A new restaurant called Pergola is set to open its doors Friday at 2537 N. Pleasantburg Drive in Greenville, marking the first independent venture for executive chef Nelson de Hoyos after nearly a decade running high-end steakhouse operations across the Southeast. The restaurant takes its name from a custom outdoor structure built into its new patio, and its arrival adds another original concept to a commercial corridor.
According to FOX Carolina News, Pergola is preparing for its Friday opening at the North Pleasantburg Drive address. De Hoyos spent nearly ten years with Halls Chophouse Management Group, where he helped launch Halls Chophouse Columbia and oversaw restaurant operations across South Carolina and Tennessee, according to euphoria Greenville. He also worked at Rick Erwin's before deciding to strike out on his own with Pergola.
A Space With History on Pleasantburg
The building at 2537 N. Pleasantburg Drive isn't new to Greenville diners. The address previously housed a hybrid concept that served as Maverick Biscuit in the mornings and switched over to Travinia Italian Kitchen & Wine Bar in the evenings, according to the Greenville Journal. Pergola's arrival there continues a pattern playing out across the city's dining corridors, following moves like the concept shift Hoodline reported in its Augusta Road restaurant shakeup coverage.
The renovated space kept two fireplaces inherited from the building's past life, now paired with sage green accents throughout the dining room. There's a private dining room that seats 30, plus an outdoor patio anchored by the custom pergola that gave the restaurant its name — a nod that came about, per the same account, after an earlier site deal involving multiple pergolas fell through.
Wagyu Pastrami and a Biodynamic Wine List
Pergola's New American menu leans on seasonal ingredients, with dishes like wagyu pastrami, housemade pastas, lion's mane mushrooms, fermented vegetables, oysters and ceviche rounding out the offerings. Weekend brunch will include bottomless mimosas, the outlet notes.
The beverage program was developed by co-owner Leigha de Hoyos in collaboration with local sommelier Brian Hogue, who curated a dedicated biodynamic wine list for the restaurant. The pairing of chef-driven food with a curated wine list reflects the kind of ambition the couple is bringing to their first solo project together.
Family Art Fills the Dining Room
Inside, the design draws on family history as much as culinary background. Artwork inspired by abstract painter Nelson de Hoyos Sr., the chef's father, is displayed.
Opening Into a Growing Local Dining Economy
Pergola is opening into a food and beverage sector that's been posting strong numbers locally. S&P Global Ratings raised Greenville County's hospitality tax revenue bond rating to AA- in August, citing strong revenue growth from the county's 2% tax on prepared food and beverage sales. Statewide, South Carolina's restaurant and hospitality sector generates roughly $31 billion in annual economic impact and supports more than 340,000 jobs — about one in eight jobs in the state, per the South Carolina Legislature. The independent restaurant sector is also part of the restaurant landscape.
Closer to home, tourism and dining activity in Greenville County generate a $2.5 billion annual economic impact, supporting nearly one in 25 local jobs and contributing $201 million in state and local taxes, according to data from VisitGreenvilleSC. The city has dining options overall, including independent, locally owned businesses. Pergola opens Friday, adding another new concept to the local dining scene.
