I have eaten at the Fearrington House Restaurant once per quarter every quarter for the past 8 years. I live in Durham so it is the go-to for family visiting, special occasions, etc. We’ve always requested the same waiter and dining have always had a beautiful experience.Howeverrrrr, we decided to stay overnight for the first time thinking it would be so nice to just come straight to the room after dinner. I’ve traveled all over the world and stayed at the nicest hotels. YALL DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE! For $440 you can stay at the Umstead. There are no vending machines, no lobby to get a soda or snack from, no room service. The rooms are very very very old and outdated. The TV is TINY!!! There is virtually zero customer service. And let me be the sign to tell you THERE ARE NO SIGNS IN THE BATHROOM THAT INDICATE A HEATED TOWEL RACK IS PRESENT. My child touched and burned her hand on the towel rack thinking it was a normal rack. I also had ZERO CLUE. It is scalding hot and any human who touches it can easily get burned. There are no signs anywhere in the room to indicate there’s a towel rack that is scalding hot. No one told us either verbally. If you are coming to Fearrington Village, come for the food. Don’t waste your money at the hotel. Don’t waste your money at the hotel. Don’t waste your money at the hotel. I’ll never be back.
Service: 1
Brian Porter
I've been interested in staying/dining at Fearrington for quite some time, so I was glad to finally have done it. I had the standard King room, with a view of the gardens, so that was nice. The king bed and sheets were soft and comfortable, and the bathroom was nicely done. They have a heating rack for towels, so that was a neat touch. I could see where this hotel really shines, in the Spring and Fall. The restaurant is great for the setting, atmosphere and presentation of the dishes. Funny enough, my favorite dish from here was the blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Those were the best blueberry pancakes I have ever had. The size and quality of the blueberries really stood out.Food & drinks: The restaurant is great for the setting, atmosphere and presentation of the dishes. Funny enough, my favorite dish from here was the blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Those were the best blueberry pancakes I have ever had. The size and quality of the blueberries really stood out.
Service: 5
Elizabeth Tong
Food & drinks: Great dinner and breakfast.
Service: 5
David Darr
Lovely boutique hotel inn with wonderful trail system and farm with cows and goats. A beautiful property. The rooms were well sized and service was perfect.
Service: 5
Olivia Marsh
Old Southern charm. Service outstanding. Our room was well appointed, but a little dated.Food & drinks: Dinner was outstanding!
Service: 5
Virginia Amann
Stayed two nights. The grounds are gorgeous and I enjoyed stopping by the Belted Goat and other businesses. The breakfast included at the Inn is lovely and the morning serving staff was very nice and professional. Food at Belted Goat is excellent. The rooms are pretty and comfortable. Baths need updating (some maintenance issues and also dated). Dinner I did not enjoy. The food was really very good and nicely presented but my experience with the staff was not. I got rather hungry around 5:30 so decided to stop in. I did not have a reservation but rather than seating me (and there were plenty of tables in the bar and restaurant) the person who greeted me and conferred with another to ask if it would be "ok" to seat me in her section. This made me feel rather burdensome, and moreso when shown a literal half a table - as in really not enough room to eat - in the back corner of the bar. I had to suggest I wasn't comfortable there for dinner (it might have worked for drinks only) and could I please have another table. This was frostily managed, and the whole rest of my interaction with this person was simply not good. I'd suggest accommodating inn guests there more freely and that staff needs some training on true grace. I left there feeling annoyed, which is not a good thing when you're trying to relax. Overall I give the entire experience a 4 and would recommend it. But it could be truly great and a 5 with some tweaks.
Service: 3
Daniel B.
