L Street Kitchen, a beloved diner in downtown South Bend, wasn’t just envisioned as another restaurant when Mike and Meg LaCarrubba first opened its doors. Their ambition was to recreate the welcoming heart of a home kitchen right in the city center. “[The concept] is that you’re literally in the kitchen of your house,” Mike explained in a 2018 interview. “You know, where Pop is over there grilling a burger and you can shout what you want on the burger. I want to have that interaction with our guests. I’ve spent so many years locked away in a kitchen that I only saw the guests when I was leaving, but I want to talk with them.”
Over the subsequent two years, L Street Kitchen blossomed into more than just a local breakfast and lunch favorite. It evolved into a community hub where regulars were greeted by name, their usual orders anticipated before they even sat down. City and county employees found it a convenient and comforting spot for a midday meal, just across from their workplaces. Notably, even former Mayor Pete Buttigieg chose its “polished but unpretentious” atmosphere as the backdrop for interviews with national press during his presidential campaign.
Alt text: Mike LaCarrubba, co-owner of L Street Kitchen in South Bend, skillfully grilling burgers, embodying the diner’s home-style cooking and interactive guest experience.
L Street Kitchen also became an incubator for emerging culinary talents. It provided a platform for chefs like Dont’e Shaw, who launched the Bantam Diner pop-up in the evenings for eight months. Following in these footsteps, Roselily, owned and operated by the LaCarrubbas’ son Eamonn McParland, began its dinner service residency in September, adding a fresh dimension to the location. This nurturing environment solidified L Street Kitchen’s role as a cornerstone of the community.
“We worked really hard to build a community at L Street and I feel like we did,” Meg LaCarrubba reflected. However, after dedicating approximately 50 years to the demanding restaurant industry, marked by relentless seven-day work weeks and ownership of establishments from Nicky’s of Centerport in Long Island to Icehouse Waterfront Restaurant in Swansboro, N.C., Mike LaCarrubba feels it’s time for a change of pace.
“It’s time for the new blood to come in and steer the boat,” Mike shared in a recent phone interview. “I couldn’t ask for a better captain to take over the boat.” The “new blood” he refers to is his son, Eamonn McParland, and the “boat” is L Street Kitchen, now ready for its next chapter.
Starting January 1st, the restaurant space at 131 S. Lafayette Blvd. will fully transition to the Roselily brand, with McParland taking the reins full-time. Roselily will continue to serve brunch from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., retaining many of L Street’s beloved menu items, albeit with fresh names and McParland’s distinctive culinary flair. The dinner service format, successfully pioneered by Roselily since its initial opening, will also be maintained, promising a seamless blend of the familiar and the new.
Alt text: Exquisite dishes prepared at Roselily inside L Street Kitchen, showcasing the restaurant’s commitment to culinary artistry and appealing dining experiences in South Bend.
McParland is keenly aware of the legacy he is inheriting. “I don’t want to lose that community feeling (that they’ve established),” McParland emphasized. “For the daytime, there will be new stuff people will see on there, but I don’t want to change much. … It’s going to be different but it’s not going to be shocking for the community.” This commitment to preserving the diner’s welcoming atmosphere while introducing subtle innovations signals a respectful evolution for L Street Kitchen.
Brunch prices at Roselily will remain accessible, staying under $11, with dedicated vegetarian and vegan options ensuring inclusivity for all diners. Demonstrating responsiveness to customer needs, McParland also mentioned a willingness to adjust the opening hours back to 7 a.m. if there’s sufficient demand from early risers. He views this transition not as an end, but as a natural progression—a symbolic passing of the torch within the family.
“There’s pictures of me and Mike cooking when I was 14 and I’m in the kitchen in New York and then we were cooking together when they were in North Carolina,” McParland reminisced. “And then they moved up here and I helped out with opening L Street. Our family has always revolved around the restaurant industry, it’s always been a family affair.” This deep-rooted family connection to the restaurant business underscores the personal significance of this transition.
Mike and Meg LaCarrubba aren’t stepping away entirely. They will remain involved with Roselily, with Mike occasionally lending a hand on the grill or assisting with dishwashing, and Meg continuing to contribute her warmth and hospitality in the front of house. Their continued presence ensures that the spirit of L Street Kitchen will endure.
Alt text: Meg LaCarrubba, co-owner of L Street Kitchen, warmly welcomes guests, highlighting the diner’s friendly service and community-focused ethos in South Bend.
For Mike and Meg, this transition marks the beginning of a well-deserved semi-retirement. They eagerly anticipate finally taking a honeymoon and enjoying greater freedom in how they spend their days. Meg looks forward to embracing her role as “Gigi” to her two granddaughters, Liliana and Mariana, while Mike is excited to witness his son’s success in steering Roselily forward.
“If I was just to sell this place to someone else and not to see that they care as much as we care, that would have bothered me but this was the best of two worlds,” Mike concluded. “I’ve got a spot for my son, which is why we came up here in the first place. It just seems the best opportune time to make that change.” The LaCarrubbas’ decision reflects a thoughtful blend of family legacy, community commitment, and the natural progression of time, ensuring that the essence of L Street Kitchen lives on through Roselily.
