NANCY

Good restaurant. Excellent food. Piano too loud. Secret place on St. Simons. Beet salad was truly good and salmon was perfectly cooked. Waitress picked wine for me, excellent white. Go here.

We went here for our wedding anniversary. We made reservations but I think it was unnecessary because the place was pretty empty. There was a man on the piano and the soft lighting and comfy and modern décor makes for a great romantic dinner.
We got the shrimp avocado tartlet, crawfish etouffe, salmon with jasmine rice, chocolate crème brûlée and vanilla ice cream.
My crawfish etouffe was beyond amazing. It is the perfect winter, comfort food. My husband’s salmon was pretty good too but not as close to perfection as my crawfish, which he eyed enviously.
The salad when it came on a plate didnt look as great. I wondered if this was worth it, until I took a bite. I have no idea what dressing they use but it is so so delicious. I think I could have that everyday and not be bored. I would put the dressing on everything!
The dessert-​Husband stuck to vanilla ice cream. I got the chocolate crème brûlée in a soup plate it looks pretty innocuous, like the salad until you bite into it and the soft crunch and warm chocolate flavor explodes in your mouth. They had a tiny mint leaf in there and oh my the combination of chocolate and mint packs quite the punch. An aside the dessert spoons need to be changed. The spoon they gave was quite big and heavy bottomed, it interfered with the experience.
After 3 days we are still dreaming about the great food. Cannot wait to go back to the Island and to this place.

The food at NANCY is to die for! It’s truly a one of a kind dining experience. We had a cornbread appetizer for the table which was very tasty. I ordered the salmon with white rice, pineapples and a lime-​cilantro sauce. I cleaned my plate it was so yummy! My friends ordered the chicken dish and the grouper and everyone was very happy with their orders. We ordered all four deserts for the table and once again, they were amazing. The lemon sorbet, the chocolate mousse, and the floating island were delicious. The waiting staff was great and very attentive, and the owner even came over and to chat with us. She was very sweet– she thanked us for coming and asked to see how we were enjoying our evening. They have a piano player that comes and entertains. The music is the perfect touch to the restaurant. It really adds to the ambience without being overwhelming. I LOVED this restaurant and will definitely make sure I return next time I visit Sea Island!

Such a unique and wonderful atmosphere. The food had the home cooked fresh feel and didn’t dissapoint. We had the salmon and the shrimp creole and they were both great. The only comment I would make is to have more shrimp. The desert was a pot of crème and was absolutely to die for. Overall a great pick and must try for those of you that are looking for a different meal.

I had the butternut squash lasagna. Then I looked at a pair of heels from Milan for my girlfriend. Then I sat on the largest pillow I’ve ever seen. You know, normal restaurant stuff.
Nancy is a rewarding dining experience sandwiched between a high-​fashion clothing boutique and a housewares boutique, all of which are owned by the same person. If you define a dining experience by the number of times your eyes light up, then five stars is an understatement here. A few of the «wow» moments:
— The restaurant is partitioned in half by 20-​foot-​high mirrors which, from outside, simply make the dining room look as large as it actually is. Absolutely no need to do that other than for style and intimacy. Top marks for that dedication to detail.
— Our water came out in Fiji bottles, tucked into these incredibly heavy silver «coozies» (hey, it is the South after all.) Again, so much substance where no one would expect the effort to be made.
— The wait staff and the executive chef gave us as much detail as we dared to request regarding the food, and were quick with recommendations. I always respect a place that will tell you their personal preferences.
— At the table, we had squash lasagna, balinese chicken, and french spare ribs. I don’t know how to describe the ribs with words. Sorry.
— I don’t know what the sous chef did with the «something chocolate» dessert, but I immediately asked my girlfriend if we could order another. She shot me down.
— The chef walked us through the adjacent shops, where I came upon a pillow that was surely plucked from Alice In Wonderland. Would I spend $ 450 on a pillow the size of my bed? Ask me after a few more cocktails.
Okay, I’ll stop now. The point is, go there.

All three stores that make up NANCY are worthy of 5-​star reviews.
The clothing boutique on the left has the best collection of women’s couture that you can find on the island. Nancy herself is more than willing to tell you about every piece and her latest trips to Europe to find them.
Walking through the furniture store on the right is like walking through a perfectly staged magazine shoot. If I could furnish my entire home solely with the pieces NANCY offers here, I’d never leave.
The restaurant in the middle is a perfect spot for a leisurely lunch or a gorgeous dinner. Chef Abney’s seasonal menu will keep you coming back to see what new concoctions she’s come up with. Our waitress Whitney was attentive and happy to offer recommendations when we couldn’t decide what to order. I ended up with the Balinese chicken and sticky rice and finished it off with a rich, chocolate soufflé (both delicious, but since the menu changes often I can’t ensure you’ll have the same options). The atmosphere was perfect with a pianist tickling the ivories of a beautiful grand piano right in the center of the restaurant. I loved the minimalist décor and large mirrored walls.
This is definitely a spot you’ll want to visit during your vacation and is worth a daytime visit for shopping/​browsing the stores and enjoying a nice lunch, as well as an evening visit for the best dinner in the the area! Thank you Nancy and Abney! We will be back again soon!

