Rambo's Country Store was built by Abraham Philhower in 1888 and has run continuously since, owned in turn by the Philhowers, the Apgars and, for about 50 years, the Rambos; Leonard Rambo Jr. added the butcher shop. Donald Freibergs, who grew up in Califon and started working in the store at 10, bought it with his wife Marie in 1998, and the family runs it today. The old counters, wood floors, pot-bellied stove and a 1911 hand-crank cash register are still there. Butchers Don and Len cut Choice beef, pork, lamb, turkey and veal to order, and Italian sausage is made in the store every Wednesday. The kitchen makes chicken pot pies, chicken tetrazzini, baked ziti, soups and deli salads, and the deli counter makes sandwiches with store-made roast beef and ham.
What’s here
- Made here
- Italian sausage, made every Wednesday · Custom-cut Choice beef, pork chops, smoked chops and roasts · Chicken pot pies, chicken tetrazzini and baked ziti · Store-made roast beef and baked ham for the deli · Soups (September through May), deli salads, rice and bread pudding, pickled eggs
- Sold here from other producers
- Lamb, veal and fresh turkeys · Deli meats and cheeses · Groceries, produce and ice cream
- Served here
- Deli sandwiches, burgers and daily specials (a few tables inside and chairs on the porch)
This season
Open year-round. The fall/winter 2026 lunch menu is posted, with hot soup of the day September through May. The store says it sells more than 300 fresh turkeys every Thanksgiving, but no 2026 turkey order form or deadline is posted; call (908) 832-2012.
Details checked against Rambo's Country Store’s own site on ; not yet confirmed by the business. Hours change, so check before you go. Spot a mistake? Tell us.