MACON, Ga. — There's a new restaurant in Macon, and it's run by a couple who says their food is cooked "with a lot of love." Tyrondred and Jon-Kelcy Stephens opened The Sweet Couple Atl in early November, but this isn't their first rodeo.
The Stephens started the business as a catering company about five years ago, so they know their way around. They are based out of Atlanta, but Tyrondred was born and raised in Macon.
She says it's good to be home where she has a chance to "empower the community" through her cooking.
They say the hardest part of the transition from catering to restaurant business has been "trying to figure out what the people want to eat."
Tyrondred and her sister are in the kitchen whipping up something different every day.
"I venture out," she said. "Mainly we are a soul food restaurant."
They sell comfort food. Think fried chicken, meatloaf, peas, collard greens, dressing, peach cobbler, mac-and-cheese, and other traditional Southern foods.
They make everything daily in small batches. "We cook the old-fashioned way," said Jon-Kelcy.
They renovated a space on Arkwright Road to turn it into something unique and their own. One thing that has remained the same is the beautiful chandelier hanging in the heart of the dining room.
Jon-Kelcy says he wanted to take it out when they were renovating, but his wife convinced him that they could "make that thing shine again." Now, it's the first thing your eye catches as you walk in.
They have flexible hours and menus as they continue to survey what people want to eat and when. For now, they are open Thursday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., but on Saturdays they're are open for brunch from 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.
"If you're looking for real down home Southern-style cooking this is definitely the place to come, we got all the fixings," Jon-Kelcy said. "If you want it, we got it, or we'll have it the next day."
The couple still offers catering. You can reach them at 478-259-4090.
They're located at 3975 Arkwright Road Suite 6. If you don't see it when you first pull into the parking lot, it's because it's around on the side of the building.
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