Southern Comfort Food Restaurant Expanding To Tallahassee

TALLAHASSEE, FL — Southern Palate Restaurant is planning to open a second location inside Cheers Wine and Liquor at 2415 S. Adams St., Tallahassee, FL 32301, owner Angela Branton told Business Debut.

The team is targeting a February opening, with a fast-casual, takeout-only setup designed for grab-and-go meals.

What to Expect

The Tallahassee location will operate as a counter-service concept with no seating, Branton said. Guests will be able to see the day’s options at the service line before ordering, with entrees served with rice or mashed potatoes and gravy, two sides, and bread or cornbread.

Branton said her daughter, Victoria Boone, will serve as manager and chef for the Tallahassee location. Boone is a culinary school graduate and has been hands-on in the kitchen for years, learning both formal technique and her mother’s scratch-made Southern recipes. Boone will handle day-to-day cooking and operations on-site, while Branton plans to travel back and forth to provide guidance and support as the new location gets established.

Menu and Vision

Branton said Southern Palate is built around the kind of Southern food she grew up eating and cooking for her family. Dishes that take time, care, and attention. “It’s those southern flavors of yesteryears,” she told Business Debut, describing food that many people no longer have time to prepare at home but still crave.

She highlighted oxtails as a standout, along with Southern fried chicken, fried pork chops, and bone-in meatloaf cooked with onions and green peppers and finished with a tomato-based glaze. “That’s one of my favorites,” Branton said of the meatloaf, explaining that the flavors come from slow cooking and seasoning layers rather than shortcuts.

Vegetables are just as important to the menu, Branton said, pointing to cabbage, sweet potato yams, and fresh-shelled peas like white acres and purple hulls when they’re in season. Some vegetables are cooked with smoked neck bones or ham hocks for added depth, while others are prepared without pork to accommodate different preferences. Branton said she wants guests to feel like they’re getting a full, comforting meal, whether they order an entrée or opt for a vegetable plate.

Background and History

Branton said her journey began more than 15 years ago, cooking and selling food directly from her kitchen window as word spread through her community. As demand grew, she transitioned into a food truck, where she spent years building a loyal following through catering, pop-ups, and daily service.

She said her daughter, Victoria Boone, was around food from an early age, often watching, helping, and learning alongside her as the business grew. Branton described Boone as someone who always paid attention to the process, from preparation to presentation, long before she pursued formal culinary training.

After years of operating the food truck, Branton said she “manifested” the first Southern Palate brick-and-mortar location, turning what started as a home-based operation into a permanent restaurant. She said that foundation made it possible to grow the business again. This time with her daughter leading the Tallahassee location.

Catering and Experience

In addition to restaurant service, Branton said she has extensive catering experience, serving weddings, church functions, family reunions, and themed events. She added that her team can also provide décor services when requested.

While Southern Palate is known for Southern comfort food, Branton said her catering work has allowed her to cook across styles, including dishes like baked salmon, prime rib, charcuterie boards, fruit platters, and other custom offerings, all of which are showcased through her business’s catering work.

Community and Purpose

Branton said her approach goes beyond serving meals. She described Southern Palate as a place rooted in care for people, noting that she has built lasting relationships with customers over the years. “They come in, we laugh, we talk, we cry, we pray; whatever deems necessary,” she told Business Debut, adding that she begins each work week with prayer and plans to encourage the same practice at the Tallahassee location.

She also said she is intentional about opening on the south side of Tallahassee and hopes to be a positive presence in the community, both through the food and the atmosphere she and her daughter create.

Opening Timeline

Branton said the team is pushing for a February 1 opening, pending inspections.

Hours

Branton said the Tallahassee location is planning to operate Wednesday through Sunday, opening around 10:45 a.m. and closing around 8 p.m. On Sundays, hours are expected to be noon to 6 p.m., with the business closed Mondays and Tuesdays.

Follow for More

Branton said social pages for the Tallahassee location are in progress, with plans to start on Facebook and Instagram. She also pointed readers to the existing Facebook page, Southern Palate Restaurant and Catering.

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