The Commercial Appeal - Go Memphis
Breakfast pop-up Kinfolk to open a restaurant
Kinfolk will soon have its own home. The popular weekend breakfast popup at Comeback Coffee is moving to 111 Harbor Town Square this summer.
Chef and owner Cole Jeanes said he hopes to open the restaurant in mid-august.
“Think of this as version 3.0 of Kinfolk,” he said of his plans for the next step of his business.
Jeanes first launched Kinfolk in 2017 as a vendor at the now-closed Puck Food Hall. After a stint catering private events and working for chef Jimmy Gentry (where his famous herb biscuits appeared on the brunch menu of P.O. Press), Jeanes relaunched Kinfolk in February 2022 at Comeback Coffee.
Here’s what we know about the new restaurant that will be open for breakfast and lunch.
What’s on the menu at Kinfolk?
You know something is good when people stand in line for it. That’s the case for the biscuit sandwiches that Jeanes creates for his Kinfolk weekend breakfast pop-up at Comeback Coffee. Every Saturday and Sunday morning there is a line out the door of this coffee chop in the Pinch District of Downtown Memphis.
Jeanes said his most popular biscuit sandwiches will remain on the menu, but to expect much more.
“There will be a plethora of menu items,” he said, explaining the concept will be like an upscale Waffle House.
He said the menu will be Southerninspired, but with some global influences.
One new change is that breakfast sandwiches will also be available on milk bread as well as brioche buns. More breakfast bowls will be added, including one made with Anson Mills oats and another with a yogurt base. Plated breakfasts will include dishes like a “Big Breakfast” with everything on it as well as a Steak and Eggs.
“We will also be making hoecakes. Think pancakes but with corn as an in
gredient,” he said.
Lunch options will include BLTS, a Katsu-style sandwich, homemade egg and pimento salads on milk bread and a smoked trout salad made with Arkansas trout.
And while he won’t be serving a smash burger on the menu (Jeanes is part of the group behind The Secret Smash Society burger pop-ups), he will offer a Patty Melt.
What will the Kinfolk restaurant be like?
The 1,500-square-foot restaurant will seat 40 guests and have an outdoor patio.
Jeanes has brought on designer Natalie Lieberman of Collect + Curate Studio to help with the space. “I originally said I wanted a diner, but I am learning that’s not exactly the look I want. Natalie is helping create the right look,” he said.
Rowdy Dept. owner and designer
Kyle Taylor is also helping with the project. The Memphis artist has designed all of Kinfolk’s branding.
Unlike the pop-ups, the new Kinfolk
dining experience will be that of a fullservice restaurant, with servers.
Jeanes said because the building was recently remodeled for a restaurant, they are keeping the current layout — which includes a bar. He has plans to offer a limited bar service that includes a couple Southern beers, a handful of cocktails, drip coffee and cold brew. He’s in search of fountain set-up to serve Cheerwine soda.
Do I have to wait until August to enjoy a Kinfolk biscuit?
The answer is no! Kinfolk will continue its weekly pop-ups at Comeback Coffee, at least until July.
“In July, we will need to turn our focus on getting the restaurant ready,” said Jeanes, adding people should check social media to confirm pop-up dates and times.
Jeanes said he will also continue to do pop-up dinners, like the ones he does with Etowah Hunt Club. “Since we won’t be open at night, we might do some Etowah pop-ups monthly — like a steak dinner,” he said.
Jennifer Chandler is the Food & Dining reporter at The Commercial Appeal. She can be reached at jennifer.chandler@commercialappeal.com and you can follow her on Twitter and Instagram at @cookwjennifer.