Since opening in the fall, Hello Monty has become the darling of Main Street. The restaurant is the brainchild of veteran restaurateur Rob Gentry, who was one of the masterminds behind Big River Grill & Brewing Works, who then went on to open Blue Plate Diner and that funky little Robar with its lineup of retro cocktails, and his brewmaster brother, Clay Gentry, widely regarded as one of the tops in the craft beer industry. Their latest entry brings new flavors to the Southside.
What’s in a name, you may ponder. This restaurant, located in one of the historic brick buildings at the corner of Main and Cowart, got its name from a colorful figure in Chattanooga history, B. Rush Montgomery – Monty to his friends. A man with a booming voice and huge promoter of his hometown, Monty once stated that Chattanooga would one day boast a population of 1 million and be the center of the universe.
While Montgomery’s prediction has not (yet) come to fruition, his namesake eatery, which seats 175 people inside and out, is the center of attention Wednesday through Sunday for thirsty patrons and hungry diners around the neighborhood and beyond.
THE MENU
There’s a distinct Southern twist to a menu that’s rather cosmopolitan. By that, I don’t mean fancy, but with flavors from around the globe. You can dine on mussels from Bangs Island, Maine; salmon that we know doesn’t come from the Tennessee River; and chicken from Springer Mountain in Georgia.