Last October, my wife and I pulled up 30-year-old roots in Vail and relocated to Roswell, after a sudden chain of events, including the sale of our previous restaurant Terra Bistro and the COVID-19 pandemic, upended our lives.
While traveling to investigate the warmer states of the Southeast, Roswell’s quality of life and highly-rated high schools drew us in. We discovered historic downtown Roswell and fell in love with the old Public House space across from Roswell Square. We learned of Roswell’s history and this location’s ties to the beginnings of Roswell itself. It was almost love at first sight and we knew our space on Atlanta Street would be our new restaurant home.
We knew the concept would be similar to our previous restaurant, Terra Bistro, which was upscale, adventurous, and inspired by international cuisine. That’s because the chef in me cannot resist the draw of bold flavors and a never-ending quest for the perfect bite. I can remember feeling the same way as a teenage line cook more than 35 years ago.
We moved in but hadn’t yet decided on a name for the new restaurant. While kicking around a few possibilities, neighbors would stop by. Their community pride and excitement to see this iconic space coming back to life was intense and inspiring. It became obvious that the name of the restaurant had to connect to Roswell. Of course, our location on Atlanta Street provided the answer, A-Street.
One year later, we are blown away by the support and encouragement. We’re still getting to know our neighbors' tastes, so our menus are constantly evolving. Some staples are Potato Crusted Grouper, Guinness Glazed Ribs, and Catherine’s Revenge, which is a gin cocktail named after our resident spirit. There is so much history here to draw inspiration from.
This month we’re especially looking forward to a quiet Thanksgiving at home as A-Street will be closed for the holiday. Kellie made me promise that, because Thanksgiving at our last place was one of our busiest days of the year and I’ve never had that holiday off.