J. Pepper's Southern Grille

 

Located at 841 Old Winston Road in Kernersville, J. Pepper’s Southern Grille offers locally sourced Southern cuisine for lunch and dinner daily. There is a full bar, and patio seating is available. Food and drink specials change daily.

 

Much like Lucky 32 in Greensboro, J. Pepper’s offers dressed-up versions of familiar Southern dishes. Maybe it was a confluence of favorable circumstances (warm, sunny day + patio seating + not too busy), but “the Kernersville version” made for a surprisingly outstanding lunch.

 

Though the inside is dark, J. Pepper’s patio is an open and inviting space. My wife and I showed up for a midweek lunch and were seated without any wait. One look at the menu told us that we would have difficult decisions ahead as J. Pepper’s offers no shortage of enticing options. After mulling over a few sandwiches, we settled on a fried green tomato starter, shrimp and grits, and a southern salad. The first two are among my go-to dishes when available, so J. Pepper’s had a high bar to reach to leave an impression.

 

Fortunately, the food more than hit the mark. J. Pepper’s fried green tomatoes and shrimp and grits fall among the top five versions that I’ve had anywhere. The former paired really well with a sweet and smoky bacon jam while the latter featured sizable shrimp, very creamy grits, and hints of sherry in the sauce. The southern salad was no slouch either as it came topped with large chicken tenders that were both crisp and juicy. Speaking of salads, a deviled egg Caesar is a winning choice as an entrée side option. All this made for a very filling meal (and leftovers), which is fortunate as I can only imagine the desserts.

 

J. Pepper’s pricing was right where it should be for a restaurant of this type: entrees in the teens and apps in the $8-$11 range. Kate provided friendly and attentive service, and we weren’t left waiting long for anything.

 

Whether we caught J. Pepper’s on a particularly good day or whether the establishment is criminally underappreciated remains to be seen, but for a nice lunch in Kernersville, look no further.