Former Kinjo owner opens new restaurant specializing in familiar favorites. See inside.

The former owner of Kinjo Kitchen + Cocktails is back with a new restaurant in downtown Macon that emphasizes comfort food in a familiar atmosphere.

J. Reid’s Tavern, which opened at 317 Cotton Avenue in March, is the next venture for former Kinjo Kitchen + Cocktails owner Chelsea Hughes. She runs it alongside her partner, Jonathan Johnson.

Hughes said that while Kinjo emphasized Asian fusion food that was new to many diners, J. Reid’s Tavern returns to simple and familiar flavors made with high-quality ingredients and attention to detail.

“With Kinjo, my goal was to make something educational to an extent,” Hughes said. “It was a wonderful endeavor…but for this, I really felt like offering people something they are familiar with, that they crave, but they don’t always have time to go home and cook.”

Some of the most popular items have been the chicken pot pie, a personal-sized version of the dinner table favorite with roasted chicken and veggies inside; the Cubano sandwich, which brings together honey ham, roasted pork mustard and pickles in a crunchy, savory bite; and the margherita flatbread, made from homemade tomato basil sauce on a warm crust topped with juicy heirloom tomatoes.

Other highlights include the kale salad, which includes massaged kale paired with arugula, apple, red onion, parmesan, bacon and a raspberry vinaigrette for a refreshing dish with just a hint of sweetness, and the ham and cheese sliders, made from honey baked ham and melted cheese between fluffy, honey butter-glazed buns.

“A lot of what you see on the menu are dishes that we make at home,” Hughes said.

J. Reid’s Tavern also has a full bar serving craft cocktails, wine and beer on tap.

Hughes and Johnson said they wanted the space to elicit the same comfort as the food does. Housed in a space that was once home to the Bibb Music Center, they chose the building for its spacious interior, abundance of natural light and the large patio out back.

While it may be called a tavern, Hughes and Johnson didn’t let that limit their decor. The eatery is open and airy, and Hughes is in the process of covering a wall in the indoor dining room with painting, posters, tapestries and other ephemera.

“A tavern is like low lighting and brick walls and old-time-y wooden furniture,” Hughes said. “It’s like an upscale tavern with more natural light. A little bit more modern, more sophisticated.”

J. Reid’s Tavern is open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.