Heritage & Grits

Left to Right: London Harrell (General Manager), Tyler Smith (Chef), Glenn Patterson Wilson (Owner,) & Shawn Moriarty (Server).

Halifax was steeped in notoriety well before the modern era and is a substantially important factor in how the country became what it is today. On April 12th 1776 the Fourth Continental Congress met in Halifax, N.C. and passed its own official declaration of independence from English rule with the signing of the Halifax Resolves. This became the foundational stone by which the official United States Declaration of Independence was created and adopted three months later.

Area native Glenn Patterson Wilson was born in Halifax and grew up in the home of William R. Davie, noted Revolutionary War officer and 10th governor of North Carolina. The home, an important historic site sitting astride the Roanoke River, was later donated by the family to Historic Halifax. Patterson's lasting impression of the area’s history followed her when she made a life for herself in the hotel industry. After working with Marriott International for 32 years, traveling the world and creating beautiful places for people to enjoy, she returned to Halifax in 2015. Wilson said her return wasn’t about bringing the big city back home. For her, it meant taking everything she’d learned and using it to bring out the best of what was already here. “There was no adjustment,” she said. “At my core.

I’m a small town girl. I think small town It’s my upbringing. You deal with everybody. In the cities people are isolated to whatever section they’re in. We’re lucky we all live and work together. We’re not divided up.” On King Street, the main thoroughfare through town, the old hardware store sat idly. Patterson confided she had a lot of fond memories of the place. She recalled people gathered around the old pot-bellied stove talking and drinking Pepsi. “Because this is the South and we drink Pepsi,” she remarked.

She bought that hardware store and began its transformation, saying that through the years she’s found that things become more beautiful when they are paired with things that are less refined. She used relics of a bygone time and comfortable furniture to create a waiting area that encourages sticking around for a while. Edison bulbs give the place a warm and inviting feel and play games of shadows across the hardwood floors. The bar begs you to come and have a seat while the friendly staff go out of their way to make you feel at home

“I wanted to create a warmth and sense of community,” she commented and admitted that seeing the place lit up at night, hearing the people inside talking and laughing gives her a great sense of pride. “My profession and career career was design,” she said. “So, yes it was all planned out, conceptualized and drawn out to scale before work was begun. My inspiration was the building and Halifax’s history. I wanted to keep the building’s interior architecture as original and authentic as possible while having the decor reflect the part Halifax played in the creation of the United States. Hence the 1776, 1876 and 1976 flags and the 13 colonies staircase. The supporting details and furnishings were selected to create a rustic but comfortable environment. The name was inspired by British pubs from my years in England. Pubs are community gathering places in Britain and I wanted the restaurant to be a community gathering place. For example, The Fox and the Hound, from this, The Hen & the Hog was born.” Patterson went on to say that her background in design allows her to see things that other people sometimes miss and that creating a beautiful space is all about composition.

A lot of time and effort was put into the aesthetic of the building but even more goes into creating culinary standards for the region. She exercises strict control over the menu, then dishes are created by Chef Tyler Smith. “He does put his spin on most things though,” she said. Tyler studied at Johnson & Wales but credits his parents, who are pastors, for his love for food and cooking. Being the pastor’s child, he said, exposed him to a lot of mentors in Southern Cuisine and lots of opportunities to cook. Tyler said his most inspired dish is the pulled pork – a dish that takes countless hours of cooking and tending. “I could safely tell you that I had a lot of mentors that are skilled in pig cooking,” he remarked. “In fact, some of them got so good at it that they stopped competing and started judging. The pulled pork sandwich, every time I make it, it takes me back. It makes getting up that early worthwhile.”

Customers' favorite dish, according to Tyler, is the Shrimp & Grits. “I own that recipe,” he said in a delighted tone. “I don’t like to toot my own horn but our Shrimp & Grits – a lot of people toot it for me. Shrimp & Grits is regional and what you get in South Carolina will be different from what you get in New Orleans.” Tyler admitted he has secret ingredients, which he would not share but aside from that, he feels one of the key ingredients is balance. “My mom is Filipino and they use a lot of spices,” he said. “I learned at an early aged that there is a giant world of spices and the key is perfectly balancing them.

It’s that balance along with quality ingredients that Patterson said makes The Hen & The Hog an experiential destination that people travel from places like Raleigh and Greenville, N.C. to be part of. She insists on regional and and North Carolina sourcing. Fruits and vegetables are used only in-season. Eating at The Hen & The Hog, according to Patterson is about celebrating North Carolina food. “We don’t serve anything out of a frozen food bag,” she said in her best tone of Southern Belle. “We have standards.”

For some of the best food in the region, The Hen & The Hog is worth the trip.

The Hen & The Hog is open for lunch Tuesday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and for dinner Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Drinks are served starting at 5 p.m. and the kitchen is open from 6 to 10 p.m. The establishment also offers catering for meetings and events Call 252- 583-1017 for more information and reservations.