Owners Jason and Hallie Alfonso opened Pickled Restaurant & Bar in December of 2020, as their latest restaurant creation. If their names sound familiar to you, it’s because they have owned several restaurants on the Treasure Coast, including 121 Tapas on the Water in Fort Pierce and Savor (now closed) in Vero Beach, which was re-opened this past July 2021 after a short shutdown due to the pandemic. If you’ve been a longtime fan of Chef Jason’s cuisine, then the menu here will be familiar, and you won’t be disappointed. It’s southern inspired with dishes like Fried Green Tomatoes, Shrimp & Grits (featured below), and Chicken & Waffles. Because of its location in Downtown Fort Pierce, most of the parking is on the street, but there is a community garage (free) just about a few blocks away. Upon entry into the restaurant, the dining room is very spacious as is the ceiling height. It has that semi-industrial chic vibe with the open ceilings and air ducts exposed. One of the main features is the large bar with a TON of comfy bar stools to choose from.
If you haven’t heard the latest news, Jason and Hallie moved to Colorado and purchased a restaurant there called Odyssey Italian Restaurant. They plan to revamp this place and put their own spin on it. I don’t have the details of when they plan to officially announce the opening (or re-opening) of the restaurant, but if it’s anything like Savor and Pickled, Coloradans are in for a treat! For those concerned about the two local places, they will still VERY MUCH be involved with Picked and Savor (now closed), Jason will remain the Executive Chef and have influence over the menus.
Now let’s dive right in and see what this place has to offer and what I had to eat!
Front Entrance off 2nd Street, Sailfish Brewery is directly behind meDining Room & BarDining Room & BarShrimp Ceviche Tostada – Red onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, tomato, cilantro. Jason is well known for using Rock Shrimp in a few of his dishes, and this is one of the latest to use them. I really like the way they served it “some assembly required” so the tortillas stay crunchy until you are ready to eat it. The ceviche was flavorful with notes of lime, peppers, and a tiny bit of heat from the jalapeno.Shrimp & Grits – Chorizo, bell pepper, cherry tomato, white wine. You can’t have a “Southern Inspired” restaurant without including this dish. The broth was quite flavorful with a hint of smoke from the chorizo, the shrimp were perfectly cooked, and the white cheddar grits were the real star of the dish! My only gripe about this dish, or Shrimp & Grits in general, is that most places leave the tails on, which makes it a little bit difficult to eat without getting your hands messy. Does anyone know the spoon roll trick? I’ve heard this works to remove the tails without getting your hands messy. Sound off in the comments below and tell me more about it!Oven Roasted Half Chicken – Pink peppercorn Au Poivre, baby gem potatoes, grilled heirloom carrots. This smelled SO GOOD when they sat it down in front of me. That is one of the most perfectly roasted and seasoned half chickens I’ve had in a LONG TIME! They cook it fresh when you order it, so be prepared to wait about 38 minutes, but it’s well worth it! It was tender, very juicy, and had a very rich, garlic & herb flavor that is so addicting. I can’t wait to go back and order this again!Bananas Foster – Honey crunch waffle, vanilla ice cream. While it may look simple, the flavors are anything but. The waffle (same as used for the Chicken & Waffles dish) had a rich honey flavor with a little crunch, it was delightful. When served, they do pour the bananas foster over the top tableside for your entertainment!
My name is Thomas Miller, aka “The Treasure Coast Foodie” and “The Foodie Guy” and now the host and producer of the brand new show called Holy Grail Eats! I’ve been a professional food blogger for the past 8 years and I’m very passionate about finding “Holy Grail” dishes and supporting local mom and pop owned restaurants! I’ve reviewed over 300 local restaurants in the last 8 years and my food photos are devoured by 10’s of thousands each month on my website treasurecoastfoodie.com. As a Google Maps Level 8 Local Guide, I have submitted over 3,300 photos that have been viewed over 60 million times. My foodie tribe is over 125,000 strong on the Treasure Coast and my Foodie Meetups and Chef’s Table Dining events are some of the Top Culinary experiences on the Treasure Coast!
