The Roswell Tap Opens as Roswell's New 'Watering Hole'

After being gutted by a fire in 2007, what was formerly the Freeland’s Pizza and Pub stood abandoned until Sean McDonough decided to reopen it as The Roswell Tap. 

When McDonough began researching the site, he knew he would have his hands full. The challenge laid in rebuilding the historic site, while preserving much of its architectural form.

One of the main things that remain from Freeland’s in the Roswell Tap is the chimney, which is in the area where a kitchen fire nearly destroyed much of the building. That did not deter McDonough and his wife Tracey from deciding to renovate the historic building. McDonough teamed with several proprietors to drum up the cash needed to make his dream a reality. The proprietors include Sean Freeland, the previous owner of the building, Michael Rozmajzl, Tom Rowsey, Tod Trousdell and Kevin McNamara.

“This has been a world-wind experience for us,” Tracey McDonough said. “We are very happy about the support that we’ve receive from our friends and the community.”

The group had anticipated the day they could open since last year when they began negotiating terms of the purchase agreement. Freeland had found himself in a dubious position. He had been warned that he had to fix up the building or risk being forced to do it through possible legal intervention by the city.

From that quandary led the creation of The Roswell Tap and both sides say they are happy with the outcome. Freeland has been active participant in the planning of the new restaurant.

The renovation of the new building was extensive and also revealing, McDonough explained.

“When we took the roof off, we saw that there was room for a second floor,” he said. “That gave us more room.” With the addition of the second floor, the restaurant can offer space for private gatherings and live music. A deck was also built, which the proprietors boast as being one of the largest outdoor decks in Roswell.

Instead of just opening up another local “watering hole,” McDonough said he wanted to open a restaurant that would appeal to everyone. The menu features recipes from Brooklyn, Buffalo, Pittsburgh, Chicago, Boston and Ireland. A signature specialty is the Grit Chips, which can be served with collard green and smoked bacon dip.

“We wanted to have a local restaurant where people, from any neighborhood, could come and have a good time,” McDonough said. “A place where you could have good beer, good food and even find a good plumber,” McDonough added, noting that he wanted the business to also be a good place to network.

He made it official last Friday with a grand opening that attracted hundreds of diners and well-wishers over the course of the day.

Festivities included a ribbon cutting, led by Roswell Mayor Jere Wood, who proudly announced his arrival to the crowd by saying, “Ok. I’m here. The mayor’s in the house,” which brought boisterous laughs and cheers from those who turned out to get a taste of the restaurant's fare.

Several other area politicians also turned out, including Councilman Rich Dippolito. He told the crowd that The Roswell Tap was in an opportunity zone, which means that it is eligible for job creation tax credits. 

The  “is good for businesses because they can receive a $3,500 tax credit for each job they create,” Dippolito said, referring to the zone's corridor. “This is an incentive to give businesses to grow or locate in these areas.”

Friday’s diners were treated to a glimpse of all the restaurant hopes to be within the community. Tyrone Brown and Jay Lee are from Norcross and Decatur, respectively and decided to check out the spot with their friend, Roswell resident Nicole McKenzie.

“This is my first visit and the food is very good,” said Lee, who was finishing up an Italian beef entrée.

Mckenzie said she was familiar with the history of the restaurant and wanted to share the new spot with her friends.

Sean and Jennifer Hyslop agreed.

“We used to come before when it was Freeland’s,” Jennifer Hyslop said. “We just wanted to check it out. It looks awesome and you can really tell the difference. And the second level is a really cool hangout.”

Guests also admired the myriad of artwork displayed on the walls. The pieces, created by Michael Stephens, were loaned to The Roswell Tap just in time for the grand opening.

“This is what Roswell is all about,” Stephens said. “It’s about helping a fellow business owner.”

Last year the McDonoughs met chef Alana Taylor, who so impressed them with her food that she was immediately hired. She brought a simple premise for why she agreed to join the team. “A lot of chefs will tell you that they enjoy cooking because they cook for themselves,” Taylor said. “But I enjoy cooking for everyone else.”

That falls right in line with the mission of the restaurant. Sean McDonough stressed that he wanted the restaurant to not just be a business, but a place where people truly felt at home. While that may sound cliché, customers said that is indeed the impression they got during their first visit to The Roswell Tap, which is located at 1090 Alpharetta Street. The restaurant is open daily from 11 a.m. - 2 a.m.