Home Kitchen Cafe - Rockland, ME

A mix of from-scratch comfort food enhanced with a touch of the Southwest.

On a very impromptu “I'm in the parking lot, what are you doing RIGHT now?” morning, we visited one of our favorite breakfast/lunch spots in Rockland, Home Kitchen Cafe.

HK has been a very popular breakfast standout for years, and deservedly so. Located in a former 1940s gas station, the combination of local Maine atmosphere, fantastic food across a HUGE menu, and the friendly, hustling service makes this place a treat every time.

They pride themselves on all items being made from scratch in their own kitchen and bakery. A mouthwatering separate bakery is located at 606 Main St, while the restaurant is at 650 Main.

Due to its popularity, there can often be a wait (no reservations allowed and all parties must be present to sit), but more often than not, a seat at the counter is open right away, especially in the off-season.

After much deliberation with morning beverages in place (Yes, they serve bloodies, mimosas, screwdrivers... the A.M. basics) and some very interesting people watching, we finally settled on our order.

We went with the Gobbler special on a baguette and a smoked salmon omelet. An old menu item was the Atlantic Salmon Eggs Benny, which was a fav, but bennys are only served on weekends now! So, we gave the Salmon, cream cheese, capers dish a try. It tasted as expected, not bad but also not mind-blowing (like the BBQ pork burrito I struggle to say no to at each sitting.)

The gobbler was a perfect balance of everything Thanksgiving, loaded onto a very fresh baguette. It was glorious. The baguette was cooked to perfection, with a superb crunchy-to-squishy ratio.

Some of our other favorites, available anytime, are the breakfast fried rice, the Cherise (turkey Reuben), Huevos Rancheros, and the BBQ pulled pork burrito. With a full breakfast AND lunch menu available from 8 am-2:30 pm (CLOSED TUESDAYS - We’ve made this dire mistake more than once), there’s an overwhelming number of dishes to choose from.

If you haven't been here, that needs to be remedied immediately. Although the prices are slightly higher than a basic breakfast joint, the quality, originality, and charm absolutely make up for it. Hk is truly a gem of a place, and I hope it never changes!