Huck's American Craft will open next month in the Brewers Hill location where Elliott's Pour House closed last year.
Huck's is from Charlie Gjerde and his sister-in-law Carrie Podles, who are the owners of Alexander's Tavern and Papi's Tacos in Fells Point. Joining them at Huck's are the executive chef at those restaurants, Faith Paulick, as well as a third partner -- Lori Gjerde, who is Charlie Gjerde's wife and Podles' sister.
(Charlie Gjerde is the younger brother of Woodberry Kitchen owner Spike Gjerde.)
Huck's cuisine will be "a chef's take on America's favorite food," said Lori Gjerde, the managing partner of the new restaurant. "We're taking things we have all grown up on and giving it a creative twist."
Gjerde said the American-inspired menu will be approachable. "We don't want to be too serious," she said. "We want people to just come in and have fun."
Some planned menu items include Vermont grilled cheese sandwiches, Maine lobster dip, Coney Island chili and the Minnesota Juicy Lucy, a hamburger topped, and stuffed with, melted cheese.
The American theme will extend to Huck's beer and wine lists, which Gjerde said will be 100 percent domestic.
This is Lori Gjerde's first time operating a restaurant, she said, although she had full-time jobs in restaurants before starting a career in project management for the furniture industry.
"When we were discussing opening a third place and who would manage it, I said, 'I'll do it,'" Gjerde said. "I'll be building on the hard work that Carrie and Charlie have done [at Alexander's and Papi's]. They've put in the blood, sweat and tears."
The new restaurant's name, Gjerde said, is partly an allusion to Huckleberry Finn but also to the huckleberry. "That's where the concept started," Gjerde said, "with Faith experimenting with huckleberries on the menu."
The Ellliott's space is undergoing a complete cosmetic makeover to give the neighborhood tavern a more "rustic" feel, Gjerde said. The renovations will also include the installation of a kitchen, which Elliott's did not have.
The restaurant will open mid-June, Gjerde said. "We're going to get the menu up and running right away," she said.
Huck's American Craft is at 3728 Hudson St. in Brewers Hill. A website is in the works.