By Jamie Lasorsa
Sterling residents will soon be able to enjoy all the home-grown goodness that Emma’s Café has to offer, as they prepare to open in early spring at their newest location, 37 Main Street, in downtown Sterling.
When Andrew and Stacey Bluestein, owners of Emma’s Café in Stow, were approached by Sterling’s Economic Development Committee and asked to consider opening a 2nd location in Sterling as part of the downtown revitalization plan, they didn’t need too much time to think. How wonderful an opportunity, to be able to combine their love of creating locally inspired dishes and then being able to share them with their very own community, being residents of Sterling and putting down roots to grow their family here just over 6 years ago.
Andrew with over 25 years’ experience in the food and beverage industry, has worked in some very notable establishments, including working alongside Chef Emeril Lagasse, Euro Disney in Paris, Disney World Orlando, and Marriott Hotels. Stacey also brings years of knowledge to the table with previous experience working for Legal Seafoods and Starbucks.
Their Stow location, lovingly named after their oldest child, 13-year-old Emma, has now been open for almost 10 years and has built a solid foundation of patrons who willingly travel from many towns away to enjoy several of their savory dishes. The menu for the Sterling location will mirror that of Stow, offering breakfast all day, lunch, and a stunning catering menu which offers great options for family “Heat and Eat” trays.
A few of the currently sought-after menu items which are sure to be favored with Sterling residents as well, are the ever-popular signature “Adult Grilled Cheese” sandwich (Cheddar and Brie Melted with Bacon, Avocado and Tomato), as well as Pulled Pork Mac n’ Cheese, and Sam’s Breakfast Burger (named after their 10-year-old son Sam). 3 varieties of homemade hash (traditional corned beef, pulled pork and chorizo), panni’s, salads and burgers all round out the many available options.
The café will offer indoor seating for 25-30 guests and feature an open kitchen so diners can see orders being prepared and have the experience of watching the chefs at work! However, don’t be looking for a microwave anywhere on these premises…all items are “made to order” fresh each day with quality and whenever possible, locally sourced ingredients, which makes it easier to accommodate patrons with food allergies.
Andrew and Stacy have always made it high on their priority list to support the community and work with local suppliers. That practice will continue in Sterling. Starting with construction, they used a local contractor, have been speaking with local farmers to secure greens and produce, coffee is from a distributer out of Malden, and they will be offering maple syrup from a Lancaster sugarmaker. Samantha Vosburg, a local baker, who has supplied sweet treats to Emma’s since their opening in 2013, will continue to supply “made from scratch scones”, skillet cookies, and more for both locations.
A plan to offer year-round outdoor patio seating for an additional 20+ guests using heat-lamps in the cooler months will provide a pastoral atmosphere surrounded by charm and green space, perfect for a lunch with friends, reading a book in solitude, or a quick bite on a lunch break.