I was on a road trip in central Virginia and needed a place to eat lunch. In Staunton, right off Interstate 81, I found the perfect stop. A home style, family owned restaurant, serving delicious comfort food: Mrs. Rowe’s Family Restaurant.

Willard Rowe and his wife Mildred opened the restaurant in 1947. Back then it was called Rowe’s Seafood and Steakhouse. This was before the highway came through; I-81 was built in 1967. Mildred functioned as head chef, creating the recipes, all made from scratch. When she stopped working to raise a family, Mildred was still involved. She often visited the restaurant to see customers and make sure the recipes were being properly made. In 1972, Mr. Rowe passed away and Mildred became the sole proprietor. The restaurant was renamed after her in 1995. Mrs. Rowe passed away in 2004 and her children and grandchildren now run the restaurant, keeping the tradition alive.

The Menu

Mrs. Rowe’s Family Restaurant specializes in Southern food. Breakfast is served from 7:00 AM (8:00 AM on Sundays) to 10:45 AM. The signature item is a value meal consisting of 2 eggs, bacon or sausage, and pancakes or toast with gravy. Other breakfast options include Biscuits and Gravy, Omelets, Oatmeal, Biscuit Sandwich, and Hotcakes.

The regular menu has burgers, sandwiches (several Reuben options, Club, Pork BBQ), Hot Minute Steak, and a Hot Pork plate. Mrs. Rowe’s also has daily value meals. In Winter 2025 this included Baked Pork Tenderloin, Chicken & Dumplings, and Maryland Crab Cakes. Desserts consist of a variety of pies and pastries.

My Meal

I have a love of biscuits and gravy and attempted to order that. Unfortunately, I was there past the breakfast hours. My waitress helpfully recommended the Hot Pork plate with biscuits. I took her up on the offer.

The pork was tender and the gravy was flavorful, although thinner than a sausage gravy. The biscuits were tender, but not as flaky as I prefer. It was a reasonable approximation to biscuits and gravy, but not quite the same thing. All entrees come with two sides. Options include: salads, French Fries, Mashed Potatoes, and Macaroni & Cheese. There are some Southern options as well, items such as: Collard Greens, Crumb Topped Baked Tomatoes, and Baby Lima Beans. I went with Baked Apples and Fried Cabbage. Both were excellent. I have never had fried cabbage before, but Mrs. Rowe made me a fan. It was fried with bacon and was slightly sweet. A fantastic combination.

Desserts

Mrs Rowe’s has several pies to choose from. The highlights are Coconut Cream, Chocolate Meringue, Cherry, and Apple. I narrowed my choice to two: the Peanut Butter Pie or the Butterscotch. I asked the waitress for her recommendation. She said that the Peanut Butter Pie was her favorite, but added that she always gets the Butterscotch when it is on the menu.

So I got the Butterscotch. It had a soft, silky meringue top, with a slightly sweet butterscotch layer underneath. The crust was a perfect pastry. This was a great pie.

While paying my bill, I noticed the pastry display on the counter. On display was an assortment of eclairs and cream puffs. Everything looked fabulous, and I ordered a cream puff to go. I had it the next day. The outside was still crisp and the inside had a delightful cream. I was not disappointed.

Atmosphere

I arrived at Mrs. Rowe’s about a half hour before closing and wasn’t sure if they would serve me. But they sat me down right away. After giving me a little time to look at the menu, the waitress came and took my order. She was very helpful with her suggestions. Once placed, my order came out very quickly.

The restaurant has a casual ambience, feeling almost like someone’s house. It really did feel like a family restaurant. For great comfort food or a quick meal on the road, Mrs. Rowe’s Family Restaurant is the place to stop.