A new restaurant opened in downtown Fayetteville last week.
Down South Family Restaurant & Bar opened Friday at 106 Person St., the former location of Caruso’s Confections, which served Italian dishes and desserts from 2018 to 2023.
Owned by Fayetteville native Demario Wilson and his wife Ayana Wilson, the new eatery bills itself as an upscale Southern American restaurant and full-service bar.
The most popular dish at the 2,200-square-foot restaurant, which seats about 40 indoors and a dozen on the patio, has been the Southern spring rolls with collard greens, candied yams and macaroni and cheese, Ayana Wilson said.
“You can taste it all in one bite,” she said Tuesday. “With the sweetness of the yams, the salty and smoky collard greens and the cheesiness of the macaroni and cheese, your taste buds are just dancing.”
The food is homemade and made to order, Wilson said, and dishes like fried ribs and chicken are popular with downtown diners.
Wings, which can be ordered in batches of six or 12, with sauces and spices such as barbecue, mango habanero, hot honey and lemon pepper, have also been in high demand, she said.
Down South Family also has a full-service bar. Signature cocktails include the Down South Favorite, which contains a whopping four tequilas and costs $22. The bar serves Forbidden Fruit, a libation made with vodka, passion fruit, cranberry and orange juice, and a Hennessy Lemon Drop, made with the premium cognac it’s named after. Most cocktails range from $13 to $16.
More than 100 customers came during the opening weekend, Wilson said, and the restaurant completely sold out of food.
“It was incredible,” she said. “It was really word of mouth that helped us.”
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While her husband runs the kitchen and she oversees operations, Wilson said the family looks forward to serving the community.
“We’re trying to show as much Southern hospitality and love as we can,” she said. “It’s been a dream.”
Down South Family Menu Prices
Appetizers range from $11 to $16, salads from $11 to $14, and mains start at $22. Most cocktails are between $13 and $16.
The main dishes are accompanied by soul food sides such as collard greens, candied yams, fried okra, French fries, macaroni and cheese and rice with gravy. They are available a la carte starting at $4.50, or you can choose three of them as a “vegetarian plate” for $11.
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Drinks like fresh-squeezed lemonade and homemade sweet tea are $3.50. Kids can order chicken tenders or wings with a side of their choice for $9.
Down South Family is hiring
The restaurant is hiring for all positions, Wilson said. Applicants can visit downsouthfamily.com/apply or email their resume to [email protected].
The details
Address: 106 Persons St.
Hours: Tuesday to Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Contact: 910-753-4430
Online: downsouthfamily.com, facebook.com/dsfrestaurant and @dsfrestaurant on Instagram
Food, dining and culture reporter Taylor Shook can be reached at [email protected]. Want Fayetteville food news in your inbox? Sign up for the Fayetteville Foodies newsletter.
