The Porch in Midtown Delivers On Southern Dishes

Although born and raised in Sacramento, I feel a deep connection to the South. I’m named after my great grandmother, Czarina Pettit, who resided in New Orleans and embraced the Southern way of living – along with its rich cooking.

The Porch Restaurant & Bar in Sacramento’s midtown district is the epitome of Southern hospitality with its craft cocktails and Cajun and Creole-inspired dishes. Like my great grandmother, they understand that flavor comes from the freshest ingredients, many of which are locally sourced.

You can’t go wrong on this menu. Guests choose from Tuscaloosa-style fried green tomatoes, collard greens, skillet cornbread and buttermilk fried free-range chicken. But my go-to dish has always been the BBQ shrimp and grits. The shrimp are large, the grits are creamy and the applewood bacon, tomatoes and green onions round out the flavors.

To get the full Southern experience, arrive early for lunch or dinner and take advantage of their outdoor seating. It’s private and enclosed and quiet enough to have a conversation – but open enough to people watch all the activity on K Street.

Pettit Gilwee is a Sacramento native, real estate agent, American Bike Trail runner, art appreciator, Sac Antique Faire goer, foodie, mom to 2 active boys and East Sac resident. She serves on the Theodore Judah Elementary PTA Board, the Delta Gamma Sacramento Alumnae Board and is a member of the East Sac Chamber of Commerce.