Dorothy Overstreet was Bayou la Batre born and raised amoungst a family of incredible cooks. She remembers her Mom and Dad participating in all the Bayou Tasting events and preparing their seafood gumbo and more for the masses of people that would attend each year. Overstreet enjoys feeding folks and finds cooking very cathartic. She is also a talented singer and songwriter, and lived in Nashville for a while before honing her cooking skills at Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta. After returning to Baldwin County, Dorothy focused on offering catering services. Opening a restaurant of her very own has been a dream of Dorothy’s for some time and she knew it was now or never. When a spot on Daphne’s Main Street came available this past July, she knew the timing was right and this was her opportunity. She
admired the industrial feel and clean lines of the small cozy space.
It reminded her of places she had frequented in Nashville with just the right feeling of a intimate, yet approachable, neighborhood restaurant. In addition to the main dining area, there is a side deck that is used for outdoor seating when the weather is conducive.
In October the KITCHEN ON MAIN opened its doors to the public with a menu of Dorothy’s recipes that she has perfected over the years. Everything is hand crafted using the freshest of ingredients. The menu of American fare is comprised on small plates, sharebles, add-ons, large plates and desserts. The seafood selections change more frequently and the other selections are subject to change based on seasonality. There is a full bar and a wine list that compliments the dinner menu. Kitchen on Main is currently open for dinner only Tuesday through Saturday from 5pm until 9pm. Reservations are accepted but not required. Be sure to follow “Kitchen on Main” on Facebook to see what’s cookin’.
Kitchen On Main • 1716 Main Street • Daphne • (251) 307-5350
Pizza is just part of who Paul Mulhern, Jr. is. His Italian Grandmother, heritage and childhood summers spent with family in Brooklyn pizza kitchens greatly influenced his career path and in retrospect, helped make him the man he is today.
Something Sweet Bake Shop in Daphne has a new owner. Fairhope native, Renee Maradik has had an variety of different jobs from teaching to banking to administration. With all of her experience, in addition to an MBA she decided it was time for her to make a go of it on her own. She happened upon a local business opportunity online that intrigued her. After the initial inquiry, and within weeks, the transfer was complete and she held the keys to the quaint cupcake shop on Main Street. She added some fixtures to the existing setup and began baking, adding to the variety of offerings of each line of product.
Pittsburgh native Mark Bentz began his career in the food service industry at a famous burger restaurant by the name of Tessaro’s Hardwood Grill in Pittsburgh. Like many, he started out washing dishes and then worked his way up to a kitchen position. He was a loyal employee of Tessaro’s for 14 years before he transitioned into cooking in a private country club north of Pittsburgh. He learned a lot from the chefs that he was surrounded by and benefitted from their knowledge. In 2004, Mark landed on the the Eastern Shore and settled in Daphne. He went to work part-time for Kris Konlon at Cousin Vinny’s. He fit right in and gained a lot of experience from working at the pizzeria. Mark, being a huge Pittsburgh Steelers fan and missing the comradery of like individuals, decided to open a place of his own and pay homage to his home city and favorite team. His first restaurant, Bentz’s Pizza Pub opened in 2006. The establishment was nestled right beside Daphne’s largest subdivision and was decorated with all things Pittsburgh. Mark was pleasantly surprised and delighted to find that he just so happened to be among a great number of fellow Steeler fans in the area. In 2014, Bentz was involved in opening a second restaurant in Spanish Fort. And now, just this past weekend, Mark has just embarked upon his third and largest operation in the area. He named his new venture YINZERS BREW & GRILL. The term “yinzer” is used to describe a native or inhabitant of the city of Pittsburgh. Bentz and his managing partner, Kim Paige, are most thankful for the host of friends and family that have been supportive of their efforts. They invite you to come out and enjoy the great view overlooking Mobile Bay, entertainment and opening celebration of Daphne’s newest eatery.
Chef Jeremiah Matthews’ education, culinary travels and experiences have allowed him to cultivate the kind of food experience that he not only shares with his customers but also with his entire staff. The creativity that flows through his kitchen embraces a philosophy of continuing education, ingredient appreciation and a never ending quest of progression.
Sonny Davis laid the foundation and erected the building in which his wife, Diane built not only a business but her legacy. In 1970, Ms. D opened the doors to the public as a bar. She enjoyed providing the locals with a gathering place to relax and unwind after a long day. She started making pizzas for her patrons and before she knew it, the word was out. Her “Southern Italian style pizzas” were in such demand she had to recruit friends to help fulfill all the orders that were coming in. Her pizzas were sold and delivered to businesses and individuals from the Causeway to North Baldwin to Gulf Shores. It was not uncommon for Ms. D and her crew to pump out 200-300 ready-to-bake pizzas before the bar opened at 10am.
Garrett DeLuca is excited to embark on a new chapter in his career within the food and beverage industry. This Daphne native was initiated at the ripe old age of thirteen. He worked at restaurants throughout high school and college and graduated from the University of South Alabama with a degree in Marketing. He tried his hand at sales and “hated it”.
Two couples – same dream, the dream of one day opening a coffee shop. What ultimately brought the Lynne and Gabe Holloway and Mallory and Eric Friese together could best be described as divine intervention. Both husbands were at crossroads with their career futures. Gabe, an Associate Pastor, was contemplating ordination. Eric had a successful career with Hewlett Packard. When Eric quit his job and started volunteering at church, the couples discovered their commonalities. Now the these two families are not only accomplishing business goals but spiritual goals as well.
Eat Beat 