A Memoir by Michael Caven
Spilling the Tea
Life and Times in a Texas Gay Bar Empire
A memoir chronicling an extraordinary journey in a gay bar empire and the founding of the USA's first LGBTQ-themed restaurant.
About the Book
Spilling the Tea is the debut memoir from Michael Caven — chronicling an extraordinary journey inside a Texas gay bar empire and the founding of Out On Main, the USA's first LGBTQ-themed restaurant.
The story begins in Tampa, where a destitute and homeless Michael Caven meets Frank Caven, a legendary gay bar mogul who would change his life forever. From the neon-lit dance floors of Dallas's Cedar Springs to glittering nights in Manhattan, the book traces the people, the parties, the heartbreak, and the cultural moments that defined a generation of LGBTQ nightlife in America.
Columbus, Ohio · 1996 — 2002
The Out On Main Legacy
Pioneering LGBTQ dining experience
Out On Main (1996–2002) was the first openly LGBTQ-themed restaurant in the United States — a Columbus, Ohio landmark that paired award-winning cuisine with a living museum of queer culture.
From Elton John's costume to Martina Navratilova's racquet, the walls celebrated LGBTQ history with art and stories. Inside, every night was a happening — coming-out dinners, surprise musical guests, same-sex weddings in the upstairs banquet room, and theme nights like the legendary Titanic dinner that re-created the final meal served aboard the ship.
Rated a Top Ten restaurant by the Columbus Dispatch's Grumpy Gourmet, Doral Chenoweth, Out On Main's signature dishes included Sweet Potato Bisque, Chicken Gorgonzola, and Australian Lamb Chops.
A Glimpse Inside
Out On Main, the people, and the era behind the book.
