FAMILY MEAL

Bryan Voltaggio and Hilda Staples are proud to introduce Family Meal: a modern take on comfort food classics for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, seven days a week.

"We wanted to create a place for families to spend time together,” said Voltaggio. When Bryan and his brother Michael were growing up, “we sat down for dinner at 5:30 sharp,” he said. “It was the most important time of the day.” In creating Family Meal, Voltaggio said he wanted to reinforce this ritual.

Dining together isn’t just for families. Family meal is also a term that refers to the staff meal eaten before or after a restaurant shift.

Eggs star on every menu at Family Meal, including deviled egg variations, or two eggs any-style, paired with biscuits and corned beef gravy. Crisp skin and juicy interior are hallmarks of the buttermilk-fried chicken, served with mashed potatoes and braised greens. Burger lovers may steer toward the patty melt with gruyere and caramelized red onions, while deli fans will opt for house-cured pastrami on marbled rye. Snacks include a range from duck fat fries with dipping sauces to tempura frogs’ legs with garlic, lime, soy, and chili.

House-made ice cream is the inspiration for adult milkshakes, though Family Meal will serve hangover cures such as the gin-based Corpse Reviver over crushed ice, as well as alcohol-free craft sodas. Beer lovers will celebrate American brews from ten taps, such as Maryland’s Flying Dog Brewery and Brooklyn Brewery’s Pennant Ale.

Housed in a former Nissan dealership built in the 1960’s, the 3,500 square foot restaurant seats 96 diners, including counter seating for 30 and a large outdoor dining area.

Less than 50 miles from Washington, D.C., Leesburg, Annapolis, and Baltimore, Family Meal is adjacent to historic downtown Frederick. The town is an architectural treasure trove of 18th and 19th century buildings which house an array of specialty stores, antique shops, bed and breakfasts, and restaurants.