When Haymarket/Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine solicited suggestions for places to go for winter cocktails, the magazine received an overwhelming response from people recommending a new restaurant called Grain & Grog.
Founded by two couples, Mikey and Jessie Love of Front Royal and Steven Chandler and Ali Mernin of Leesburg, the Gainesville restaurant results from years of planning and a shared vision for a place where locals can gather.
The four owners decided that exceptional food and top-notch service were non-negotiable.
“If you’ve got great food, great atmosphere and great service, people will come out,” Jessie Love said. “They especially love that we are family-run.”
Since opening in early October, Grain & Grog in The MarketPlace in Madison Crescent has quickly become a favorite “it” spot for locals hungry for an independently owned and operated authentic American restaurant.
Jessie, whose enthusiasm for the restaurant is contagious, said the response from the community has been phenomenal. “We definitely got popular very quickly, which is a great problem to have.”
Grain & Grog offers a tavern-style menu with a focus on specials. Diners can expect dishes like the Burrata Cheesesteak, Monte Cristo, and the smashburger-style Tavern Burger for lunch, while dinner options include a Crab and Shrimp Carbonara and a slow-roasted Honey Bourbon BBQ Pork Chop.
“We wanted to offer classic dishes while incorporating unique twists on comfort foods,” said chef Ed Kellams. He recommends the beer-braised short ribs, served with a rich fennel demi-glaze, noting they take 10 hours to prepare.
“I always do the Reuben,” Mikey said. It sounds like a casual dish, but it is roasted completely in-house.
“We slow-roast the whole loin for 18 hours, so the meat is incredibly tender and full of flavor,” Kellams said.
Everyone has a favorite dish. “Mine is the tavern burger. I’m a burger person,” Mernin said, explaining how the founders ate burgers for days until they got the formula just perfect.
The restaurant’s cocktail menu includes classics like old-fashioneds, margaritas and negronis, but also house-made seasonal specials.
“We use fresh-squeezed juices and make in-house syrups and purees to provide the best cocktails possible,” Mikey said.
The beer selection includes a mix of local craft brews and sought-after seasonal varieties.
Additionally, the restaurant partners with local businesses, sourcing microgreens from Living Springs Microgreens in Amissville. Cold brew coffee is sourced from Culture Cup, located in the shopping center.
People often comment about the restaurant’s unique name. The team wanted a name that conveyed its casual yet sophisticated atmosphere without using conventional “bar and grill” terminology.
“It was harder than naming our child,” Mikey said. “We didn’t want to be too quirky, but didn’t want to be too generic.”
They chose “Grain,” evoking a farm-to-table approach, and “Grog,” a slang term for alcohol and moniker for a warm cocktail with lemon and honey. The name indicates their food and drink is cultivated with care.
And it’s catchy. “Our customers have really embraced the name,” Jessie said.
When it comes to creating the right environment, the owners draw on their combined experience. Chandler has more than 25 years in the service industry in bartending and bar management in Virginia, Washington and San Diego, giving him an understanding of sophisticated urban dining.
Mikey Love, originally of Centreville, has spent 30 years in the industry. Jessie, who grew up in Gainesville, brings experience in restaurant management and her family’s business at the Occoquan Marina. Mernin, who has worked in both hospitality and accounting, rounds out the team.
From the start, the owners of Grain & Grog have prioritized engaging with and supporting the local community.
“Before our doors had even opened, we reached out to the community to start looking for ways to give back, sponsoring a local baseball team in 2024,” Chandler said.
The restaurant sponsors the Grain & Grog Growlers co-ed adult master division lacrosse team and the Battlefield High School cheerleading squad.
And although housed in a shopping center, Grain & Grog believes they have created a distinct and inviting space. The location is also convenient for those who live and work nearby.
“It has been absolutely incredible,” Jessie said, explaining how those living in surrounding condos, townhomes and single families have embraced them. “They’ve really been looking for a place to come in here.”
Jo Mundorf and Niki Karageorges, who work at Arthur Murray Dance Center, made Grain & Grog their go-to place before or after work. They speak mostly highly of the staff and service.
“It’s a convenient location and the staff is friendly. They remembered us from the get-go, even before we were even regulars.” Karageorges said.
She also likes the fun “vibe” and that the restaurant is open late when they get off work.
Employees said they feel a similar sense of belonging at the restaurant.
“Genuinely, this is the biggest family that I have ever worked for,” said server Maddie Corwin of Haymarket. “We come here when I have off. We want to be here.”
On weekends, the tavern is hopping. Live music plays a key part of the restaurant’s ambiance, with performances every Friday and Saturday evening.
With only 90 indoor seats, the weekend dinner rush is the restaurant’s biggest challenge, Jessie said, but it is a “good problem to have.”
Once the weather gets warm, the owners plan to add 40 patio seats. They also hope to increase weekday traffic by inviting business meetings and networking groups.
Knowing they could have gone in different directions, they feel fortunate that they landed where they did.
“Being in the industry, we knew Gainesville needed a cozy, welcoming place where families could enjoy a great meal and drink to match,” Jessie said. “We searched for over five years to find this place. We knew the moment we saw the space that this is where Grain & Grog was meant to be.”
Find out more at GrainandGrog.com.
Jennifer Waldera is an award-winning freelance writer published in numerous print and digital publications. When she’s not crafting creative content, Jennifer can be found exploring new spots, indulging in some quality time with a new novel or magazine or streaming shows about food, drinks and travel.
Read more from Haymarket Gainesville Lifestyle Magazine via InsideNova.
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