3 minute read
Rare Bird
Part restaurant, part retail — all Finches
Written by SOPHIA LEOPOLD Photography by KENDRA FRANKLE
Finches’ menu changes regularly, but the Bay of Pigs sandwich with crispy boneless pork shoulder and Swiss cheese on a Cuban loaf is a fan favorite.
FINCHES SANDWICHES &
SUNDRIES co-owners Miles and Rebecca Matthews heard on good authority that every day, an average of 40,000 cars cross the city via Victory Drive. Populated by superstores, sprawling parking lots and fast-food fixes, the thoroughfare is one of Savannah’s roads most traveled. Just off of this busy stretch, however, sits Mechanics Avenue, a quiet street in Thunderbolt featuring an immaculately preserved filling station, a second-hand wonderland (YES Antiques & Thrift) and now, the Matthews’ multifaceted, meticulously designed restaurant-meets-retail experience.
In a few short months, the Matthews and their business partner, Jamie Pleta, transformed a 780-square-foot mechanics garage into a destination for takeaway daytime fare and retail therapy. Finches’ front of house features a boutique instead of indoor seating, but guests can linger outside, where clusters of wire chairs surround crackling bonfires on chillier days, and where it’s OK to sip champagne alongside a (thyme- infused) grilled cheese. Everything at Finches feels cheerful and cheeky, from the verdant AstroTurf to the turmeric- infused pickled onions punching up the grilled eggplant sandwich — dubbed “The Inappropriate Emoji” — served on a retro, tangerine-hued tray.
“I felt like [Thunderbolt] needed
something with a bit of local fl air and good quality food,” Miles says. “Something that maybe you would fi nd in downtown Savannah, but that wasn’t here yet.” Born in the Northeast, Miles built his career in fi ne-dining kitchens, from Cape Cod’s Truro Vineyards, where he met Rebecca, to the opening team at Husk Savannah. Like Husk, Finches also features daily menus, and Miles often looks to the iconic sandwiches he grew up with for inspiration: chicken sandwiches, pork belly and even the humble PB&J. “I try to play off those classics and give them a twist,” he says. Finches also off ers a lighter selection of sides, like pickled vegetables and vegan soups, proving “you can have a lot of fl avor without having everything being super decadent.”
Miles brings culinary prowess to the
table, while Rebecca, who has spent her life surrounded by sales, from antiques to high-end boutiques, is Finches’ master merchandiser. “I think in my past life I did all of my shopping at a general store,” she says. “I love the idea [of a place] where people would grab the essentials. You got your fashion ‘ya ya’s’ out at the same time you picked up a slab of meat.”
In her nod to general stores past, Rebecca’s curation reflects a mix of eras and locales: it’s as much vintage New England clam shack as it is mid-century, poolside Palm Springs. Pop in for food, and you might also peruse vintage cake stands piled high with Auspicious Baking Co.’s pop-tarts (the bakery also supplies Finches’ sandwich bread), a collection of wicker picnic baskets and beaded necklaces in kaleidoscope colors. Some items are made locally in Savannah while others are just things Rebecca fancies. “I love the element of surprise and the unexpected,” Rebecca says. “I’ve got headbands in here. Why not have a sandwich and a headband in the same afternoon?”
The fun, lighthearted vibe across sandwiches and sundries alike is all a part of Finches’ mission, Miles says. “I don’t think we’re ever going to be too formal. I mean, you’re eating off an elementary school lunch tray.”
—Rebecca Matthews , co-owner, Finches Sandwiches & Sundries
The 21 Savage patty melt sandwich
