Photograph by Jennifer Baum.

A new breakfast and lunch spot serves sweet and savory grub at a price that’s easy to swallow.

Sticky buns. Those succulent, buttery, sweet, doughy tufts of goodness are the number-one reason you should stop in at Rockland’s latest breakfast and lunch joint, Home Kitchen Café (650 Main St., 207-596-2449). Once you’ve had one (or two, we won’t tell) you’ll be satiated and then pleasantly surprised by the extensive choice of wholesome, home-cooked food available for course number two.

Ok, you don’t have to order the sticky buns (which, by the way, are made by the owner’s father and available via mail-order through his own business, The Cupboard Café, in New Harbor). It’s just highly recommended. There is an array of food to choose from, such as omelets, pancakes, and the signature huevos rancheros for breakfast; fish tacos, burgers, sandwiches, soups, and salads are available on the lunch menu.

James Hatch, the owner with his wife Susan Schiro, had been involved in the restaurant business on and off for twenty years before opening the doors of his latest venture on February 24th of this year. He saw a niche in the area for high-quality yet affordable food.

“I saw a market for it, especially in this economy,” says Hatch. “This price point is still affordable, and so many thousands of people come through Rockland during the day, even in the off-season. And for lunch people often buy out.”

Those visitors and local residents will be happy to discover Home Kitchen Café, located smack on Route 1 next to Dunkin Donuts and open daily from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Weekend hours are from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.). The café, which has a water view, a chic bar overlooking the open kitchen, and artwork by the Hatch’s mother-in-law, Rachel Schiro on the colorful walls, is a comfortable, tasty, and relatively cheap spot to grab a bite to eat.

This summer the twenty-seat deck is slated to open, adding to the restaurant's nearly forty seats inside. Look for Home Kitchen Café to also be open on weekend nights, serving up dinner as well as local, live entertainment.

All and all, if you find yourself in Rockland during the day, take the restaurant’s advice and go "Home" to eat.

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