A Day in the Life of a Liquid Life Intern: Taste Local Flavor at The Southern Grind!

Hey to all of my beach people - it’s Audra Grace again! Is your appetite in need for a local favorite and a meal that will have you relishing each bite? Whether it is for breakfast, lunch, or your mid-morning need for speed (AKA a large cup of coffee), Southern Grind is right up your alley. When you stop by you will find your new home away from home as the staff welcomes you in like family. And not only is the coffee and staff amazing, but so is the story behind this Alabama Gulf Coast gem. 

What was once just a dream to open a small restaurant, is now a “cross between Starbucks, Panera Bread, and Pottery Barn,” as the owner likes to describe it, that still holds true to its original vision with a mom-and-pop charm. This personable and pleasant little corner of paradise is just what people are searching for when they ask where the locals love to dine.

The idea was formed when Mr. McPhillips found himself meeting people all over the country at various coffee shops for his previous job and found a distinct common interest among folks, that also doubles as a social activity, - a love for coffee and food. After talking to people from all over the island, he came to the decision that the one thing that Orange Beach was lacking was a locally-owned coffee shop that you could spend hours in enjoying the glorious aroma of coffee brewing as you eat your tasty breakfast. During the process of finalizing the plans for their dream, Mrs. McPhillips suggested during a long walk on the beach together that they name Orange Beach’s new favorite spot, the Southern Grind. 

Southern Grind’s aesthetic is one of a relaxed beach home that everyone travels down to the coast to experience. Not only is the menu one that will have you eagerly waiting the delicious meal that will satisfy your appetite or your need for caffeine, the owners have created a unique place in making a coffee shop that does not want you just to order and speed on out to the rest of your errands like you will find in most coffee shops. One of the main goals for the Southern Grind is to have you savoring the aesthetic of the space (and your food), so much so that you never want to leave. While you are tasting either the crab cake salad or the nitro cold brew, be sure to browse the room for your new favorite items for your home. The husband and wife duo that made the wonderful treasure that is the Southern Grind wanted to make the experience more unique by investing in both his love for service through food and her eye for interior design. With the beautiful wooden signs, comfy throw pillows, and intricate necklaces and earrings, you will come home with all new decor to make your home look like it sits along the coast.

Being one of our hints of flavor now for eight years on the island, Southern Grind has been a joy to every new and returning visitor of the Gulf Coast. Whether you stumble upon the location at The Wharf, or the one along Perdido Beach Blvd, your taste buds will thank you for it. Their menu has something for grandpa’s love for coffee, mom’s desire for the Garden Omelette, and the kids' need for gelato. Everyone will find their favorite meal from the trip that they will be begging to go back for more. Also, while you are here be sure to try my personal favorite, the Mozzarella, Tomato, and Basil Panini. 

Published on Friday, August 14, 2020