Your guide to the heart of Litchfield County:
Discover local stories, hidden gems, and must-know events.

Good News Restaurant and Bar is back—revamped, reimagined, and just as delicious as ever.

It can be tricky to give a popular restaurant a second act. Too often loyal patrons will return, only to leave in disappointment, finding that certain dishes have not been adequately replicated or that friendly faces who once brought them food or drink no longer work there. It also takes a certain amount of brio to reopen a restaurant and continue to use the same name. Inevitably you will be risking comparison, one typically made through rose-colored glasses. 

Such was the fear when, last Easter Sunday, much-beloved chef Carole Peck closed her Good News Café in Woodbury after 30 years in business. When it reopened under new ownership in August many diners were, to say the least, skeptical. Well, for those who have not yet given the new Good News Café a chance, let me assure them that the news is still good.

To begin with, the old restaurant had, shall we say, a certain well-worn charm and was certainly in need of a freshening. New owner Michael Hayek, a veteran restaurateur from Danbury, has replaced the neon green walls and blue booths with more muted, soothing colors. 

Most importantly, he has also kept several of Peck’s signature dishes, and added a few winners of his own on a menu emphasizing locally sourced ingredients that he designed with new manager Natasha Danzy. Returning eaters will be pleased to know that such favorites as the decadent lobster mac-and-cheese and the wok-seared shrimp are as good as ever. (Other welcome holdovers include bartender Jon Pacific, who has been mixing drinks there for 23 years.)

Among the highlights on the new menu are, for appetizers, Jack’s Pecan-Crusted Oysters, served with jicama, tomatillo salsa, and chili aioli, and which explode with flavor. Also highly recommended to begin are the tuna tartare with avocado butter, cherry pepper vinaigrette, and crispy tortilla; and the grilled flash-fired beef wrapped in romaine with mozzarella, and a tomato, basil, garlic, and parmesan pistou. On the advice of our waiter, we also ordered the Sweet & Spicy Cauliflower, which was served with Korean BBQ sauce, herb yogurt, hazelnuts, and scallions. I have never knowingly ordered cauliflower in my life but I am so glad that we did. It was absolutely delicious.

My wife, Melinda, a lifelong meatloaf aficionado, was over the moon with their version, which is a blend of veal and pork, served with fluffy garlic mashed potatoes, asparagus, and their rich “24-hour” gravy. We also devoured their meltingly tender boneless short ribs, their melt-in-your-mouth seared Nantucket sea scallops (served on wild mushroom risotto with truffle oil), their crispy skin salmon, the steak frites with chimichurri sauce, and their tuna pad thai. 

And I would be remiss if I didn’t give a shout-out to their truly awesome burger, a monster made from fresh-ground chuck and brisket, with chipotle aioli, Pepper Jack cheese, avocado, and bacon. Definitely worth loosening your belt for. Open seven days a week for lunch and dinner. 

Good News Restaurant and Bar, 694 Main Street S, Woodbury. goodnewswoodbury.com

By Charles Dubow

Photographs by  Jimmy Ienner Jr.

The Lost Fox Inn in Litchfield offers inventive dining and cozy accommodations in a historic setting.

Destination dining in Litchfield
By Charles Dubow
Photos by Sabrina Eberhard

It is essential that an upscale inn in Litchfield County offer a first-rate dining experience. While those of us who are fortunate enough to live here year-round know how beautiful our little slice of Connecticut can be, there are some months when it can be less enticing. Certainly, if one is planning  on driving up from Manhattan for a romantic weekend in, say, February, there had better be darn good food waiting for you when you arrive. 

Fortunately, for those from far (or near), The Lost Fox Inn is definitely worth a drive regardless of the time of year. Located on Route 202 between Litchfield and Torrington, this 15-room boutique inn is utterly charming, and its restaurant is terrific. 

It is also worth noting that the room rates are quite reasonable compared to most other high-end inns in the area. A king room starts at $450. The most expensive option is the massive Schoolhouse Suite, which goes for $800. Breakfast, including handmade pastries, is included.

