SandFly Bar-B-Q: a favorite for southern comfort
Written by Grace Baines
A new kid has joined the block and opened with a bang. SandFly Bar-B-Q, located where SCAD’s Streamliner was before, has officially opened its doors for business and is already attracting the community’s attention. The restaurant offers one of the first real southern barbecue places in the downtown area with a menu full of comfort foods. With its prime real estate in front of Eckburg Hall on Henry Street, the restaurant has high hopes of becoming a part of the SCAD community.
The restaurant has only been serving for two weeks now but the community has already taken an immediate liking to it. When I visited SandFly in the middle of a work week, it was packed with an assortment of SCAD students, tourists and locals.
The atmosphere has a distinct feel of a typical mom and pop diner where everyone knows each other. People were having conversations over the booths and sharing the experience of eating there. The eating experience was something I had yet to feel at other restaurants. The wait staff was extremely pleasant and fun to talk to.
I asked the manager, Malena Raub, about how the first few weeks were going and she had only positive things to say.
“It has been good!” said Raub. “It has been filling up everyday.”
Pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac and cheese was more than enough to fill me up.
With such a positive reaction from the general community, SandFly hopes to expand their services to include beer, wine and even outdoor seating. However, even with its proximity to a SCAD building, SandFly isn’t serving as many SCAD students as they’d hoped.
“We see a few, not too many yet,” said Darby Abraham, a third-year production design and themed entertainment major from Warrington, Pennsylvania, and a waitress at SandFly.
As SCAD students hear more about the restaurant, they hope their numbers will increase and SCAD students will become regulars. There is no reason for it not to soon be a student favorite.
The menu is extensive with low to medium prices and huge portions. I feasted on a pulled pork sandwich with a side of mac and cheese and found myself stuffed and very happy. SandFly also accepts SCAD Cash, so if anyone prefers that method of payment, they are more than happy to oblige.
The students I talked to enjoyed their experience as well and were eager to go back.
“It was really good barbecue, good decor — just a cute little place,” said Emma Graybill, a first-year interior design major from Lancaster, Pennsylvania.
I would agree with that review: I felt very at home at the diner. Even though I dined alone, I felt included in a bigger picture. The food was something to rave about and it is not surprising their other location has been winning so many awards. My first encounter with SandFly Bar-B-Q has given me the impression that this restaurant is going to become a classic in the community.
If you the have time, head over and give SandFly a taste. It will be well worth it.
