The Riverlights Marina Village area will be getting an addition to its restaurant scene with The Getaway Café, scheduled to open in January.
 
Chef Craig Love and AnnaLee Johnston, of the Coastal South Hospitality Group, are turning a 1,800-square-foot space into an area with café seating and a retail shopping “pantry.”
 
The business will be centered around an all-day menu, with the kitchen closing at 3 p.m. in its initial phase now, with the expectation of later hours during the summertime.
 
The Getaway, in the space formerly housing Magnolia Social Café, will also provide drop-off catering built off its menu, which highlights a range of upscale gourmet food options. Offerings will include array of breakfast and lunch selections, including lighter, healthier alternatives.
 
“Every Getaway component and ingredient are procured utilizing local farms and producers where possible,” Love said.
 
In 2009, he opened Surf House Oyster Bar and Surf Camp in Carolina Beach and has received an Agrarian Stewardship Award for his work with local farms and fishermen.
 
Getaway’s gourmet experience will extend beyond just its menu. Customers will have the opportunity to purchase grocery selections from sustainable food purveyors from shelves offering a range of retail and snack selections. The high-end products can be enjoyed dine-in or through a Grab-n-Go branded display cooler.
 
Johnston has developed the hospitality side of the business. She brings years of hospitality training and service to Coastal South Hospitality Group, and with that, Johnston has crafted a guest services program for the Getaway.
 
Conceived as “part restaurant, part social club”, the specialty food business will also host events ranging from wine tastings to workshops on baking and local sourcing. The year-round functions will be planned each month by Johnston.
 
“Our social activities are intended to engage the community and hopefully elevate their appreciation of our goods and food and drink,” she said. “Our goal is to bring industry professionals together with interactive experiences for our community.”

Officials with Riverlights, the 1,400-acre master-planned community on River Road, said the Marina Village's retail spaces are fully occupied.