The evening before Thanksgiving we spent at historical Gadsby’s Tavern in Old Town Alexandria. Gadsby’s Tavern is a historic landmark dating back to the 18th century. The tavern was frequented by George Washington Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, James Madison, and James Monroe. The restaurant has been restored to maintain the appearance of more than 200 years ago.
Founded as a seaport in 1749, Alexandria has always greeted visitors from near and far. Taverns, like Gadsby’s, provided travelers with much needed rest, food and drink, the latest news, a place to make business deals and to hold political discussions, and a variety of entertainment.
Gadsby’s Tavern is located on one of the quiet historical streets of old town Alexandria. The Entrance to the Tavern.
The front desk is decorated for Thanksgiving Day.
We were seated in this tavern room. The room is pretty dark, but charming with candle light.
Servers are dressed in colonial period costumes, the men in knee breeches and the women wearing smocks. Gadsby’s Tavern was named after Englishman John Gadsby, who operated the tavern from 1796 until 1808, when it was the center of Alexandria’s economic, political, & social life.
We had a cute table next to the window.
Gadsby’s tavern maintains its elegance and the menu has been created to appeal to the modern palate. Appetizers include items such as Baked Brie en Croute stuffed with blueberries and pecans with raspberry coulis or Martha’s Puff Pastry – Virginia ham, Scottish smoked salmon and Chesapeake lump crabmeat with dill sauce & pepper relish. I liked the peanut soup, which is creamy and has whole peanuts mixed in. But the best appetizer I’ve had was Martha’s Puff Pastry – Virginia ham, which is in the middle of the picture below. It was very light and delicious. This is a must to try.
Some of the main courses are authentic colonial period food like the Gentleman’s Pye, Cedar-Grilled Filet Mignon, Slow-Roasted Hereford Prime Rib Roast with Yorkshire Pudding and George Washington’s Favorite, a Cider-Glazed Duckling with Smoked Bacon-Sage Spoonbread. Since these dishes are realistically quite heavy fare, the chef also prepares some lighter dishes such as the Pecan-Crusted Mahi-Mahi Meuniere and Jumbo Lump Crabcakes.
Dining at Gadsby’s Tavern in Old Town Alexandria is a unique experience. The food is excellent and the atmosphere exudes late 18th-century charm. I want to mention special “period” drinks served in the tavern. We had a delicious lesson in American history – Ales of the Revolution, the General Washington’s Tavern Porter™, Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale™, and Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce™ are all crafted based on the original recipes of our Founding Fathers. It was fun and the drinks were different and quite tasty.
While Jefferson vehemently opposed a strong central federal government, he apparently had nothing against strong ales like this one. Thomas Jefferson’s Tavern Ale is a golden ale with dried fruits and toffee aromas inspired by Jefferson’s original recipe that called for wheat, honey, and rye from his Virginia estate.
Brewed to rally his thirsty field soldiers, General Washington’s Tavern Porter is smooth, rich, and warming with chocolate and coffee flavors. It’s inspired by Washington’s original recipe, and reflects his admiration of Philadelphia-style porters, especially those brewed by Robert Hare, whose original brewery stood just blocks from Gadsby’s Tavern.
Initially brewed to commemorate Ben Franklin’s 300th birthday—not to mention his affinity for fine ales—Poor Richard’s Tavern Spruce is based on Franklin’s original recipe. It uses spruce tips and molasses as barley and hops were not readily available at the time. Sweet, spicy aromas.
Ales of the Revolution have complex flavors. Unique. Try it! Here are Tom, George and Ben. 🙂
Gadsby’s Tavern hosts special events throughout the year to remind us of colonial times. Among these celebrations are candlelight tours, children’s days, Civil War balls, dance classes, teas with Martha Washington and the annual George Washington Birth night Banquet and Ball.