Oak Street: A Favorite Pocket of Roswell

It’s no mystery that visitors to Roswell often think of Canton Street first when they consider spending time in our city. This area alone features the highest concentration of chef-driven restaurants, event venues, local retailers, art galleries and more. What makes Roswell stand apart, however, is its makeup of enjoyable pockets throughout town – from the eastside, to the westside, and everything in-between. Visitors can enjoy some of the best food, drink and live music at From the Earth Brewing Company within Connexion Plaza off Holcomb Bridge Rd. They can venture down Hwy 92 and experience an authentic Italian menu at Bellini Osteria Toscana. They can immerse themselves inside the butterfly encounter at the Chattahoochee Nature Center, and just steps away walk on a peaceful stretch of boardwalk next to the Chattahoochee River. Our visitors can even step back into the 1800s and tour our historic homes in the area of Town Square, where Roswell was founded. While we have an abundance of things to do and assets to offer, we want to highlight one particular area that’s generating quite a buzz and experiencing great progress in becoming a sought-after pocket of town. Located between Canton Street and Town Square, Oak Street offers a little of everything.

Sunny & Ranney

Born out of the need to transform the lives of kids with special needs, Sunny & Ranney is one cool storefront that sells to the public designer home goods and furniture to support home makeovers for those same children. Each time a customer buys an item at Sunny & Ranney, the profit goes directly to their charity, Sunshine on a Ranney Day. SOARD renovates homes for children who need wheelchair-accessible bathrooms, dream bedrooms and therapy rooms to improve their independence and development. SOARD’s headquarters is also located on Oak Street, just a short walk away from Sunny & Ranney. With over 17,000 kids already impacted by generous donations over the years, the store continues to bring sunshine every day to children, families, and communities.

ZuZZu

Proprietor Sam Stuhlman knows how to run a restaurant, and ZuZZu offers an experience perhaps like no other in Roswell. What makes this place so special is that it specializes in Sicilian fare. ZuZZu’s also become known for its pizzas, which are cooked onsite in a beautiful wood-burning oven. Quality-wise, we’re talking fresh ingredients, fresh herbs, fresh homemade sauces and fresh, handmade pastas. Need a recommendation? ZuZZu’s lasagna is a favorite among locals and always receives well-deserved attention and praise. Be sure to say hello to Sam, as there’s a very good chance you’ll see him bouncing around from table to table.

Blended Family

Scott Mayer named the company as an homage to his own family, of which he is one of nine siblings – a number that even expanded over time. We love how they boldly state on their homepage, “created by a bartender, not a marketing team.” You’ve probably even consumed Blended Family liqueurs without even knowing it. Offering liqueurs that include their No. 4 Peach, No. 8 Raspberry, No. 17 Triple Sec and No. 22 Blueberry, Blended Family’s products are used in cocktails throughout town and beyond. The company’s even expanded its offerings into Atlanta-based businesses that include stores and bottle shops all over the metro area.

A Peach of a Party

Owner and Chef Cat Plant cut her teeth in food and beverage in the catering sector of the events industry. Over the past four decades, A Peach of a Party’s earned a reputation as a beloved maker of delicious Southern foods. Selling ready-to-heat casseroles, along with a mix of dips and desserts, this group prides itself on offering zero factory-processed meats. Chicken that’s boiled and pulled by hand daily, beef that’s cut down and braised in the kitchen and all efforts completed under daily USDA inspection to ensure the highest safety standards are followed all give A Peach of the Party even more of a reason to be command respect within the F&B community. Favorite sellers include King Ranch Chicken and Beef Burgundy, but let us tell you, we’re big fans of the Buffalo Chicken Dip, too.

5/4 Meadery

5/4 Meadery’s a farm winery located on the backside of the development that houses Casa Robles. Focused on producing dry meads and hard ciders, 5/4 Meadery’s quickly cementing itself as a favorite spot in Roswell, offering a product about which many are still becoming familiar. As they say themselves, “all too often mead is pigeonholed as a sweet dessert wine. Mead doesn’t have to be sweet and, as such, 5/4 Meadery specializes in producing phenomenal dry carbonated and still meads.” Within the location is a variety of meads, from their flagship “Bassline,” which is a dry, still, traditional, full strength Show Mead, to their “Lunga,” a full-strength, traditional, still dry mead aged on a combination of French and American oak.

Oak Street Bottle Shop

More than your traditional watering hole, Oak Street Bottle Shop’s become a go-to for live music and special events. Scott Harb, the brainchild behind TopJob Hospitality (his business offering banquet setup and breakdown, servers, captains, bartenders and stewards/dishwashers), started Oak Street Bottle Shop as a small location selling mostly craft beer. Nowadays, you can expect to catch live music and entertainment just about every weekend in a setting that’s expanded to include tents and a plethora of comfy Adirondack chairs. Scott and team have also become known for their growing number of community events, such as their Spring Festival, cornhole tournaments, Pure Barre popup classes, open mic jazz jam sessions and family fun nights. Their beer list is pretty impressive, too.

So, the next time you venture to the 30075, budget in some time for a stop or two at any of the above-mentioned establishments. Each of these businesses is made up of individuals who have put an enormous amount of time, effort and financial investment into creating something special. We’re appreciative of what they’ve done to create a destination in and of itself and look forward to their continued partnerships and successes in the years to come. For more information on where to stay, places to visit and things to do in Roswell, check out VisitRoswellGA.com and be sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram.