"Still making memories 82 years later" The Cozy is the oldest family owned restaurant in the state of Maryland. Cozy is proud to be one of the first restaurants enshrined in the Maryland Restaurant Association Hall of Honor as well as the National Restaurant Association Hall of Fame. Wilbur R. Freeze along with his wife Mary L Freeze founded the Cozy in 1929 with his son Jerry at the helm today. Over the past 82 years, the Cozy Restaurant and Inn has hosted Presidents, cabinets members, foreign delegations and dress corps.
The Camp David Museum at Cozy houses the history of Camp David through pictures and memorabilia of presidents from Hoover up until today. The artifacts in the Camp David Museum were gifts to Cozy from press corps and dignitaries.
Cozy's Presidential history starts with President Hoover. In 1929 Hoover's Personal Secretary Larry Ritchie built a retreat in the Catoctin Mountains and became a close friend of the Freeze Family. A bear skin rug made from a bear that was killed by President Hoover on a hunting trip to Alaska was on display in Cozy for many years. President Hoover's fishing license is on display in the museum.
Cozy was the original housing for the Secret Service who protected President Roosevelt while in Thurmont. In the early years of Shangri-la, the newspaper delivery to the retreat would be made to the Cozy.