The Art of Coffee: Where everything is creatively delicious
by Joanna Marchetti
I recently had the pleasure of enjoying a girls’ lunch out with a friend at The Art of Coffee in Montross.
The picturesque drive along Westmoreland’s highways took us past numerous produce stands, historical markers and vineyards. It was my first trip to Montross and while I had been worried about not knowing my way around, I soon found that like so many of the small quaint towns in this area, my destination would be hard to miss!
The Art of Coffee, on the main road, Kings Highway, is directly across from the well-known Northern Neck Coca Cola bottling plant. The fully renovated building, which formerly housed a gas station, still bears some of the signs of its previous usage with its restroom located on the side of the building.
The inside of the restaurant proved cheerful and inviting. Upon entering, you immediately see a cozy sitting area complete with couches, chairs, lamps and a fireplace. There’s also a dining area in the main ordering room, as well as seating in a gallery room.
The first thing we noticed was the charming art theme that continues throughout the restaurant from the food to the decor. The menu is called “On the Palette”. The breakfast offerings, as well as the lunch items, are named for various art references, including many famous artists.
We studied the chalkboard of delicious-sounding paninis, salads and sandwiches. Daily specials included favorites such as a crabcake sandwich and a homemade meatloaf panini. We were very tempted to get the chicken salad, as we have an ongoing quest for finding the best in the area, and tirelessly order it from local restaurants and stores and compare. We resisted, but when I later asked what makes theirs special, the owners explained there are two major groups that frequent the coffee house: the older men who drink coffee and hang out in the morning, then the older ladies who come in for group lunches.
In the beginning, they served chicken salad from a food distributor and one of the ladies named Frances who is around 92 decided that just wouldn’t do. She insisted they make their own chicken salad in-house and gave them her very own recipe to use.
Despite the multitude of mouth-watering options offered, we quickly decided on our meals. I ordered the Georgia O’Keeffe - fresh basil, tomatoes and mozzarella cheese drizzled with olive oil and nicely grilled on multi-grain bread. I requested a side of balsamic vinegar for dipping. My friend chose The Monet - smoked deli turkey, Swiss cheese, roasted red peppers with a special homemade spinach and artichoke pesto, grilled to perfection.
Each sandwich includes a side item - redskin potato salad, homemade pasta salad or chips, fresh carrots or deli pickle. A fresh-baked chocolate chip cookie is also included. I selected the potato salad, my friend chose the pasta salad, and we both had pickles.
We each ordered a glass of the fresh brewed iced apricot tea which was refreshingly sweet, and decided to share a cup of the house special cream of crab soup.
When choosing our seating, we were drawn to the beautiful patio area in the front of the building amidst the gorgeous brightly colored flowers and foliage adorning the porch. It was rather full that day so we chose seats in the art gallery instead. On this particular day, the art consisted largely of exquisite hand stitched quilts. We later learned that every Thursday afternoon a group called the No Name Needlers gather to crochet and quilt and have coffee and lunch. They get a month long showcase in the gallery.
Our food arrived within minutes and we dug in!
The cream of crab soup was absolutely amazing. The words rich, thick, creamy, and delicious were running through my mind as we devoured the savory soup. We later learned that the recipe for the soup came from a local waterman who demanded a certain level of secrecy regarding his recipe and came to the restaurant to make the first batch himself. The cream of crab soup is available year round and a second soup is offered on the menu during cooler months.
Our sandwiches didn’t disappoint either. The pressed grilled bread was perfectly crisped and provided a delightful vehicle for transporting our tasty sandwich fillings to our hungry mouths. My tomato-mozarella-basil sandwich was light and oh-so-fresh tasting, and because I love the combination of ingredients, I dipped a few bites in my balsamic vinegar to get that extra punch of flavor.
While I thoroughly enjoyed my own sandwich, here’s what I’ll say about my dining companion’s selection: THANK GOODNESS she’s a friend of the sharing nature because I kept sneaking bites of that delicious pesto! It was truly wonderful and I’d be pretty tempted to order her sandwich on my next trip.
The cookies were the perfect ending to our lunch and we thoroughly enjoyed such a personal and considerate touch. They were such a satisfying treat, we were even able to resist the oversized chocolate cupcakes displayed on a pedestal at the front counter. Maybe next time!
Before moving to the area, restaurant owners Terry Cosgrove and Holly Harman owned and operated a studio gallery in California that showcased Harman’s works as a watercolorist. Cosgrove worked 30 years as a navy photo-journalist, and after several work-related moves, Cosgrove and Harman were happy to settle down in the friendly town of Montross and become part of a community. Cosgrove says they love being able to live in the country and love the small town feel of Montross, but are still close enough to DC, Richmond and Fredericksburg.
With two artistic backgrounds, Cosgrove a photographer, and Harman having talents in both watercolors and custom jewelry, they knew they wanted to support and showcase the arts of the Northern Neck, but realized that the area may not be quite ready for a solo art gallery.
Cosgrove and Harman also knew they wanted to offer something different from the surrounding businesses and not compete with the other restaurants in the area. The idea for a coffee house grew from there. In its fifth year, the restaurant now serves coffee, full breakfast and lunch. Cosgrove stresses the importance of using ingredients that are as fresh as he can get and buying as much local and organic as possible, seasonally.
The gallery has evolved in popularity among local artists and offers music every third Friday of the month at 7 p.m., featuring local musicians.
The gallery showcases seven to eight artists at a time in varying mediums including watercolors, vintage greeting cards, purses, aprons, quilts, jewelry, birdhouses, oil paintings and pottery. All displayed art is for sale.
15722 Kings Hwy, Montross VA 22520
804-493-9651
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7 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sunday 8 a.m.-1 p.m.