The inn itself dates back to 1745, and was most recently the Tollgate Inn and before that the Captain William Bull Tavern. Its Colonial provenance means that the dining rooms are snug, and each has its own fireplace. Much of the second floor has been converted into a “great room” that has been designed to host large events. There is also an outdoor space with a marquee.

The kitchen is overseen by chef CJ Barroso, who hails from the Philippines. A veteran of the New York City dining world, he has worked in such award-winning restaurants as Aquavit, Public, and The Finch. His inventive seasonal menu, which relies on using local ingredients, is full of clever twists on classic dishes. A leg of lamb made with kimchi and served with wild rice, bok choy, an Asian pear-and-cucumber salad, and cilantro was wildly tasty and wonderfully tender. Speaking of tender, the Spanish octopus with bite-size potato gnocchi, chorizo relish, cilantro, and pistou practically melted in my mouth. 

Other favorites included the grass-fed beef tartare, the Niman Ranch pork belly with a vindaloo sauce, and the beautifully prepared fire-roasted mussels. 

For pescatarians, I recommend the roasted whole rainbow trout with an ajoblanco that gives it a delicious kick. Special mention should be made of the sunchoke soup served as an amuse-bouche: My wife, Melinda, loved it so much that Barroso brought her out a whole bowl of it, which she promptly devoured. And I would be remiss not to recommend the warm, homemade, seeded whole-grain bread served with house-cultured butter, radishes, and rosemary salt. 

The inn, opened last June, is the brainchild of husband-and-wife team Tim Trojian and Eliza Clark, owners of the Foxfire Mountain House in the Catskills. Eliza, who also designed the interior, saw great potential in the old-world beauty of the tavern. “We want to bring true care to serving our guests great food and drink, and are so excited to be in Litchfield.” 

The Lost Fox Inn, 571 Torrington Road, Litchfield—lostfoxinn.com

By Charles Dubow

Photos by Ryan Lavine

Congratulations to John and Lisa Harris and the staff at The White Horse Country Pub for once again bagging top dining accolades in Litchfield Magazine’s annual Reader’s Choice Awards. For 2025, they won in the categories of Best Restaurant, Best Brunch, Best Burger, and Best Casual Dining—and they came in second in Best Outdoor Dining. These achievements are as impressive as they are richly deserved. Judging by the constant stream of diners crowding its tables seven days a week for lunch, brunch, and dinner, it’s easy to see why the White Horse is the county’s favorite place to eat.

Fifteen years ago, when the Harrises bought the building that had once housed a local roadhouse and transformed it into the White Horse, they probably wouldn’t have been too surprised to learn how incredibly popular it would become. John, an Englishman, has been in the hospitality business for 40 years, having managed properties all over the world. “We saw the potential in the space right away,” he says. “The old place was pretty run down, so we tore it apart, made an addition, and opened it up to the river. Lisa’s a designer, and she scoured the world for auction pieces and curios.” Among the more interesting items in their collection: a framed royal pardon by Queen Elizabeth I, a receipt for 160 bottles of port from Charles Dickens, and a Fender guitar signed by members of The Rolling Stones.

What inspired them to open the White Horse? “Lisa and I were developing houses in Greenwich,” says John, “but she had friends in New Preston whom we used to visit, and we fell in love with the area. I had always wanted to have my own gastro-pub, so that’s what we did. The idea was to take classic English food and soup it up.” Today the extensive—and reasonably priced—menu features traditional pub grub such as fish and chips, shepherd’s pie, and bangers and mash, as well as ten kinds of burgers, pasta, steak, salmon, salads, vegetarian dishes, and exotic fare such as chicken tikka masala and Persian lamb koftas. It’s the perfect place for everything from a Sunday family dinner or date night to having a beer and watching the game at the bar.

