Grazing Parlor, a fun and unique charcuterie business, is set to open its boutique event space this year around Thanksgiving. The business started as a catering company in October 2024 and has brought joy and delicious, locally sourced food to celebrations ever since.
Melissa Settle, owner of Grazing Parlor, spoke about her business and exciting next steps she’s planning.
Settle said Grazing Parlor became a way to pursue her passion after teaching for 16 years. The heart behind her business is getting to be a part of people’s celebrations by providing healthy and delicious whole food that everyone can enjoy. She grew up on a family farm and loves getting to source food locally and build relationships with farmers and local businesses.
She explained how healthy whole food options at celebrations make a difference and makes meeting the various nutritional needs of people easier. Not only is charcuterie healthy, but it’s also something tasty that everyone can enjoy. Settle said that charcuterie is like art.
Settle is passionate about supporting locally sourced food from farmer’s markets and other small business owners such as honey from North Florida Bee Company, jams and jellies from Little Black Box and gut-healthy pickles from Olive my Pickle. Fresh fruits and vegetables are sourced from local farmer’s markets.
Settle said a typical day for her consists of prioritizing sourcing locally, supporting other small businesses, creating menus, sending invoices, scheduling and connecting with people about their events. She loves to “make their vision come to life.” She said that the best part of her job is “being at events and getting to be a part of special moments in people’s lives.”
In her free time, Settle enjoys spending time with her close-knit family at softball fields and the beach. Together, they enjoy playing pickleball, staying active in their church and spending time with friends. She said her family also gets to help at events and that working together is special.
One of the most unique parts of Grazing Parlor is their mobile charcuterie cart, Dolly CARTon. Dolly has 14 pans filled with fresh produce so customers can build their own charcuterie boards according to preferences and dietary needs. She can be rented out for all kinds of celebrations including weddings, baby showers, bridal showers, open houses and networking events.
Settle said she is excited for her boutique event space to open and looks forward to continuing to provide delicious, locally sourced food for celebrations for years to come.
To learn more, go to https://www.grazingparlor.com and @grazingparlor on Instagram. Grazing Parlor’s boutique event space is located in Jacksonville Beach at 1108 Third St. South.
