Harbinger owners Cameron Neal and Greer Gilchrist are ready to announce baby number two, Harken Cafe and Bakery, set to open at 62 Queen St. this fall.
“It will be the sister restaurant to Harbinger,” says Neal. In addition to similar names, the concepts will be similar in theme, too — think rustic chic decor, a variety of pastries and coffee drinks, open for breakfast and lunch daily.
“It’s a different menu,” says Neal, “but it’s still Harbinger-esque. Greer has kind of taken the French Quarter location and given a little nod with French influences to the food. Nothing is repeated.”
They’ll still use Greenville-based roaster Methodical Coffee, but look for new flavors at Harken. They aren’t trying to be a facsimile of the sweet Upper King spot — for Neal (and the shop’s loyal fanbase) there could only ever be one Harbinger.
Neal says they acquired the Queen Street space after being approached by some folks who had been visiting and came into Harbinger one day. “They found us, it was flattering,” says Neal.
Neal has been documenting the work on the old building in her Instagram stories — she says the inside is “beautiful, with a bunch of exposed brick, there’s a wall from 1705.” The bathroom doors will be made from repurposed Charleston schoolhouse doors, “just fun stuff.”
Keep up to date with the new project on Instagram, and look for the Harken to open “early fall” 2019.
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