Judy’s Country Kitchen in Centralia reopens after kitchen fire

A Centralia staple since owner Judy Heartley first opened its doors almost 20 years ago, Judy’s Country Kitchen officially reopened on the morning of Wednesday, Sept. 3, following a kitchen fire that occurred there last month.

“We are OPEN,” Heartly posted on the business’s Facebook page.

While the fire did force Judy’s Country Kitchen to close its doors in early August as they waited for a new grill and fryers to arrive, Heartley, her husband and her staff took the opportunity to take care of some much needed restoration work inside the kitchen.

“We really took advantage of the time down even though it was unfortunate. We made the best of it,” Heartley told The Chronicle on Tuesday prior to reopening. “Fortunately, I had good insurance, and it basically is covering everything.”

Featuring classic Americana diner staples such as country fried steak, biscuits and gravy, Denver omelets and more, Heartley was first a server at RJ’s Diner — the restaurant that used to be located in the building where Judy’s Country Kitchen operates.

After working there for more than half a decade, Heartley asked RJ’s owners if they were interested in selling. They indeed were, and in 2006, she purchased it from them and opened Judy’s Country Kitchen.

Since then, Judy’s Country Kitchen has grown into a beloved Centralia diner staple, known for its home-style country cooking and massive portion sizes.

Located at 3210 Galvin Road in Centralia, Judy’s Country Kitchen is open seven days a week for breakfast and lunch from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m.

For more information including the full menu, visit https://www.judys-countrykitchen.net/.