March Madness: Greenville News readers pick Greenville County's best shrimp & grits dish
After four rounds of head-to-head matchups over the last month, the winner of our March Madness Greenville: shrimp and grits edition has now been determined, all thanks to your votes.
Polls closed Sunday at 7 p.m., following a competitive battle between Soby's and Low Country Shrimper, with Soby's coming out on top as our winner. The final round of voting took place last week, April 1 through 8, with the downtown juggernaut and Mauldin underdog battling it out for the best shrimp and grits in Greenville.
Our tournament was filled with a few Cinderellas; round one saw more than 2,000 votes cast as the opening round watched (13) Shortfields defeat (4) Sassafras in an upset and round two, gave (15) Low Country Shrimper a one-vote victory over (9) Roost Restaurant.
Round three matched (1) Soby's against Shortfields in a battle that amassed over 47,000 votes, and the championship round paired Soby's against Mauldin's own Low Country Shrimper to determine our winner. Soby's won the final battle, receiving over 90 percent of votes.
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Interesting facts about Soby's Shrimp & Grits dish
The beloved Carl Sobocinski business has been a successful local staple since its opening more than 25 years ago, promising a thoughtfully prepared cuisine and warm service for its downtown Greenville visitors.
The restaurant uses many South Carolina artisan farmers, foragers and ranchers and offers a plentiful menu of generously portioned favorites, including a Low Country Tea Brined Pork Tenderloin, North Carolina Trout, Spicy Pimento Cheese and more, yet, none as popular as their shrimp & grits dish.
Soby's use of Anson Mills' stone ground grits is what makes the dish true to its culture and taste as the dish has been on the menu since opening in 1997. There have been at least five different versions of Soby's shrimp and grits dish styles used over the years including Gullah, Upcountry, Lowcountry, and its current New Orleans style recipe.
As of March 2024, Soby's has sold more than 260,000 orders of shrimp & grits, according to Carl Sobocinski, president of Table 301. "We've had people who never tried shrimp & grits before tell us that Soby's made them a believer, and others who grew up with the dish saying this is the best they've ever had," he added.
The current recipe calls for stone ground grits, Andouille Sausage, Piquillo Peppers, Grana Padano, Tarragon, and Tomato Creme Sauce.
Soby's is located at 207 S. Main St. in Greenville and is open 5 p.m. – 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 5 p.m. – 10 p.m. on Fridays, and on weekends from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. For information, call 864-232-7007 or visit sobys.com.
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– A.J. Jackson covers the food & dining scene, along with arts, entertainment and downtown culture for The Greenville News. Contact him by email at [email protected], and follow him on X (formally Twitter) @ajhappened. This coverage is only possible with support from our readers. Sign up today for a digital subscription.
This article originally appeared on Greenville News: Soby's restaurant wins best Shrimp & Grits dish in Greenville County
