Iron & Grape Opens in Authentic Walton

Chef Todd Misener Brings Food, Wine, and Heart to Historic DeFuniak Springs

Story and photography courtesy of Walton County Tourism

In the heart of Historic Downtown DeFuniak Springs, Iron & Grape is redefining small-town dining with a mix of old-school charm and modern culinary expertise. The new Italian restaurant, opened by Chef Todd Misener and his wife, Kelli, under their Big Love Restaurant Group, is quickly becoming a cornerstone of Authentic Walton’s growing food scene.

For the Miseners, moving north of the Choctawhatchee Bay felt like a natural next step. Once their youngest child graduated from high school, they found a new rhythm in the slower pace of DeFuniak Springs—with space to try new hobbies, plant fruit trees, and dream up their future farm. When the opportunity came for them to open a new restaurant, the couple jumped in wholeheartedly.

“I really wanted to do what I’ve always done—chef-driven and scratch cooking—and bringing that freshness to DeFuniak was a great opportunity,” Misener says. “Walton County over the years … the tourism and the growth of the people that have moved here have really allowed the culinary world to expand.”

Misener’s culinary footprint across the Southeast is well-established, with successful restaurants in Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. As a former managing partner and chef with the Word of Mouth restaurant group, he helped shape 30-A area staples, including Stinky’s Fish Camp, Red Fish Taco, and Stinky’s Bait Shack—all of which are now under new ownership as of January.

The opening of Iron & Grape in March was highly anticipated by both locals and visitors thanks to Misener’s presence in South Walton. Demand even allowed the restaurant to expand its hours to include lunch.

“He’s so talented in the kitchen with the food, and everything’s made with passion, and you can tell,” Kelli Misener says of her husband. “It makes everyone really excited to have great food.”

Even before opening their doors, the Miseners immersed themselves in the Authentic Walton surroundings.

“The sense of community is similar to what we’re used to in South Walton,” Misener says. “It’s a little bit slower and more casual, so you have an opportunity to get to know the locals, and they come in more than once a week. It’s been rewarding.”

Misener’s culinary footprint across the Southeast is well-established, with successful restaurants in Louisiana, Alabama, and Florida. As a former managing partner and chef with the Word of Mouth restaurant group, he helped shape South Walton area staples, including Stinky’s Fish Camp, Red Fish Taco, and Stinky’s Bait Shack—all of which are now under new ownership as of January.

“Before even opening and moving up here—we’re foodies—we went into almost every single business and got to know the owners,” Misener says. “I think there’s a strength in numbers and unity and community.”

The name Iron & Grape is itself a tribute to the town’s legacy and the couple’s shared vision. Located just steps from the railway on the corner of Sixth Street and Baldwin Avenue, the restaurant nods to DeFuniak Springs’ industrial past with intentional decor.

“There are iron accents throughout the building,” Misener says. “There are black straps embedded throughout the bars that we rebuilt. We serve things on cast iron. We really tied in that early industrialism period. It’s pretty cool to be right here, where this was the hub of everything in the early 1900s,” Misener says. “Everything that went to the beach, or any kind of growth anywhere, came through here.”

The “grape” side of the name comes from their thoughtfully curated wine program—a centerpiece of the guest experience.

“We think of it as the front of house and back of house,” Kelli Misener says. “Todd’s in the kitchen, cooking with iron. I’m up here, working with the grapes. It’s both of us, coming together.”

The restaurant blends sophistication with approachability. The downstairs bar and dining room are great for a classic dinner outing. Upstairs, the Blue Room is a more private space, where guests can enjoy sports broadcasts and large groups can host banquets. The Iron Bar, which overlooks the town from a tucked-away balcony, is being developed into a speakeasy, designed with locals in mind.

“We’re going to keep [the speakeasy] special for the locals who visit us often and frequent that space, and there are a lot of them,” Kelli Misener says. “It’s exciting. It’s in the process of being built.”

Misener brings more than skill to the kitchen—he brings curiosity. A student of Master Chef Jack Shoop for seventeen years, he’s still driven by a belief in lifelong learning. When he’s not mentoring his staff, he teaches classes at a nearby culinary program.

“We’ve gotten to educate our staff, which has always been important in my life: to be an educator and a student,” Misener says. “We’re always pushing ourselves to learn, learn, learn—different ethnic techniques and ingredients—and it’s just amazing. You could never learn it all in a lifetime.”

From their roots in South Walton to their new chapter in Authentic Walton, the Miseners are blending experience with heart—and shaping a restaurant where food, wine, and community all come together under one roof.

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Learn more about Iron & Grape and Authentic Walton’s growing culinary scene at AuthenticWalton.com.