Dinner at The Fearrington House Restaurant was one of the best dining experiences we've had anywhere. It was certainly among the very best we've had in North Carolina. The food and service were simply phenomenal. Fine dining at its finest.This place was recommended to us by some friends. I probably would have no idea of its existence otherwise. It's kind of located out in the middle of nowhere. I say "kind of" because it was only about a 20-minute drive from our home in Chapel Hill. This place is certainly worth the drive from anywhere in the Triangle, and points beyond. It's that good.The Fearrington House Restaurant is part of Fearrington Village, a sort of farm-like resort that, along with the restaurant, offers boutique shopping, a spa, and an inn. There are also houses, squares, and a park with ponds and trails tucked away from the retail area. The residential neighborhood is sizable.My wife loved this place because the village was a mini getaway from the Triangle. As we drove past the Belted Galloway cows and the silo on the way in, we knew we were entering someplace special. Overall, the property was really charming, peaceful, and idyllic. It was magical as well -- after dinner, we took a stroll around the house and gardens. Along with the beautiful foliage and landscaping, there were rabbits and fireflies. When I booked our reservations, my wife and I were pleasantly surprised to learn that The Fearrington House is a Relais & Chateaux property. Just a couple months prior to our visit here, we had stayed at our first Relais & Chateaux property, Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts, in Bora Bora. That was a stellar experience as well. These experiences make us want to go to more Relais & Chateaux properties in the future.The Fearrington House Restaurant is prix fixe dinner only. The menu is seasonal. For us, the price was $150 per four-course dinner with optional $100 wine pairing. Also, one of the main course options, the steak, had an $80 "supplement" if you wanted to upgrade to Japanese wagyu over the regular ribeye. In addition to the four courses, there were three hors d'oeuvres (two canapes and one amuse-bouche), a "pre-dessert," and even post-dessert treats; the latter was not listed on the menu.There were three options per course. Here's what we had:First Canape* Lemon Poppy Macarons with Foie Gras Ganache (x2)Amuse-Bouche* Local Beet Gummy with Brulee Lemon Creme Fraiche and Herb Oil (x2)First Course* Panna Cotta with Roasted Turnips and Black Garlic; pickled daikon, kale, cracker, grapefruit* Kanpachi Crudo with Mango and Fresno Chili Sorbet; jalapeno, cucumber, limeSecond Course* Stuffed Quail with Jerusalem Artichoke; basil, blackberry, crumble* Seared Bass with Artichoke and Bok Choy; chive, maitake, tapiocaSecond Canape* Melon Gazpacho (x2)Main Course* Beef Ribeye with Bordelaise; cippolini, broccoli, king trumpet* Seared Scallops with Fava Beans and Farro; sweet pepper, herb oil, lace tuile, fennelPre-Dessert* Mango Mousse with Blackberry (x2)Dessert* Valrhona Coeur de Guanaja Souffle; dark chocolate, vanilla, whipped cream* Strawberry Rhubarb Pavlova with Basil; lemon curd, sorbet, angel foodCocktails* Virtuous Imbiber ($15) - bourbon, Pasubio, Montenegro, Regan's Orange Bitters; boozy, botanical, spirit-forward* Five Mile Hike ($16) - rum, lemon, cappelletti, chartreuse, orgeat; bright, refreshing, botanicalWine* Glass of Violin, Pinot Noir ($18) - Willamette Valley, Oregon, MVPost-Dessert Treats* Strawberry Marshmallow, Strawberry Jelly, Strawberry Fudge, some sort of Caramel, and another treat we can't remember + Shortbread Cookies to take homeIn general, everything was magnificent and super creative. How do they even think up some of this stuff? For example, we were hit with Macarons with Foie Gras Ganache and Local Beet Gummies right out the gate. And everything worked well together and was delicious (e.g., the macarons were both sweet and savory, and tasted fantastic). My wife, who loves to cook, commented that she woul
Robert G.
Premium luxury inn on a former farm with beautiful accommodations, top-notch service and superb dining. Beautiful extensive grounds and quaint upscale retirement village and shops part of the complex. Our favorite place to stay when visiting family in nearby Chapel Hill.
Katharine B.
This review is for the Afternoon Tea at the House served Thursday-Sunday from 12-3 with reservations required. We loved the seating, variety of sweet and savory bites, and tea selection. You pick the type of tea you would like and it is brought out in a lovely pot and steeped perfectly. There were delicious sandwiches and then sweet scones and seasonal pudding and other scrumptious bites. Service is fantastic and always very hospitable. It is fun to also take a stroll around Fearrington Village, visit the bookshop, see the cows and goats, and peruse the boutiques.
