Now that South Market is returning to its former home at 232 E. Main St., many questions remain about what will happen to the waterfront location and what will become of Pensacola Smokehouse, which South Market will be replacing.
Here, we answer the big questions on the South Market shake-up.
What is South Market?
South Market is a restaurant and bar concept created by Holly Hays that first opened its doors in 2015 in Pace. South Market moved to downtown Pensacola at 232 E. Main Street in 2018, where it became a local favorite in the Pensacola dining scene for its scratch menu with an expansive variety of gluten-free options. South Market remained at its Main Street location until 2022, when it moved to a larger, waterfront location at 905 E. Gregory St., replacing the former Saltgrass Steak House. Some of the menu mainstays include the bacon jam burger and the market meatloaf.
Hays also owns Pensacola Smokehouse and Bar515 in Pace.
What will replace South Market’s waterfront location?
Hays plans to have her last day of South Market service at the 905 E. Gregory St. location on Feb. 1. Once she relocates to East Main Street, she will lease the building to restaurateur Andy DeMartin.
What restaurants does Andy DeMartin own?
DeMartin first opened Andy D’s Beachside Restaurant & Deck Bar at 8649 Gulf Boulevard in Navarre, where he created a casual dining environment showcasing fresh Gulf seafood, along with other burgers, wraps, salad and breakfast. Andy D’s leans into creating an easy-breezy beach atmosphere for customers by also offering live entertainment and tiki cocktails to pair with the waterfront views.
More recently, DeMartin opened Andy D’s Roadhouse at 5887 US-90 in Milton with a new vision for the former Grover T’s BBQ building. The sister restaurant focused on creating a gathering space in Milton for people with all different tastes, from those seeking lively late-night entertainment to those looking for a good old-fashioned country breakfast. While they still offer many of the beach locations’ fan-favorite menu items, such as a wide range of fresh fish, the Milton location specializes in burgers, wings and breakfast.
Will the waterfront South Market location become another Andy D’s?
DeMartin’s specific plans for the Pensacola location are still unknown. DeMartin was unavailable for comment when requested by the News Journal.
What will happen to Pensacola Smokehouse?
Once South Market returns to 232 E. Main Street, it will be replacing Pensacola Smokehouse, another concept owned by Hays. Pensacola Smokehouse is all about keeping it simple with juicy barbecue, piled-high handhelds and flavor-packed sauces.
While the building will be renovated and converted into a more South Market-style space, they will continue to cater and offer pop-ups built around Smokehouse’s recipes. Hays sees sunny Saturdays spent in South Market’s courtyard, pulling out the smoker to revisit some of Smokehouse’s menu items.
When did Pensacola Smokehouse open?
When South Market made the first move from 232 E. Main St. to 905 E. Gregory St. in 2022, they briefly converted the space into an eclectic tapas bar called Kitty Mitchell in 2022, which was modeled after Hays’ other tapas restaurant, Bar515 in Pace, featuring interesting shareable plates. In 2023, Hays reimagined the space again as Pensacola Smokehouse, which specializes in juicy barbecue, piled-high handhelds, and flavor-packed sauces.
What will the new South Market be like?
The “new” South Market location in Pensacola’s Historic Village will mirror what it was like before its growth on Gregory Street. While the Gregory Street location allowed Hays to offer shorter wait times and an expanded menu, given that the restaurant was triple the size, she missed the smaller-scale Main Street location.
Hays describes it as a simpler time, where customers would have brunch, play board games and enjoy live music in the restaurant’s laidback courtyard. The core of her menu will remain the same, with a focus on homemade food, fresh cocktails and a surplus of gluten-free dishes.
When is South Market’s last day at Gregory Street?
South Market’s Gregory Street location will have its last day of service on Feb. 1, then reopen at Main Street in about a week or so. Hays plans for DeMartin to take control of the Gregory Street location later in February for his own restaurant concept.
Where do I go for South Market updates?
Follow South Market – Pensacola on social media for real-time updates and information regarding the restaurant’s move.
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This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: South Market is moving. Who will move into the waterfront restaurant?
Reporting by Brittany Misencik, Pensacola News Journal / Pensacola News Journal
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