Make Your Way To Oak & Main
Roanoke Welcomes New American Grill Experience.
It goes without saying that some of the finest dining experiences live on Oak Street in Roanoke. From longtime establishments like The Classic Cafe and Babe’s Chicken Dinner House to lovely lounges in Craft & Vine and the recent Ro On Oak, local foodies have no shortage of exciting options to choose from. Now diners have a new American grill-inspired hotspot to look forward to at Oak And Main.
Opening just last month inside the former Twisted Root Burger restaurant, Oak And Main is the newest concept from successful local restaurateurs Dave and Mary Garner. Prior to opening Oak And Main, the Garners established Wildwood Grill in Southlake in 2009 and managed operations for Maggie R&R in Fort Worth. While Wildwood Grill embodies a southern flair with an oak and hickory aesthetic and comfort classics such as chicken fried steak and cast iron mac ‘n’ cheese, Oak And Main aspires to be a more polished grill experience with emphasis on authentic flavors and ingredients.
“We call it Oak And Main because we’re on the corner of Oak and Main Street,” Dave says. “We want to be a place for people in the historical town of Roanoke and do what we can to enhance the city’s position as the unique dining capital of Texas.”
The emphasis on community is immediately apparent with a spacious outdoor patio that is both family and pet-friendly. The interior boasts a bright and welcoming dining room with booth and table seating complete with modern chandelier fixtures, and guests can peruse through the bar’s 100-plus premium bottle selections at their leisure.
After being seated, the first thing guests will want to do is try one of their craft cocktails made in house, whether it’s the dry raspberry elderflower martini or the sweet basil bourbon bee. For a more cool and crisp spin on the traditional cocktail, the patio punches pack their own with flavors like tropical tango, ranch water and spicy fruit.
“Those patio punches are designed to be light, refreshing and fairly quick to put together,” Dave says. “It’s something people can sit outside and enjoy during beautiful weather to enhance their afternoon or evening.”
When it’s time to move on to the meal, Oak And Main has a wide assortment of savory starters to indulge in. The crispy smoked wings can be tossed in a rich raspberry bourbon glaze, while the smoked meatballs are prepared with a meticulous mixture of pesto, marinara and parmesan. Don’t miss out on ordering the prime queso blanco for the table, which includes a generous helping of smoked prime rib.
The Oak And Main courses keep up the pace with an emphasis on high-quality ingredients and all-natural cuisine. The barramundi is pan-seared and accented with a zesty lemon garlic butter, while the shrimp and scallop penne shine with its pepita pesto sauce. The wood-grilled salmon has a spicy and sweet kick with a sriracha honey glaze, and the lobster roll simply melts in your mouth with a buttery and salty sensation. Meat lovers will especially want to stop by on Sundays when the restaurant offers a 14-ounce prime rib special for $29.
“We feel like Oak & Main is trying to pull the best elements of all the things we’ve done up until now,” Dave says. “The food here is going to be just a little bit cleaner — a little bit lighter, but still centered around our wood-fired grill. We really made the most of an opportunity to play with new flavors for 2024.”
Be sure to save room for dessert, because the chocolate eruption explodes with a rich chocolate flair paired with a mixed berry garnish and sweet anglaze. The four-layer carrot cake is as fluffy as it is delicious with a delicate drizzle of caramel sauce. Even the brown sugar-glazed pears hit the sweet spot with a large scoop of ice cream.
“We’ve been waiting to do something on Oak Street for a long time,” Dave says. “We’re really excited and look forward to connecting with the community — seeing some of the people we know and greeting others that we haven’t had a chance to meet yet. We look forward to becoming a nice enhancement to Oak Street.”
