As children practiced their spelling with chalk sticks and inkwells at the Daniel Webster School in the 1880s, they never imagined their notebooks might be replaced with plates of delicious foods. But more than a century later, the cupola-topped Romanesque Revival building—now known simply as Webster House—houses a restaurant that loads its tables with just such sumptuous new-American cuisine.

The Building

Constructed in 1885, Webster House was lovingly restored in 2002. In the second-floor restaurant, dining rooms are bedecked with antique furniture in the style of an English country home. On the floor below, the shop is brimming with gorgeous European antiques, contemporary clothing, jewelry, and decorative accessories.

The Menu

Though the digs are a throwback, Executive Chef Alex George keeps his bill of fare decidedly modern. Procuring ingredients from a long list of local farms and vendors keeps his menu fresh with popular dishes like their Scallops with cauliflower, squid ink, harissa, smoked olive, caper and watercress.