A Fireplace Feast in New England’s Rustic Pastures

Prime rib turns slowly on an antique roasting jack before a broad open fireplace, while a pot of chowder takes shape over the hearth nearby. At this historic New England restaurant, dinner can involve far more than placing an order and waiting for a plate to arrive.

The seasonal Fireplace Feast is built around the old-fashioned pleasure of gathering: a warming drink in the tavern, a horse-drawn circuit of the grounds, cooking at the fire, and a long, generous meal at assigned tables. It has the agreeable unhurried pace of an evening designed for talking as much as eating.

The setting suits the occasion. Rustic rooms hold period artifacts and fireplaces, and parts of the property's structures date to the 17th century. Beyond the dining rooms are rolling fields, open pasture and the occasional view of grazing cows, giving the place a distinctly rural New England backdrop.

The Fireplace Feast opens downstairs in the tap room or tavern, where guests gather over appetizers, cheese and crackers. Mulled cider and mulled wine are recurring welcome drinks, and a cash bar may be available during the opening mingle.

This beginning is intentionally social rather than formal. There is time to settle in, find familiar faces or strike up a conversation before the group moves into the evening's other activities.

Feast seating is assigned and can take the form of large communal tables, sometimes seating 10 or more people. That arrangement differs from a regular restaurant dinner, but it suits a meal that is as much a shared occasion as a menu.

Before dinner, the feast includes a horse-drawn ride around the property. In warmer conditions, that means a wagon ride past the fields and pastures. When snow cooperates, the wagon gives way to a sleigh.

The ride is dependent on the weather, and the sleigh version naturally requires snow. Still, the changeability is fitting here; the pastoral grounds are not merely scenery glimpsed through a window but a working part of the evening's rhythm.

For a visiting family or a group celebrating a birthday, the ride adds a small bit of ceremony before the meal. It also breaks up the night nicely: tavern conversation, a trip outdoors, then the welcome pull of the fireplace.

The hearth is not decorative. Prime rib is roasted in view on the antique jack, with the mechanics of the old cooking method on display along with the roast itself. It is a satisfying thing to watch, particularly for diners accustomed to seeing a finished entrée appear from a kitchen door.

Seafood chowder is another centerpiece of the feast. The thick, substantial chowder is prepared over the fireplace, and guests who want to participate can help with the seafood or fish-and-clam version.

That invitation to pitch in is a pleasant detail. Nobody needs to confuse the evening with a cooking class, but a little hands-on work turns the chowder from just another first course into a story people will probably bring up at the table.

The feast menu has included chowder, muffins and rolls before moving into prime rib with potatoes, squash and salmon. The spread is solidly New England in spirit: comforting, substantial and meant to carry a long evening.

The prime rib has a starring role, but the chowder deserves its own attention. A hearty bowl from a pot cooked at the hearth has a useful way of slowing people down before the main course arrives.

Dessert stays close to the season with warm apple pie or cobbler. Homemade whipped cream comes in a large communal tub and is applied with cheerful generosity. This is not a moment for a delicate garnish.

The feast is seasonal, and its tickets or seats can go quickly. Its group format, outdoor ride and cooking demonstrations belong specifically to this special event rather than the restaurant's everyday service.

Outside feast season, the restaurant offers a more conventional sit-down meal in its rustic dining rooms. The regular menu still keeps close to regional cooking, with prime rib and salmon alongside duck breast, grilled fish, chicken pot pie and other New England-oriented dishes.

Smaller details give a regular meal some range. Past offerings have included a fennel-celery-orange salad, coleslaw, squash muffins, oysters, fried crab cakes, a wedge salad and seasonal vegetables. A mixed group can go from a simple salad to a richer main course without everyone having to order from the same narrow lane.

Desserts have included slab apple pie, deep-dish apple pie and apple crisp, along with Indian pudding served with vanilla ice cream and chocolate coconut pie. Apple desserts are a natural choice in this setting, but Indian pudding is the sort of old New England item worth ordering when it appears.

The tavern is one of the coziest places to settle in, especially in winter when diners can sit near a roaring fireplace. It gives an ordinary dinner a little of the same warm atmosphere that drives the larger Fireplace Feast.

The property has multiple dining areas, so the mood can shift from a tavern meal to a more traditional dining-room dinner. Period pieces and the older fabric of the buildings keep the rooms from feeling interchangeable.

In suitable weather, patio or terrace seating opens the meal to views of the grounds. The fields and pastures are quiet company with lunch, dinner or a drink, and the outdoor tables offer a very different experience from a winter night near the fire.

Near the reception area, a local-history book collecting comments about the restaurant has been displayed. It is a small, homespun touch, well matched to a property where the rooms and grounds have clearly accumulated stories over time.

The same mix of old buildings, warm wood and open land has made the property a setting for weddings and private gatherings. An event can move from an outdoor ceremony to dinner in the barn, followed by dancing or a more casual gathering downstairs in the tavern.

The barn's wood-toned interior and the fields beyond it give couples two distinctly different settings without leaving the grounds. Evening light over the pasture is a natural fit for portraits, while the tavern brings everyone back indoors for a livelier finish.

The venue also accommodates showers, galas and business events. For a family celebration, that range of spaces is useful: the landscape handles the open-air portion, and the barn and tavern offer separate places for dining and gathering.

Free parking is available in a large lot with plentiful spaces. Dining can be busy, so reservations are advisable for a regular meal.

For the seasonal Fireplace Feast, the weather matters in a more immediate way because the outdoor horse-drawn ride is part of the program. The ride may be by wagon or sleigh, depending on conditions, while the hearthside cooking and communal supper keep the evening grounded indoors.

A quiet dinner in the tavern, apple pie after a meal overlooking the fields, or a full evening of chowder, roasting prime rib and a horse-drawn ride all start from the same rustic grounds. The choice is mostly a matter of how long you want to linger.