Searcy restaurant Savor + Sip reopens with new menu, take-out options

Searcy, AR – Savor + Sip, a downtown Searcy coffee shop and restaurant, was among the many businesses that closed their doors during the early days of the Coronavirus pandemic. But now they are ready to reopen their doors to the public offering a new take-out option as well as a new-look menu that features creative new coffee beverages as well as new salad and sandwich options.

Savor + Sip plans to open back up this week after being closed amid COVID-19. During the extended close, the staff worked diligently to update the menu to fit current to-go needs. This time was spent creating new food and drink items that Owner Amelia Braun says aline more to the original idea for the eatery.

While Savor + Sip held a soft opening over the past weekend, they’ll officially reopen their doors to the public this Tuesday, June 2nd. While the dining room will be open, it will be limited to reduced capacity in line with state regulations. To accommodate diners, Savor + Sip will now make take-out available.

The restaurant has been closed since March 19th. Braun said that the extended shut down was originally intended to be two weeks but the decision was made to stay closed in order to keep their customers and staff safe. 

Braun says that the staff has been using this time to work on menu changes.“All of us working on this are really excited about what we’re doing,” said Braun “We are super excited about opening, super excited to make every single item, and to have people try new things.” The unique twists on the new menu are all part of Braun’s original vision for the restaurant and will include new sandwich options, doubled salad options, and many new ‘cocktail’ coffee drinks.

Among the new sandwiches diners will find available, is the ‘Breakfast Toast’; an open-faced sandwich with avocado, a fried egg, bacon, and caramelized onions atop a toasted slice of Savor + Sip’s new house-made bread. Or, you can try the new ‘Turkey Apple Swiss,’ with smoked turkey, thinly sliced apples, caramelized onions, swiss cheese. Along with being served on the new “baked fresh daily” bread, this sandwich will feature Savor + Sips new house-made mayonnaise.

The salad menu has doubled in size with two new additions; the ‘Visby’ and the ‘Trust Me.’ The ‘Visby’ features apples, blueberries, goat cheese, almonds, and arugula all tossed in their new balsamic vinegar dressing. The ‘Trust Me’ salad, which Baun states to be her favorite, starts with a spring mix from 5 Acre Farms out of Pleasant Plains, Arkansas. That’s topped with turkey, artichoke hearts, gorgonzola cheese, and herbed pecans and grapes and it’s all covered in Savor + Sips’ new house-made white wine vinaigrette.

For the drink menu changes, Savor and Sip’s baristas turned to classic cocktails for their inspirations. Among the new signature beverages is the ‘Summer Lime’ coffee, which Braun describes as “an easy and enjoyable drink.” The ‘New Fashioned’ is a fresh spin on the classic cocktail, the Old Fashioned, but replaces the alcohol with espresso.

As always, Savor + Sip will have their regular coffee menu available as well as their seasonal syrups. This summer the signature syrups are coconut and rose and will be available in any coffee beverage, new and old.

Savor + Sip is one of many businesses in Searcy that closed down for an extended period of time. Like others, Braun utilized this time to make changes to the menu that she had been waiting to make for a long time. “We wanted to make everything on this menu stuff that we would all eat all the time,” said Braun.  “I never owned a restaurant before this and I think I got too caught up in the side of things like ‘oh what would everyone like’, and we lost ourselves in that.”

The other reason for the new menu additions is to add items that are better suited for take-out. So, while Savor + Sip’s signature item, the crepes, will remain on the menu, it will do so as a brunch and weekend option only.

Along with changes to the menu, Braun wanted to do more to feature other local businesses in the dishes they serve. Savor and Sip has partnered with 5 Acre Farms and will now include their produce in recipes. 5 Acre Farms is a local produce establishment that can be seen at the Searcy Farmers Market and Good Measure Market.

To find more information about Savor and Sip visit their Facebook page or go to the restaurant located at 110 North Spring Street Searcy, Arkansas. Their hours of operation will be 8 am- 8 pm from Tuesday to Sunday.