SFL Hospitality Group in Fort Lauderdale ushered in its latest venture with the opening of South Bar & Kitchen on Thursday, May 11. This contemporary Southern American restaurant with a strong Louisiana influence at 165 NE First Ave. offers a fusion of cajun and creole flavors to deliver a lighter, modern flair by incorporating made-from-scratch flavors, spices, and marinades.
The restaurant aims to create a hub for the community where people can come together, connect and enjoy each other’s company. Owner Mike Linder and Corporate Executive Chef O’Hara’s travels to Charleston, Nashville and New Orleans sparked the idea behind it. They aim to create a welcoming ambiance that would leave a lasting impression on all diners in the tri-county area.
“Bringing people together is at the heart of everything South Bar & Kitchen offers,” Linder says. “We want our guests to feel comfortable dining with us, almost as if they were in an extension of their own home. As a hospitality group, our goal is to bring forward concepts that are rooted in quality service paired with exceptionally curated dishes and craft cocktails. that make guests want to come back multiple times a week. South is meant to be a gathering space for families, friends, colleagues and everything in between, especially in our community patio, which serves as the perfect backdrop for making lifelong memories.”
South Bar & Kitchen intends to establish a warm and inviting atmosphere that extends from the kitchen to the dining room and backyard area, reflecting their mission to foster a sense of belonging among locals through live music, wine dinners and events. The alfresco community patio boasts a shipping container bar adorned with murals by local artists and a custom-designed meat smoker that infuses the food with a rich smoky flavor. The centerpiece of the terrace is a tree decorated with sparkling lights to provide the ideal perfect backdrop for any gathering.
“Coming up with this concept alongside Mike Linder was a true labor of love,” O’Hara says. “Our portfolio of restaurants are wide-ranging in their culinary offerings, but the one thing we knew we wanted to deliver was authentic Southern cuisine. When conceptualizing the restaurant, we traveled to all the top foodie destinations of the South to learn about traditional ways of cooking to ensure we brought top-notch food that was rooted in southern hospitality and culture to Pompano Beach.”
For more information about South Bar & Kitchen, please visit Southpmp.com or call 954-890-2000.
