There are a million memories that can be evoked by just one small whiff or a single taste of certain foods. We can be transported to another place or time and be moved by all kinds of emotions when we bite into a meal that is tied to our memories. Food is the most intimate we get with people we aren’t involved with, so it’s no wonder that we can recall a specific feeling or sentiment just by remembering the food that went with it. Whether it’s the kind of meal mom or grandma made after you were sick or had a bad day or it’s the food you used to spend hours helping to make, a meal can pack a ton of nostalgia and make us long for a different time. That’s why comfort food is so appealing. Not only do the temperature and flavors make you feel wrapped in a hug, but they often carry with them a whole bunch of memories that get unlocked the moment you taste them after years of not partaking. Comfort food means family and that’s exactly what you are when you have a meal at Cozy Kitchen in Stevens Point.
This simple, unassuming spot has been serving up the very best in comfort food for more than 40 years. Family-owned, Cozy Kitchen is the oldest established restaurant in the city. There's not a person who grew up in Point who hasn't eaten here more times than they can count.
These folks have perfected the art of serving up simple, filling fare that still manages to have a ton of flavor. Their menu is chock full of the types of foods that will take you back to your childhood and remind you of time with your family.
Think pot pies, melty sandwiches, hearty plates of pasta, big burgers, chili, smothered plates and more. If it's the kind of food that will get you out of a funk, help you get over a breakup or make you feel better when you're sick, you'll find it on the menu here.
Not only do they have a stellar menu of favorites, they also post a page of weekly specials each week on Facebook. Because this is a family-owned restaurant, they're serving up the things they learned from the generations before them and they're inviting you to take part in their traditions. That means homemade pierogies and other Polish favorites alongside more traditional American comfort food classics.
The chicken dumpling soup is so good it gets it's own day of the week. On Wednesdays, come early because you won't be the only one stopping by for these fluffy dumplings and flavorful soup. It's the cure for all that ails ya and it's basically perfect. You'll find yourself planning your days to make sure you stop by and get some.
There's no skimping on serving size here and you can almost hear the echoes of your own aunts and grandmas talking about fattening you up and making sure you're well fed and taken care of.
Breakfast is served all day here and it's hearty, filling and delicious. A meal here sticks to your ribs and fuels you up for a long day. Mom would never send you to school without breakfast and brain food and Cozy Kitchen won't let you head off to work or play without the kind of meal that will keep you going all day long.
Down South the say the bigger the hair, the closer to Heaven, but I think that adage also applies to meringue. If you're looking for a massive pile of fresh-made meringue topping off a tart, homemade lemon pie, you've come to the right place. This pie is positively teetering with height as they pile on tons of meringue and toast it up to create a truly heavenly dessert experience.
Cozy Kitchen is the kind of place that's about so much more than the food. There are no strangers here, just friends and family that haven't met yet and that welcoming atmosphere is what keeps people coming back decade after decade. They live up to the Cozy part of their name as they nourish so much more than your stomach.
Cozy Kitchen is located at 1338 3rd St., Stevens Point, WI 54481. They’re open Monday through Friday, 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Saturday from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. They’re closed on Sundays and holidays. You can find out more about this fabulous family-owned restaurant on their website and check out their weekly menu updates and specials on their Facebook page.