Restaurants in Cumberland

In 1927, young James Stoughton left a life of tending fields and animals to erect a small roadside sandwich stand. As its popularity grew over the decades, he gave in to his artistic proclivities and built a professional theater. Room by room, the stand and the playhouse grew into a sprawling estate, and Green Gables Restaurant was born.

Today, owner and descendant Mary Louise Stoughton grins at a sea of diners and wedding-reception guests as they chat in the restaurant's hand-hewn wooden halls. The revelers excuse themselves from tables momentarily to wander the building, which is home to a bevy of hidden whimsies. Observant explorers discover statues of inquisitive human forms, carved in the nineteen-twenties by French sculptor Crenier, that silently heft monolithic urns which bear the weight of the ceiling above. Beside wrought-iron chairs and tables, glass windows bloom with verdant plants, and antique shelves bear rows of antique Pennsylvania glass, china, and pottery. The Tuscany Room's skylights spill natural light over hand-carved wooden beams harvested from local barns and a dance floor inlaid with fleurs-de-lis, all bordered by four towering oak trees.

Executive Chef Susan Kroft fills each room with spice-laden aromas from duck, beef, and shellfish. Stoughton, who is also a sommelier with training from the French Wine Academy, fills clinking glasses with more than 100 grape elixirs during normal meal hours, at monthly wine tastings or at occasional wine-and-dining events that save pupils the trouble of breaking open a satyr's piggy bank. A network of paths and terraces leads to the adjoining Huddleson Court country inn, as well as to the doors of Mountain Playhouse, the property's original theater.

The chefs at Chef Dato craft elegant American entrees using ingredients purchased from local grocery stores, farmers, and bakers. Recognized on the Food Network, the restaurant’s Hollywood burger is covered with mango salsa, creamy adjika, and biryani seasoning and served with a bodyguard and five paparazzi. Also popular on the menu: the wild mushroom risotto and the hand-cut, grilled New York strip steak. The dressings for the specialty salads are made by hand; the salads also come topped with maple glazed salmon or grilled chicken and mandarin oranges.

Renovated from a historical train station, DiSalvo's Station Restaurant transports diners to old Italy by way of cobblestone flooring, pitched ceilings, and plates of pasta, seafood, and Sunday brunch. A long stone tunnel ushers patrons into an expansive atrium of tables covered in white linen. A fully restored dining car creates an unforgettable dining experience that will only be matched once the moon starts taking reservations. After meals, patrons can take the stairs or trapdoor chute down to the station's basement, where Joey D's Sala Da Fumo & Retail Shop stocks its shelves with a selection of premium cigars, fine wine, and spirits. A large humidor keeps rolled tobacco leaves moist, and a billiard room lets players work on their geometry. Every Friday night, live music entertains diners with such acts as Bryan Cole, Judi Figel, and The Half Knobs.

You wouldn't expect a restaurant that specializes in beef brisket, wood-grilled steaks, and burgers to be referred to as "a hidden vegan-friendly gem" by a blogger from Yummy Plants. And yet, Double Wide Grill satisfies both meat- and vegetable-lovers, with menus that run the food-chain gamut from lentil veggie burgers to St. Louis–style pork ribs. Adding to the eclectic feel, both of the restaurant's locations are housed in converted gas stations where vintage pumps still stand out front. Indoors, the decor pays homage to these rugged beginnings with bottle-based chandeliers, a hubcap ceiling, and a vintage trailer that recalls Floridian vacations to the wetlands where all lawns' pink flamingos migrate every year.

Patrons can also stop by on weekend mornings for brunch on the outdoor patio, or hang around until late at night for karaoke and more than 30 types of beer at the license-plate-covered bar. Sports fans can watch games on four 10-foot-wide high-resolution projection screens.

The 509 Café partners with nurturing goddess and retired insurance agent, Mother Nature, to use only the freshest ingredients in each dish. The lunch menu offers salads ($7.99) and sandwiches ($6.99 for a whole), many with a Southwestern spin; the Sonoran salad tops its mesa of mixed greens, grilled chicken, and roasted-corn and black-bean salsa with a Southwest vinaigrette and tortilla strips, while the Mohican burger sports Angus beef under roasted poblano pepper, served on a cheddar-jalapeno bun. The 509 Café is vegetarian friendly and offers a spicy black-bean burger as a replacement upon request. For diners who love beef but hate patties, the ranch roast-beef sandwich ($3.99 for a half) tantalizes with tender roast beef sliced thin and drizzled with ranch dressing. Quesadillas are available in both full ($6.99) and half-size portions ($3.99). Add a side such as Southwest potato salad and a drink for just $2. The 509 Café's breakfast menu is served all day and features classic Southwestern fare such as pancakes ($4.99), french toast ($4.99), and breakfast sandwiches ($3.99), and is served all day.

When guests walk into the bright blue confines of Square Café, they find owner Sherree Goldstein and her friendly crew serving up smiles and steaming cups of custom-blended Kiva Han coffee. Preparing eclectic breakfast and lunch dishes, chefs crack shells for three-egg omelets, green eggs and ham with homemade pesto, and form their own housemade veggie burgers. Attentive servers endlessly refill freshly brewed ice tea and help health-savvy diners find the best menu options. Inside, colorful local artwork fuels discussions about which colors deserve to be primary, and on the sidewalk patio, diners can scan the street for signs of Square Café's vegetable-oil-powered Mercedes.

Gayot proclaimed Square Café a "vibrant eatery," describing the "generously portioned, cooked-to-order breakfast and lunch items on huge square plates." In addition to the well-crafted eats, the staff's energy and enthusiasm keep the café's sizeable crowd of regulars coming back—the manager, Kevin, even sports a Square Café tattoo as evidence.