Nancy is three things: a restaurant, a women’s boutique, and a home furnishing boutique. The separate components fit together surprisingly well, largely because the collective focus seems to more about capturing an identity than capturing a market. It’s very fresh, from the concept to the ingredients. I love it!
The dinner menu, which appears to be seasonal, offers four or five choices each of starters, entrees, and desserts. The result is a meal comprised of ingredients that are supremely fresh and dishes that are both complimentary and distinct. We ordered an arugula salad and curried cauliflower soup to start and Balinese chicken with sticky rice and salmon over sweet potatoes for entrees. All tasted great!
We’ll definitely eat here again, and I’m looking forward to exploring the boutiques.

Several days ago, when I mentioned to a friend that my husband and I were looking forward to an evening at Nancy’s — he said he had not yet visited — and insisted I must write a review — and has reminded me daily ever since. So, it is with both joy and relief that I can fulfill his request — with a loud BRAVA ! to Chef Abney and her Staff.
Thanks to being a vacation/​resort destination, St. Simons is blessed with a number of truly great restaurants — and recently several new and interesting restaurants have added to that list — but without a doubt Nancy is among the best of the best.
Now, in case you are wondering — Nancy actually involves a series of shops — women’s clothing, home furnishings — and the restaurant. The common thread is high end, highest quality, and taste — simply ‘the best’ of each.
The restaurant sits between the Home shop and the Clothing shop — and so, particularly if you come during the day — you can easily spend several delightful hours experiencing each. Though I’ve not been to lunch yet, our friends tell us that they love it — and this is not just for ‘ladies who lunch’ — it is receiving raves from couples — whether on vacation, or just needing a break from a routine day at home.
Our visit, on a chilly, gray, Saturday evening — transported us. Even as we approached the glass front — we were beckoned inside — by bright but warm lighting, a gleaming white dining room, a staff member holding open the front door — and Chef Abney, both bidding one couple farewell, and welcoming us with hugs and hand shakes as we entered. Our table was prepared & waiting for us — and our server was relaxed and ready to settle us in with our wine selections (very well paired with the current offerings, it turned out) — as we looked over the menu and enjoyed the music of the piano in the center of the room.
Ah, the menu — it changes monthly, yet — consistently offers beautiful locally grown organic produce — as well as the very best quality in proteins — and loads of creativity. I’ve added a photo of the January Menu; take a quick look to see the options on our visit.
To begin, two of us ordered the Mushroom bisque, one chose the clafoutis, and my husband opted for the winter salad. ALL were delightful! The mushroom bisque — I’d anticipated an ‘upscale’ version of a traditional heavy winter bisque — meaty with the flavor of the mushroom & heavy with cream — but not at all! The bisque was warm — but it was light as air. The flavors within the bisque blended beautifully — and the thin brioche croutons serving as floatation for a bit of apricot jam (and a tiny mint leaf) both brightened the flavor and added another dimension to the dish.
The clafoutis — traditionally seen as a light dessert tart — was, in this incarnation a savory first course featuring new potatoes, leek and aged cheddar — and my friend clearly enjoyed it from beginning to end. My husband’s winter salad — having been recommended by our server, lived up to her accolades. It was colorful, and delicious.
For my main course — I opted for the Lamb tagine with roasted tomato, saffron couscous, toasted pita and tzatziki — a Greek/​Turkish yogurt based sauce always served cold. As lamb (a personal favorite) nevertheless often indicates a heavier meal — and a tagine is traditionally a «stew» of sorts — I was intrigued, but again anticipating (with some trepidation) a fairly heavy dish. Again, I was surprised and delighted. The tangine hinted at a ‘deconstructed’ presentation. The lamb had been slowly cooked in the tagine — to perfection — falling apart wihout need of a knife as I selected each bite. The lamb was resting on the remaining ingredients — each plated side by side — so that one could enjoy each seperately, with a bite of lamb — or combined however your taste and curiousity allowed — and the slightly salty toasted pita offered a simple crunchy counterpoint. The dish was not overly enormous, nor did I finish it feeling stuffed and heavy — it was delightful & interesting to enjoy.
The men both opted for the Organic Chicken — and both raved, my husband noting in particular that the preparation took him directly to Europe — to France and to Belgium, where he had lived for several years and enjoyed the best of European cooking. Finally, our fourth chose the Salmon dish — which was as beautiful to see as it was delicious to enjoy. As we’d attended a cocktail party before arriving at the restaurant — we now opted to forgo dessert — though we saw desserts arriving at nearby tables — and they looked wonderful — particularly the French Yogurt Cake with rum, fig, crumbled almonds and whipped cream.
Now, yes — — this is a very long review — — yet — Chef Abney Harper, along with Sous Chef Sunny Stokes have earned it — and my friend will be pleased, I hope. — the end.

Simply the best dining experience on St. Simons & Sea Island. Reminds me of my favorite dining spots in Los Angeles. Fresh & original ingredients; masterful preparation & impeccable service. The menu changes… But don’t miss the beet salad or roasted chicken. (My personal go-​to favorites.) And no one makes more amazing fish entrees. NANCY is exactly the fresh new upscale dinner option that island needed! (Great lunch too) Don’t miss it.

The food here is incredible. I absolutely love all of the salads and sandwiches. I also love the cookies-​they are decadent. The staff is extremely friendly and accommodating. And the setting is beautiful. the shopping is incredible. Chic and sophisticated. An absolute must for everyone.

Food is excellent! The cilantro slaw and chicken salad sandwich was by far my fave! SAve room for dessert too–