Here's What We Know About The Jonas Brothers' Southern Restaurant
The Jonas Brothers showed they have their fingers in several different pies (literally) with the 2016 opening of Nellie's Southern Kitchen in Belmont, North Carolina. As the Gaston Gazette notes, the boys' father, Kevin Jonas Sr., originally envisioned the restaurant as a tribute to the cooking skills of his beloved grandmother. With the COVID-19 pandemic raging, Kevin Sr. seized the opportunity to improve the dining experience for customers who harshly criticized Nellie's during its initial years of operation. "Overall, we are making improvements to make sure that any obstacle that we faced in our first four years is addressed during this time before we transition back into our full service," he explained.
Kevin Sr. added, "We are like many. Taking this season and carefully preparing for either short term or long-term limitations so that we're stable." Improvements were being made across the board targeting efficiency, in particular, as well as lighting and service, with an "all-star" general manager brought in to keep things ticking over at all times. Kevin Sr. was adamant they'd take the pandemic in stride and use it as an opportunity to do better, noting, "We've worked hard to bring something to Belmont and Gaston County that I believe would make my grandmother proud. That's been the goal all along." Now, Nellie's is expanding with a second location in one of the most well-populated, and indeed popular, cities in the U.S.
Nellie's Southern Kitchen is expanding to Sin City
Per People, Nellie's Southern Kitchen will open its doors in Las Vegas in early 2022. Owners Kevin Jonas Sr. and Denise Jonas are, of course, parents to pop superstars Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas, aka The Jonas Brothers. "When you walk in, we want you to find that Southern hospitality and comfort that my grandmother represented," Kevin Sr. gushed of their long-planned second location. Nellie's Las Vegas will be 11,000 square feet in size and situated in the District by the MGM Grand Garden Arena, but Kevin Sr. made it clear he intends to bring some hometown magic to the strip. "I grew up in my grandparents' home ... My grandmother would come home, covered in cotton after working in the cotton mill all day, and just start making us the most amazing food," he explained.
Southern staples including shrimp and grits populate the menu, the recipes for which have been passed down for generations. Kevin Sr.'s top picks are the chicken and dumplings and banana pudding, enthusing of their popularity with diners, "That makes me very happy because of all the things my grandmother made, those were the two that when I came home were waiting for me," he said, per Eater. Music is a key part of the experience in Nellie's too, with a small stage set up in Belmont and an even bigger one planned for Vegas. With any luck, the Jonas Brothers might pop by for an impromptu concert someday.