Are you looking for somewhere new to have lunch during your weekday lunch break? Brooke Strickland, a freelance writer for the VBJ, has a few suggestions of places to try around the Vancouver area. Check in with the VBJ in the first and third issues of each month for a new lunch spot suggestion.
Rosemary Café is a Downtown Vancouver breakfast and lunch hot spot that serves American fare with a twist. The company opened 12 years ago, and current owners Larry and Susan Pederson have owned it for eight years. The couple’s daughter, Caitlin Trejo, who attended culinary school through the Clark County Skills Center, manages the café.
The restaurant is a staple to the downtown core and specializes in serving customers quickly in a homey, inviting atmosphere that is reminiscent of visiting grandma for a relaxing Sunday supper. Specialty soups are fresh-made daily and the restaurant offers in-house baked cookies and scones, organic house coffee with a full espresso menu, deli-style sandwiches, paninis and other homestyle breakfast items like breakfast burritos, meat scrambles and French toast. Catering is also available for local events.
Rosemary Café has seen an uptake in business as Downtown Vancouver continues to draw in new people.
“Downtown has grown, evolved and become a great place to discover,” Susan Pederson said. “Our core customers are those who work in the area, but with all the growth in the hospitality industry and living space, we meet new people nearly every week. Many of those become regular visitors, which we greatly appreciate.”
Location: 1001 Main St., Vancouver.
Hours: Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-3 p.m.
Price point: $6 to $11.
What to try: Chicken Salad served on a sandwich, on a bed of spring greens or with Kettle chips to scoop up; Turkey Club or Cuban Panini; Monte Cristo Sandwich with Rosemary Potatoes.
