Southern Style Bistro is a contemporary restaurant and caterer offering authentic home-style southern cuisine with a modern twist. Currently housed as the food provider for The Judge’s Bench in Ellicott City, Maryland, Southern Style Bistro is bringing new menu elements to a long-standing pub environment.
Chef Cheryl (Townsend) Smallwood is the main food service force behind Southern Style Bistro. She brings over 25 years of experience in food service and catering to the business. The Bistro provides authentic home-style southern cuisine with a smile. Offerings include delicious entrees, tantalizing chicken dishes, savory baby back ribs, fresh seafood, fresh vegetables, sensational appetizers, tempting desserts and refreshing beverages. The twist to what most would know as southern cuisine will be the infusion of gourmet touches (and some heath-conscious substitutions) into those sumptuous traditional “soul food” favorites that many have come to know and love.
About The Judge’s Bench
During the 1800’s in historic Ellicott City, a small stone building at the corner parking lot on Main Street and Ellicott Mills Drive was the original Howard County Courthouse. It was destroyed in the 2018 flood. Our building was a small “mom and pop” grocery store. Without air conditioning in those days, the heat-exhausted judges would come across the street and sit on shaded benches outside the grocery store and enjoy cold beverages. This is how our location became known as “The Judge’s Bench.”
Currently, The Judge’s Bench Pub features craft beer (19 rotating drafts), largest selection of single malt whiskies in MD (390+), and numerous bourbons, ryes, wine, and other spirits (130+). Food is provided under contract with Cheryl Smallwood/Southern Style Bistro.