ROCKLAND — As has been the case for nearly two decades, customers lined the parking lot awaiting the opening of the Home Kitchen Cafe.
On Sunday, customers lined up again for the final day of the popular Rockland restaurant.
Stephanie Cech said Home Kitchen has been her “go to” restaurant.
“All of the staff is so friendly and make you feel like home,” she said.
Cech’s favorite meal is breakfast fried rice. That meal consists of fried rice with two eggs, snow peas, carrots, roasted red pepper, fresh garlic, ginger, and other options.
Loren Beaver said he has been going to Home Kitchen since he moved to Rockland a few years ago. He lives in the neighborhood, so he walks to the restaurant at 650 Main St.
Beaver said Home Kitchen has a really good atmosphere and is a great place. He said he enjoys mixing with the other customers and the staff.
“Everybody is happy here,” he said.
He said he varies what he orders but that on a Sunday, it is often an eggs Benedict.
Penny York said she goes to Home Kitchen quite a bit. Penny was in line with her friend Renee who have been friends since school.
“This is our breakfast meet up spot. This is where we’ve been coming for years to get caught up every six months or so,” York said. “When people come from out of town and ask me where they should go to eat, where am I going to see real local people and with good food, I say Home Kitchen.”
For York, huevos rancheros is her favorite meal. Home Kitchen’s huevos rancheros is two poached eggs finished in its original spicy salsa roja topped with pepper jack cheese, house-made black beans over hand-made corn tortillas.
Her friend Renee said the make-your-own omelette is her favorite.
Owners James Hatch and Susan Schiro announced Oct. 3 in a Facebook post they would close the restaurant they have operated for the past 18 years. The bakery at the Rankin block is also closing.
“This place has always been about more than food. It’s been about doing things the right way, every single day. From scratch cooking to genuine hospitality, we set a standard for ourselves and worked hard to live up to it. This is not a post we ever thought we would make, but in today’s world, maintaining our level of quality has become increasingly challenging. Like many in our industry, we’ve faced a growing struggle to find and keep the skilled, dedicated team needed to consistently deliver the experience our customers expect and deserve. Rather than compromise what Home Kitchen Cafe stands for, we feel it’s the right time to step away,” the couple wrote.
“To our incredible employees, past and present, you are the heart of this story. Your commitment, resilience, and pride in your work carried us through every busy morning and every demanding season. Quite simply, we would not have made it this far without you.
And to our loyal customers and community, thank you for your unwavering support over the years. You filled our dining room, shared your lives with us, and made this journey deeply meaningful.”
The couple opened the business in February 2009. They initially leased the property from the Fish family but purchased the property in May 2011. The cafe underwent major renovations in late 2012 and reopened in February 2013.
This story appears through a media partnership with Midcoast Villager.