Kountry Kitchen Owner Says Biz Is Still 'Work In Progress'

Nothing compares to mom’s homemade meals fresh out of the oven: the aroma, the flavor, the traditional American family dinner. But mom’s not here and you’re not cooking, so the next best thing is Ramona’s own Kountry Kitchen.

Located in the heart of the town at 826 Main Street, the cute, country-themed restaurant stays open seven days a week to serve those locals with sudden cravings for mom’s cooking.

Some of the regulars have been dining in The Kitchen for many, many years, according to owner Theresa Adams, and the staff knows them all on a first-name basis.

The Kitchen serves breakfast, lunch and dinner, and makes a perfect stop-off when you’re headed to Julian or to warm you up after a visit to the snow.

Patch spoke with Kountry Kitchen’s owner, Theresa Adams, about the restaurant and her love for the Ramona community.

Patch: When did you open your business and why did you choose this community?

Theresa Adams: The restaurant has been here since 1939 and we bought it in August 2010. We've lived in Ramona for 28 years and ate here all the time. We saw it for sale and said 'go for it!'

Patch: What are some of the changes you’ve made to improve The Kitchen?

T.A.: Well, we came in with the idea of kicking it up a step and came in and gave it a facelift. And it's still a work in progress to get it where we want it to be.

Patch: What distinguishes your business from others in the same industry?

T.A.: Our service. A lot of our employees have been here for years and years. Everyone knows them, they've watched kids grow up here and the staff knows the customers. Our food! We've changed it to more homemade instead of pre-made sort of stuff.

Patch: What are some of the challenges you've faced? What have you learned from them?

T.A.: We've been in the business for so long, you know, with other businesses. This one's a little tougher because I'm running this one more than my husband. I'm the face that's in the restaurant all the time. It's a little tougher because I've always been a stay-at-home mom. 

Patch: What changes, if any, would you like to see in the local business community?

T.A.: [There's risk] especially for the businesses that have been here for a long time. I often think, 'What if Coco's came up here? What would we do then?' But the customers are very supportive. I ask myself, 'Is there anything I can buy here that I don't have to buy down the hill?'