Spice and Gravy restaurant opened in Arlington in March 2023 and serves its own version of Southern comfort recipes.
It had been Mary Sholars’ dream to own a restaurant since she was a little girl, and after the pandemic, the timing was finally right to bring it to fruition.
From classic chicken and waffles to lemon pepper chicken and grits, Sholars experiments and makes things her own way, always with family in her heart.
Sholars gets much of her inspiration in the kitchen from her mother.
“My mom used to just create everything from her heart, and everyone swarmed to the house on the holidays to eat it and I was her little sous-chef. … So I started learning what goes in dishes at a young age,” Sholars said.
The owner’s family has been particularly supportive of the opening, making this a true family project. Sholars’ husband, Reginald, helps run the establishment, helping to manage the front while Mary works primarily in the kitchen. Her adult children often come to help too, around once or twice a week.
While it’s been a joy to follow her dream, Sholars says that her favorite part of the venture so far has been the customers. Especially those who take the time to talk with her and compliment her food.
“I love that. … I had a kid the other day and they were just [eating] chicken nuggets and he was like, ‘These are the best chicken nuggets I’ve ever had.’ ... It was like having a grandkid right there,” Sholars said.
At its roots, Spice and Gravy is about family, including customers.
There is a wall in the restaurant that Sholars calls the family wall. It is decorated with photos of customers who come in a few times.
“That’s what we feel when people come in a lot. We reach out to them and we talk and I say, ‘You feel like family, can we get you on the wall?’”
The Sholars are looking forward to the future of their family-centered business and are adding to their menu, most notably some new spins on their chicken and waffles, very soon.
Spice and Gravy is at 7401 Matlock Road, Suite 115, Arlington. It is a cashless establishment. spicegravy.com.
