One of my new favorite places is the Big Rock Cafe & Grocery.  This rare find combines elements you almost never see together: good food at a relative steal, a general store and gas station, an absolutely unique, all-ages atmosphere that's very welcoming and, oh yeah, five microbrews on tap.  Located on State Route 9, they're open for breakfast, lunch and dinner from 6am to at least 10pm everyday.

http://www.bigrockcafe.com/

First of all, their menu is a hoot.  It reads like a dry-witted stand-up comedian.  Read it front to back for a laugh but don't take too long, you need food.  And the food IS good and offered at a good value.  My ideal breakfast there is a half order of the biscuits and gravy, one egg over-medium and a side of hashbrowns with a beer.  Note: I just want to point out that the biscuits and gravy must be freakin' awesome to keep me from ordering bacon; I LOVE bacon.

Second, I find the atmosphere super-cozy and visually interesting.  The wood that makes up the bar and tables is a mixture of what looks like solid chunks of trees and salvage material finished in a high-gloss lacquer of some sort.  You can see more pictures at their website above for a better idea.  Vintage canned goods and other miscellaneous items adorn the walls.  And then there's the general store area where you can buy your Mountain Dew and Cheetos for the long ride up Highway 9 or out to Highway 20.

I chose to breakfast on the lighter side, (trying to watch my girlish figure - pretty difficult when you're around yummy, sudsy beer 24/7) and just got a half-order of the b&g's with a North Sound ESB.

Ok, so it's true that I work at North Sound Brewing but I NEVER get to drink there.  That being said I was delighted to see that Big Rock had the ESB on tap.  To me, North Sound's ESB is a near-perfect beer: medium body, balanced hop/malt profile with a slightly bitter yet clean finish and a lower-ish ABV,  It was my breakfast beer that day but I could drink it anytime, and it's quickly becoming the flagship brew of Mount Vernon's newest brewery.

All ages are welcome at Big Rock and the eclectic crowd that gathers here means that everyone can feel at home.  I haven't yet been out for one of their live music nights but I hear they're on their way to being one of the biggest hot spots for that kind of thing in the area.  Big Rock also does brewer's nights from time time; check their facebook page for updates.

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Mount-Vernon-WA/Big-Rock-Cafe-Grocery/112813022101768?ref=ts

Really, Big Rock's got it all.  And if you can't find something there that you're looking for, just remember their tagline: "If we don't have it, you don't need it."

Chances are, you didn't after all.

Thanks to the owners and staff at Big Rock for creating something special and always being so helpful.  Cheers!

Lyra