It's a bit hard for me to put into words what The White Barn Inn means to me. It is quite possibly one of the best restaurants in the world. The world. It's a little bit of heaven. The service, food, ambiance are all impeccable and exquisite. However, for me, it's also a bit of a family tradition. My family has been vacationing in Maine since way before I was born. My father and his family would go up there every summer - 9 kids and all - I don't know how my grandparents did it. Eventually when the kids grew up, they took their own families up there too. When I was really young we would go up for two weeks, renting a house with my Aunt, Uncle and cousins. We would cram into a few rooms and make my cousin Michael sleep on the porch - what? He was the oldest and a boy, so.... it made sense. Once I was older, in high school, it dwindled down to one week and then in my 20's it turned into a few days. Now, since my parents have a house in Chatham on Cape Cod, I do my best to get up to Maine for at least one night every summer... mostly thanks to my cousins who still rent a house there for a week!
Back in the day though, way back in the 1980's, when the White Family was on vacation, my grandparents liked to get all the adults together for a fancy dinner out. Most nights at the beach were spent grilling, having burgers, hot dogs, baked beans, chips and of course an ice cream cone from the Scoop Deck. Which, to this day, I always stop there for an ice cream when I'm in Wells because it's that good - mint chip might be my favorite, though I've been known to love an orange sherbet with chocolate jimmies (they're jimmies in New England!) My grandmother was known to cook quite a bit even on vacation - she would often stand over a hot stove and make spaghetti and meatballs in the middle of August. So, her big treat was going to the White Barn Inn for dinner. Luckily for me, I was very mature for my age and got invited to the adult dinner every once in awhile. It was always a special place, but The White Barn Inn has gotten even better over the years with continued upgrades and restorations. Back in the 1980's it was a beautiful spot to be, don't get me wrong... but I think my Grandmother would choke on her kahlua sombrero if she knew how amazing it is today.
The White Barn Inn is somewhere you go for a special occasion. Yes, you will fork over a good portion of your paycheck to eat there... but you do it because it's worth it. You will never have a meal like this anywhere else. Every single time you go, you will get service and food that exceeds every expectation. My family is pretty good about finding reasons to go up to to Kennebunkport for a night to have dinner there.... most recently we went last March, 2011 to celebrate my mother's 60th birthday. One time we went there for a holiday dinner in December and they had the Bates Boys Choir singing christmas songs a cappella. It was honestly magical. One of the most fun nights out we've had as a family. The setting there is so unusual because you're eating in a 5 star restaurant, but you're essentially sitting in an old barn. A renovated, charming, cozy barn at that. When they started the renovations to turn the barn into the restaurant in 1973, they found many old signs and knick-knacks that now serve as the decor.
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| Check out those windows - they change the garden to reflect with the seasons, flowers in the summer and a big Christmas tree in the winter |
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| My family celebrating my mother's 60th birthday, March 2011 |
If you're ever looking to mark a special occasion or simply get out of town, The White Barn Inn is where I would suggest. It's quintessentially New England and makes you feel really special every time you're there. The inn itself has 29 rooms, but you don't have to stay there to eat there. There are a lot of smaller (see: wallet friendly) hotels and motels right in that area too. I will continue to find any reason to head up to Kennebunkport for a night to spend some time here. I genuinely love the inn and restaurant and over the years, my family and I have made some pretty fabulous memories within those barn walls.
Happy travels!
Love, Lizzie
