If you’re looking for all the charm and hospitality of a casual dinner in the South, but don’t particularly feel like leaving the Pacific Time Zone, head to Alta Adams.

Their versions of Southern classics are great–specifically, the black-eyed pea fritters and the shrimp and grits–and the staff is very friendly and attentive. There’s moist, crunchy fried chicken served with homemade hot sauce and vanilla-coated candied yams topped with a handful of chopped pecans. They’ve also got a solid list of vegan options, including smoked tofu gumbo and BBQ cauliflower in a miso pureé.

We also highly recommend booking a table on their warmly lit patio and taking advantage of the excellent list of cocktails. They’re the right balance of sweet and refreshing, not to mention strong enough to make you forget about that white hair you found on your head this morning. And if you’re planning a special date night, there's a $30 wine flight that's fun to share. Anyone interested in learning more about women & BIPOC winemakers should also check out Adams Wine Shop right next door, run by the same people.

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Food Rundown

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Black Eyed Pea Fritters

Not starting your meal at Alta with these fritters is like skipping the opening bank robbery scene in The Dark Knight - it might not seem absolutely essential, but you missed out on something really good.

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Sides

The three best sides are the collard greens, an excellent carrot salad with spicy peppers, peanuts, and mint, and the mac and cheese, which could’ve been served a little warmer, but still goes well with everything.

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Fried Chicken

This fried chicken is perfectly crispy, super moist, and comes with a very good hot sauce on the side. In other words, it’s really, really great fried chicken.

Catch Of The Day

The fish on the menu changes seasonally, and the two we've had are both great. The striped bass had crispy, salty skin, and a very good light habanero sauce on top.

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Pork Chop

This pork chop comes slightly pink, and with a great pickled vegetable sauce. But it’s the main we’d be most likely to skip - it can be fatty, and doesn’t pack the same flavor as the other meats.

photo credit: Jakob Layman

Oxtails And Rice

These are the best oxtails we’ve ever eaten. They’re, flavorful, gravy-doused, and served over brown rice. We will never not order them when we come here.