“One of the reasons the menu is so long is that whenever we think about changing things customers go, ‘No, it’s too popular,’ so it stays,” says John. “In addition to people who might drive up for the day to dine with us, we have a lot of regulars, and we are very grateful to them. We want to make sure they can always get their favorites. After all, we are in the happiness business. People go out to eat to have a good time. Whether you can sit outside in the summer or next to a cozy fire in winter, when you leave here we want you to feel good about it in your car as you drive away.”

The White Horse Pub & Restaurant, 258 New Milford Turnpike, New Preston—whitehorsecountrypub.com

Kent’s favorite gastropub

By Charles Dubow
Photos by Lisa Nichols

When my daughter was a student at Kent School, we often went to Kingsley Tavern, where her favorite dish was the poutine. I hadn’t been back since she graduated four years ago, but when we returned the other night, its poutine—a glorious mélange of French fries, beef, and veal demi-glace, Ellsworth cheddar cheese curds, and white truffle oil—was the first thing she asked for.  It was as sinfully delicious as ever.

Of course, owner Anna Gowan knows just how to appeal to Kent students, being an alumna herself. Her father, the late Donald Kingsley Gowan II, was for many years Kent’s dean of students. “I remember when this building was where we used to rent videos,” says the vivacious Anna, who opened her gastropub in 2013 after many years of bopping around the restaurant business. “I found myself in Key West in my 20s with no job skills—but I was able to land a job at Blue Heaven, which was a pretty wild place.” She worked there for three years before her travels took her to Martha’s Vineyard, Stowe, and Portland, Maine, becoming a pretty darn good cook along the way. “The secret is learning from other chefs. It’s not stealing if you don’t do it in the same town,” she laughs.

Eventually she returned to college, graduated from Tufts, and then worked for an environmental lobbying firm in Washington, D.C. It was the untimely death of her brother that brought her home to be with her mother. Her brother had always wanted her to have her own restaurant, so when a building in the heart of Kent became available shortly after she returned, she went for it, naming her new place in honor of her brother, father, and grandfather.

Over the years her menu has evolved from above-average pub food, with a heavy emphasis on burgers, to more eclectic fare. “It was thanks in many ways to COVID,” she says. “We did a lot of take-out, and we were able to get more creative with a captive audience. It allowed us to get away with some cool things.” It also helps that she has Lance Feola, a veteran of Carol Peck’s Good News Café and John’s Café, cooking in the kitchen.

While old favorites such as the poutine, French dip, and hamburger (using beef raised by Anna’s husband, Billy McCann) are still prominently featured on the menu, there are now new favorites as well. Top among these are the Jamaican jerk chicken with a mildly spicy marinade, black beans, brown rice, plantains, and mango salsa; the miso-marinated salmon with kimchi butter, sticky rice balls, and smashed cucumber salad; and cornmeal-fried fish tacos with cabbage slaw and chipotle aioli.

When not working in the kitchen, Anna can be found working the room, greeting regular guests like old friends, which is what many of them are. “I never dreamed when I was younger that I would ever find myself living again in Kent but here I am.”

Kingsley Tavern, 141 North Main St., Kent

—kingsleytavern.com 

The Pink House Opens the Door to a Cornwall Renaissance
By Charles Dubow
Photos by Sabrina Eberhard

Open only since August, award-winning chef Gabe McMackin and his team—co-owner and creative director Marina Muñoz, manager Michael Regan, and executive chef Cedric Durand—have quickly established West Cornwall’s The Pink House as one of the most exciting new dining destinations in Litchfield County.

The restaurant—which is actually painted red—is only the first step in a plan led by local investor David Ellen and the West Cornwall Development Group to revitalize the pretty but sleepy town. “The Pink House is the big Italianate house on the property. It had once been painted pink, and that is what people remember, and that’s what gave our project its name,” says the Argentina-born Muñoz, a fashion industry veteran who recently moved to the area full-time to raise her young children. “The idea is to eventually also have a retail space, a grocery, and a café—maybe even a boutique hotel down the road—to make West Cornwall more of a destination.”

