We were heading back to Cville after a round of golf at The Homestead when I convinced my Golfing Amigos to stop at Mrs. Rowe’s for dinner. It had been years since I last ate at what is has become an institution in Staunton and I wanted to see if it was as good as I remembered. It was.
Mrs. Rowe’s is the epitome of a comfort food restaurant. That’s pretty much all they do.
The business has been around 70 years and it’s still family-owned, so they are definitely doing something right. It was originally Perk’s BBQ before Mildred Rowe bought the business and moved her restaurant from Goshen over to Staunton. Mrs. Rowe passed away at age 90 in 2003, serving and greeting customers until the end. Today, Mrs. Rowe’s grandson, Aaron DiGrassie, is in charge.
For dinner that night, Greg and I ordered the Deep-Fried Cod. It was delicious, with a wonderful batter and fried to perfection. Byron had the Meatloaf; the same recipe Mrs. Rowe has used for 70 years and he gave it a thumbs up. Kevin maybe had the best dish of all – Country Fried Steak in Black Pepper Gravy. He shared a piece with me and it was as good as it gets. The breads and all the sides were perfect – all made from scratch. We had a very friendly and attentive waitress. The service was excellent
Perhaps the only drawback is that their wine list is rather limited. They basically offer Red or White, but we had a couple bottles of a Pinot Grigio that was actually quite good.
More than anything, Mrs. Rowe’s is known for their homemade pies. Many people order their dessert when they first come in, to make sure their favorite pie hasn’t sold out. Lots of folks take a whole pie home with them.
The restaurant is convenient to I-64 and I-81, just a few blocks off the main highways. Take Exit 222 off I-81. The address is 74 Rowe Road, Staunton. You can call ahead at 540-886-1833.
Mrs. Rowe’s Family Restaurant – 70 years and counting and still a great place to eat.