Get Ready for a Garten Party in Severna Park
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Michelle and Jeremy Hoffman at Preserve. Photo by Jennifer Chase
Local duo Behind Annapolis’ Preserve open a second restaurant this summer
By Susan Able | Edible DC
The dream team behind Preserve in Annapolis, are readying to open their second project, Garten, in Severna Park.
Last year, Jeremy and Michelle Hoffman purchased the building and grounds that formerly housed Cafe Bretton, a country French restaurant located just off of Route 2, about eight miles from Annapolis. The upsides were tremendous to them with a larger space for dining, an outdoor patio, room for events and space for culinary and pollinator gardens. And the very best? On-site parking, something that their popular downtown Annapolis restaurant doesn’t have.
Typical delays due to Covid-related supply chain issues notwithstanding, the Hoffmans plan to open early this summer with a revamped modern biergarten concept with 140 seats, half indoors and half outdoors.
“We’ve been trucking along and not letting the supply chain issues affect us, this summer for sure we will be open. It’s so exciting to think that this new space can support all the things that we loved providing customers at Preserve, locally sourced food, in-house fermented and hand- crafted products like our pickles and jams, but now with even more space to build gardens and grow a retail program,” Michelle Hoffman explained.
Chef Jeremy Hoffman. Photo by Jennifer Chase.
Chef Jeremy Hoffman added, “It’s my take on a modern biergarten. We’ll have notes of modern German influence, but also northern French and local classics.. It will feel European-ish. We really want to create a relaxing place for people to come and drink and eat some really great things. I’m sourcing all locally, working with the farmers we already have relationships with and looking at working with specialty purveyors, like Binkerts German Meats in Baltimore. It’s also fun to think about having live music down the road, something that we will have room to do here.”
Developing a pollinator garden will be at the top of Michelle’s list because there are old bee hives on the property that she will work to restore. Annapolis mural artist, Jeff Huntington, is planning do to a mural on one side of the building which will reflect the restaurant’s connection with nature and locavore love.
And the timing with a hopefully post-Covid open?
Michelle said, “It’s actually very good. It was good time to get our financing and now be be able to own our own physical building. The lessons we learned about how to survive as a restaurant during Covid, besides just in-house dining, informed what we are planning on here. We want to be able to have some carryout and wine sales, and it’s an obvious plus to have plenty of room for outdoor dining—which we will be able to offer at Garten.”
Fermented veggies and pickles made by the Preserve and Garten teams.
The couple hope to grow a natural, organic wine shop and eventually sell their fermented products and sides to customers for carryout.
Besides having a new “restaurant baby,” I asked Michelle what she was most excited about.
“The ability to do more events, to have parking on site, downtown is so fun—but less accessible. Being there to become part of the Severna Park community. We’ve got such positive feedback already, we just can’t wait to open.”
Garten, opening early summer 2022. 849 Baltimore Annapolis Blvd, Severna Park, MD 21146. Sign up for the newsletter at www.garten-eats.com to stay informed of opening details.
