Food allergies, specialty diets, particular preferences—everyone is welcome at Emily’s Table
There were many moments when Emily Fournier could have backed out of her plans to open her health-focused bodega and cafe in downtown Greenville. Among the biggest obstacles: discovering her building would need special foundational support to meet code, contending with an aging water main line, losing her first chef after delays in opening, and contending with unexpected construction that would delay the opening of Emily’s Pantry for more than a year.
But having lived with undiagnosed severe food allergies for most of her life, Fournier is nothing if not resilient.
Today, Emily’s Pantry is a charming cafe serving breakfast and lunch five days a week, plus a market offering a curated selection of wine and beer, fresh baked treats, and soft-serve ice cream—and everything is adaptable to fit any food preference or need. This twist makes Emily’s Pantry unique, because anyone, no matter their food allergy, specialty diet, or preferences, can safely enjoy the menu. “I wanted to do a restaurant that can take care of people,” Fournier says.
The approach comes from a personal place. It was just 15 years ago that Fournier discovered she was allergic to seven different foods–gluten, corn, peanuts, almonds, soy, cow milk, and sesame. The discovery came after years of suffering stomachaches, fatigue, inflammation, and unexplained pain. It changed Fournier’s life.
Dining out proved a challenge. “When I found out about my allergies, chefs would get mad at me, like, ‘You’re altering my menu,’” Fournier recalls. Often it meant she ended up with a plain chicken breast and a few bland asparagus spears.
“When I hired Jimmy, he said, ‘We’re gonna get you some food!’” Fournier says with a grin.
The Pantry’s allergen-friendly reputation
Since opening in October, The Pantry has grown a following thanks to executive chef Jimmy Norris’s delectable food. Norris, whose background includes Southern Culture Kitchen, LTO Burger, and White Wine and Butter, had never worked in an allergy-friendly restaurant, but he was eager to try.
The chef spent weeks developing and honing his menu, pulling from his Southern roots to elicit deep flavor that did not rely on gluten or dairy. This means everything, from the blackened Caesar chicken wrap and the Reuben to the avocado breakfast club and the short rib tacos, can be made gluten- and dairy-free. “My ideal is to make menu items that taste exactly as they would a regular dish,” Norris says. “I want people to eat just as good as the person next to them.”
Fournier’s idea for a healthy cafe and market began as a childhood dream. At 14, she wrote out her business plan and set it aside for 30 years. She spent two decades as a lawyer, but she was always happiest hosting parties and dinners, and always found her true fulfillment came from food and hospitality. Even today, she’s always ready to host.
“I’m from New Orleans,” she says with a laugh. “You could open my pantry and I could throw you a party right now! I might not be able to cook you dinner, but I have party supplies in my pantry at all times.”
The hosting has now become part passion and part mission, and Fournier is not done with her allergen-friendly dining revolution. She has plans to open Emily’s Table at 110 N. Main Street, a fine-dining restaurant experience with a similar approach, next year.
Reflecting on the journey from a 14-year-old’s dream to now, Fournier smiles widely. “My greatest joy here is when a mom comes in with her celiac child and she says, ‘Thank you, thank you, thank you,’” Fournier says. “You see this relief in their eyes that they cannot believe their child can eat everything on the menu.” 
What makes Emily’s Pantry unique?
- Every menu item is designed to accommodate the top nine food allergens: cow’s milk, eggs, shellfish, fish, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, wheat, and soybeans.
- Each dish is made in pieces so it can be customized to fit dietary needs.
- Chef Jimmy Norris spent weeks perfecting his dairy- and gluten-free sauces, marinades, and seasoning blends to ensure they tasted the same as his original versions.
- Chef Norris’s menu leans on fresh herbs, house spice blends, and seasonal ingredients.
- Emily’s Pantry is open for breakfast and lunch Tuesday–Saturday, and for dinner Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
- Don’t skip Happy Hour 4–6p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 3–5p.m. Saturday, when all beer and wine is 10 percent off
Best Sellers
- Emily’s Med Bowl: Full of veggies, grilled chicken, crispy chickpeas, brown rice, and a green goddess dressing.
- Blackened Caesar Wrap: The flavor comes from a proprietary blend of spices and a flavor-packed Caesar dressing that happens to be completely dairy-free.
- Manchego and Fig Grilled Cheese: Fig jam and Manchego cheese are the perfect pair on artisan bread. Manchego is a sheep’s-milk cheese, which is often better tolerated by those with cow’s-milk sensitivity.
- Desserts: Cookies, brownies, and cupcakes are gluten- and dairy-free, baked fresh by Dee Norris, chef Jimmy Norris’s wife and the owner of D’Lightful D’Sserts.
241 N. Main St., Greenville, emilyspantry.com
