Victoria's Kitchen more than first envisioned

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New Route 1 café offers varied menu including vegan

By Max Sullivan

Hampton Union, September 22, 2015

[The following article is courtesy of the Hampton Union and Seacoast Online.]

Victoria's Kitchen staff
Victoria's Kitchen opened on Route 1 in August, bringing a new cafe; to Hampton while expanding the Victoria Inn's catering capacity. From left are Cynthia Higgins, baker; Gary Olsen, owner; Tracey Dewhurst, Victoria Inn General Manager; Pamela Ferguson; Chef Reno Diehl; Tori Aquizap and Dee Stilson. [Max Sullivan photo]

HAMPTON — Victoria Inn owner Tracey Dewhurst expanded her business across town this summer with Victoria’s Kitchen, a new Route 1 café and catering facility.

Victoria’s Kitchen offers coffee products, baked goods, salads, and sandwiches in addition to its full catering service, according to Dewhurst. It opened on Aug. 21 at 725 Lafayette Road.

Dewhurst said Victoria’s Kitchen was originally only meant to be an extension of the Victoria Inn’s kitchen for catering purposes. Dewhurst bought the inn in 2013 because of its suitability for hosting functions in addition to being a bed and breakfast. The kitchen was small though, only capable of accommodating weddings up to 75 people, she said. Larger functions needed to be catered by outside businesses.

“We didn’t have the space in the kitchen,” Dewhurst said. “We were basically working with a household kitchen.”

Rather than strictly using Victoria’s Kitchen for catering, Dewhurst decided to open it as a coffee and sandwich shop as well, including roast beef, turkey and veggie sandwiches. Many of the ingredients are homemade, she said, including English muffins and potato chips. The menu includes vegan options, too. Victoria’s Kitchen also features dinners to go for pickup Monday through Friday.

Pamela Ferguson, general manager and inn keeper at the Victoria Inn and who handles marketing for the inn and café, said the new café broadens the possibilities for what the Victoria Inn offers.

“I think it adds to the package for the events, for the weddings, for all events,” Ferguson said. “We’re able to offer our own catering, so it’s everything in one. It’s all inclusive. It’s a complete package now.”

Dewhurst hopes the kitchen will become a new local hangout. The room fits 24 people and offers WiFi, couches, and benches.

“I’d love the teenagers to come, young people, older people, retirees, anybody that needs to hole up for a few hours and work. We’d love that,” Dewhurst said.

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