Historic Dining: Accessible Culinary Adventures Await

Author: Victor Block
Published: 2025/07/26
Publication Type: Informative
Category Topic: Disability Travel Information - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This article offers a delightful exploration of historic dining establishments across America and Europe, demonstrating how culinary experiences can enhance travel while providing valuable accessibility information for travelers with disabilities and mobility challenges. The piece takes readers on a gastronomic journey from George Washington's farewell dinner at Fraunces Tavern in New York City to luxurious barge dining in France's Loire Valley, showcasing venues that blend historical significance with exceptional cuisine.

What makes this travel guide particularly valuable is its thoughtful attention to accessibility features, noting specific accommodations like ADA-compliant rooms at the Otesaga Resort, wheelchair accessibility at Martin's Tavern, and ground-level cottage options at the Robert Morris Inn, making these experiences more inclusive for seniors and travelers with disabilities who might otherwise assume such historic properties would be inaccessible - Disabled World (DW).

Introduction

On December 4, 1783, nine days after the last British soldier left American soil, General George Washington went to Fraunces Tavern in New York City. After being constructed in 1719, that building had operated as a boarding house and bar. Washington chose the tavern's Long Room as the site to bid a final farewell to his officers from the Continental Army.

Main Content

People who drop by the dining and drinking establishment today, as I did recently, may see that historic room. They also may check out an extensive collection of Colonial American, Revolutionary War and Early Republic artifacts.

In addition, they may enjoy a gourmet meal which includes a wide variety of delicious dishes. I savored a charcuterie and cheese combination which pairs meats from Spain with a choice of mouth-watering aged cheeses. Steak on a Stone lived up to its name as it was served on a hot lava rock.

That dinner was among several repasts to remember that I have enjoyed recently around the country, and the world. Food becomes part of experiencing different destinations, and the pleasures of several memorable meals I have relished remain stuck in my mind when I reminisce about places I have visited.

Another plus factor for those with a disability is that these eateries offer varying degrees of accessibility. While the Robert Morris Inn has no rooms on the ground level and - in keeping with its heritage - no elevator, accommodations are available in adjacent cottages that require no climbing. There's level access into Martin's Tavern and room for wheelchairs at the tables.

The Otesaga Resort serves as an example of a user-friendly property. Its ADA-compliant guest rooms have oversized doorways, turnaround space in bathrooms, a roll-under sink, accessible toilet and many other convenient elements. Among other welcome facilities are ADA compliant parking, lobby bathrooms and a pool lift.

The Robert Morris Inn is a venerable waterfront retreat overlooking the Tred Avon River in Oxford, Maryland. It's named for the merchant, investor and politician who was one of the Founding Fathers of the United States. He became known as the "Financier of the Revolution" and lived at the property. Not surprisingly, given its waterside location, the menu features seafood like the fresh daily catch provided by local watermen, and the aptly named Financier's Legendary Jumbo Crab Cake.

Water also provides the backdrop for other outstanding meals I have savored. The Hawkeye Bar and Grill, one of several dining alternatives at the Otesaga Resort in Cooperstown, New York, serves up seasonal favorites ranging from comfort food to regional specialties from its lakeside perch. It cozy 1909 venue offers a something-for-everyone menu and outdoor veranda seating in season. Lavish Sunday brunches and Afternoon Tea with a Twist add to the tasty treats.

Lunch and dinner at another dining room were accompanied by appealing presentations about what I was to devour and drink. This occurred each day during a week-long cruise through canals that meander through the Loire Valley region of France. I was traveling with French Country Waterways, an American-owned company that operates four luxurious passenger barges along canals in four regions of that country.

I was a passenger on what had been a no-frills cargo barge that had been transformed into a luxurious floating hotel and gourmet restaurant. It carries 12 passengers, and a very attentive crew of six, along some of those historic canals, stopping each day to allow travelers to explore an inviting variety of on-shore.

It didn't take long to experience how seriously the French take their wine, cheese and other food. Before each lunch and dinner, Milly the chef described the epicurean cuisine that would titillate our tastebuds. Think foie gras with brioche and apple. Picture confit duck, braised red cabbage and haricot beans.

Then there's the French claim that no lunch or dinner is complete without wine. We were offered vintages representing many of the country's leading wine-growing districts, often from Grand Gru (great growth) and Premier Cru (first growth) vineyards.

Each bottle was presented accompanied by a treatise about its characteristics: Fruity nose, supple taste, lightness, finesse and so on.

Stories of who dined at the wooden booths in Martin's Tavern, a Washington, DC, landmark since it opened in 1933, vie for recognition with the food. President Lyndon Johnson and Speaker of the House Sam Rayburn often shared food and discussed political tactics there. Harry and Bess Truman, and their daughter Margaret, dined in another cubicle. Nearby is Booth Three, where John F. Kennedy proposed marriage to Jackie Bouvier.

Given this list of famous patrons who were regulars, it's somewhat surprising to see the Comfort Foods section of the menu. Yet these down-to-earth alternatives - Grandma Martin's Meatloaf, Slow-Roasted Pot Roast and my favorite, Oven Baked Turkey -- are among home cooking-style treats that continue to keep loyal diners returning after more than 80 years.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Author Credentials: Victor Block has been a travel journalist for many years, and has written for major newspapers, magazines and travel websites and served as an editor of Fodor's Travel Guides. He is a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and the North American Travel Journalists Association. Victor is a regular contributor of reviews to the Disabled World travel section. Visit Victors's biography for further insights into his background and expertise.