In a small community like Hampton, there is always the need for a place where we can connect with one another.  Clearly, that place has been, and continues to be, the Hampton General Store.  Though the present version is not one where you can pick up a fresh doughnut, a newspaper, or a quart of milk or oil, it is one where residents can sit for a spell and enjoy a cup of coffee and one another’s company.

Proprietors Randy and Rowan Saylor have re-named the place “The Hampton Café” and serve sandwiches, grinders and pizza. This winter, there were also daily specials, hearty meals like shepherd’s pie, lasagna, and soups.  And though that grinder or pizza can easily be boxed or wrapped for home, it can also be enjoyed in the store at one of the tables set there for customers.  “A respectable, pleasant atmosphere where people can sit and eat, or meet up with a friend for lunch, or just sit and catch up to local gossip,” Diane Gagnon recommends, adding,  “Good gossip only!”

There’s something nostalgic about sitting in a place where neighbors for a century have taken a few moments to simply slow down and relax at the pace of small town life. “It is wonderful to have a family business in the heart of Hampton. Seeing friends sitting at the counter, everyone is happy to see you. I stop in for a coffee and to see who is there,” says Renee Cuprak.  “And the homemade food is good, too.”

At the Hampton Café, one can sit and respond to the comings and goings of friends and neighbors with cheerful exchanges.  One can catch up on the news of the town, discuss the budget, learn of upcoming happenings. Or ask about the health of a community member, or how one’s son or daughter is doing. Conversations are always spontaneous; we all have something in common: our town and its people. “The heart of Hampton! Every time I go, I run into friends and neighbors. The atmosphere is cozy,” Marissa Bozza appraises. “It always feels just like visiting a good friend at home.”

It is the intimacy of this place that makes it so pleasant. It’s a warm place. A welcoming place. It invites you to sit for a minute, or the entire afternoon.  “I’ve never quite felt ‘at home’ in any establishment as I have in The Hampton Café”, Linda Navin shares. “This is very important to me, as I’m a bit of a ‘wallflower’. Randy, Rowan and Diane, quite literally, welcome you with open arms.”

“When you stop in you’re sure to be greeted and run into someone you hadn’t seen in a while. It’s a great gathering place,” says Lisa Grady.  “And, oh yeah, there is food. You can’t go wrong with that!”

Oh, yeah, there’s the food!  And it’s delicious. My wife’s favorite – their roast beef grinder with horseradish sauce.  Other customers have referred to it as “the best roast beef in the northeast.” My favorite – a grinder stuffed with ham, capicola, salami and jalapeno peppers. The sandwiches are custom made.

Postings lavish praise. “Great food, good service, and a friendly atmosphere…Love the small town hospitality…Fantastic family owned Café…Great people and yummy food…Excellent fresh food, served up by friendly welcoming folks…Great food! Great people! Great neighborhood feeling!”

“My sister and I stopped by to support the opening of Hampton Cafe. We both ordered a sausage, egg and cheese breakfast sandwich and it’s absolutely delicious,” Kathy Brand wrote. “Please stop by even if it’s to say hello.”

+“Friendly service. Nice sandwiches, hot coffee and tea,” Kathleen Carpenter recommended, “and very reasonable prices! This is a great addition to town!”

“Doner kebab (lots of spice/condiment options) and sausage, pepper, & onion grinder were both tasty,” Preston Britner wrote. “Very reasonably priced.”

“Good food, great coffee and free WiFi,” Andrea Kaye noted. “Several lunch specials to choose from.”

Customers agree – there is something here for everyone. While waiting for your meal, you can wander around the café and absorb the ambience. There are musical instruments and antiques from Jamie Boss to admire. There are jams and jellies, courtesy of Renee Cuprak, you can purchase to enjoy with your morning toast. There are maple products – candy, brittle, almonds – from Dragonfly Farm. There are also books to read, or to take home, or bring to a friend.

This is what makes the Hampton Café so special. One can never quite tell who, or what, you might find here. You won’t know until you venture inside where there’s one certainty waiting for you: you’ll love it!

Juan Arriola