Gourmet pimento cheese brand opens the first brick and mortar café in the South offering a creative menu focused on pimento cheese
Suga’s Pimento Cheeses, a sought-after staple since 2017 at farmers markets, festivals and local stores in the Atlanta metro area and nationwide recently via online ordering, has opened a brick and mortar restaurant with an imaginative menu focusing on gourmet pimento cheese. Suga’s Cheese Shoppe & Café is the first restaurant in the South and quite possibly in the nation to centerpiece pimento cheese. The 1,700 square foot shoppe, located at 4456 Marietta Street in the northwestern Atlanta suburb of Powder Springs, is currently open Wednesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Chef Stacey West earned the nickname “Suga” (pronounced “Shuh-gah”) when her first grandbaby was born and she didn’t want to be called “grandma.” She quickly became known as “Chef Suga.” Chef Suga graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Atlanta and worked with some of the top chefs in the Atlanta Metro area, including Chef Hilary of The Hil at Serenbe and Chef Holly, executive chef of Georgia Grown. With her husband Robert West, a financial specialist, and her son Quinton Jones, also a chef, Suga’s Enterprises, LLC launched in April 2016.
“Our café was easily the next step for our popular gourmet pimento cheese brand,” said Stacey West, aka Chef Suga, co-founder and creator of Suga’s Pimento Cheeses. “Our customers often beg for recipes and perfect pairings, so opening a café was the next logical step in our brand’s evolution. We get to treat our guests to deliciousness on site and really get to know them. This special and unique café in downtown Power Springs is perfect for us, for the area’s redevelopment, and to showcase the 12 varieties of pimento cheese we lovingly handcraft daily.”
Chef Suga will incorporate her award-winning signature pimento cheese flavors, including Black Truffle, Roasted Poblano with Monterey Jack, Jalapeno, Pesto & Feta, Original, Bacon Asiago with Jalapeno, Smoked Gouda and four vegan options into delicious café entrees with enticing monikers such as:
- Shrimp Scampi – pesto & feta pimento cheese in a creamy white wine garlic sauce, sautéed onions & grape tomatoes on a bed of angel hair pasta. Served with garlic bread
- The Black Truffle Pimento Cheese Burger – sauteed mushrooms, black truffle pimento cheese, topped with crispy shallots and black truffle aioli sauce
- Southern Pimento Cheesesteak – Suga’s original pimento cheese, provolone cheese, caramelized onions, lettuce & tomatoes
- Smoked Gouda Mac Balls – smoked gouda pimento mac n’ cheese balls, fried & served with marinara sauce
- The Vegan Zesty Burger – original vegantastic pimento cheese, alfalfa sprouts, black bean hummus tomato jam, caramelized onion, avocado slices and special zesty sauce featuring vegantastic pimento cheese
Suga’s Cheese Shoppe will also feature other fan favorites like mini charcuterie plates, a menu of wraps and soups, and even a dessert and sweets menu showcasing marvelous cheese surprises such as Pimento Cheese Cheesecakes and Pimento Cheese Cookies.
The café and shoppe offers a well-stocked retail area featuring cheese-themed items including pickles, jams, chips, popcorn, charcuterie boards, aprons and many other items. And, of course, Suga’s Pimento Cheeses to go. Find the shoppe at 4456 Marietta Street, Powder Springs, GA 30127 or online at www.sugascheeseshoppe.com.
Stacey West earned the nickname “Suga” (pronounced “Shuh-gah”) when her first grandbaby was born and she didn’t want to be called “grandma.” She quickly became known as “Chef Suga.” Chef Suga graduated from Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts in Atlanta and worked with some of the top chefs in the Atlanta Metro area, including Chef Hilary of The Hil at Serenbe and Chef Holly, executive chef of Georgia Grown. With her husband, Robert West and her son Quinton Jones, also a chef, she launched Suga’s Enterprises, LLC in April 2016 offering southern brunch favorites such as chicken and waffles with maple butter, catfish po’ boys, sweet potato corn muffins, and pimento cheese and grits. Customers overwhelmingly latched onto the pimento cheese and Suga’s Pimento Cheeses launched in June 2017. Still a staple at farmers markets, festivals and local stores in the Atlanta metro area, Suga’s Cheese Shoppe & Café is the latest innovation for the Powder Springs, Ga.-headquartered brand. Find more information about Chef Suga and her cravable pimento cheeses at: www.sugasfood.com.