The menu at the new Grove at Briar Barn, opening today (April 17), reads like a who’s who of local food. North Shore farms like Alprilla in Essex and Cedar Rock Garden in Gloucester provide veggies, while seafood is coming from Ipswich Maritime Products and Halibut Jack in Gloucester. The drinks list includes beer from Old Planters Brewing Co. in Beverly, Newburyport Brewing Co. and True North Ale Co. in Ipswich.
“Grove is a celebration of Rowley and the surrounding region – from the craftsmanship of the post-and-beam barn to the décor and menu, we wanted to pay homage to New England,” says Ben Lightbody, Executive Chef for parent company Bramble Hospitality Group—also the team behind Topsfield’s Willowdale Estate. “Using quality in-season ingredients has always been an important part of menu development for me and I couldn’t be more excited to share some of the bounty from our local farms with visitors and locals.”
The menu mixes New England favorites like local clam chowder, served with house-made saltines, with seasonally driven items like vegan-friendly cauliflower salad with golden raisins, curry, Marcona almonds, citrus, Monkfish with fresh garbanzo beans, parsnip, and smoked pea puree, and house ricotta agnolotti filled with lemon ricotta and spring vegetables.
“Not only does sourcing locally help us provide the freshest ingredients, but it also allows us to support the fantastic farmers and purveyors that work hard year-round,” Lightbody says.
Grove will be open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, Tuesday through Friday, with brunch on the weekends. On mornings, expect breakfast tacos, with house-made corn tortilla, egg, sausage, cilantro, and onions, and a full slate of brunch cocktails, from Bloody Marys to the Mexico 70, a fresh blend of sparkling wine, tequila, lime juice, and agave nectar.
The restaurant, with seating for 100, two custom bars, private dining spaces, and an expansive outdoor seasonal patio, is on the grounds of Briar Barn Inn, the new boutique inn in Rowley, in a striking white post-and-beam barn featuring soaring 35-foot ceilings with exposed beams and hardwood floors.
Grove at Briar Barn Inn, 101 Main Street, Rowley, 978-653-5323, www.briarbarninn.com or on social media @BriarBanInn and @GroveRowley.