Rolling Into The Party

Brandon Smith doesn’t just farm oysters—he brings them straight to the party.

Named for Smith’s sons Grayson and Baylen,  Grayson Bay Oyster Company and its mobile offshoot, Emerald Coast Oyster, maintain a mission to connect people directly to the briny beauty of Pensacola Bay’s tidal bounty.

Grayson Bay specializes in plump, perfectly sized oysters that embody the changing character of local waters, which they’ve branded as Tidal Guides.

“They’re a snapshot of the environment,” Smith says. “The salinity shifts with the rainfall, the tides, and the flow from the Yellow, Blackwater, and Indian rivers. That means every harvest tells a different story.”

Through Emerald Coast Oyster, Smith brings the full raw bar experience to weddings, private events, and pop-ups from Pensacola to Panama City Beach. What sets it apart?

“We’re the farmers and the shuckers,” he says. “You’re not just eating oysters—you’re getting the full narrative of where they came from and how they were grown.”

The menu features more than raw oysters. Smith also offers “stone-fired” options baked to order in a portable pizza oven. His signature black-garlic Cajun butter—made with herbs, spices, and local black garlic from Pensacola’s Black Garlic Market—is finished with a sprinkle of parmesan and ready in under a minute.

On the raw side, thoughtful accoutrements elevate the experience: a kicked-up champagne-jalapeño mignonette, a citrusy yuzu kosho version with shallots, and a bold black garlic cocktail sauce.

“We make everything to highlight the oyster, not cover it up,” Smith says.

Everything from crackers to ice to local Sealey hot sauce is provided, making it a seamless, all-inclusive setup.

“We’re not flashy,” he adds. “No lights, no smoke machines. We want the oysters—and the conversations around them—to be the highlight.”

With bookings often filling six months in advance (200 oysters minimum), Smith recommends early planning for anyone hoping to host this roving raw bar.

“People remember the taste—and the story,” he says. “That’s what keeps them coming back.”

The Party Comes to You

Three mobile businesses bringing the fun to Emerald Coast celebrations

Photos Courtesy of Coastal Coffee Bar

Coastal Coffee Bar Co.

For co-founders of Coastal Coffee Bar Co., Donavan and Kasey Perry, great coffee is just the beginning. With backgrounds in hospitality and ministry, the duo set out to serve people in an elevated, personalized way through full-service mobile coffee catering.

Specializing in weddings, private events, and corporate functions, Coastal Coffee doesn’t charge by the cup. Instead, they offer unlimited custom drinks during each service window—espresso, cortados, chai, and lattes (hot or iced)—plus themed signature drinks like lavender glitter “Mermaid Vibes” mochas or Buckeye-inspired peanut butter lattes.

Every detail is considered: compostable materials, organic ingredients, custom branding options, and two expert baristas at every event. Whether stenciling monograms in cocoa powder or matching a wedding’s color scheme with latte art, Coastal Coffee delivers caffeine with creativity and heart.

Photo courtesy of Better Together Beverage

Better Together Beverage

Christine Tarpey launched Better Together Beverage to make parties prettier, drinks more creative, and hosts a whole lot less stressed. After nearly a decade as beverage director at Alys Beach, Tarpey turned her mixology skills mobile, offering custom cocktail experiences for events across the Emerald Coast.

“We didn’t just want to show up and pour drinks,” Tarpey says. “We take the whole beverage aspect off your plate—from custom menus to matching cocktail napkins, even down to the trash cans.”

Better Together specializes in themed cocktail service, especially for nonprofit events and private parties. Think signature drinks that match the invitation, outfits coordinated to your event’s color scheme, and menus printed with the honoree’s name. Party packages vary, and bookings are recommended six months in advance. Alcohol must be client-supplied due to state laws, but everything else? Consider it handled.

Streetcar Snoballs & Rolling Cones

Streetcar Snoballs & Rolling Cones

Kathryn Fendall, owner of Streetcar Snoballs and Rolling Cones, brings retro sweetness to events all along the Emerald Coast. Her whimsical streetcar trailer delights at everything from Fourth of July festivals to backyard birthday parties. For smaller gatherings, kids get an extra treat: The birthday honoree can step inside, learn how the machine works, and make their own fully loaded snowball. “Some people garden, some people read—I get in the snowball trailer,” says Fendall. While Streetcar Snoballs shines at family events, Rolling Cones, her mobile ice cream parlor, handles weddings, anniversaries, and corporate appreciation days. Bookings for both trailers are busiest in summer and usually fill up months in advance. From custom flavors like key lime pie (Kathryn’s favorite) to nostalgic walk-up charm, her rolling dessert bars are as joyful as they are delicious.