White Horse Tavern
American restaurant · Newport ·
Historic tavern serving New England cuisine & rum drinks
Historic tavern serving New England cuisine & rum drinks
"Barring a couple of short breaks (like when the British occupied Newport during the Revolutionary War), The White Horse Tavern has been open for 350 years. Or, you know, longer than America has officially existed. It was known as the “birthplace of the businessman’s lunch” in colonial days, so folks in powdered wigs often held court over trenchers of bread between rounds of beer. Perhaps related, some people nowadays say they’ve encountered ghosts during dinner here. Maybe those wandering spirits just want some company, or maybe they want to get in on the New England farm-to-table dishes like rich scotch eggs and beef wellington with foie gras mousse. They’ve got an outdoor setup behind a screen of flowers and shrubs, but we prefer the historic feel of the dim, wood-trimmed colonial dining room. Either way, be sure to make reservations in advance." - danielle rose, carlo mantuano
"Barring a couple of short breaks (like when the British occupied Newport during the Revolutionary War), The White Horse Tavern has been open for 350 years. It was known as the “birthplace of the businessman’s lunch” in colonial days, when folks in powdered wigs held court over trenchers of bread between rounds of beer. Perhaps related, some people nowadays say they’ve encountered ghosts during dinner here." - anne cruz
"Barring a couple of short breaks (like when the British occupied Newport during the Revolutionary War), The White Horse Tavern has been open for 350 years. Or, you know, longer than America has officially existed. It was known as the “birthplace of the businessman’s lunch” in colonial days, so folks in powdered wigs often held court over trenchers of bread between rounds of beer. Perhaps related, some people nowadays say they’ve encountered ghosts during dinner here. Maybe those wandering spirits just want some company, or maybe they want to get in on the New England farm-to-table dishes like rich duck scotch eggs and beef wellington with foie gras mousse. They’ve got an outdoor setup behind a screen of flowers and shrubs, but we prefer the historic feel of the dim, wood-trimmed colonial dining room. Either way, be sure to make reservations in advance." - Danielle Rose
"In 1673, a tavern opened its doors in Newport, Rhode Island. It advertised its offerings with a sign depicting a white steed, the universal symbol for a public house. More than three centuries later, the White Horse still stands, the oldest operating tavern in the United States. With the colonies in their infancy, there were few spaces for local politicians to gather in the 17th century. The tavern filled this void, hosting Rhode Island’s general assembly until its Colony House was built in the 1730s. Lured by the promise of a warm fire and a strong drink, merchants and scholars rubbed elbows with commoners and pirates. Sometimes the person serving the drinks was a swashbuckler himself: William Mayes, Jr., was a notorious pirate who returned to Newport with a pillaged bounty and inherited the tavern from his father in 1702. The establishment, which formally became the White Horse Tavern in 1730, survived some of the country’s most tumultuous years. During the Revolutionary War, the British lodged Hessian mercenaries at the White Horse, forcing the owner, Walter Nichols, and his family out. After the war was over and the colonies won their independence, Nichols returned and refurbished his tavern. But the centuries of wear and tear took a toll on the White Horse. By 1954, the building was in desperate need of repair. The Newport Preservation Society took on the job of meticulously restoring the building, and it reopened in 1957 after the restorations were complete. Today, visitors can enjoy classic New England cuisine, artifacts such as a colonial-era 13-star flag, and the 17th-century architecture, all under the watchful eye of the tavern ghost, who apparently lurks just to the right of the dining room fireplace." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
"In 1673, a tavern opened its doors in Newport, Rhode Island. It advertised its offerings with a sign depicting a white steed, the universal symbol for a public house. More than three centuries later, the White Horse still stands, the oldest operating tavern in the United States. With the colonies in their infancy, there were few spaces for local politicians to gather in the 17th century. The tavern filled this void, hosting Rhode Island’s general assembly until its Colony House was built in the 1730s. Lured by the promise of a warm fire and a strong drink, merchants and scholars rubbed elbows with commoners and pirates. Sometimes the person serving the drinks was a swashbuckler himself: William Mayes, Jr., was a notorious pirate who returned to Newport with a pillaged bounty and inherited the tavern from his father in 1702. The establishment, which formally became the White Horse Tavern in 1730, survived some of the country’s most tumultuous years. During the Revolutionary War, the British lodged Hessian mercenaries at the White Horse, forcing the owner, Walter Nichols, and his family out. After the war was over and the colonies won their independence, Nichols returned and refurbished his tavern. But the centuries of wear and tear took a toll on the White Horse. By 1954, the building was in desperate need of repair. The Newport Preservation Society took on the job of meticulously restoring the building, and it reopened in 1957 after the restorations were complete. Today, visitors can enjoy classic New England cuisine, artifacts such as a colonial-era 13-star flag, and the 17th-century architecture, all under the watchful eye of the tavern ghost, who apparently lurks just to the right of the dining room fireplace." - ATLAS_OBSCURA
