One of the great aspects of moving to a new city is the chance to become acquainted with local restaurants. Coming from Birmingham, I have become accustomed to good, locally-owned restaurants, and I have enjoyed the chance to experience many of the great eating options this city has to offer in my short time here.

C’Sons, Cart Barn Grill, Country’s Barbecue, Mare Sol and Brickhouse Grille have all been exceptional, and I look forward for the chance to patronize each establishment long into the future. While all of these have been great, I have not had the chance to meet any of those owners to this point, which is understandable. The one owner I have had the fortune to meet to this point has been Joyce Sato, co-owner of 505 Eats.

505 Eats is one of the best lunch options in town, with a varied menu and ever-changing, unique specials to ensure there is something everyone will enjoy. While the restaurant has taken off recently, I enjoyed the chance to get to know a little more about the people who make the place “tick.”

The Sato’s are not native to LaGrange. They relocated from New Jersey 11 years ago, in 2006. Joyce had been working in fashion at the time, but her family was looking for a change of pace. An uncle approached the Sato’s about the possibility of purchasing the Shell station on Vernon Street, which they did.

As the Sato’s became settled, Joyce began selling sandwiches and small lunch options out of the station. The rest is history, as they have now built out the current restaurant and have developed a loyal client base thanks to the quality they produce.

What is so compelling about the story of 505 Eats is the entrepreneurial spirit tied up in the business. The Sato’s had no culinary training, no restaurant ownership experience. But they did have a passion and an idea, which can both go a long way when properly tended to.

The Sato’s are a wonderful example of the kind of drive, determination and talent permeating this city, and I look forward for the chance to uncover more of these stories.

Baker Ellis is publisher of the LaGrange Daily News. He can be reached by phone at 706.407.2657 or by email at baker.ellis@lagrangenews.com