Home cooking from a Culinary Institute of America graduate—what more could you want? Chef Gary Brown, who worked his way through San Antonio’s CIA campus, offers up seriously good meatloaf, smothered pork chops, fried fish, and the like with sides ranging from mac and cheese to collard greens, all perfect with a tall glass of sweet tea.

Start with the gumbo, which builds on a dark and rich roux base with just enough pork and shrimp to give the whole bowl a riot of flavor. If you love crispy fried chicken, Pappy’s crackling good crust cannot be beat. Neither can the succulent ham steak, an occasional special. The enormous beef ribs have been slow-roasted in a Creole sauce until the meat tears away easily. If the cornbread is less than thrilling, it just means that you have more room for dessert—though you can’t always depend on the kitchen to have every last sweet possibility mentioned. Pecan brittle is a rare commodity, buttermilk pie was available only once, and peach cobbler only on a couple of visits. Grab any or all of these when they appear. A regular who lives by the dictum “Life’s short, eat dessert first” started with the buttermilk pie and closed with the peach cobbler. The smothered pork chops in between were but a savory palate cleanser.

The restaurant is modest but clean and boasts brightly colored vinyl tablecloths. Whether it’s your first time or your 50th, the staff will treat you as if you’ve just returned home.