What are grits? A very fair question for those of us on this side of the world, who may not be familiar with the iconic staple food of America's South. Grits are made of dried corn, ground and boiled into a porridge-like consistency, and they get their name from their coarse, almost 'gritty' texture. Many know it as a quintessential part of soul food – the ethnic cuisine of the African American community. This is different from 'Southern food', a broader term that includes Texan barbecue, Creole dishes and the like.
About 16,000 kilometres away, there's a café in Singapore where grits aren't just a side dish, but the main event. Nitty Gritty is the project of American-Singaporean couple Matthew and Wanyu Bradley, born out of numerous trips to Matthew's hometown, Detroit, where the restaurants there serve up honest-to-goodness, flavour-packed plates of shrimp and grits. In 2025, the couple opened Nitty Gritty in Outram Park with the intention of introducing the dish to local diners, but not without a uniquely Singaporean twist.
The name 'Nitty Gritty', of course, has to do with putting love, care and attention into the smallest of details. So it makes sense that the 40-seater café feels like home, with warm Autumnal tones of brown and mustard yellow, plush couches and a photo wall dubbed "The Grit Wall". It's even picked up online attention recently for its toilets, thoughtfully stocked with amenities like stain-removing wipes and sanitary pads – a touch of Southern hospitality. Guests can also purchase hand-knitted coasters by Wanyu's mother or cop some of the café's merch on their way out.
Grits here act as a canvas for various toppings, from the signature shrimp and grits ($23), inspired by a version of the dish the couple tried in Dearborn, Michigan, to hyperlocal combinations like garlic ginger grits with Hainanese chicken ($19), or, for the more adventurous, sous vide frog legs ($23). Nitty Gritty uses Chinese ground corn, which Matthew tells us tastes the same as maize from the South. Chicken stock and water are then ladled on, and the secret to achieving the perfect texture lies in continuously stirring the mixture over low heat.
All three of the dishes above sit firmly in the fusion category. Honey garlic shrimps, torched baby nai bai and a sunny-side-up egg sit atop a bed of creamy, cheese grits, with a dollop of chilli oil to top it all off – ingredients which, barring the grits, are distinctly Asian. Then there's the more obvious Hainanese chicken, one of the local dishes which Matthew fell in love with when he moved to Singapore. Sous vide chicken is paired with torched oyster sauce baby kai lan and pickled cucumbers, over a fitting base of garlic ginger grits. The accompanying chilli sauce, though on the sweeter side, further lifts the flavours.
Meanwhile, the deboned frog legs grits is an invention born out of necessity rather than creativity. It was something Matthew whipped up for Wanyu's mother after she was discharged from the hospital, given the Chinese belief that one shouldn't consume chicken or seafood after surgery. In a surprising turn of events, the frog legs, cooked till succulent and perfumed with a smoky aroma, turned out to be quite a hit among the family, leading the couple to feel confident adding it to the menu.
More Singaporean renditions of grits are underway. The smoked beef brisket rendang grits ($32) and assam pedas grits ($30) have recently been added to the menu, and the couple are keen on pushing out flavours like bak kut teh and laksa in the next couple of months. But for those who prefer sticking to Western-leaning flavours, we'd recommend ordering the Any Given Sunday Grits ($29) which features fried chicken breast, creamy cheese grits, sweet potato purée and seasoned greens. The duck confit grits ($34) and beef bacon and cheese grits ($25) are other possible options, while the apple butter grits with toffee apple crisps ($14) are a sweet alternative.
Beyond grits, the joint also serves up other soul food classics, like Momma's Baked Mac & Cheese ($18), a reinterpretation of Matthew's mother's recipe, and the Peach Cobbler Cloud Waffles ($21), inspired by the traditional American dessert.
For a joint specialising in grits and soul food, the drinks selection is unusually impressive. Four flavoured lattes can be found on the menu, with specialties like the Sweet Tina latte ($7) – named after Matthew's sister, who likes her coffee with cinnamon and honey, and the orange blossom latte ($7), another of Tina's favourites.
But it's the selection of Edison Oxley beverages that catches our eye. These are 10 homemade ciders and drinks which all use house-made syrups, and are freshly carbonated upon ordering. The sparkling apple cream cider ($11) is a labour-intensive blend of five types of apples, including Envy, Fuji, and Granny Smith varieties. Naturally sweet and topped with whipped cream and apple chips, it's easy to see why it's a crowd-favourite. The butterscotch soda ($8), MoTown ($8) and Brad-Lee Barley ($7) drinks seem like interesting picks as well.
You'd be hard-pressed to find another restaurant in Singapore as dedicated to grits, and we like that Nitty Gritty brings something new to the table by adding a personal and localised spin to the Southern dish. While purists will say this isn't grits in its most authentic, traditional form as what you'd find in the States, the joint still nails the spirit of grits as a hearty staple food. Prices do sit on the higher side for what it is – at its core, corn porridge – and some elements like the chilli sauces aren't made in-house. But plenty of others are, and with little to no corner-cutting. In a city where there's a real lack of Southern soul food, Nitty Gritty fills that gap with charm and warmth. Go for the novelty, stay for the comfort and leave pleasantly surprised that grits can be a lot more exciting than what you'd imagine.
Nitty Gritty is open from 11am to 9pm on Wednesdays to Saturdays and noon to 9pm on Sundays, at 21 Teo Hong Rd, #01-01, Singapore 088331.
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