I’ve driven by Catherine’s in Unionville dozens of times over the past few years, and it’s always struck me this must be a quaint little restaurant that seats a maximum of twelve people.
Well, first appearances are deceiving.
When I recently visited to chat with owner Marybeth Brown, I pulled around the historic building and found a large parking lot off Route 162. Marybeth was examining the walkway, preparing the outdoor seating area for spring. We walked up the garden path and entered the restaurant, where I found a surprisingly large and beautifully decorated space. Catherine’s accommodates fifty, plus they have a private table which seats eight to twelve people.
Marybeth, who owns Catherine’s with her husband, chef Kevin McMunn, explained the origins of the building, which used to be Chambers & Smith General Store. “This is the old general store for the town. This is from 1851, these are the original floors.” While the space retains the historic charm, it’s updated nicely with tapestries on the wall.
Attached to the store is a 1740 house where Marybeth and Kevin live with their five-year old twins, a boy and a girl. They bought the property in 2003. When I ask about living with twins in a house attached to the restaurant, Marybeth rolls her eyes and smiles. “Kevin and I do it all. We garden and we cook, paint and stain the furniture. We’re in the middle of spring cleaning. When we’re closed, the kids will be riding their scooters through the restaurant.” She notes the twins have learned to behave when the restaurant is open. “We keep them under wraps at dinner. They are floating in and out. This is their home.”
Also adjoining Catherine’s is an art gallery which features local artists. They often showcase up to ten artists and hold a brunch in connection with the art show opening. “On weekends if we get jammed up, people can browse. They can open their wine and look at the art.”
For the first nine years, Catherine’s was only open for dinner, but two years ago they began serving lunch. “At night it’s all lit by candles and linens. We keep it casual during the day.” The lunch menu features their award-winning Wild Mushroom and Lump Crab Soup, sandwiches such as homemade roasted chicken salad and and an organic Sirloin Burger with sharp aged cheddar cheese.
“On Sundays it’s a breakfast/lunch menu–it’s not a buffet. You can get an omelette if you want or you can get a burger.” Marybeth said. Popular dishes include bananas foster Belgium waffles and lemon-blueberry ricotta buttermilk pancakes. They also buy as much produce and meats locally as possible. “Our bacon has no nitrates in it. We get the belly and we cut it ourselves so it’s really thick,” Marybeth explained.
“In the summer we’ll do Bloody Marys through the month of July. There’s not many great places to get a good breakfast around here. If you want to come out, or it’s a special occasion and you want to take your mom out for lunch, you can do that too. We also get the 25-year-old who just rolls out of bed and comes in.”
By day, Catherine’s is a casual space, but at night the tables are set with linens for the candlelight dining they are known for. The dinner menu consists of about eight entrees, including crab cakes which are pan seared with fresh spinach and roasted red pepper coulis, filet mignon foie gras and black truffle butter. The entrees are all in the mid twenty-dollar range.
Catherine’s has also started catering corporate lunches in the Kennett Square area. “We’ll do roasted turkey, a vegetarian sandwich, we do a standard ham and cheddar, and we mix up the breads–all our breads are home made,” Marybeth said. “We do a lot of deliveries to local companies: an array of sandwiches–sliced down filet and horseradish, plus pasta, salad and a soup. We’ll deliver it.” She notes their commonly charge $13.95 per person for catering.
Occasionally, Catherine’s will host private functions at the restaurant, mostly rehearsal dinners and smaller weddings. “I don’t close to the public at every request, but we do private parties for 30-50 people. We do like six a year,” she noted. “I don’t like to do anything on Sunday. People drive out from the Main Line on a Sunday for brunch, and I don’t want to disappoint them.” Catherine’s is closed on Sunday nights and Mondays.
Catherine’s Restaurant is located at Routes 162 and Route 82 in Unionville, PA. They are open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday, and Sunday Brunch. For reservations, call (610)347-2227.
Photographs credited to Nina Lea Photography and Catherine’s Restaurant.
