Sarah A fun by-product of starting to travel more is that I look at my hometown with fresh eyes and see missed opportunities to explore right where I live. I drive by Canton Street nearly every day as I shuttle my kids around for school and other activities, and rarely do I stop. I’ve known that it’s a cute street, and it’s every local’s go-to for an easy date night. But after living in my current city for five years now, I’ve realized that I have never taken the time to traverse Canton Street from top to bottom and gotten a closer look. Time to remedy that!
Skip down to the list below if you want to head straight to my Canton Street recommendations. Also, check out my YouTube channel to experience a real-time walk up and down Canton Street. For a little background on my town, read on!
Roswell, GA is a busy suburb of Atlanta, but at one time it was considered way outside of town and was home to the largest cotton mill in North Georgia. The city was founded by Roswell King in the mid-1830s, when he saw the potential for a cotton mill on the rushing waters of Vickery Creek just before it connects with the Chattahoochee River. As with many of these stories of how our current towns here in the United States came to be, Mr. King didn’t give a thought to the fact that it was Cherokee land. That was a simple fix for him–-buy the land in a lottery offered by the state of Georgia, from which the Cherokee people themselves were barred. The dollar signs were big in King’s eyes as he surveyed the surrounding land, great for cotton planting, and envisioned a “colony” where the processing of cotton could be close to the plantations. So he brought about eighty enslaved people up from the Georgia coast to build his vision for him, and invited other investors to join him in his “great experiment”. By all accounts, Roswell King was not a nice man, to say the least. But the city of Roswell and its troubled past is a story for another blog, video, and audio tour coming soon!
Canton Street is one of the original streets laid out according to Roswell King’s vision, and originally was the location of some of the grand homes of investors who joined him in his endeavor to create a cotton-producing town in the North Georgia wilderness. Canton Street began a little less than a mile due north of the original Roswell city square, and after several decades post-Civil War it became the heart of the “uptown” district of the city as merchants began to move in. A small area of storefronts was constructed at the southern end of the street around the turn of the 20th century, along with cottages built along the northern end as the crumbling pre-Civil War mansions were mostly torn down. One mansion remains–Naylor Hall–now serving as a special events space. Over time, private citizens moved out of the cottages and shops and restaurants took over, although there are a few intrepid residents still hanging on.
Currently, if you take a walk from the northern to the southern end of Canton Street, about a half mile in total, you’ll pass several restaurants, tasting rooms, boutiques, salons, and galleries. The sidewalks are busy with locals walking their dogs or jogging, parents pushing strollers, families wrangling kids, and folks young and old out on the town for a nice dinner or even a late night. When I moved here, Roswell was described to me as a city for 30-somethings who used to go have fun at the bars of in-town Atlanta, and still want to have fun, but now have two kids and a dog in tow, and Canton street is where they do it. After living here for five years, I would say that Roswell is much more varied than that, but I can see why the city has that reputation.
Here are some of my favorite places to check out on Canton Street, from north to south:
- Raiford Gallery – This is a two-level gallery filled with arts, crafts, and jewelry made by local artisans. Have I ever bought anything in here? No. But it sure is fun to go in and browse!
- Gracious Plenty Bakery & Breakfast – A cute spot open for breakfast, brunch and lunch. OK OK YOU CAUGHT ME, I haven’t ever eaten here. But there is a good reason–it’s because the line is always super long, and I have young kids that will not be patient. I have heard rave reviews about the biscuits here and I’ve been wanting to go for ages. So I felt I should mention it even though I can’t provide a personal recommendation.
- Osteria Mattone – Serving elevated Italian food and wine. The atmosphere in the front patio area is amazing for a warm night, and the food is simple and delicious. I haven’t taken full advantage of the extensive wine list, but there’s always tomorrow!
- Crazy Love Coffee House – I hesitated to put this one on the list (and I can hear every Roswell mom gasping). There is no doubt that the coffee is great. It is also a little pricey. My kids love the topping-covered Belgian waffles…I do not love the mess. The parking is an adventure, but once you brave the narrow gravel alley back to the lot AND manage to secure a spot, the stress is over. They have expanded their menu in recent months and I’m curious to go back and try more.
- The Fickle Pickle – This is an all-time favorite for my family. A cute Southern cottage, converted into a restaurant, with plenty of outdoor seating, an awesome pickle plate, a menu with something for everyone, and a free cookie with kids’ meal? Perfection! You order at a counter and the meal is brought to you, and upon waiting in line I have heard grumbling from fellow patrons about how everyone who comes to visit Roswell goes here. But I think there is a reason for that! Everything is great, but my favorites are the Spicy Charleston Chicken Sandwich or the Ooey Gooey.
- Monkey 68 – OK, this is not on Canton Street, but it’s right off of it by one block, on Green Street. This is the best and fanciest sushi in Roswell, and it’s worth the price! I have never been disappointed here. Delicious cocktails, delicious appetizers, delicious sushi.
- Deep Roots Wine Market and Tasting Room – This place is so fun! It’s a wine store, and the tastings are served by WineStation machines. You get a glass, and then pay by pour. Maybe this is a common wine store setup, but even after 10 years living in the San Francisco Bay Area with several trips to wine country under my belt, I’d never seen anything like this. Great for a date night or a girls’ night out.
- Table & Main – This is elevated Southern fare, and I’m a sucker for it. If you live in metro Atlanta, you’ve seen it a million times–there’s pimento cheese, okra, barbecue, and fried chicken–but creative! Even so, it’s just good here. They don’t mess up. The inside of the restaurant, a converted cottage, is super cute, and the patio is terrific on a nice night. A great place to take the in-laws!
- Linen & Flax – This is a local Roswell outfit that has expanded from a one-woman “I’ll help you with your interior design” business to full furniture, interior design, and even clothing operation, with multiple locations on and off Canton Street. This business is successful for a reason–it really scratches the “I want it to look like Pottery Barn, but custom” itch. I love going into any and all of the stores, if only because they always have beautiful displays.
- Historic Roswell Antiques & Interiors – This antiques store looks like it’s been here for ages, and it’s everything you would expect from a southern antiques shop. Crowded displays, dusty aisles, and the detritus of past grandeur. Definitely a fun place to explore.
- 1920 Tavern – There are many choices of bars and restaurants in the “storefront” strip of Canton Street, but this is one of my favorites. The food is always great, and the cocktails are even better. There is good atmosphere both inside the restaurant and out at the sidewalk tables. The Spicy Basil cocktail is a personal favorite.
- VAS Kouzina – Fantastic Greek food and a fun atmosphere. Fresh olives and cheeses, great seafood, and truly all of the entrees are awesome. I love going to this place because it makes me feel like I’m on vacation!
- Gate City Brewing Company – This is our favorite brewery in the area. We love the beer, the large outdoor area where kids and dogs can play, the regular food trucks, and the events and entertainment. The kids can keep busy with the oversized Jenga set and other games, and we’ve even been known to order a pizza to the taproom for extended hang-out time.
Those are just a few of my favorite spots on Canton Street in Roswell, GA! See something I missed or have something to add? Drop me a comment below, I’d love to hear from you!
xoxo
S
