BY ERIN CLAY
PHOTOGRAPHY BY MEGAN TREGLOWN
• M E G TR E G C O LLE C TIV E •
A Rome Favorite Returns
Restaurateurs Joan and Dereck Brady have revived Crawdaddy’ s, but this time as a gourmet food market.
A familiar name with a fresh concept has arrived in the River District in downtown Rome. Joan and Dereck Brady, the dynamic duo behind the city’ s beloved Crawdaddy’ s restaurant, have reopened their doors as Crawdaddy Provisions, a gourmet seafood, meat, and food market promising exquisitely sourced ingredients and a taste of their former restaurant.
For those who remember, Crawdaddy’ s began as a food truck in 2011 and soon built a loyal following thanks to their fresh flavors and unique Creole cuisine.“ I wanted to concentrate on Cajun and Creole because we didn’ t have that here,” says Joan of their concept for the food truck.
The food truck’ s success led the way for the opening of a brick-and-mortar restaurant on Broad Street in 2015, which also quickly became a local favorite. Crawdaddy’ s was not only a go-to spot but also a testament to Joan and Dereck’ s dedication to quality and community. However, the demanding nature of the restaurant industry eventually took its toll. In 2021, the couple made the difficult decision to close their doors. Joan explains that they were working seven days a week and were exhausted, combined with some health considerations.
Their passion for providing the Rome community with exceptional food never truly faded, though. The idea for Crawdaddy Provisions came from their desire to connect with their customers and share their love of great ingredients. They wanted to offer the same high-quality seafood and some of those beloved Crawdaddy’ s flavors, but in a more sustainable way. And thus, Crawdaddy Provisions was born.
But Crawdaddy Provisions isn’ t just another market; it’ s a curated experience. Their new site on Fifth Avenue has undergone a remodel to create a welcoming space where customers can find everything they need for a memorable meal, from fresh seafood, which is the main attraction, to sides, appetizers, and tableware.“ Fresh seafood is our star, because that’ s what we’ re known for, but I want you to come in and know that we’ ve got everything you need for dinner,” says Joan.“ If you run out of napkins, we’ ve got napkins. If you need
24 | NW GEORGIA LIVING JULY / AUGUST 2025
Crawdaddy Provisions 300 N. Fifth Ave., Rome, GA( 706) 784-4564
a candle, we’ ve got candles.” Among the offerings are pre-seasoned meats and readyto-make dishes and sides perfect for taking home to cook. For instance, you’ ll find chicken and andouille gumbo, sauces and bases for making dishes like shrimp and grits, and Dereck’ s homemade pimento cheese, which they call“ pinamees“ because that’ s how Dereck pronounced it as a child.
One particularly popular item that’ s flying off the shelves is the Cajun stuffed chicken. The market offers all of the proteins from their former restaurant, including fresh, sustainable Gulf seafood. Joan collaborates with the Georgia Sea Grant and the Department of Agriculture to support local fisheries.
Crawdaddy Provisions’ products are sourced from locally owned specialty shops and vendors, including the grits and polenta. While these ingredients alone aren’ t necessarily gourmet, they’ re essential to making Creole and Cajun dishes. The smoked sea salt, specialty tinned fish, wine, beer, and drink mixes that were used in the restaurant are also available. Beyond the familiar favorites, Crawdaddy Provisions aims to offer unique and hard-to-find items that are perfect for the home cook looking to elevate their culinary creations.
Coming soon is a small studio that Dereck is building in the back so that Joan can host food demonstrations showing how easy it is to cook seafood and put together a fabulous meal in mere minutes. So, get ready to experience the next evolution of Crawdaddy’ s— a gourmet market bringing the best of the land and sea, along with a touch of Joan and Dereck’ s signature magic, back to Rome. If the past is any indication, whatever the Bradys are cooking up, it promises to be delicious.
Erin Clay is a writer passionate about exploring the stories and charm of Rome, Georgia. Her work captures the essence of the historic city and its vibrant community. Discover more of her insights and local features on her When In Rome, GA blog at wheninromega. com.