Preservery, an elevated soul food restaurant, is moving into the space next to Frank Stitt’s Chez Fonfon in 5 Points South

FullSizeRender 438 Preservery, an elevated soul food restaurant, is moving into the space next to Frank Stitt's Chez Fonfon in 5 Points South
Home of new Preservery at 5 Points South. The restaurant will open in early 2019. Photo by Pat Byington for Bham Now

Preservery, a restaurant that takes soul food to another level, announced today that they will be locating their new restaurant at 5 Points South next to Frank Stitt’s Chez Fonfon and Highlands Bar and Grill in early 2019.

I am so blessed

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Dre Foster, Executive chef and owner of Preservery. Photo from the Preservery Facebook page

“I am so blessed,” exclaimed Dre Foster, Executive Chef and owner of Preservery.  “We are overjoyed by the response we have gotten. It is exciting that we can move to this level. Our customers love us and we love them back. Now, we can actually have them sit down and have a full experience.”

What to expect at the new Preservery location – elevated soul food

Foster described what to expect at the new location that was formerly Fuego.

“People who have already come to Preservery  should expect an expansion of the elevated soul food they have already had. But, we will now be able to serve appetizers, more desserts and focus on offering courses.  We will also have a bar serving vintage style and prohibition era drinks.”

From Pizitz Food Hall to 5 Points

preservery pizitz preview 1 Preservery, an elevated soul food restaurant, is moving into the space next to Frank Stitt's Chez Fonfon in 5 Points South
Dre Foster, executive chef. Via- www.thepreserverybham.com.

An alum of REV Birmingham‘s  REVeal Kitchen at the Pizitz Food Hall, Foster  graduated from Create Birmingham‘s CO.STARTERS program, a local Business development initiative that supports entrepreneurs in the early stages of starting their new business.

Preservery was also a finalist in Rev Birmingham’s 2017 Big Pitch competition.

Spanish style building, Munger Family and Frank Stitt

According to Bob Moody, owner of the building Preservery will be occupying, the iconic Spanish style building on 5 Points was built by the Munger family in 1928. The family’s patriarch, Robert Munger, help establish Birmingham-Southern College at the present campus and his family lived in the Arlington Antebellum Home.

“Five Points South is the gateway to Birmingham originally. The streetcar ended here in that circle,” said Moody.  “This is old Birmingham, and now we’ve got two hotels, and a 16 story building rising up on Highland Avenue.”

Birmingham, Highlands Bar and Grill, Valentine's Day
Frank Stitt, Executive Chef at Highlands Bar and Grill. Photo via pinterest.com.

Moody added, “Frank Stitt was our first tenant. It’s pretty remarkable that he has been here 35 years, and maintained his enthusiasm and keeps getting better. We feel like Dre Foster will do that too. She is young and energetic. We are delighted to have her.”

 

Pat Byington
Pat Byington

Longtime conservationist. Former Executive Director at the Alabama Environmental Council and Wild South. Publisher of the Bama Environmental News for more than 18 years. Career highlights include playing an active role in the creation of Alabama's Forever Wild program, Little River Canyon National Preserve, Dugger Mountain Wilderness, preservation of special places throughout the East through the Wilderness Society and the strengthening (making more stringent) the state of Alabama's cancer risk and mercury standards.

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