MT. VERNON, Ky. (LEX 18) — Family.
That's really all you need to know about Marcella's Farm to Fork in Mt. Vernon.
Everything the restaurant stands for is built on a foundation of treating customers like blood at the dinner table.
It's a foundation owner Marcella Lovell has built over almost a decade.
When you come in, we want it to feel like being at Grandma's house," Lovell said.
Marcella's opened its doors in September of 2014, quite a bit smaller than where the eatery stands today.
Lovell feels blessed to see how much her business has grown over the years, crafted into the vision she had from the start.
"We wanted to be able to cater to our working class, to our farmers and our blue collar workers," Lovelly said.
It's a homestyle spot for the working man and woman to get their fill of fresh made food.
Sizable portions that make it pretty hard to leave hungry.
"The food is awesome. It's just good home cooking," Angie Miller, who's worked at Marcella's about five years, said.
"Honestly, I may get in trouble for saying this, it's the little old grannies that are doing all the cooking. You can taste that love. You really can."
Some of these recipes has been passed down generations through Lovell's family to satisfy customers.
People like Logan Bowman who grew up in Rockcastle County and eating at Marcella's.
"The coleslaw is where it's at. There isn't anywhere else better than here," Bowman said.
"Just a family environment. Great service and home cooked food. Just like eating at home."
Think comfort food if you're trying to understand the menu.
Beans, pork, cornbread.
Plenty of hearty options for people to enjoy thanks to the hard work and dedication of the ladies in the kitchen.
So many of them have called Rockcastle County home for decades, maybe their whole lives, and are proud to serve the community.
"I've lived on the same road for 37 years," Miller said
"I get close with my customers, I do. I worry about them, ask about them. It's just a part of everything."
That strong bond has kept Marcella, both the restaurant and owner, going through a lot.
From the pandemic which impacted all of us to more personal losses for Lovell.
We lost my mom in 2017. Throughout my life, she's taught me a lot of things but boy did she make a difference here," Lovell said.
So how would Lovell's mom feel to see the success her daughter is having now?
"She wouldn't believe it probably. She'd just be in awe but she'd be so proud," Lovell said.
If you want to try out Marcella's for yourself, it's located at 216 Cedar Rapids Road in Mount Vernon.
They're open Tuesday-Saturday 7 a.m.-8 p.m.
Click here to find out more.
