The Grit
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The Grit is a vegetarian restaurant located in Athens, Georgia, U.S.A.
The restaurant opened in 1986, in a 19th Century structure that was, at that time, located within Athens' red light district. The neighborhood has since become more upscale and now contains several older structures that have been transformed into modern commercial or residential spaces, as was The Grit.
Although it attracts a diverse clientele The Grit is perhaps best known for its relationship to the Athens music scene. It is located on the edge of downtown Athens, site of numerous performance venues. The Grit is a popular stop for touring performers as well as local musicians. Although he is not involved in the operation of the restaurant the structure housing it is owned by R.E.M. lead singer Michael Stipe. In 2001 the restaurant's owners published The Grit Cookbook: World-Wise, Down-Home Recipes, which contains testimonials from many of The Grit's fans in the music industry and elsewhere. Admirers included Stipe, Kate Pierson (of the B-52s), Kevn Kinney, Vic Chesnutt and Spalding Gray, along with members of Pylon, Widespread Panic, Fugazi, The Jayhawks, Counting Crows, and even Hee Haw's Marianne Rogers. The Grit's menu is entirely vegetarian, and a significant portion of items are vegan.
Jessica Greene and Ted Hafer bought the restaurant in 1996. Hafer had been a founding member of the Athens band Porn Orchard in the 1980s. Greene and Hafer co-authored The Grit Cookbook in 2001. In the morning hours of 9 November 2007 Hafer fell to his death from a downtown Athens parking garage. It was reported that he "likely committed suicide". Hafer was 42. He was euologized as a passionate musician and philanthropist. In news coverage of his death, the restaurant was described as "wildly popular" and the source of "worldwide fame."
[edit] External links
- The Grit web site
