Rock Bottom puts Southwest spin on new menu

Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery has revamped its menu with more sharable appetizers and an expanded burger selection.

The Chattanooga, Tenn.-based chain conducts a “major menu refresh” every 12 to 18 months, said Carrie Kleban, chief marketing officer at CraftWorks Restaurants & Breweries Inc., Rock Bottom’s parent company.

The latest menu features a Southwest theme, she said — a return to Rock Bottom’s roots.

“Essentially, every restaurant goes through a refresh period where they need to change their menu,” she said. “The new menu is a combination of classic pub food, and then our house favorites with a Southwest twist.”

Menu changes are intended to keep customers interested, and to “clearly provide our current guests with variety,” Kleban said.

New menu offerings include mini street tacos — a shareable appetizer — with pork, tilapia or beef for $9.95; made-to-order guacamole with tortilla chips for $8.50; and Lobster and Shrimp Enchiladas with peppers, tomato, and cheese in blue corn tortillas for $14.95.

The burger section of the menu was expanded to include more non-beef options, Kleban said, including veggie-, chicken-, and turkey-based options. Burger prices range from $8.50 to $10.50.

“That’s one of those classic pub foods,” she said of the burger selection. “We’ve added some interesting ones you don’t usually see.”

Rock Bottom also introduced a number of classic cocktails, each with a twist. “We play off the popularity of margaritas and mojitos as well,” she said, adding that the chain is also highlighting its beers, all of which are brewed in house.

New cocktails included a Classic Manhattan made with Woodford Reserve bourbon, bitters and sweet vermouth, and a Grapefruit Collins made with Bombay Sapphire gin, soda and grapefruit juice, both for $8.50.

The restaurant also added more mac ’n cheese options, with a blackened shrimp version for $14.95 and a bacon chicken version for $14.50. The mac ’n cheese is a customer favorite, Kleban said.

Other new menu items include:

• Woodford Reserve Bourbon Glazed Salmon, which is served with vegetables and lemon rice for $18.95.
• Turkey Meatloaf, made with Italian sausage and ground turkey, topped with a pomodoro sauce. It’s served with vegetables and white Cheddar mashed potatoes for $13.95.
• Baby Back Ribs, which comes with apple coleslaw and French fries for $17.95.

Rock Bottom’s new menu was first introduced in September.

Contact Erin Dostal at [email protected].
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