McCooles
by Frank Quattrone
If the Christmas decorations are anywhere as atmospheric as the delightfully spooky Halloween décor, you can expect a most festive site to enjoy your holiday meal or party. Sitting next to the fireplace on a cold winter’s day, you’ll be in the cozy confines of McCoole’s, arguably the most congenial spot in Quakertown. With its low copper-painted tin ceiling, warm woods and brick walls, hammered copper bar top, old piano, low tables, and local art, it exudes an unmistakably earthy charm that conjures up the inn’s pre-Revolutionary days.
For nearly two hundred seventy-five years, McCoole’s at the Historic Red Lion Inn has been the borough’s unofficial community center. Initially opened by Walter McCoole as a tavern in 1747 and renamed the Red Lion Hotel in 1793, it has staked out a special place in early American history.
It was here, in 1799, that the Fries Rebellion took place. Several local Germanic Pennsylvanians had been arrested after protesting what they considered an unjust tax the British crown had imposed to fund its war against France. At the hotel, John Fries organized a successful rebellion that immediately freed the prisoners. Yet they were soon declared guilty in court.
Despite Alexander Hamilton’s attempt to have these so-called “traitors” hanged at a location opposite the hotel, President John Adams overruled his hot-headed treasury secretary and pardoned the protesters. Hamilton proved to be much more successful on Broadway two centuries later.
Speaking of the stage, the former Main Street Theatre, located adjacent to McCoole’s, originally served as a livery stable in the early eighteenth century before becoming a popular theatre. Like the Red Lion Inn, after being shuttered for a few years, the theatre has been reopened as McCoole’s: Arts & Events Place, both sites under the auspices of Jan Hench, a major force in Quakertown’s recent revival. In fact, on the second floor of the inn itself is a black box theatre where independent productions are regularly staged.
Prior to the Civil War, the inn also served as a stop along the Underground Railroad. Author Eric Knight, who inspired the Lassie Come Home film and subsequent TV series, used to dine here frequently with his steak-loving collie Lassie. And as you might expect for a hostelry dating back centuries, the inn’s staff and guests, including those not indulging in the restaurant’s fine spirits, have seen their share of what Jan Hench calls “friendly ghosts” — women and children and, in the adjacent theatre, a soldier with his arm in a sling.
But since 2005, when Jan reopened the restaurant after more than a year of meticulous, loving renovation and restoration, guests have been flocking to McCoole’s for its cool eclectic “American” menu. Relying to a large extent on local produce, including herbs and vegetables from its own nearby garden, McCoole’s offers everything from tacos and chicken parm to spring rolls and sushi, with burgers and baked lobster mac tossed in for good measure.
The afternoon of our mid-autumn visit, our pleasant server Michele brought us a plate of the ever-changing house-made hummus, this one made from roasted red peppers and fresh garden herbs, served with pita, a nice variation on the more typical bread and butter. Our appetizers were a tasty sushi grade Ahi Tuna and Avocado atop a fried tortilla chip, drizzled with sriracha sauce and topped with a panko crunch, and a dozen middle-neck Drunkin’ Clams simmered in white wine, butter, herbs, roasted red pepper, and garlic.
We followed our starters with an exceptionally fulfilling McCoole’s Salad, laden with plump dried cranberries, sunflower seeds, diced beets, mandarin orange slices, and crumbled bleu cheese over mixed greens, served with a marvelous apple cider vinaigrette on the side — a mini-meal in itself.
But the stars of our meal were the entrées. From the specials menu, Eve enjoyed the generous Garden Herb Marinated New Zealand Lamb Rack topped with balsamic reduction, with a side of spectacular saffron risotto and perfectly grilled asparagus—one of the best lamb dishes she’s had in years! I was equally happy with the Creole Pot, a zesty blend of andouille sausage and Creole seasonings simmered with tomato, tender scallops, jumbo shrimp and crab meat, served over a bed of linguini.
We capped our meal with two wonderful desserts, sharing the house-made Peanut Butter Pie lined with an Oreo crust and drizzled with chocolate sauce, and a Warm Apple Torte in puff pastry topped with vanilla ice cream, whipped cream on the side, and drizzled with caramel sauce. It was an excellent meal, complemented by a lovely dry Les Dauphins rosè recommended by the owner. The impressive list of wines and beers includes several house-brewed beers from the Red Lion Brewery next door.
Jan Hench is proud of her team of chefs. Humble Chef Philip Beckman came out to greet us and praised his culinary colleagues, who include chefs Clyde Bradford (their special soup maven), Savier Rivas, Jonah Hendershot, Manuel Melendez, and Eduardo Mora.
You will come for the cuisine, but you’ll also be dazzled by the cozy quaintness of McCoole’s at the Red Lion Inn.
McCoole’s at the Historic Red Lion Inn is located at 4 South Main Street, Quakertown, PA 18951; 215-538-1776; https://mccoolesredlioninn.com. Open Sunday, 11:30 a.m. – 9:30 p.m.; Tuesday – Thursday, 11:30 a.m. – 10 p.m.; and Friday and Saturday, 11:30 a.m. – 11:30 p.m. Closed Monday. Available for private parties.