Eight Restaurants, One Family

By Abigail Harrison, DHI Communications Coordinator

The Church Street Family is one of Huntsville’s most prominent collections of wining and dining establishments. The group consists of eight unique restaurants owned by Stephanie and Matthew Mell. Seven of these establishments are located in downtown districts.

The Mells chose to open the majority of their restaurants and bars in downtown Huntsville because they wanted to add unique dining experiences to downtown’s vibrant community.

“Our downtown is a strong, vibrant downtown, and it’s extremely important to our city,” Stephanie Mell said. “All of our restaurants are small, and downtown lends very well to that. Each of our restaurants and bars has a different concept, so we looked for little niches that were missing in the area.”

The Mells started their venture into Huntsville’s culinary scene with the opening of ChurchStreet Wine Bar & Bottle Shoppe in 2014. The shop offers wine tastings, hosts a wine club, and is known to bring exclusive wines to the state and country.

Purveyor was next, opening its doors in 2017. It’s a casual, fine dining restaurant with a curated list of spirits.

Pourhouse opened in 2019, making it the first place to open in the Stovehouse complex. The bar is a central location for all the restaurants and events in Stovehouse. It has also been recognized as having the first rooftop bar in Huntsville.

SeaSalt is a raw bar with seafood delicacies and 26 different beer and wine taps. The bar also has a faux backyard with seating, a television, and plants, which adds to the relaxed, coastal vibe.

Next is Mazarra’s, which originally opened in Stovehouse but ended up moving to the historic Humphreys-Rogers House in downtown. Mazarra’s serves classic Italian dishes inspired by Stephanie’s beloved family recipes.

Catacomb 435 is a reservation-only bar that gives patrons a full speakeasy experience. The swanky underground bar does not have a menu; all drinks are made on-the-spot and are tailored to each individual’s flavor preferences.

The Library Piano Bar is the most recent establishment opened by the Mells. The bar is part of Purveyor and features delicious craft cocktails and small bites from Purveyor. The Library hosts some well-known names in the local music community, including amazing jazz performers every Thursday night.

The Mells also own ChurchStreet Wine Shoppe in Providence, ChurchStreet Test Kitchen at the Orion Amphitheater, and they’re getting ready to open their newest restaurant, L’il Mazzara’s, in Athens.

The Church Street Family is gearing up to host its first annual Italian Food and Wine Festival on Saturday, Nov. 11, from 1-3 p.m. at Mazzara’s.

Attendees will be able to explore food tents, experience cooking demonstrations, enjoy live music, mingle with celebrity chefs, and taste over 40 different wines. Tickets are $60 and can be purchased online.

For more information about the Church Street Family, visit https://churchstreetfamily.com.

Restaurant information was provided by Stephanie Mell.