Hunter’s Head Tavern
9048 John S. Mosby Hwy.
Upperville, VA 20184
540-592-9020
http://www.huntersheadtavern.com/

Pub Fare | $$

Hunter’s Head Tavern is found on Rt. 50 in Upperville, the heart of Virginia horse country, just west of Middleburg. They offer an array of organic meats and produce from Ayrshire Farm and others.

Beginning in early April they offer patio seating.

In traditional style you order off the board near the bar, are given a number, and take a seat.

The tavern was originally a home built in 1750.

We started with some great Crispy Risotto Bites with Roasted Red Pepper & Fresh Basil served in a Marinara Sauce with shaved Parmesan. These were done perfectly, with a light golden brown and crispy shell surrounding the rice. The shaved Parmesan reminded me of Italian rice balls known as Arancini.

For my main course I chose the organic beef and pork Ayrshire Hot Dog served with Grilled Onions, Sauerkraut and Ale-Infused Mustard. I was drawn to this because of this rarely seen combination of beef and pork hot dog. As with most organic grass fed meats this had a hearty taste with a mild spice flavor that resonated nicely. The grilled onions were warm but not grilled enough for my taste.

The combination of the spicy mustard and sweet sauerkraut worked well together overpowering the onion flavor on many bites. On my next trip I think I will ask them to hold the onions and go with just the mustard and sauerkraut. The French fries were darker than most which sometimes signals they are over cooked, these were not.

I met my friend Cliff for lunch and he decided on the Wienerschnitzel with Lemon Caper Sauce and fresh vegetables. He said it tasted as good as it looked.

We split this superb Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Bean ice cream. It was rich and may be too much for all but true Chocoholics. But it has sprinkles and who doesn’t love that.

This is a fantastic place for lunch, wonderful food and great service. It is the epitome of farm-to-table when the same people own the farm and the table. There’s no question you’re getting the freshest meal. They also own the Home Farm Store in Middleburg where you can find many of the meats offered at Hunter’s Head.

It can get crowded at lunch time so go early if you can. Upperville hosts America’s oldest horse show June 1 – 7^th this year. Unless you are going to the Upperville Colt and Horse Show I would avoid the area during the first week of June.