Let's Eat in Woodstock
By Matthew Powers
For the past year, many people have had to change their social behaviors including limited social interactions, wearing masks, and a myriad of other alterations to our every day lives. Businesses, such as restaurants, have also had to adjust during Covid-19. The operations of these places had to meet an increased demand for pick-up and delivery as well as decreased demand for sit-down service and restrictions on how many customers were allowed inside. It has been devastating to many. The hardships on businesses continue. Even though the light at the end of the pandemic tunnel has begun in earnest, it is unclear whether restaurants will wholly recover. People might be hesitant to go out to eat. I personally miss going out to our favorite restaurants and find myself going online every once in while to check out their current menu options.
Like many restaurants, the Woodstock History Center continues to be closed to the general public and we have restrictions on how many people can be in our building. And like everyone else, we have had to adjust what we do until we can once again engage in person with our visitors and local school children. The adjustment has some advantages, however, like being able to work on projects (often relegated to “when we have time”) including those in our archive. As we reorganize and rehouse several collections, we are rediscovering some great material.
One such item, as found in the Woodstock Chamber of Commerce section, is a binder of menus of nearby restaurants which was compiled by the Chamber in 1977. When I found it in the archive, it reminded me of my online menu viewings. The obvious difference is that is comes from the non-internet time and was most likely put out at the Chamber visitor center so tourists could look up local eatery options. The binder is full of pasted-in menus, some hand lettered, of businesses long gone and some still here. Quite a few are located beyond the borders of Woodstock. I thought it would be fun for you to walk down memory lane. Perhaps one of your favorite restaurants is highlighted here. And perhaps you can see that there are places that still exist. Whatever the case, we can be grateful that we will soon return to them and sit down to a good meal amongst friends.
The Prince and The Pauper Restaurant
The Prince and The Pauper Restaurant menu.
Rumble Seat Rathskeller menu.
Five Mile House
Formally Driftwood. Five miles from Woodstock village in Barnard.
Lunch at Bentley’s.
New England Inn menu.
