When the beloved Cowpoke Café closed its doors, it left a big hole in Middletown. Originally opened in 1987 by Marlene Baker, Cowpoke quickly became a town staple. Marlene ran it until her passing in 2003, after which it changed hands a couple of times before eventually being owned by Jack and Karen Lair, who carried on the Cowpoke tradition.
Following Jack’s passing, Karen made the difficult decision to close the restaurant. Not long after, she approached us with the opportunity to take over the space. Owning a restaurant had always been a dream of ours, and we knew if there was ever a right time, this was it.
We poured our hearts into reopening the doors. The remodel took over a year, everything from the kitchen to the paint and lights was redone. But what guided us through it all was a shared love of food and a desire to bring something real back to the community.
These days, Jana runs the restaurant day to day while Dave handles the admin, maintenance, and marketing. We juggle the restaurant and our 3 Kids, Victoria Parker & Scarlett and a small farm. Together, we’re proud to be part of Middletown’s story and even prouder to serve the folks who make this town special.
The name Stonehouse came naturally, the building itself is made of stone, and as it turns out, before it was Cowpoke Café, it was actually called Stonehouse decades ago. We even connected with Mickey Aiello, the original Stonehouse owner, who brought us photos and stories from when his parents ran it. Bringing the name back felt like the perfect tribute.
We’ve noticed that many people naturally compare us to the old Cowpoke Café. We want to take a moment to acknowledge that and share a little bit about who we are.
The Cowpoke was a beloved part of Middletown for decades, and when it closed after the passing of Jack Lair, it left a big hole in our community. We respect that history deeply, but we also want to be clear: Stonehouse is not the Cowpoke, and we’re not trying to be.
Cowpoke’s menu relied heavily on premade items, and for years, that worked for the community it served. At Stonehouse, we’ve taken a different path. Our focus is on scratch-made dishes, sauces, recipes, and meals built from the ground up with care. We source local beef from Cache Creek Cattle Company and create recipes that balance classic comfort with fresh new twists. It’s a different style, and it’s intentional.
We know change can be hard, especially in a small town where tradition means so much. But our goal has never been to copy what came before, it has always been to honor Middletown’s history while creating something new that reflects today’s community.
So when you visit Stonehouse, we hope you’ll come in with fresh eyes (and taste buds). Try our take on American breakfast and lunch, give a new dish a chance, and know that everything you’re eating was made from scratch in our very small kitchen, by a team that cares about quality and service. We’re proud of what we’ve built so far, and we’re excited for what’s ahead, including the expansion into dinner service that so many of you have asked for. At the end of the day, Stonehouse is about creating a welcoming place where neighbors connect, history is respected, and new traditions are made.
Thank you, Middletown, for being part of that journey with us.
