The Boat House--But Which One?

A quick Google search will yield the unsurprising result that there are quite a few restaurants named The Boat House in NJ. With one hundred twenty-seven miles of ocean beaches, countless lake shorelines and a mighty river that separates NJ from PA, that's to be expected, I suppose.

I even reported on one so named in Lambertville a few years ago--an interesting, nautically themed place, set in a back alley, and it didn't open until five PM each day. There was no food served, so it really wasn't a restaurant, but it was neat nonetheless. You can read that review here.

But there's no mistaking the one I had the pleasure of stopping in today. Set not too far off Sussex County's 521, a gorgeous road to experience on two wheels, this place was an unexpected oasis, sitting on Swartswood Lake itself, and it's the only restaurant so situated. Better still, it was open at 1 PM when i stopped for a butt shake break, a brew and some victuals after one hundred miles on the Blue Eagle.

There's something very comforting about a small, cool, darkened, cleanly-appointed bar on a warm day. But the little bar belied the size of the place, which had a large, bright, airy dining room--also meticulously appointed--with a commanding view of Swartswood Lake through its many windows. There was a shaded outdoor patio and even a patio right on the water below, protected from the sun by large red umbrellas.

But a neat bar alone does not a PubScout-Approved Pub make. It needs good beer and good people. The tap beer list isn't extensive, but Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter is not what any beer nut would call swill. And smiling, friendly Donna, who served me my beer and food, was as pleasant as could be. That she is also a biker may have had something to do with it, but I suspect she's just a nice person.

We talked about the place, about our bikes and rides we'd been on, and it turns out she's a Linden native who moved up here to God's country twenty years ago. I was the only one in the bar for lunch, there were four more people were in the dining room, two more on the patio and six or so down on the waterfront patio, but Donna said the place gets really busy, especially on the weekends. "We're the only place on the lake, " she said, "and you can paddle right to our dock in your kayak, if you want."

That's a pretty good idea, because the Turkey Club I had was massive and stuffed with food. It filled me quite nicely, and the Hop Hunter paired well with it. It was a great value at just $15 for both.

I texted the missus about the place, and she googled it. Now she wants to go to The Boat House.

I'll take her, but she won't ride that far on two wheels, and I don't own a kayak. So it looks like we'll be caging it.