Muñoz got involved when she first thought about opening a store in part of The Pink House itself. She pivoted to the restaurant when Ellen told her that the space previously occupied by frank.food company would soon be available. 

“Running a restaurant is something neither David nor I had much experience doing. Friends of mine spoke to me about Gabe McMackin, and recommended we meet,” she says. McMackin, a Woodbury native who went to The Taft School and washed dishes during the summer at the Hopkins Inn, has strong ties to Litchfield County.

Over the years he has worked at some of the best restaurants in the county and in New York, including Thomas Moran’s Petite Syrah (now Community Table), The Mayflower, Blue Hill at Stone Barns, and Gramercy Tavern. His Clinton Hill restaurant The Finch won a Michelin star before closing in 2020. Most recently, he had been executive chef at Troutbeck.

McMackin’s menu, which he created with Durand (a Frenchman who cooked for Daniel Boulud), is sophisticated without being fussy. “I want to try to give people a way in by offering them something familiar with a layer of surprise,” he says. A perfect example is his smoked pork ribs: The sweet tanginess is beautifully offset by acidic Savoy cabbage slaw, the combination of which results in one magnificent mouthful. Another memorable dish is maitake mushrooms with einkorn (an ancient grain), nuts, seeds, and what McMackin describes as a “puree of Green Things.” It was rich and chewy and wonderfully satisfying. 

Other delights include the warm sourdough bread (served with cultured butter and honey); the hamachi crudo with sungold tomatoes, pickled Fresno peppers, and cilantro; and the smoked steelhead trout served with smoked trout roe, whipped egg, garlic confit, and tiny potato chips. 

“I want the first and last bite to evolve,” he says, “so that, like a really good wine, the meal opens up as you enjoy it.” 

And speaking of wine, the list is excellent, with an emphasis on natural wines.

34 Lower River Road, West Cornwall —thepinkhousect.com

Good Food and Fair Prices at Black Rabbit
By Charles Dubow
Photographs by Sabrina Eberhard

I remember when Black Rabbit opened in 2011. We were weekending in Lakeville back then, and my family and I loved it. It was the perfect casual spot to grab a seriously good burger or just have a beer and watch a game on one of their large flat-screen TVs. It didn’t take long for it to become a local favorite.

In the intervening 13 years, Black Rabbit has only become better. It still serves seriously good burgers and you can still catch a game at the bar, but chef and owner Kendra Chapman has continued to refine and expand her cooking to offer an increasingly diverse and sophisticated menu. “I just love watching cooking shows, and reading cookbooks and trendy magazines,” she says with a laugh. “When I see something that looks good I go, ‘Ooh, I should put that on the menu.’ And my customers seem to like it.”

Seeing what are Chapman’s latest creations is part of the fun of dining at Black Rabbit. She has specials every day (which she posts online); these can include such dishes as BBQ spare ribs, lamb souvlaki, or a buttered soft-shell crab sandwich.

Regular menu items are, among many others, a brick oven roast chicken, pan-seared salmon, a grilled ribeye pork chop. And, of course, the half-pound burgers, as always, come in a variety of configurations: The Everything comes with bacon, caramelized onions, sautéed mushrooms, and cheddar and Swiss cheese; the Buddha has sautéed mushrooms, truffle-smoked gouda, and garlic herb aioli; the Stella Spice has habanero bacon jam, pepper jack cheese, caramelized onions, and bacon. Any one of them will satisfy the biggest appetite.

Even better: They are all reasonably priced—as is everything on the menu, including the modest but decent wine list. (The cocktail and beer lists are more ambitious.)

Chapman credits much of her success to her staff—many of whom have been with her for years—and to her long ties to the area. Prior to opening Black Rabbit, she worked as general manager for 10 years up the road in Salisbury, at the White Hart Inn.

“Even though I had lots of restaurant experience, I wasn’t really a professional chef when I left the White Hart,” she says. “To learn how to cook to order, I opened the Chapman Chowdah House in Sheffield, and spent a year there to work out the kinks before opening here.”

