Rosie's fare gets two thumbs up

Author: Sarah Shaikh

Middlebury, Vt. would not be considered by most food connoisseurs to be the gastronomique center of the United States. However, to those of us who live here, the variety of restaurants constantly amazes us. From Storm Café to Taste of India to American Flatbread, the selection is uncanny for our humbly small town. Within the winding streets of Middlebury are a few hidden rural gems that are definitely worth trying. As you head down Rt. 7 toward Rutland, keep your eyes peeled for one of these very gems, Rosie's. This traditional family style restaurant is two miles from the center of town and is known by the locals for the morning muffins and evening turkey and pork platter.

Bill Palmer originally built the restaurant's building in 1962 under the name Palmer Dairy Farm. In 1978 the same building became the first Rosie's. In the last three decades Rosie's has had five owners, the most recent being Kevin Cummings. From the highway, Rosie's resembles a log cabin. The interior is reminiscent of this style with its wood-paneled walls and rustic décor. As you enter through the front door into the foyer, bird mobiles, created by a local artist, greet you.

The mobiles were made after one of the customers saw a similar structure of Cummings' hanging in the restaurant. The customer then made a sketch of it and has been producing these replica mobiles ever since.

To the left of the foyer is what Rosie's regulars know as the counter. The counter serves as a conversational area for the customers. Ron Sunderland, the manager, considers this one of the unique features of Rosie's. "It's really neat! The counter is the conversation center of the restaurant. In the morning all the early risers come before work and congregate around the counter with their coffee and muffins. There are the usuals and the new people. Often the same group of people will return for lunch as well," he said.

The main dining room is adorned with locally made quilts, which are for sale. The quilts vary in shapes and sizes and change with the seasons.

Aside from the décor, Rosie's serves up a traditional American menu. All of the baked goods are made fresh daily at the restaurant. Rosie's serves breakfast, lunch and dinner and is open seven days a week from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. It is most well known for the Sunday brunch, which serves customers with a variety of choices from the traditional Vermont Maypo to hearty Steak and Eggs. Rachel Norton, '07.5, noted, "It's definitely more of a brunch place. It's a great place to go to hang out with friends and enjoy a hearty, reasonable meal. The blueberry muffins are definitely worth going back for."

The brunch is not the only enjoyable meal to be had at Rosie's.They also serve amazing dinner specials from fresh fish and beef entrees to great sandwiches all served with necessary side dishes such as homemade coleslaw and fresh cut fries. If you have not yet been, Rosie's is a must for all Middlebury students. If you don't trust us, listen to a fellow student. Tommy-P Heitkamp, '06.5 sai, "Being from Addison County, I have grown up eating at Rosie's for brunch with my grandmother to Friday evenings out with my family. I even had my Middlebury College alumni interview at Rosie's. If you want to eat locally you should eat at Rosie's, there are a lot of colorful people there."