Brick Farm Tavern, Hopewell, NJ:
A Restaurant Review

Restaurant Review

Brook Farm Tavern is a an outstanding farm-to-table dining experience set in an 1800s Hopewell farm house. Diners come to enjoy food prepared using local healthy ingredients, exceptional service, elegant rustic farm house ambiance, and an outstanding alcoholic beverage program augmented by an on-site craft brewery and distillery.

The restaurant, owned by Jon & Robin McConaughy and their partners /General Manager Mike Lykens and /Executive Chef Greg Vassos , together have created a closed loop food system that takes the products from the their on-site Double Brook Farm , to market at their Brick Farm Market in downtown Hopewell, and finally to the table at Brick Farm Tavern, a gourmet restaurant.

Almost 100 percent of the proteins are grown either on-site at Double Brook Farm, or sourced from other local growers, and from Thistle Creek Farm in Central Pennsylvania --- a USDA Certified Organic farm.

The ingredients include the cherry and hickory wood used in Brick Farm Tavern's grill, and some of the hops and grain used at their on-site Troon Brewery and Sourland Mountain Spirits distillery.

The on-tap craft beers from the brewery are meant to be drunk fresh, and their barrel fermented ales are available in naturally conditioned in bottles. Sourland Mountain Spirits, a hand crafted distillery, is the first farm distillery in New Jersey Since Prohibition.

The Kitchen is run by Executive Chef Greg Vassos, who comes with impressive credentials, and skills in creating dishes that avoid the use of heavy sauces that mask the quality of the ingredients.

Chef Vassos started his career honing his culinary skills with Bruno Menard at the Dining Room at the Ritz Carlton in Buckhead in Atlanta, Georgia , and at Eric Ripert's Blue in Grand Cayman Islands. Prior to coming to Brick Farm Tavern, Chef Vassos was Chef de Cuisine at The Penrose Room at the Broadmoor, Colorado's only Five-Star, Five-Diamond restaurant.

Brick Farm Tavern offers several different creative menu experiences to choose from. The main dining room features a seasonal five course tasting menu, built on the fresh farm to table ingredients. Seafood is locally procured from Asbury Park's Local 130 Seafood known for their commitment to sustainably sourced fish.

The bar area offers a more casual fare, such as burgers and delicatessen-style meats and meat dishes.

They offer a limited selection of vegetarian and gluten free dishes, and seafood.

On one side there are two dining rooms with walls adorned with avian prints with tables spaced comfortably apart. On the opposite side stands the bar area with a high ceiling and stone walls and a more casual dining room, with a chef's table reserved for large parties( 6 people or more) where you can watch the cooks in the kitchen. When the table is not booked, it's used as a community dining table.

Brook Farm Tavern is open six days/week For Lunch Fri-Sun: 11:30 AM - 2:30 PM. For Dinner: Tue-Sat: 5:00 PM - 9:30 PM Sun: 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM

(updated November, 2018)