Now she is very much a hands-on owner/chef and spends, in her estimation, 80 percent of her time in the kitchen.

“After I opened Black Rabbit, a lot of my friends and patrons came with me,” she says. “Which was so cool. And they’ve stayed.”

It also meant that she already knew many of the best local farms from which she could source her ingredients. Among what she calls her “farmer friends” are Gasperini Farm, Sharon Mountain Greens, Sky Farm, and Zinke’s Farm. Let’s hope Black Rabbit sticks around for another 13 years.

Black Rabbit, 2 Ethan Allen St., Lakeville—blackrabbitbarandgrille.com

The Maestro of Low and Slow
By Anne Franco McAndrew

Photos by Sabrina Eberhard

Lou Gabriel didn’t just happen upon the barbeque scene. Like so many of us, he was the Bobby Flay in his own backyard, experimenting with different grilling methods. As his interest and expertise grew, so did the number of people attending his backyard soirees. “I began to realize that it had more to do with my cooking than with my personality,” he laughs. As his friends filled their plates and tummies, encouraging words such as “you should really sell this” and “best barbeque around” were commonly uttered.

While maintaining his corporate position as global manager in the specialty chemical industry, Gabriel began his barbeque side hustle. Lou’s son, Zach, a culinary school graduate, joined forces with his dad. They purchased a truck and a smoker, and started selling at the weekly Torrington Main Street Market. Their offerings were humble: chicken thighs, baked beans, and snowflake rolls from Big Y. Business was steady and feedback was strong.

Then the calamity of COVID happened.

COVID gave Lou time to contemplate his life. He took a long look at his career in corporate management and did a 180. He bought an unassuming building in Torrington. Zach and Lou’s Barbeque was born.

Don’t expect swank, because there is no swank in barbeque. The tables are wooden, the utensils are plastic, the meal is served on a cafeteria tray—and you only get one napkin, so tuck a bandana in your back pocket before you go. But remember, don’t judge a book by its cover. Zach and Lou’s was just honored with two major wins in 2023: Waterbury’s People’s Choice Award in two categories, Best Barbeque and Best Ribs. “I didn’t even know we were a contender, I was completely blown away,” Lou declares.

In the annals of culinary history, one can find barbeque all over the world. There’s Texas style, Carolina, Memphis as well as Brazilian, Korean, Jamaican, and more. Zach and Lou’s food falls into none of these categories. “We are our own style,” Lou says.

The choices of meats and sides are many. Their best seller is the pulled pork sandwich. You sauce it yourself , choosing from hot, sweet, or mustard. Sides are served separately; be bold and pile the cole slaw or the mac-and-cheese on your sandwich. It’s pure bliss. The ribs are juicy and moist. And try the smoked pork belly burnt ends that have just the right amount of umami; or the brisket, which has been smoked for several hours, burnt and crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. 

As with any successful business, passion is paramount. You will find Lou at his smoker every morning at 3:30 am, prepping enough food for the day, only to make it all fresh again the following morning.

Zach and Lou’s Barbeque, 2936 Winsted Road, Torrington.—zachandlous.com

Elegant indulgence in Kent
By Charles Dubow

If you are in the mood for a truly Lucullan feast, I urge you to try the elegant tasting menu at Ore Hill in Kent. There are few restaurants in Litchfield County that offer such a deep and indulgent dive into all the natural goodness that our best local farms and dairies can produce. But be warned: Bring an appetite, because even though the portions for the tasting menu are moderate, there are enough of them to satisfy even the most heroic of eaters.

Under the direction of new culinary director—and celebrity chef—Tyler Anderson, and executive chef Ryan Connelly, Ore Hill has hit its stride. 

