“We saw that there was a lack of options for Sunday. We have some of the restaurants that are near the highway that are so busy with hour-long, even two-hour wait times on Sundays, and we felt like Gracie’s could be a good option for people. We are also a bit of a different option, since we are an independent restaurant and not a chain,” said Ami Vitori Kimener, owner of Gracie’s.
Brunch is perfect for churchgoers and others who are looking for a new dining option on Sundays, she said. Gracie’s is surrounded by more than a half-a-dozen churches in the downtown Middletown area.
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“It’s been pretty popular, so I think if we continue to see the attendance grow, then we will keep it around. I would really love to have it for summer, because I think having a summer patio brunch would be awesome,” Vitori Kimener said.
She said as soon as it’s warm enough, Gracie’s patio will be open. Guests love the patio dining experience.
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Other features on the brunch menu will include comfort food and classic dishes, as well as several new offerings with a modern twist. Staples will include items like French toast, pancakes, bacon and house-made biscuits and gravy. Featured menu selections will include a Breakfast Poutine (a Canadian dish, which Gracie’s makes with seasoned fries, cheese, an egg and gravy) and a Pancake Board with fixings to top the pancakes that change every week from chocolate chips to bourbon honey apples. The Smoozies will vary with different fruit and alcohol to make a different flavor each week.
“We are seeing new faces each week, and people are hearing about it. The response has been great, people love having the option. They have said, ‘We’ve wanted somewhere to go for brunch for years,’ so there’s definitely an audience out there that’s been waiting to have something like this in town,” said Vitori Kimener.
Gracie’s opened for its first brunch in January, and it already has several regulars who are stopping in every week. Executive Chef Brian Clark created the brunch menu, and 11 a.m. to noon is proving to be the most popular time slot. Items are made-to-order for every table. An ala carte menu is also available.
“Sunday brunch is a great, new offering here in town, I don’t think there’s anything else like it. Everything we make is fresh and made in-house, so that’s a different kind of quality product, and I think we have our own unique dishes, and the atmosphere is really lovely for a Sunday brunch,” Vitori Kimener said.
With a focus on community and a heart for “Big City Comfort Food,” the menu selections at Gracie’s are fresh and made from scratch. Mediterranean Walleye, which is served with spaghetti squash, house-made marinara sauce, sauteed spinach and fresh parmesan is one of the favorites on the dinner menu. For starters, guests love Nick’s Butcher Block with his famous ham salad, shaved prime rib, salami, smoked gouda, provolone, gorgonzola, bread, crackers and house made pickles as well as the charred brussel sprouts with applewood bacon and citrus aioli.
Gracie’s offers daily dinner specials on Tuesday through Saturday, along with the Sunday brunch. Dinner specials include BBQ Back Back Ribs on Tuesdays, Wednesday is Prime Rib Night and Thursday is Fried Chicken Night and $5 drink specials. Chef-inspired specials are offered on Friday and Saturdays.
The restaurant’s name, Gracie’s, pays homage to Vitori Kimener’s grandmother, Grace Vitori and her husband, Nick, who owned a small grocery store in Mayfield, Vitori’s Market.
Gracie’s is located at 1131 Central Ave. in downtown Middletown.
Its winter hours are from 4:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, 4:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday, and 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sundays for brunch. The restaurant is closed Mondays.
Gracie’s will also host special events in their private event space on Sundays for bridal showers, parties and other gatherings. (The brunch menu will be available. Various packages and pricing options are also available.) For more information on the private event space, call (513) 915-7476 or email info@graciesmiddletown.com.
For more details about the restaurant, visit Gracie's on Facebook, or at www.graciesmiddletown.com.
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