Marietta favorite begins new chapter as Asher & Rose

MARIETTA, Ga. - A longtime favorite in downtown Marietta is redefining the way it feeds the community.

This morning, we paid a visit to "modern grocer" and café Asher & Rose — formerly known as Piastra. 

Although the Italian restaurant was a local favorite for a decade, owners Greg Lipman and Betty Bahl say they felt it was time for a "new chapter" — which meant closing down the restaurant for a couple of weeks and transforming it into a café and marketplace focused on locally-grown products. Lipman and Bahl (who are son and mother, by the way!) say they’ll continue serving up customer favorites in the café, including pizzas, pastas, and freshly baked items. But they say the addition of the market will allow them to nourish the community in a different way, as well as help support other Georgia businesses by stocking their products.

Speaking of those products, the owners say shoppers will find a selection of fresh produce, regional cheeses, and meat and fish. They also say they’ll be using those products in their own café offerings — which is why they’ve coined the phrase "market to table." And yes, there’s still a bar program, which means you can order wine, beer, and cocktails.

Asher & Rose Modern Grocers is located at 45 West Park Square Northeast, on the Marietta Square, and regular hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. daily (breakfast is served until 10:30 a.m.). For more information on the business, click here. And click the video player in this article to check our morning getting the exclusive first look at this "modern" take on a Marietta classic!