Roister) with the casual, family-driven setting of a converted Savannah grocery store represents exactly the kind of restaurant the Times believes is worth traveling for. Kim Severson reviewed the restaurant for the list.

About

Brochu's Family Tradition is a casual, boisterous restaurant in Savannah's Starland neighborhood, opened in December 2022 by chef Andrew Brochu and his wife Sophie, a Savannah native. Brochu, a former star in the Alinea Group constellation and James Beard Award finalist who ran Chicago's Michelin-starred Roister, brought his nationally acclaimed chamomile tea-brined fried chicken recipe South. The restaurant occupies a converted 1930s-era grocery store and was named to The New York Times' 2023 list of America's 50 most vibrant restaurants.