VisitingNewEngland/Salem Cross Inn Business Partnership - Local Small Business Stories
Salem Cross Inn in West Brookfield, Mass., Offers Amazing
Traditional New England Fare, Ambiance
by
Eric
Hurwitz. Page updated on 10/5/2024.
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Traditional New England dining approaches near-perfection at
the Salem Cross Inn Restaurant and Tavern in beautiful West Brookfield,
Mass.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, the Salem Cross Inn
is a remarkable example of Colonial restoration with its original
building constructed in the early 1700s. The handsome hardwood floors,
post and beam ceilings, roaring fireplaces, antique furnishings, serene
candlelight glow, and, gracious, old-fashioned "New England" waitresses
dressed in Colonial apparel offer a complete feeling of warmth and
comfort on three floors of charming, old rooms. Some stellar examples
of old New England charm abound in the Chestnut Room with its huge
fieldstone fireplace and 42-long chestnut ceiling beams, the old
haybarn, known as the Hexmark Tavern, affording splendid views of the
woods and meadows, and smaller rooms filled with antiquarian books,
maps, documents and other curios.
Hexmark Tavern.
Even before entering this storied structure, you know you've reached
New England in its most authentic form. The Salem Cross Inn's 600 acres
of rolling hills and woodlands, including grazing herds and a sleigh,
typify the appeal of West Brookfield,
an old-fashioned, friendly
central Massachusetts town from yesteryear with an expansive, stunning
village green surrounded by big, old historic homes.
Charming town: West Brookfield.
The Salem Cross Inn represents West Brookfield well -- high on charm and scenic views from virtually every perspective.
The backyard at the Salem Cross Inn.
Wonderful New England Fare
The Salem Cross Inn faithfully sticks to traditional New England cooking with the use
of open-hearth fireplaces to slow roast its delicious prime rib and a
restored 1699 Bannister Tavern beehive oven to turn out some delicious
baked goods and dishes. When those amazing aromas combine with the
homey, cozy, quaint feel of the place, everything just feels so
right.
The Salem Cross Inn creates its seasonal, traditional New England and
contemporary cuisine fresh on a daily basis and by incorporating heirloom vegetables and
herbs grown in its own gardens. Once upon a time, New Englanders took pride in, and created fresh food from the farm and in the oven when a slower pace of life allowed for this precious process. Family, friends and neighbors gathered over hearty fare and good conversation as a foundation of the New England lifestyle.. That's very much the vibe at the Salem Cross Inn with 100 percent authenticity intact. A meal at the Salem Cross Inn could serve as a wonderful introduction to New England travel for the first-time visitor. It's that special of a destination.
The beyond-tender and flavorful prime rib dinner (when available) is the main course star attraction here...
Prime rib as part of a Fireside Feast dinner. Photo source: Salem Cross Inn Facebook Fan Page.
Culinary memories
can easily be made, however, with pretty much any of the lunch or dinner items made with old-fashioned New England culinary love (and for adults, a fabulous selection of local wines and brews).
The chicken pie stands as one of the best we have tasted in New England with a perfect blend of tender chicken, flavorful vegetables, a mouthwatering creamy sauce and wonderful buttery crust...
Chicken pie.
The Maple Jack Chicken with Monterey jack cheese, local maple syrup, bacon, roasted tomatoes -- and accompanied with a vegetable and starch (pictured here: mashed potatoes and squash) is a real standout...
Maple Jack Chicken dish.
Another standout: the cedar-planked salmon, a perfectly-cooked piece of fish enhanced with fresh herb-lemon butter...
Cedar-planked salmon.
The broiled scallops with sage parmesan crumb topping could be a textbook reference on how to create the perfect scallops dish... the flavors come together wonderfully.
Broiled scallops.
Family recipes like the New England Chowder of the Sea with its flavorful mix of heavy
cream, herbs, fish and clams, and a full-bodied comforting French
onion soup should not be missed, either. Salads have that
fresh-from-the-garden taste and the pre-meal variety of homemade breads,
as well as the post-meal desserts -- well, let's just say some people
consider those just as much a highlight as the main course.
Fresh-out-of-the-oven pumpkin bread.
The deep
dish apple pie is the best we've tasted in New England, but it's also
hard to resist the strawberry shortcake (made with buttermilk biscuits and whipped cream created in-house), pecan pie, Indian pudding, pecan custard bread pudding and maple pumpkin cheesecake.
Strawberry shortcake. Photo source: Salem Cross Inn Facebook fan page.
Conclusion
The Salem Cross Inn -- near beautiful Sturbridge, Mass. -- also
features special dining events, including
multi-course fireside feasts, apple pie contests, herb sampling,
fireplace pit roasts, a Murder Mystery Dinner Theater, and hayrides and
sleigh rides at various times of the splendid New England four seasons.
Sleigh ride at the Salem Cross Inn. Photo source: Salem Cross Inn Facebook fan page.
Perfect for a special night out, a family gathering, wedding or
vacation dining spot, the Salem Cross Inn is the true epitome of
traditional New England dining. If we had to choose one place to dine
in New England, this would be it!
Salem Cross Inn
Route 9, West Brookfield, MA. Tel. (508) 867-2345.
Always check the Salem Cross Inn web site for seasonal hours before
embarking on your dining destination.
Also be sure to check out the Salem Cross Inn Facebook fan page!
Suggested for you nearby...
Scenic New England wonder: the Quabbin Reservoir
Finding small town New England charm in West Brookfield
Taking a trip back in time to Historic Deerfield
Finding
breakfast heaven in North Amherst
Visiting
a North Amherst market and café that does things a bit differently
Discovering the flagship Yankee Candle Factory store
and complex
Exploring the Bridge of Flowers and Glacial Potholes
in Shelburne Falls, Mass.
Traveling the scenic backroads of Hamden, Franklin and
Hampshire counties
Shopping at a historic, cornerstone marketplace in
Northampton
Small New England towns and cities that would look
great in Hallmark movies
Find
a classic diner in New England
Imagine yourself at one of these authentic New England
country stores
If you enjoyed this story on the Salem Cross Inn, please consider sharing the graphic below on Pinterest.
Editor's note:
VisitingNewEngland business partnerships started on Jan. 30, 2017, and
differ than feature articles previously posted on VisitingNewEngland.
Businesses pay a small, one-time fee to have pages like this appear,
and first must be accepted by VisitingNewEngland.com editor and
publisher, Eric Hurwitz, as a business he approves as part of "real New
england travel" to keep the integrity of the site. Businesses that sign
up for business partnerships receive priority by receiving more social
media exposure and link placement on VisitingNewEngland.com. Contact me
if interested in forming a business partnership.
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Books by
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Massachusetts
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The
Best Diners in New England --
If you love
classic diners, New England has them! In my book, I write in detail on
50 top local diners.
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