Many a glass of wine ago, native Southerner Joel Miller first conceived the idea for his own restaurant — one with attentive service, exciting food, and an inviting atmosphere. As his dream grew, so did his plan. He drew sketches of an out-of-the-way place with lots of trees and a big porch where people could enjoy eating outside. He envisioned a menu that would reflect the changing seasons, serving food grown from the restaurant’s own garden and renewed through other seasonal ingredients available from local providers. He even decided what to call the place: Ravine.
Along the way, Joel found himself in California, where he also found that the latest food revolution had produced a culinary scene similar to the one he had pictured. This discovery reinforced his dream and set his plan in motion. At the time, Joel considered pursuing his dining venture out West, but the draw of the familiar South beckoned him home.
Once settled in Oxford, Joel discovered a quaint bed and breakfast for sale which was strikingly reminiscent of the earlier sketches he had made. A few bank meetings, a simple business plan, and a couple glasses of wine later, his vision had started to materialize.
14 years later, Ravine is still going strong. It’s a place in which he finds something exciting every day: maintaining his gardens, utilizing other small businesses in the area, and being a part of the growing community that is Oxford, Mississippi. Please come join us and support your local economy!
