Hannah's Off the Square marks 25 years of relaxed fine dining in downtown Denton

Hannah's Off the Square has reached 25 years in downtown Denton. The locally owned restaurant is known for chef-driven American food, farm-to-table roots and fine dining that doesn't feel stuffy.

Hannah's opened in 2001 in a small space on Hickory Street. It now sits at 111 W. Mulberry St., in a historic building just south of the Square. Owner Phil Shirley told the Denton Record-Chronicle that opening there was a risk at the time. "When we first got here, there wasn't a lot going on in the Square," he said. Shirley and his wife Kerry, who manages the restaurant, told Community Impact they feel Hannah's has grown up with Denton. They're proud of the busy downtown community their business helped build.

The Shirleys say Denton's artsy, eclectic culture shapes how they run the place. Chef Anton Babarovic took over the kitchen three years ago and changes the menu with the seasons. When the two first met, Phil Shirley said, "It was love at first sight." According to the restaurant, it works with local farmers, ranchers and businesses whenever it can.

Kerry Shirley says she's happiest when guests feel comfortable coming in just as they are. She told Community Impact some people say they can come straight from the Denton Arts & Jazz Festival "all sweaty in my shorts" and still sit down to a great brunch. As fall arrives, diners are welcome to bring their dogs out to the patio.

This story is based on reporting by Community Impact Newspaper, with more from the Denton Record-Chronicle.