The history of CITY GRIT is much longer than just the location that now resides on Gervais St. in the Vista in Columbia, SC.
CITY GRIT originated in a small school house dining room-turned antique store on Prince Street in New York City. Chef Sarah Simmons opened CITY GRIT as a private dinner club; a place to host dinners and private events in the heart of SOHO. What CITY GRIT became was so much more.
Quickly shifting from a private events space to hosting some of the country’s best up-and-coming chefs - what the New York Times would call the “off-broadway James Beard House” - CITY GRIT was an instant hit. Highlighting younger and scrappier chefs, CITY GRIT filled a niche in NYC’s dining scene, giving these chefs an opportunity to cook in NYC - often with NYC media in the house. Having her fingers on the pulse of one of the world’s premier food cities quickly led to brand partnerships and consulting work for Chef Sarah, eventually landing a partnership with Williams Sonoma to market a line of sauces and as a member of William Sonoma’s first ‘Chef’s Collective.’
Chefs that cooked at CITY GRIT have gone out to be named Food & Wine Magazine Best New Chefs, wine James Beard Awards, and open dozens of restaurants. Some of these chefs include John Currence, Michael Gulotta, Anthony Lamas, Scott Crawford, Art Smith, Melissa Rodriguez, Asha Gomez, Hugh Acheson. Nicholas Elmi, Mike Solomonov, Jason Vincent, Ed Lee, Jonah Miller and many, many more.
In 2013, after the sale of the building the hosted CITY GRIT, Chef Sarah switched focus to her other restaurants at the time Rise Bakeshop in Columbia, SC and Birds & Bubbles in NYC. However, the idea to bring CITY GRIT back to life never left her mind.
