This was my third time to the Lambertville Station Restaurant and Inn, however, the first two visits were downstairs in their wine cellar/bar area which I previously reviewed separately. I must say, if there is an upscale place in the Lambertville-New Hope area which continues to impress with genuinely good food and drinks amidst a sea of pretentiousness, this would be it. Can you believe that between work, lecturing, and the museum, that yesterday was my first complete day off in a month? On top of that, Justin managed to get a few days off in a row. We headed over for the day and tried to make a mini-vacation out of it. We arrived shortly after 2 PM, and following a walk across the bridge decided that we would head to the Station since we had a great experience in the other section of their restaurant already.

It was the perfect fall day. The air was crisp with the sun adding a gentle warmth. We opted to sit outside because of this, and were joined by a rather large crowd eating and imbibing despite this being a Tuesday afternoon. This restaurant was formerly a train station, and they embrace that. “Rail-fans”, as they are called, would probably enjoy this even more than I. The outdoor bar has some neat woodwork and gives off train station vibes. Heading to your seating area is akin to walking the platform to wait for your train. The tracks, now unused, are still there and abut the historic D & R Canal. So when you eat outside, you are literally dining track-side.

We were not looking to stuff ourselves because of what else we had planned for the day, so we settled on getting drinks and an appetizer. I admit, a martini at 2:30 PM put me into a mode of existential contemplation, but then I realized that we were on “vacation”, and that meant not only should I enjoy it, but probably have a second one as well. I had ordered it with house gin, which I later found was Aviation. I had always wanted to try this gin, so that was a win for me. The martini was extremely well-executed—not too much Vermouth. I have always preferred my martinis in the vein of Noel Coward: “Fill a glass with gin and wave it in the general direction of Italy”. This was close enough. Three large, high-quality olives accompanied it.

Also making this drink unique was them bringing over the glass half full (or half empty) and then pouring the rest via a tiny carafe into the glass at the table. Even when full, there was more left, making this $13 cocktail essentially a drink-and-a-half. Such a notion, of serving a drink with the shaker or carafe is rarely done anymore. Anywhere. You’d have to go to a high-end bar in your nearest city most likely. If I recall correctly, this is only the second time I have received such a presentation.

Justin ordered a Yuengling before switching over to a glass of Riesling once our food came. We were sharing the rustic flatbread which came as a decent-sized portion topped with bacon, caramelized onions, arugula, dried cranberries, and melted mozzarella. It was delicious. The bread was crispy, had grill-flavor, while the contents on top perfectly melded together. I ordered another one.

Lambertville Station Restaurant is enhanced by the scenery. The railroad ambiance, canal, and gardens and flowers everywhere. It was such a relaxing afternoon. My martinis were excellent, Justin’s wine perfectly chilled, service top-notch, and food (though limited in today’s adventure) was outstanding. I really want to try this place for dinner rather than just drinks and a snack—I think it will be worth it. For now, I would like to award 4 out of 5 stars. Thank you for a lovely afternoon!

This restaurant is located at 11 Bridge Street in Lambertville, NJ.