Kalamazoo is full of unique local businesses, and Cosmo’s Cucina is no exception. Located in the heart of the historic Vine neighborhood, Cosmo’s is full of personality. It is located on the second floor of a 110 year old building on the corner of Vine and Locust St. The first floor is home to O’duffy’s Pub. Both are owned and ran by Jamie Kavanaugh.
You walk up the old staircase to reveal a small restaurant, full of character. The exposed brick walls and string lights make you feel at home, with windows all around to see the heart of the Vine neighborhood.
The restaurant opened in November of 1992, a dream of Kavanaugh’s wife’s. In the beginning Cosmo’s was a weekend breakfast spot, while the restaurant struggled to attract locals to the Vine area. Over time Cosmo’s gathered a following from local foodies and many other local businesses that began opening up in the Vine neighborhood and downtown Kalamazoo. The new businesses helped attract customers. Eventually Kavanaugh opened O’duffy’s Pub downstairs.
The main focus and drive of Cosmo’s is serving great local food. Kavanaugh focuses on finding the best possible ingredients, keeping it local when he can and having the highest quality food to serve.
“We try to find the best ingredients we possibly can, and we make all of our meals from scratch. We’re not one of those food warming stations, that just heats food,” explained Kavanaugh.
Cosmo’s Cucina works with a coffee roaster from Chicago and source fish from a small company in Portland, Maine. They obtain as many of their ingredients from local sources as possible. Another focus of Cosmo’s is making meals from scratch that feel just like a home cooked meal. A personal favorite at Cosmo’s is the infamous Belgian Waffle, with a malted batter and topped with fruit and yogurt.
“One of the things we’ve always tried to do is make this an extension of our home, welcoming people in, customers and staff have become family,” Kavanaugh commented.
Almost always when Jamie is in the restaurant he is accompanied by his dog, Molly. Molly is a Bernese Mountain Dog, who is calm, friendly and a certified service dog. She spends many of her days relaxing on the patio at Cosmo’s. She interacts with the staff and customers, adding to the family feel at Cosmo’s.
Cosmo’s Cucina is a gem of the Vine neighborhood, bringing great food and a wonderful atmosphere to Kalamazoo. They serve high quality, local gourmet cuisine, while making you feel like a member of the family.