by Frank Quattrone
It’s not just its indelible, exciting brushes with history that brings back the faithful, again and again, to McCoole’s at the Historic Red Lion Inn. Any hostelry that has survived—better yet, that has contributed to—the rich stories of our nation is sure to be a lure to the curious. After opening in 1747 under the ownership of Walter McCoole, it served as a tavern during the American Revolution, and was the site of an uprising in 1799 protesting what countless local settlers felt was an unjust tax imposed by the British crown.
The issue was serious enough to draw the ire of Treasury Secretary Alexander Hamilton, whose fury at these so-called “traitors” was quelled by none other than President John Adams.
Prior to the Civil War, the newly named Red Lion Inn also became a safe haven along the vaunted Underground Railroad. Ghosts too, for well over two centuries, have made frequent appearances at the inn, adding to its unmistakably quaint allure.
Never resting on its considerable laurels, McCoole’s continues to play a leading part in the ongoing story of Quakertown, where it’s become a genuine community center, welcoming guests young and old to its lively bar and friendly tables. Under the auspices of vivacious owner Jan Hench, the restaurant is now celebrating its twentieth anniversary with an array of special programs to entice even more guests to its open arms.
One such experience is “Dinner & A Movie,” a cross-promotion with the reopened R/C Richland Crossings Movies 12. For $30.00 on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, patrons can enjoy a first-run movie at the cinema good for any showing, any time (except IMAX), plus a hearty three-course prix-fixe dinner at the restaurant.
At McCoole’s Arts & Events Place adjacent to the inn, also under the auspices of Jan Hench, poetry lovers can enjoy a free-admission poetry slam on the third Thursday of every month, with featured poets, and open mic, and food and drinks from the restaurant for purchase.
Every other month, those who are more spiritually inclined can come to “Dinner and Messages,” featuring popular medium Marianne Michaels, whose next session will take place on Thursday, Oct. 30, at 6 p.m.
This November, McCoole’s will also be hosting weekend workshops for children’s theater, anticipating a late fall production of A Charlie Brown Christmas. Finally, concept chef Eduardo Mora has also helped Jan Hench fashion a special $20 Tavern Menu to coincide with the restaurant’s anniversary.
Which brings us to the menu, which really is the principal reason McCoole’s has attracted such a loyal following. Offering what it describes as an “upscale atmosphere for the working person’s wallet,” the restaurant presents “an American style” menu with countless familiar favorites juxtaposed with evolving items sure to satisfy those with nutritional tastes and preferences. Last month, for example, McCoole’s added two vegan entrées—Golden Oyster Mushroom Risotto and Chicken of the Woods Risotto.
On the evening of our most recent visit, Eve and I shared, from the “Soups, Salads & Sandwiches” menu a most delectable Smoked Salmon Flatbread, a unique pairing featuring a Boursin cheese base topped with smoked salmon, puckishly delicious sliced cucumbers, and shaved red onion. We also asked our bright and eager server Brooke Wagner to bring us a side dish of zesty thinly sliced fried pickles from the Tavern Menu to pique our appetite even more.
For our entrées, Eve and I shared two of the restaurant’s popular seafood items— house-made, filler-free Twin Crab Cakes, served with crunchy Asian green beans, a cilantro lime risotto cake, with a roasted red pepper tartar sauce, and Fish & Chips, a huge and tasty, crispy Atlantic cod, battered with Red Lion Brewery Ale and served with seasoned fries and a red pepper tartar sauce.
Hugely satisfying, especially with my chosen Mimosa Flight, three five-ounce glasses of passion fruit, raspberry, and peach Mimosa (and Eve’s favorite, a zesty Bloody Mary). Everything on the menu is made to order—absolutely fresh fish and vegetables, cocktails free of sugary simple syrup, and ice cream (like caramel cinnamon swirl) custom-made for the restaurant by Allentown’s popular Udder Bar. Our Limoncello Cheesecake, recommended by our bright young server, was simply excellent.
McCoole’s aims to please. Jan Hench says, “I want our guests to feel at home, with the cool vibe, good food, our friendly staff, the paintings [many done by Quakertown High School art students], the history all around them. We still have the original fireplaces and old stone walls, eighteenth-century floor tiling by the old piano. We even offer Italian Prosecco on draft! McCoole’s is a place with real personality.”
We couldn’t agree more. When the weather is kind, you can also dine on the patio, with a view of Jan’s Main Street Art Gallery across the road. With its menu, charming ambiance, and ever-evolving “Arts & Events” programs next door, McCoole’s has become Quakertown’s unofficial community hub.
McCoole’s at the Historic Red Lion Inn is located at 4 South Main Street, Quakertown, PA 18951; 215-538-1776; www.mccoolesredlioninn.com. Open Wednesday to Saturday, 12 - 9 p.m. and Sunday, 12 – 8 p.m. Closed Monday and Tuesday. Dog-friendly outdoor patio dining. Reservations recommended. Available for private parties. Parking available behind restaurant as well as adjacent Arts & Events Place. Winner of Penn Power’s 2025 Readers’ Choice Award for Best Fine Dining.