The grand opening for Meridian's newest restaurant, Harvest Grill, will be Wednesday beginning at 4 p.m.

    It’s Harvest time!

    Harvest Grill, downtown Meridian’s new venue for great food and gatherings, invites everyone to its grand opening on Wednesday, Nov. 12. The restaurant will open at 4 p.m. for Happy Hour, during which all drinks and appetizers will be 30 percent off the regular price. At 5 p.m., dinner service will begin.

     “We’re tremendously excited to share our Cross-Country Cuisine,” said Chef and Owner Marshall Gilmore. “This is a labor of love for me and my wife, Mary, and our whole staff. You’re always a little nervous when you put your heart and soul on the line like this. But the reaction of everyone who has tried the food so far has been even better than I could have dreamed.”

     The inventive food reflects Marshall’s travels across America, plus his Mississippi roots. Many of the dishes showcase fresh, healthy seasonal produce as well as seafood from the Gulf of Mexico. A number of vegetable-based appetizers and side dishes accommodate the health concerns of today’s diners.

    Marshall has worked as a chef at several restaurants in Hawaii and Colorado.

     “Having lived on an island and in the middle of the Rocky Mountains,” he said, “fresh produce wasn’t always accessible. Now I have a new appreciation for the great food grown right outside our door.”

     Signature dishes include a Pizza of the Day appetizer; oysters chargrilled or on the half shell; a Harvest House Salad with field greens, bleu cheese crumbles, grape tomatoes, shaved red onion, croutons, honey spiced walnuts, and sherry vinaigrette; a house-ground Harvest Burger; a Jamaican Jerk-Crusted Cobia fish dish; Blackened Pork Tenderloin; and both filet and rib-eye steaks.

     The restaurant makes a point of being affordable as well as creative. At dinner, entrees start at $16 (the Grilled Chicken and the Roasted Root Gnocchi) and top out at just $28 (the Filet). And that includes side dishes.

     Among those side dishes are sautéed spinach, brussels sprouts and bacon, Parmesan Truffle Fries, Kale Chips, and Yukon Gold Mashed Potatoes. Desserts range from s’mores cooked table-side to the Chocolate Molten, a gooey concoction served with caramel sauce and vanilla bean ice cream. Harvest Grill also has a children’s menu.

    The restaurant has carefully chosen its wines and beers to complement the cuisine or simply to be enjoyed on their own. The bar serves a full range of cocktails, and the bartenders are having fun devising a variety of fall specialty drinks.

     The main dining room, the bar, the covered outdoor patio, and the private upstairs room all feel casual, relaxed, and friendly. The understated contemporary décor features a color palette of dark slate, grays, and blues with copper accents, all playing off the exposed-brick walls. Diners will feel comfortable in anything from everyday jeans to evening wear for dressy occasions at the nearby MSU Riley Center.

     After Wednesday’s grand opening, the celebration of Harvest Grill’s debut will continue with a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 4 p.m. on Thursday. The festivities will include free appetizers.

     On Friday, Harvest Grill will again open for Happy Hour at 4 and dinner at 5. Starting Saturday, Nov. 15, the restaurant will begin operating on its full schedule, opening for both lunch and dinner. Normal business hours are 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday. The restaurant is closed on Mondays.

     Happy Hour discounts of 30 percent on drinks and appetizers will apply from 4 to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. Happy Hour is actually Happy Two Hours in order to make it easier for patrons to enjoy a bit of relaxation after work without having to sneak away early.

     Mary Gilmore, Marshall’s wife and partner, said Harvest Grill will pay special attention to the convenience of downtown workers during lunchtime. “We know the workforce has a small window of time to eat lunch,” she said, “so we’d like to cater to their needs by serving foods that are healthy, quick, and affordable.”

    The restaurant can provide food, beverages, and private accommodations for parties, dinners, work meetings, and other gatherings on the outdoor patio, which seats 36, or in the upstairs room, which can hold up to 20 people.

     Harvest Grill is at 618 22nd Avenue in historic downtown Meridian. The space once housed the fondly remembered Davis Grill. The telephone number is 601-282-5069.

     For more information, including lunch and dinner menus, see the Harvest Grill website at www.harvestgrillms.com. For up-to-the-minute news and special announcements, see the Facebook page at www.facebook.com/HarvestGrill.

     Harvest Grill grand opening week schedule:

    · Wednesday, Nov. 12: Grand opening. Happy Hour 4-6 p.m., dinner starting at 5 p.m.

    · Thursday, Nov. 13: Ribbon cutting at 4 p.m., dinner at 5 p.m.

    · Friday, Nov. 14: Happy Hour 4-6 p.m., dinner starting at 5 p.m.

    · Saturday, Nov. 15: Normal hours begin:

        

    Hours:

    • Tuesday-Thursday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. (Happy Hour 4-6 p.m.)

    • Friday-Saturday, 11 a.m.-10 p.m. (Happy Hour 4-6 p.m.)

    • Sunday, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.

    • Monday, closed