New in Norwich: Amber Boland is Opening Blue Sparrow Kitchen
Apr 25, 2018 08:22PM ● By Paige Wallace
Come May, you’ll find a new restaurant in Norwich, Vermont. Amber Boland is opening the Blue Sparrow Kitchen to fulfill a need in the Upper Valley for freshly made sandwiches, smoothies, delicious coffee, and much more.
Amber’s roles will include planner, organizer, and leader, but one day, she’d like to fill the roles of facilitator, teacher, and listener in order to be able to lend a hand wherever she’s needed. Not a chef herself, Amber comes from a family of cooks, including her uncle who was a large influence in her foodie life. Before she reached the age of eight, he had introduced her to dishes like shark sushi and blueberry soup.
Another influence is her sister along with her husband, who attended the Culinary Institute of America and is one of the chef-owners of Hen of the Wood in Waterbury, Vermont. Amber says they’ve been “endlessly supportive” of her dream of owning a restaurant.
“You know how there are those thin threads of things that you have literally always wanted to do that follow you throughout your life?” she says. “Well, opening a restaurant has always been one of those for me . . . at this time in my life, it was just able to happen.”The name Blue Sparrow Kitchen is inspired not only by Amber’s lifelong love of birds (and her graduate degree in Conservation Biology) but also by ideals like teamwork and community that the sparrow represents. She says, “I added blue because it’s the color of calm and confidence. There is no blue sparrow in the wild, just soon to be in Norwich, Vermont.”
You’ll find an atmosphere of community when you enter Blue Sparrow Kitchen. “When you come in, you can expect a warm and welcoming, relaxed, family-friendly, informal, and community-oriented atmosphere,” Amber says.
Blue Sparrow Kitchen will be the perfect place to have a cup of artisanal Vermont coffee with a charcuterie board filled with local cheeses and accompaniments. But if charcuterie isn’t your thing, that’s okay! They’ll also have freshly made sandwiches, soups, salads, smoothies, and even desserts, ice cream, and milkshakes! They also plan to have a selection of prepared foods, including dinner that you can get to go. Eventually, they’d like to offer a small selection of Vermont beers, wines, and ciders. And within three to six months, they hope to offer catering services.
Amber wanted to highlight how helpful and supportive her husband has been throughout the process. She says, “We all have that special someone that we rest our arm on if things really happen. No one really does anything alone—at least I can’t imagine it—it’s so much more fun with someone.” As the owner of Boland Property Management & Construction, her husband completed the retrofit of the restaurant location. They might sound familiar to you, as they’ve been in operation in the Upper Valley since 2005.
Blue Sparrow Kitchen is hoping to open its doors on May 21 at 289 Main Street in downtown Norwich, Vermont, in the Burton House next to Norwich Wine and Spirits. Join them for coffee or a meal from 6:30 am to 5 pm Monday through Friday, and Saturday 10:30 am to 8 pm. You can also find them at the ART in the PARK Arts Festival in Norwich, Vermont, on June 23 and 24.
Blue Sparrow Kitchen 289 Main Street Norwich, VT 05055
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