Sweet Gypsy: Restaurant in downtown Palmer offers customers a variety of options

Since opening Sweet Gypsy earlier this year, Janelle Fox has established herself as one of the newest upcoming restaurant owners in the heart of Palmer.

“I wanted to have a business, I just didn't know what,” said Fox. “And I never ever thought I would have a restaurant.”

After working as a registered nurse for 10 years in Washington State, Fox moved to Alaska in 2017 looking for a change of pace.

Upon a vacancy where Humdinger's Gourmet Pizza Co. and Omnivore used to be located on South Valley Way, Fox claimed the space for her very own restaurant and has been serving customers since January.

At Sweet Gypsy, many food options are available including calzones, paninis, soups, salads and desserts. A variety of cheesecakes are displayed in the front refrigerator for customers who either dine-in or walk-out.

There are a number of options on the menu for customers with dietary restrictions, given that Fox herself is a lifelong vegetarian.

“I like everything fresh with lots of flavor,” said Fox. “I love to smell the meat, or you know, whatever I'm cooking I'll taste the broth because that doesn't bother me and because I have to taste that.”

All along, Fox has never written a recipe down allowing creativity to guide the process. Fox shared how not only herself but also her staff have crafted their own dishes. One of the available paninis is called the “Ori Panini,” sharing the name with one of Fox’s staff members who came up with the recipe.

Beth Ketterman, a good friend of Fox’s, has been by her side as the restaurant has grown into what it is today.

“She's always looking to understand ‘what can we do better,’ ‘what can I do to make this better,’ and ‘what can I do to make sure someone really enjoyed this,’” said Ketterman. “She's always striving to make sure that her customers are happy and that her food is legitimately good.”

Ketterman has become a regular customer at the restaurant and a close friend of Fox and her family.

Ketterman shared how she has appreciated witnessing the family aspect of the business. Fox, her husband and her two daughters have worked closely together since the beginning. Ketterman shared that the family’s dynamic adds a special touch to the restaurant's atmosphere.

Fox’s roles span beyond the kitchen. She is a mother, a grandmother, a wife, a photographer, an artist and more.

In her role as a chef and business owner, Fox has worked to ensure customer’s satisfaction with their overall experience while dining at Sweet Gypsy. Fox regularly adapts the menu and works to create a sense of community within the restaurant.

“I love it when strangers will come in here and then they'll just start chatting and you think they know each other but then they're like ‘oh, it was nice meeting you,’” said Fox. “If you’ve watched cooking shows or documentaries about chefs, I just think it’s very cool when there's time for interaction here.”

Walking in, lights dangle from the ceiling, art pieces made by local artists line the walls (including some of Fox’s own photographs) and lighted centerpieces decorate the tables. Music from the speaker fills the space.

Shania Akers, a lifelong Palmer resident has become a regular customer with her 1-year-old son and husband.

Akers has found Sweet Gypsy to be accommodating for her gluten-free dietary needs and to be a welcoming environment with a young and busy toddler.

Akers shared how she enjoys the reasonable prices, delicious food and kind service. Her toddler’s favorite on the kid’s menu is the french toast.

As the Yak Youth Center will close after this summer, Sweet Gypsy will expand into the neighboring space. Fox hopes that the larger venue will present new opportunities to host a a greater number of customers and various events. Additionally, the restaurant will have a liquor license in the near future to authorize serving of alcoholic beverages.

One of Fox’s servers, Amber Clark, is one of her two daughters. Upon opening Sweet Gypsy, Clark left her past waitressing position to work with her mother.

“She does so much, stays up late making cheesecake, is here early making all of this and I’ll say, ‘you need to rest, you can't do it all,’ but she does,” said Clark.

Fox has placed a donation barrel at the front of the restaurant, encouraging her customers to bring items to donate to the local food bank that neighbors Sweet Gypsy. Each time a customer brings an item, their name will be entered into a drawing to win cheesecake prizes.

Fox has accumulated a large following on her social media pages to keep her followers up to date.

Sweet Gypsy is open Thursday through Monday from noon until 8 p.m. On holidays like Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, Fox creates special menu items to bring the community together within the space.

Fox shared her fulfillment for everything that Sweet Gypsy has become alongside her family, friends and community. Fox looks forward to the future as the business grows and new and exciting opportunities arise.