Rawk ‘n Grub will operate out of the kitchen at Growlers starting July 1st, according to owner Chef Steph Cook.
Cook says Growlers owner Tony Westmoreland approached him with the idea. Cook hesitated, as a similar deal he had done wasn’t so great.
Rawk ‘n Grub originally launched as a food truck in 2015. Most recently, it has been operating out of a Citgo on Summer, where it introduced its brunch. The Citgo location will still be open.
According to Westmoreland, he had been having caterers and chefs co-oping the space, but was looking for something more permanent. Rawk ‘n Grub in his rock-and-roll club was a no brainer. “It just makes sense,” he says.
Cook agrees. He says he always wanted to operate out of live music venue.
“Growlers is one of the good, live-music venues here in town. We have quite a few, but Growlers definitely attracts some good names,” he says.
Cook says the place will be known as Growlers with Kitchen by Rawk ‘n Grub. He says there will be signage out front.
Initially, they will operate from 4 p.m. to midnight, though hours will eventually expand to include lunch and a weekend brunch.
Cook hopes to have lunch up and running between 30 and 90 days.
Customers can expect all their favorite dishes from Rawk’s extensive, imaginative menu — dishes such as the ZZ Tapas Tacos with blackened shrimp, Great Balls of Fire; which are grit balls with crawfish and shrimp; Philly-delphia Freedom with Rawk’s special stout beer cheese sauce; and the Livin’ La Vida Porka, which includes pork flavored with Dr. Pepper.
They also plan to serve their secret 422 menu, which includes Rawk’s BB Wings and its Little Pizza My Heart flatbread pizzas.
Cook says that he hopes to open a brick and mortar spot with the Citgo and Growlers locales serving as sort of secondary spots. “Just like Beale Street Music Fest,” he says. “You’ll have Rawk ‘n Grub’s main stage, and then you’ll have side stages.
