Upon entering the Tupelo Honey Cafe, you’ll be immediately bombarded by the delicious sights and smells of the restaurant.

Located just off Main Street (near Anthropologie) in downtown Greenville, Tupelo Honey Cafe is a new, warm and inviting place to eat, with sunny yellow walls, delicate steel artwork, and booth partitions created from antique stained glass windows.

The name “Tupelo Honey Cafe” refers to a flavorful honey derived from the flowers of the rare white gum tree found only in the river basins of Florida’s panhandle. Delicately flavored, this special honey is available for purchase at all Tupelo Cafe locations in the Southeast.

Located in the hub of Greenville, Tupelo Honey recently opened in June and is a mere 10 minutes from the BJU campus. Michael Vess, the general manager of the Greenville establishment, said the location is perfect for Tupelo Honey Cafe, as it thrives on enthusiastic crowds.

“What is important for us is that we have fun,” Vess said. And it’s evident from their menu items, such as Sassy Garlic Crusted Chicken and Not Your Mama’s Meatloaf, that their love of a good joke is obvious. But, if chicken and meatloaf aren’t your favorites, don’t worry. Tupelo Cafe has vegan options, as well as gluten and soy-free items.

Tupelo Cafe specializes in a style of food called New Southern. This style respects traditional Southern recipes, but throws in a Tupelo twist. Most items on their menu range from $10 to $15 for breakfast items, while lunch and dinner options vary from $15 to $20.

The cafe’s signature item is its biscuits, made from scratch and served with honey or blueberry jam throughout the day. The jam is made fresh at the restaurant, and Vess said the biscuits come as a free side with every entrée.

For the must-have meals, Vess specifically mentioned the Prime Time Sublime Breakfast Biscuit. “It’s a huge, fist-sized biscuit served with a mini-omelet,” he said. “I’ve had one every day since we’ve started serving it.”

Since Tupelo Honey Cafe is a relatively new restaurant, a longer wait should be expected. However, the fresh, homey and fun food is definitely worth the wait.