History And Food Combine At Bucks County Landmark Restaurants

BUCKS COUNTY, PA — Bucks County is known for its food and for its history. Mix them together and you have a winning combination.

The county's highways and byways are filled with a banquet of historic gems and eateries. There's the Logan in New Hope and the Plumsteadville Inn, each offering a delicious destination immersed in history.

There's also the Hattery Stove and Still in Doylestown, The Temperance House in Newtown and Bristol Borough's own gem, the King George II Inn, which we are featuring this week.

The Hattery Stove & Still Inside The Historic Doylestown Inn

The Doylestown Inn, dating back to the early 1870s, is a charming, 17 guestroom boutique hotel located at 18 W. State Street in the heart of historic Doylestown. In addition to its beautifully-appointed guestrooms, the inn features The Hattery Stove & Still, a cutting-edge restaurant and bar with an “antique industrial” design that offers a modern-American tavern menu seven days a week. The Inn's seven days a week brunch is popular at the historic Inn so is lunch and dinner. Menu items include Jackson Square crab and shrimp cakes, fried catfish, drunken pork shank, pan roasted salmon and the Hattery's famous pot pie.

Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, notable guests of the Doylestown Inn have included Henry Ford, Pearl S. Buck, Dorothy Parker, Henry Fonda and James Michener. Legend has it that Oscar Hammerstein II composed the lyrics for the Broadway musical "South Pacific" during a stay at the inn.

Originally constructed as three separate buildings in 1871, two dwellings were connected in 1902 to form the structure that thrived as a quaint hotel during the early 20th century. The third building was added during an expansion in 1937. Throughout its lifespan the landmark property has housed a hattery, a cigar shop, a shoe store, a restaurant, and even operated as a speakeasy during prohibition.

In 2014 business partners Todd and Samantha McCarty, and Jody Quigley converted 4,500 square feet spanning three floors of the property into The Hattery Stove & Still, which boasts innovative designs and a wealth of vintage treasures that pay homage to the property’s rich history, and serves brunch, lunch, dinner and a late night menu seven days a week.

In addition to inventive bar designs, the restaurant is adorned with reclaimed pumpkin pine floorboards, an antique still, a collection of burlap coffee bags, a wall of antique suitcases, dozens of cigar boxes, a player piano, a collection of period photos from around the region dating back over a 100 years, a circa 1920 ice chest, a “speakeasy” side door complete with sliding peep hole, and a custom-designed hat tree that rises from the lower level floor boards and spans two stories.

“When we researched the property’s history we found that the building housed a Hattery, a cigar shop, served as an inn, and operated a speakeasy during prohibition,” said Todd McCarty. “We decided to celebrate everything that this property has been throughout its life,” added Samantha McCarty. “It was important to all of us to build a destination for Doylestown that commemorates the town’s rich history. We even built a jug into one of the walls to pay tribute to the Jug In The Wall — a tavern that opened with the inn in 1902 and operated until the late 1990s."

The historic Doylestown Inn. (Jeff Werner)

Dining in the midst of history at The Temp

Lunch, dinner and an overnight stay at the Temperance House is an experience in history. If walls could talk, this iconic Newtown landmark would have a lot to say. The building predates the American Revolution, reaching back 250 years to the year 1772.

Proprietor Kathy Buczek, who has owned and operated The Temp for the past seven years, has made a special effort to ensure that The Temperance House retains its historic charm, grace, elegance and where hospitality, good food and and drinks are paramount. The Temp offers a wide selection of food options, from burgers, salads and handhelds to steak, seafood and pasta. Visit temperancehouse.com to view the menu and to make reservations for dinner or overnight lodging.

“It’s such an honor to be a part of this place,” said Buczek of The Temp's long history. As the building’s latest owner, Buczek has taken that to heart, working hard behind the scenes to create an even better Temperance House. The Temp has introduced a comedy cabaret and open mic nights, brought in live entertainment and began offering line dancing.

Andrew and Nancy McMinn built the first part of the Temperance House at 5 South State Street, circa 1772, although some historians believe there may have been a tavern at the location 50 years earlier. General Francis Murray and Jolly and Mercy Yardley Longshore ran the inn during post-Revolutionary days. Innkeeper William R. Hallowell renamed the hostelry, "The Temperance Hotel," in 1848. The inn later became known as "The Niagara Temperance House" under proprietor Joseph Willard, complementing Edward Hicks' sign depicting a moose standing by Niagara Falls.

The floors in the 1700s tavern are original and may have been walked on by George Washington himself who visited The Temp during the American Revolution. “It is documented that George Washington held meetings in this room with his generals before crossing the Delaware River,” said Buczek. “The building is also believed to have been a stop on the Underground Railroad.”

In the front room, Buczek points out the walls, which are decorated with an original Edward Hicks mural. The Quaker minister and artist painted the mural while staying at The Temp toward the end of his life. Hicks, who died at the Temp in 1849, is most known for his “Peaceable Kingdom” paintings. The mural was restored in 1986 by Carol Nagel, a descendent of Hicks.

The Temperance House, Newtown.

Bristol's King George II Inn Offers History With A River View

Few restaurants and Inns in Bucks County can boast the history and the stunning waterfront views than Bristol Borough's King George II Inn. Overlooking the Delaware River waterfront in the heart of the town's business district, it is one of the oldest inns in continuous operation in the country.

It boasts an extensive menu, including lobster and shrimp BLTs, blackened mahi mahi tacos, avocado melt and the King George Inn French Dip for lunch and salmon dijonnaise, English fish and chips, stuffed bell peppers, the King's Chicken, the King George Harbor Master and Shrimp Penne Vodka for dinner. And don't forget to check out the Inn's special Mother's Day menu. Visit kginn.com for full menus and to make reservations.

During the Revolutionary War, the Inn served as headquarters for General Cadwalader in December 1776, when he and 3,000 soldiers were stationed at Bristol to guard against British attacks along the river. It was here that Cadwalader prepared to assist General George Washington with his Christmas night attack on the Hessian soldiers at Trenton – an event now celebrated as the historic “Crossing of the Delaware”.

Following the Revolutionary War, Bristol was the principal spa destination in America, made so by the Bath Springs just outside of town. Each summer, the King George II Inn was crowded with rich and distinguished guests from all parts of the nation and abroad. During the periods before and after the Revolution, the Inn had the reputation of being one of the best hotels between Philadelphia and New York City. The Inn is managed by Executive Chef Fabian Quiros, CFO Bruce Lowe and General Manager Robert Strasser.

The King George II, Inn, Bristol Borough.