I recently went to VIN25 with Peter and a couple girlfriends who came into town from Lake Erie and Augusta. I was trying to pick the perfect restaurant that would embody what Roswell is all about, while keeping in mind a respectable price point and flexibility for the evening. We also wanted to choose a place that didn’t require a reservation-- when we’re together, we like to embrace spontaneity, so we didn’t know what time we’d make it to dinner.
Since my friend Sydney is a big wine connoisseur and cheese enthusiast, I thought VIN25 would be just the place to take her for dinner. The evening was absolutely flawless and captured the charm of Roswell I was hoping to achieve.
We took an evening stroll to VIN25 from north Canton Street, passing couples, families, and friends dining out on the porches of restaurants along the strip. When we turned onto Plum Tree Street, we could hear live music coming from the patio of VIN25. Across the street, there were people enjoying a wine tasting from Deep Roots. The scene was a mix of people leisurely sipping wine and enjoying the live entertainment. It was truly a picturesque evening.
When we approached VIN25, I was nervous to ask for a table for four without a reservation around 8:30pm on a Friday, because their patio was completely full. I was pleased that we were seated almost immediately because another table was getting up as we arrived.
VIN25 is nestled in a one-story stone house, with a large patio surrounding the restaurant. This is one of my favorite patios in the area. It has a mix of high and low tables, a firepit, and an area dedicated to live music, all under a few strings of romantic twinkle lights and surrounded by plenty of natural greenery with big oak trees framing the restaurant.
The interior of the restaurant is completed in dark woods with a large wine cellar that showcases their unique collection.
As a table, we wanted to share a bottle of wine and start the evening off with their famous charcuterie board and their local artisanal cheese plate. I do not recall the specific bottle we tried, but our server helped us identify a California Cabernet Sauvignon that would be well received by all.
An important thing to note is that their charcuterie plate does not come with a selection of cheeses, just four meats, house pickles, onions, and condiments. We chose a prosciutto, genoa salami, capicola, and another cured meat that I don’t remember.
Their cheese plate comes with four cheese options, caponata, preserves, and toasted bread. You can ask your server to suggest cheeses based on your preferences. Sydney loves Brie, so a classic brie and a triple brie were recommended. We also opted for a manchego cheese, and one other cheese made from goat’s milk.
We all loved the triple brie the most because it was the creamiest and most mild in flavor. Both sharable plates are to die for if you are a fan of cured meats and interesting cheeses!
Next, I ordered their smoked beet salad, comprised of baby kale, sherry honey vin, barley, dates, and farmer cheese. The kale was not bitter in the slightest, but actually very savory and tender. I love when restaurants take time to massage the kale in dressing to help breakdown its crunchiness.
For my main dish, I split the scallops and hanger steak with Peter. I will often order the scallops for a lighter entrée if I indulged on a large plate of meats and cheeses prior. I thought the scallops were all right; I haven’t been impressed with any scallops lately, but the presentation was gorgeous. They were served with a white bean purée, roasted popcorn kale, pancetta, agrodolce, basil, and truffle honey.
We asked the chef to prepare the steak medium, and I found it very flavorful, but a little on the chewy side. I typically opt for a filet because of the texture, though if you enjoy New York Strip texture, I think you will enjoy their hanger steak. It was served with cauliflower, togarashi, and smoked scallion chimichurri.
Our table also ordered a side of Brussel sprouts, with came with a root vegetable purée, leeks, roasted shallots, and herb lemonette. This was an excellent choice and a great addition to the savory flavors we were enjoying with our main courses.
I look back fondly of this evening, down to every last detail. The ambiance was picture-perfect, as we ate our meals while being serenaded by an acoustic guitar and singer. Our waiter had a pleasant and helpful attitude, our food was appetizing, the wine was wonderful, and our evening was filled with great conversations.
There are some things to keep in mind when planning your visit to VIN25. First, they only allow patrons to reserve indoor seating, due to the unpredictability of the weather. VIN25 takes reservations for parties of 2-8 on Tuesday-Thursday, and they only take reservations for large parties of 6-8 people at 6pm and 8:30pm on Friday and Saturday. Please note, they are closed on Mondays.
I hope you have the chance to enjoy VIN25!
Love,
S
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