Many Connecticut eaters will know of Anderson’s accomplishments. In addition to being a James Beard nominee seven years in a row, earning Chef of the Year honors from the Connecticut Restaurant Association, and being a participant in season 15 of “Top Chef” (among other accomplishments), he and his restaurant group currently own and operate several dining locations across Connecticut, including Millwright’s in Simsbury, his TA-Que food truck, and an eponymous catering company. It was under Anderson’s leadership that Ore Hill was recognized last year by the New York Times as the best restaurant in Connecticut. 

Connelly, a Woodbury native and a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, has been gaining a reputation of his own, having earned his bones at such establishments as New Morning Market, as sous chef at Winvian under chef Chris Eddy, and with award-winning chef David DiStasi at Materia in Bantam until coming to Ore Hill in October 2023.

While there are many restaurants that espouse a farm-to-table philosophy, what sets Ore Hill apart is its connection to Rock Cobble, the 1,000-acre farm founded by the late philanthropist Anne Bass. The farm  grows heirloom varieties of vegetables, fruits, and flowers exclusively for Ore Hill and its sister restaurant, the more casual Swyft. Rock Cobble also provides beef from its Randall Lineback cattle and dairy products from its creamery. 

The menu is updated seasonally. Among recent highlights were the Rock Cobble Beef Tartare “Pizza” with horseradish cheese curds and pickled sunchoke; risotto with spinach, morels, and parmesan; seared scallops with saffron, peperonata, and chickpeas; and veal tenderloin with Swiss chard, salsify, turnips, and pancetta.

To heighten the enjoyment of your meal,  request the wine pairing for each course, designed by sommelier James Hopkins (whom sharp-eyed diners may remember from Community Table). His curated and original wine list features many smaller vineyards from both the Old and New Worlds; and many of his bottles are reasonably priced.

Connelly, who nightly helms the kitchen for both Ore Hill and Swyft, says that to him, “Ore Hill is all about focusing on local ingredients for local residents and beyond. I want to invite our guests in, and allow them to experience the flavors of the seasons.” Meal prices: prix fixe is $110, chef’s tasting is $145, wine pairing is $78. Open Thursday through Saturday for dinner.—orehillandswyft.com.

A Head Chef Reveals His Purpose and Passion
By Michelle Madden
Photos by Rana Faure

Community Table: The hip, locavore restaurant that is restrained yet warm, and where community is a religion. The dishes are plated on local pottery, the walls dressed with art from neighborhood galleries, the ingredients sourced from local farms, and the chairs warmed by sheepskins—well, OK, those are Swedish. 

Bolivar Hilario, the head chef, brings this same sensibility. Within minutes of meeting, you feel his warmth, and sense the passion and integrity he has around his cooking and the community. “A chef’s personality is on the plate,” Jo-Ann Makovitzky, the managing partner, explains. “Bolivar is very personable, gentle, and cerebral, and it shows in his food.”  

 This is a second act for Hilario. He arrived at Community Table in 2016, quickly becoming sous chef (after working at South End in New Canaan.) He left to broaden his technique in New York at Chumley’s, Michelin-star The Musket Room, and Shoji––where he picked up a Japanese (cooking) accent. He returned to Connecticut via SWYFT and its sister restaurant, Ore Hill––soon advancing to chef. He has taken the helm at Community Table with a sense of purpose, and an eagerness to leave a mark. 

“Every chef has a signature,” he explains. “For me it’s kombu dashi”––a Japanese soup stock made by cooking seaweed for four hours, to extract its essence. Seventy-five percent of Hilario’s dishes get a dose of dashi—a natural way of augmenting flavor and adding umami.

Hilario’s menu is built on a foundation of sustainably produced local foods, while pulling in a bit of French, a bit of Mexican, and a significant helping of Japanese. Take the Head-on Prawns (a favorite dish, though not always on the menu). The dashi is made from the prawn shells; the butter is infused with the dashi; the finishing is done on a Japanese bincho grill; and a Mexican hot guajillo chile oil is drizzled around the plate. The Heirloom Tomato Salad begins with local tomatoes and tomatillos (Mexican inspired, locally sourced), lying on a smear of buttermilk and maple syrup (French technique), while topped with a Japanese-inspired smoky gelee, made with seaweed, bonito flakes, vinegar and… kombu-dashi. “When people see this on the menu, and then see the dish, there is a big element of surprise. That’s what I aim for,” Hilario says with a grin.

