Tupelo Honey

Columist reviews a Southern resturant that has finally reached Upper Arlington.

BY SOPHIA WOOD ’25

The southern-rooted restaurant chain Tupelo Honey has now reached Upper Arlington, one among 26 locations across the United States. Tupelo Honey is located across from The Shops on Lane Avenue. Probably the least Southern location out there, but Tupelo Honey is perfectly convenient.

I have never tried Southern comfort food; however, this restaurant set the bar very high. When you first walk in, you are greeted with a bright and modern feel. I selected booth seating, comfortably next to a window that overlooked the patio. Unfortunately, the Ohio weather won again, and it was way too windy to sit outside comfortably. So, I went with the next best thing, booth seating. Ultimately, this restaurant had an upscale and chic feel, but also felt homey and comfortable.

I first started with a seemingly refreshing drink: the Kiss of Lavender Lemonade. The drink is made of tart lemonade, a hint of lavender and soda water. I expected the drink to have a purple color and taste sort of like a raspberry lemonade. When it came out, I was not impressed by the color; I expected it to be brighter. The glass was cute, with a rustic feeling. When I put the dewy glass up to my lips and took a generous sip I was very disappointed with this drink, to say the least. There was way too much carbonation for my liking. I am personally not a fan of soda, so this was not my favorite. It also had too much lavender flavor and reminded me of an essential oil. I expected it to have more of a lemonade flavor, but it did not. As an avid lemonade drinker, I would not get this drink again: 3/10.

After this disappointing experience, I just stuck with water. While scanning the menu, I went for a classic southern dish: chicken and waffles. This was my first time trying chicken and waffles. When the piping hot food came to my table, the smell permeated through the room. Let me just say, this is what I imagine heaven smells like. The plate was placed directly in front of me, and the hot steam embraced my face. The aroma of breakfast food and a grandmother’s kitchen are things I would have never expected to smell so good. Just thinking about the smell alone makes me hungry. I was extremely excited to indulge in this delicious southern comfort. I took the hot syrup and poured the thick liquid over the meal. The hot syrup coated the waffles perfectly, and I couldn’t wait to cut through the food. I took a bite with the chicken and the waffle, and wow was I amazed. I never expected something to taste so flavorful. I savored every bite. The waffle was nice and fluffy and had a perfect texture. The chicken was seasoned beautifully and was so crispy. This had to have been the best chicken I’ve ever tasted. I loved the combination of the savory and sweet, and they went very well together. The food came out at a perfect temperature, had wonderful flavors, and was very unique; perfect 10/10.

Overall, Tupelo Honey is a great restaurant. The price of the lemonade was $4.95, and the chicken and waffles were $15.95. Not the most expensive for one person, but can tend to be pricier the more people you have. I think that this price was worth it, and would go back again. This restaurant had a lot of great elements and made me feel very comfortable while dining. Southern comfort food is a solid 10/10. Tupelo Honey is in a great location, and a cute restaurant with great food. Overall 9.5/10.