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Kreggers Classic: a half-pound patty with cheddar, lettuce, tomato, onion and Kreggers sauce (a secret mustard-based sauce) on a brioche bun served with a side of jicama slaw and house-made picklin' (pickled cucumber, carrot, onion and jalapeno) (Photo courtesy Kreggers)
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Shrimp Baja Tacos: grilled shrimp, jicama slaw, mango pico de gallo, cilantro lime cream and Monterey Jack cheese served on corn tortillas (Photo courtesy Kreggers)
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Kreggers at Hand is set to open by mid- to late September. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
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The outside bar on the patio at Kreggers will have eight taps. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
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The mural at Kreggers at Hand runs along the entire building. The hands within the artwork sparked the idea for the restaurant's name. (Photo by Eileen Mellon)
More than 50 draft beers, a variety of meats smoked in house and craft cocktails with style will make their way to 2614 W. Cary St. when Kreggers at Hand opens its doors in mid- to late September.
The name Kreggers may ring a bell — Kreggers Tap and Table, the new restaurant's Ashland counterpart, debuted three years ago in Kings Charter Shopping Center when owners Craig and Vanessa Eberle grew tired of moving to different cities and uprooting their family and lives every few years; Craig was a corporate manager for national sports bar chains for over 20 years and relocated many times during that period.
Asked where they've lived, the duo, both originally from Texas, laugh.
“You want to go state or city?” asks Craig. “We used to do this as a game.”
They provide the rundown by city, Craig chiming in when Vanessa skips a spot, and Vanessa doing the same.
The list: Dallas, Austin, Houston and Arlington, Texas; Nashville, Chattanooga and Memphis, Tennessee; Indianapolis; Louisville and Lexington, Kentucky; Cincinnati; Philadelphia; Atlanta; Charlotte; and finally Richmond, where they’ve lived for the past 11 years — the longest stay in any city by far.
“It’s a world record for us,” says Vanessa.
A dose of stability that has enabled them to craft a menu reflective of their travels, snippets of faraway flavors that range from Mexican-style street corn — slicked with a sweet and spicy balance of honey butter, house-made tomatillo salsa, refreshing lime crema and a blue agave Sriracha blend, then drizzled with a feta or habanero aioli — to shrimp and grits, packed with creole spices and bits of peppercorn-crusted bacon, as well as Texas street tacos — corn tortillas stuffed with house-smoked brisket, mango pico de gallo and Spanish onions and smothered in brisket gravy.
“We spent so much time in the Southeast states, [the menu has] little bits of everywhere we’ve lived mixed in,” says Craig.
Vegetarian and gluten-free diners are not left out; in fact, two of the Eberles' daughters are vegetarian. At Kreggers, diners can find the Impossible Burger, a deceptive vegetarian sandwich that resembles the taste and texture of a classic beef patty and can be graced by toppings ranging from a jalapeno grape jelly (Vanessa swears you’ll love it) to pimento cheese or roasted poblanos.
Other offerings include fried Brussels sprouts tacos with corn salsa and tomatillo, smoked jackfruit tacos, and buffalo cukes, a playful and tangy snack of sliced cucumbers showered in hot or mild buffalo sauce with blue cheese crumbles.
“All of our food has a little flair,” says Craig. “We’re students of the game, per se — we seek out knowledge from other concepts, more brick-and-mortar, mom-and-pop places, and we’ll change it and make it ours.”
A main focus at Kreggers is the bar. A beautiful maplewood top with curvaceous live edges is accented by occasional turquoise accents — a color used throughout the space. Over 50 taps supply the main bar inside, a range of local and national craft beer, along with wines.
One beer that will always be on tap: Shiner.
“You can take the Texan out of Texas, but you can't take the Texas out of the Texan,” says Vanessa, smiling.
The couple’s Texas roots aren’t just present on the food menu, they're evident on the cocktail list as well.
Ever had a smoked margarita? At Kreggers, Olmeca Altos Reposado is smoked for about three hours before being blended with a blackberry-lemon syrup, fresh sour mix and club soda. Want to take brunch up a notch? Order a smoked Texas Beach bloody mary.
The Kreggers building, which had been vacant for the past 50 years, is unique; an elongated space with exposed brick creates a cozy feel that almost makes you forget you’re on bustling Cary Street a few blocks from the Byrd Theatre. The bottom level of the restaurant offers bench-style seating, accented by differently patterned cushions to create a bohemian feel, along with long, wooden communal tables.
The second tier, five or six steps up, offers more seating and is where the indoor bar is located. Brass accents, a mix of vintage and modern chandeliers, along with pops of bright color, all lend a hand in creating a funky, cool, almost steampunk vibe.
“This is nothing like our first restaurant in Ashland as far as look and layout,” says Craig, who gladly credits his wife for all the design work.
Accordion doors lead to the outside patio, home to a second bar — a tin building that will have a granite countertop and eight-tap system — a fire pit and a “big-ass umbrella,” as Craig describes it, that covers about two-thirds of the dog-friendly space.
Although Kreggers has TVs and a plethora of beer offerings, the owners want to break away from the sports bar mentality.
Craig wants diners to know, “We’re not a sports bar, don’t call us one.”
“We’re an athletic family, and I got sick of going to chain restaurants to watch games,” explained Vanessa about how this latest Kreggers concept came to fruition. “I want my fried Brussels sprouts, charcuterie and wine and still be able to watch the game.”
At Kreggers you can do just that.
“What we do with our food, our service, our staff, that’s what we are, and that’s what we want to be known for,” says Craig.
Kreggers at Hand will be open Monday through Wednesday 11 a.m. to midnight, Thursday from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 2 a.m.
