Port Royal’s Fat Patties serves its last burgers and beers. Here’s what’s coming next
A favorite burger and beer joint in Port Royal closed the doors on Saturday — and in its place the town is gaining an Italian restaurant.
Fat Patties was known for its casual vibe and trivia nights with many of its customers being Marines from the local base.
Located at 831 Parris Island Gateway, just 2.3 miles north of U.S. Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, new Marines were treated to free meals on Fridays, the day MCRD holds its graduations.
Owner Nick Borreggine cited three reasons for closing Fat Patties, which opened 12 years ago.
One reason was inflation, which Borreggine said “was not really kind to a burger joint.”
“My expenses were exceeding burger prices,” Borreggine said.
Borreggine also owns Shellring Ale Works on 11th Street in Port Royal overlooking Battery Creek. Owning two casual restaurants that were favorites with beer lovers meant “we are competing with ourselves,” said Borreggine, citing a second reason.
“Between Shellring and Fat Patties,” Borreggine said, “we kind of had the same customers.”
Borreggine, who also owns Alvin Ord’s Sandwich Shop on Port Royal’s Ribaut Road, says he also wants to diversify the company, Salt Marsh Brewing.
Toward that end, an Italian restaurant called Scratch Italian Kitchen will open in the Fat Patties location. There’s a need, Borreggine says, for an Italian restaurant north of the Broader River.
“We’re going to be making all of our own pasta from scratch out in the dining room,” Borreggine said. “So it’s going to be fun.”
The new restaurant, which also will be casual, will be open in 4 to 6 weeks if all goes as planned, Borreggine said. Pasta that can be cooked at home also will be available for purchase at the restaurant.
Port Royal Fat Patties opened in 2012 and a second Fat Patties opened in Bluffton in 2015. The Bluffton location, in Old Town, closed in 2021. The roughly 4,300-square-foot building was renovated and reopened as Nectar Farm Kitchen owned by Brad Blake of Skull Creek Boathouse, Orchid Paulmeier of One Hot Mama’s, Chris Carge of Poseidon and Nick Unangst of SERG corporate.
This story was originally published August 26, 2024 at 11:52 AM.
