A More Than Occasional Delight
Discovering Comfort and Community at Strafford’s Occasional Rooster Café
June 19, 2025
Strafford Village, VT—In the heart of Strafford, this tucked-away Upper Valley Vermont village with its small-town charm and neighborly spirit, the Occasional Rooster café has opened its front door and cheerfully-decorated space to locals and whomever may be passing through town. It’s modest by appearance but vast in warmth, and is quickly becoming known for it’s excellent coffee and freshly-baked breakfast goods, with light lunch bites and ice cream sandwiches, too. Situated just to the right of the Strafford Village Post Office, look for a row of potted flowers and the neon-red rooster motif lighting the front window as your guide.
A Small Menu That Warms the Soul
At the Occasional Rooster, the wide-open dining space feels like home as the two cafe staff, Lila and Tallulah, and owner, Phoebe Mix, offered me a warm welcome as I wandered in at 7:30 this morning. The fare of fresh-baked berry muffins and their egg bite served on an english muffin was tantalizing and tasty. The coffee, I had an Americano, was hot and soothing as I sipped and chatted with Phoebe at the community table in the middle of the large, brightly-decorated space.
Here, there’s whimsy and a palette of colors that will lift your spirits as you begin your day. A “Rooster in Sheeps Clothing” sculpture stands atop a table at the far end of the cafe. This was a gift from Phoebe’s brother, the artist and glassblower Robin Mix of Tunbridge Glassworks. It adds a welcome twist of farm humor to the atmosphere where it quickly became clear to me that the fun that accompanies community building is squarely on display. Many other roosters of all shapes and sizes abound and delight. Artistically, this space is a gem, in a creative, bright, and whimsically-happy way.
More Than Coffee: A Gathering Place
The charm of the Occasional Rooster doesn’t stop at its menu or its locally-made and multi-colored coffee mugs. I appreciated the feel of the room itself—the wooden tables, bright red and yellow chairs, the oversized community table designed for conversation and convening, and the inviting staff who asked my name—not just to know it for my order, but to get to know me as a person. As I learned, you’ll find more than local Staffordites coming together here. You’ll meet hikers wandering through, bicyclists fueling up, and folks from surrounding towns chatting over steaming mugs as the morning sunlight filters in. This is the kind of place where conversation flows easily, laughter is abundant, and everyone feels welcome.
I expect the Occasional Rooster will become Strafford’s new, informal town center—where barn coats and jeans rub up against visitors from afar as they come trundling though with horse trailers and top-down convertibles throughout the approaching summer months and beyond. Pop in for a quick bite, take something away for a picnic, or linger longer. It’s a comfortable place to be.
Connecting to River, Trails, and Tradition
Strafford offers more than its new café scene. Community life here is active and welcoming: a rope-tow ski hill, town garden, summer events, hiking trails, the Justin Smith Morrill Homestead just down the road, swimming holes, a stunning waterfall nearby, and more—the kinds of things you’ll hear about around the tables at the Occasional Rooster if you sit for a spell. Here, the heartbeat is strong, and the “Rooster” is more than an occasional hub—central, approachable, and spirited. Owner Phoebe Mix regaled me with stories about the building having housed a general store back in the late 1800’s when it first opened, up until the present day where she’s worked over a period of about five years with local contractors to gut the space, secure the permits, renovate and remodel, and create the community gathering spot that’s now a reality. She’s having fun with it, and it shows.
As we spoke, a reporter from the Valley News popped in to chat and jot notes for a future article about small-town cafes. Interestingly, I’d first heard about this cafe notion of Phoebe’s, a long-time friend of mine, from a Valley News article some years back. I’d then asked Phoebe what she was thinking, and from then forward, she’s been enthusiastically working to develop a space where people can come together to share the community vibe that she’s long known to be Strafford’s true pulse. As Phoebe mentioned to the reporter while I listened in, had she read a “Starting a Coffee Shop for Dummies” book, she’d have failed the most basic business start-up requirements—like having a high enough traffic count, staffing availability, licensing and permitting, appropriate space, etc. But she had a vision and understood there was a town and community need, and she persisted. Though thick and thin, I’m happy she did. This place is worth a visit.
Some Parting Thoughts
The Occasional Rooster isn’t just a place to eat—it’s a place to gather, linger, and root into community. It’s coffee drips of Vermont small-town charm. This is the kind of nook where conversation, comfort, and camaraderie are all served up fresh and generous. And, should you catch her, Phoebe’s stories span the decades, having spent time here and attended Vermont Law & Graduate School (then known as Vermont Law School) back in the late 1970’s. She’s a member of the VL[G]S Class of 1979, the school’s 4th graduating class in its storied 49-year history. Yes, those were some interesting years in and around the Upper Valley, and especially around the Strafford-Royalton environs. Phoebe, with her mop of gray hair, purple-rimmed eyeglasses, inviting warmth, and openness of personality, can fill you in.
So, if you’re craving homemade goodness and a dose of genuine Vermont connection, head to the Occasional Rooster. Leave a little longer than you’d planned—you might just find Strafford's embracing heart and community spirit waiting for you at a table by the window.
The “Rooster” is located at 1 Brook Road in Strafford, VT and is open Thursdays and Fridays, 7 am - 2 pm, and Saturdays and Sundays, 9 am - 2 pm.
Hope to see you there!
Dave Celone writes from Sharon, VT, just up and over the hill and a bit down the road from Strafford Village and the Occasional Rooster. He works in South Royalton at Vermont Law and Graduate School as vice president for alumni relations and development. He’s known Phoebe Mix, a fellow Vermont Law grad, since the mid-1990’s.
This describes the Rooster SO WELL. I work at the post office next door. The cafe is a favorite place for me 😊
We're looking forward to heading over the hill from Vershire for espresso! Heard they'll have gluten-free treats soon too. :)