Leah & Louise, the anticipated restaurant from Uptown Yolk owners Greg and Subrina Collier, will open on March 20. The juke joint-inspired restaurant is on Camp North End’s campus off Statesville Road.

Named for Greg’s late sister and grandmother, the concept is steeped in Memphis personality, as well as African-American culinary traditions. The interior reflects that, with a design that feels equal parts grandma’s living room and the neighborhood corner restaurant.

A juke joint was a popular hangout for black Southerners during segregation. They served bootlegged liquor and were a home of the blues. We spoke to Subrina in detail about the inspiration in an earlier story.

On the menu at Leah & Louise are dishes that fuse African and Southern heritages in what has become Greg Collier’s signature style of cooking. Dishes include a catfish stew, oxtail and dumplings, and hot fried quail. There will also be a “Pay What You Can” dish, something former Heirloom owner Clark Barlowe encouraged all local restaurants to do at a recent James Beard Award roundtable. To further strengthen a sense of community, the 58-seat restaurant includes a 16-seat community table.

Greg Collier, a recent James Beard Award semi-finalist for Best Chef: Southeast for the second year in a row, put an emphasis on hiring black female chefs. Justin Hazelton, who bartended for several years at 5Church, will run the bar program. The restaurant will be cashless.

Unpretentious Palate subscribers will get a chance to attend a preview dinner event at the restaurant on Thursday, March 19. Tickets will go on sale Friday, March 13. —Kristen Wile

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