Highs and Lows on the DSM Dining Scene of Late
Readers dish. And I weigh in, too.
Greetings! As promised, once a month, I’m giving paid subscribers a chance to share dining experiences they’ve had recently.
A quick note on tone: this isn’t one of those wild comment threads where nuance goes to die. With this group, you can mention a restaurant can get loud without worrying about being called a hater. We talk about food and hospitality like grownups—with clarity, context, and zero appetite for pile-ons.
We’ll kick things off with comments from me and from other readers—thoughts that have come my way. Then, it’s your turn to dish in the comments section.
I’ll Go First: How ‘Bout Cumming for a Cozy Winter Night Out?
I went to Cumming to do a story on the Middlebrook Mercantile (4125 Cumming Ave, Cumming) for DSM Dish. What a fun spot! Housed in a beautifully restored old schoolhouse, it combines a wine, cocktail, and coffee bar alongside a mini-market of tightly curated gourmet food and wine. Even better: They host live entertainment, trivia, and music bingo most Wednesdays through Sundays.
Middlebrook doesn’t have a kitchen, so I popped on over to Wilson’s Ciderhouse Restaurant and Bar (3201 15th Ave., Cumming), for lunch. I wanted to see how things were going since Jacob Demars took over last summer. The answer? Tastes good to me!
The pizza was lovely. The expert thin, crisp, puffy-edged crust always delights. While I felt the toppings were a bit skimpy, I loved the mix: in this case, garlic-roasted mushrooms, Gorgonzola, white sauce, dried tomatoes, and fresh oregano. How nice to have an autumn-focused salad, too. The seasonal touches were spot-on—winter squash, toasted nuts, pears at their peak. Yet, once again, the greens dominated. Must every salad begin with a mountain of lettuce? I’d trade half of all that lettuce for just a few more nuts, pears, and squash.
I noted that the place was decked with holiday lights, less prominent, of course, during the day. But at nighttime, the place will be more aglow, complete with candles, I’m told. P.S.: Look for Ramen Night on Fridays.
So, here’s a plan for a cozy night out: Start with dinner at Wilson’s, then head to Middlebrook for entertainment. Or start at Middlebrook and head to Wilson’s (depending on show times). To time it right, check out Middlebrook’s events calendar and Wilson’s Ciderhouse Restaurant and Bar hours.
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