Wild Olives in Rosemary Beach Continues to Evolve

Wild Olives in Rosemary Beach opened in May of 2006 as a convenient local market, deli, and bakery providing the perfect place for guests to enjoy breakfast and lunch.

As the town grew and more visitors discovered the eatery, Owner Chris Trovas expanded with longer hours to include dinner and indoor dining. When others businesses began baking breakfast items, Trovas cut back on those, but his popular scones, muffins and biscuits are still available. The latest evolution is a revamped menu and a redesigned dining room.

“We had a good reputation in town with great bakery items and sandwiches, but it was time to concentrate on lunch and dinner,” says Trovas.

“We went to Napa in January and came back with a plan to take Wild Olives to the next level,” he says. “With a massive influence from the trip, I threw out the old menu.”

Every four months Trovas changes the menu to feature seasonally available foods, but the fare he was served in California encouraged him to bring a new level of sophistication for diners looking for more upscale options. Additions such as braised short ribs, bison burgers, and flatbread pizzas led to the introduction and a new name for the dining room, "Bistro 104".

The original dining room worked fine when the idea was to turn tables, but Trovas envisioned a place that would still be fun and casual, but with a fancier feel. Hardwood now covers the concrete floors; there are tablecloths, candles and comfortable seating.

The dining room is almost a direct copy of Bouchon Bakery, a shop in California that provided that good feel, Trovas says.

Wild Olives, highly visible from Scenic 30A, continues to be the ideal spot to enjoy morning coffee with pastries, lunch or dinner with your choice of carryout, indoor or outdoor dining. Friday night wine tastings are a staple for Chris where he can share his favorite wines and new finds, paired with just the right food.

“The beauty of a resort community like Rosemary Beach is that it lends itself to creating a place where guests can put their feet up and relax with a glass of wine,” Trovas says.

Closed on Monday, hours are seasonal; call (850) 231-0065 for details.