“What inspires me?” the chef ponders. “Landscapes, nature. I created a dish that was inspired by spring days when green shoots are coming up––and then it snows.” Not surprisingly, foraging is also core to Hilario’s process. “Watercress and ramps in the spring, Black Trumpet and Pheasant Back mushrooms in the summer––you can find them in the woods around here.”

Spending time with Hilario makes you wonder if this strict adherence to principles is what actually fuels his creativity. In the kitchen awaits a trolley with aluminum trays stacked high. One holds freshly discarded onion skins (for making onion dashi); another––black charred onion skins (to make ash that’s sifted on top of lamb); and a third––something translucent-green. “Oh, that’s potatoes and water blended with leftover green onions and rolled out on a sheet,” says Hilario. “I’m not quite sure how I’m going to use it yet.” I look forward to the surprise.
Community Table, 223 Litchfield Turnpike, New Preston. —communitytablect.com

A Golf Course Offers a Hidden Treat for Diners
By Michelle Madden

Clubhouse Provisions, the (public) restaurant at Stonybrook Golf in Litchfield, is one of those places that, when you go, you can’t believe you’ve never been. Take a five-minute detour off Route 202, and when you see a big, gray weathered barn with Stonybrook written on the side, you’re there.

The kitchen is overseen by executive chef Jonathan Philips, who hails from Massachusetts, where his former restaurant earned awards such as Best of Boston and Chef of the Year for Cape Cod (twice). His wife, Jill, is a PGA golfer and the family owns the golf course. This was bound to happen. 

The barn was once a chicken coop. The chickens moved out in the ‘50s, to make way for the golfers, who have now made way for the diners. There are soaring ceilings with rustic crossbeams, and open HVAC that asserts itself in a must-see kind of way. Large drum-shaped pendant lights hang from above, lending a modern flair. Panoramic windows grant you unlimited views of the greens, and with no wicker in sight, the room is more hip dining than New England country club. It’s welcoming, fashionable, and down-home––all at once.

Usually I encourage restraint when it comes to bread before dinner, but not here. The baguette comes out warm, and is sourced from Bakehouse Bread in Litchfield. Philips’ grandfather, a baker in Boston, would have been proud.  

The menu offerings are appropriately pitched to the palates of both the very hungry, looking for American-style fuel, and those in the mood for something lighter. For the former, there is the attention-grabbing smash burger and the giant crispy chicken sandwich that both come with a basket of thick-cut fries. “I serve a lot of burgers and chicken sandwiches after 7 pm,” says Philips, “and it’s not to the golfers.”    

Much of the menu is  Asian-themed (an interest and specialty of the chef’s). The miso-marinate black cod is moist and highly flavorful, and sits on sautéed bok choy and a crispy rice cake. The Thai calamari salad consists of lightly fried calamari, with spinach leaves, a hint of grapefruit, and a smattering of peanut bits. The Japanese-style rice bowl comes with perfectly cooked blackened shrimp, and a spicy sauce that’ll wake you up. The General Tso’s brussels sprouts are dense with flavor. Get them as a side and don’t hold back. The dumplings have a delicious spicy pork filling, enveloped in a thick wrapper of dough. 

When asked if you’d like dessert, say yes. The crème brûlée is one of the best and most original I’ve experienced. It is cut with a hint of orange zest that elevates it far above the ordinary.

For the midweek crowd, Tuesday to Thursday is the Two-Buck Shuck (oysters). Sunday Supper is three-course, family-style, prix-fixe, with a menu that changes monthly.

There were no real surprises on the menu, but that’s part of the appeal—that and the fact that you will feel you just unearthed a hidden gem when you roll up. Golf cart not required.—stonybrookgolfct.com/restaurant.