Orange Beach, Ala. – (GSN) – Anniversaries are coming fast and furious for the Cosmo’s family of restaurants as May arrived. Brian and Jodi Harsany opened their first restaurant, Cosmo’s, on May 23, 2006, in the small fish-camp-like setting of a shopping center on Canal Road. It now dominates the center there with gift shops accompanying what has become an iconic staple of the Gulf Coast’s thriving culinary scene.

But let’s not forget little sister, BuzzCatz Coffee and Sweets now sharing the parking lot for 10 years on May 6. Almost exactly 10 years after opening Cosmo’s, the Harsanys took another leap of faith developing the lot next to Cosmo’s into Luna’s Eat and Drink, Magnolia Hall meeting space and BuzzCatz. The area is now called the Cosmo’s Courtyard with its retro neon flashing sign directing customers to the complex.

The Harsanys are happy with the response from the community as well as visitors to their family of restaurants as these anniversaries approach.

“We are incredibly grateful for the love and patronage we have received over the past twenty years,” Jodi said. “This support from our community and visiting guests allowed us to grow and open additional businesses.” 

Also added to the fold after Cosmo’s began thriving were Cobalt the Restaurant overlooking Perdido Pass on the last day of 2008, Luna’s also in May of 2016, GTs on the Bay overlooking Wolf Bay in 2017 and Alabama Coastal Catering in 2008.

At BuzzCatz, general manager and executive chef Kim Asbury has been on board since the opening 10 years ago winning accolades for cinnamon rolls featured in People Magazine which prompted an appearance on the Today Show. Asbury won an international biscuit contest in 2017 and no follow up competitions were staged so Brian Harsany says Asbury is the reigning biscuit world champion.

“Kim comes up with all these creations,” Brian said. “She’d done pastries and all that stuff so we knew she’d be a good fit and she could but her feel on it. It’s gotten more and more popular and every year it grows.”

A thriving breakfast Brian Harsany calls a “diner breakfast experience” starts the day off but a big part of BuzzCatz’s success comes from patrons leaving Cosmo’s and Luna’s after lunch or dinner and looking for a sweet treat. Rotating varieties of cookies and cake and pie slices are always available, ice cream scoops optional.

Cosmo’s has thrived on intriguing dishes from a scratch kitchen turning out popular suishi as well as banana-leaf-wrapped sea bass among the favorite seafood offerings including crab cakes and pecan-encrusted red fish. Brian Harsany’s personal favorite is the chicken roulade with a delectable combination of gruyere cheese asparagus wrapped in bacon and a sage and leek cream sauce.

“Our goal was to create a restaurant where we would want to dine — a casual, fun environment offering high-quality, made-from-scratch cuisine at a reasonable price,” Brian said. “We named Cosmo’s after our black lab because of the universal love for furry family members and because it allowed us the flexibility to explore various types of cuisine.”

Luna’s was named after another canine pet but, as Harsany likes to joke, “we also had three cats but we rolled them all into one as BuzzCatz.”