Chaz Shanton
Fantastic weekend at a beautiful place. We enjoyed the food, the parks, the village and the fantastic people. Jasmine is fantastic at everything and really made our stay enjoyable whether for a late dinner at the bar, regular meals, or for afternoon tea. Can't wait to come back.
Went for a birthday tea over the weekend and it was one of the worst teas I've ever had. The location is beautiful, if a bit shabby and the service was okay-- while I understand that they were obviously short-staffed, the food was awful. Everything seemed day-old and the slices of bread for the tea sandwiches were at least 1/2 inch thick-- more appropriate for a club sandwich than a cucumber tea sandwich. The scones were dry and cold. The biscuits had been heated at some point with pimento cheese, but by the time they arrived at our table, they were cold and dried out with crusts of dessicated cheese falling off the edges. If I had paid $10 for the meal per person, that would seem more appropriate. Everything was fairly traditional and then someone had decided to add a black sesame "Opera" cake that resembled nothing that I've ever (thankfully) tasted before. Very disappointing.
Shiva Ziaei
The wine pairing was top notch. The steak was chewy though. Everything else was great
Angelique D.
Festive and elegant prepared by a real chef with an eye for art-- in a laid back but refined atmosphere. This is a perfect venue for a festive moment, a proposal, anniversary or just enjoying the finer, more elegant things in life like a full chef's menu and assorted flight of wines. The food in the French tradition, presented in successive courses is poetry for the tastebuds, and a feast for the eye. For those who enjoy tasting small but exquisite bites with the occasional wow-- this is a symphony that must be enjoyed with someone special and with time to savor every bite and every dish!
Colin Starnes
Wonderful dinner at the Fearrington House. Amazing culinary treats. You will be pleased. Cost is a bit high for the food, but still nice. Previous trip was perfect, this time the main course was ny strip and was a lil chewy and tough mine was medium wifes was medium rare both were about the same a lil tough.Food & drinks: Typically really amazing
Service: 5
M J.
Review for tea:Pro: our server Jasmine had excellent service. Food was delicious Accommodating to gluten free, dairy free and for kids. Good variety of tea AND you get to try different kinds if you want. Bathroom soap and lotion smelled nice Con: host was not so attentive. The area we were in smelled like mildew.
I have eaten at the Fearrington House Restaurant once per quarter every quarter for the past 8 years. I live in Durham so it is the go-to for family visiting, special occasions, etc. We’ve always requested the same waiter and dining have always had a beautiful experience.Howeverrrrr, we decided to stay overnight for the first time thinking it would be so nice to just come straight to the room after dinner. I’ve traveled all over the world and stayed at the nicest hotels. YALL DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY HERE! For $440 you can stay at the Umstead. There are no vending machines, no lobby to get a soda or snack from, no room service. The rooms are very very very old and outdated. The TV is TINY!!! There is virtually zero customer service. And let me be the sign to tell you THERE ARE NO SIGNS IN THE BATHROOM THAT INDICATE A HEATED TOWEL RACK IS PRESENT. My child touched and burned her hand on the towel rack thinking it was a normal rack. I also had ZERO CLUE. It is scalding hot and any human who touches it can easily get burned. There are no signs anywhere in the room to indicate there’s a towel rack that is scalding hot. No one told us either verbally. If you are coming to Fearrington Village, come for the food. Don’t waste your money at the hotel. Don’t waste your money at the hotel. Don’t waste your money at the hotel. I’ll never be back.
Service: 1
I've been interested in staying/dining at Fearrington for quite some time, so I was glad to finally have done it. I had the standard King room, with a view of the gardens, so that was nice. The king bed and sheets were soft and comfortable, and the bathroom was nicely done. They have a heating rack for towels, so that was a neat touch. I could see where this hotel really shines, in the Spring and Fall. The restaurant is great for the setting, atmosphere and presentation of the dishes. Funny enough, my favorite dish from here was the blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Those were the best blueberry pancakes I have ever had. The size and quality of the blueberries really stood out.Food & drinks: The restaurant is great for the setting, atmosphere and presentation of the dishes. Funny enough, my favorite dish from here was the blueberry pancakes for breakfast. Those were the best blueberry pancakes I have ever had. The size and quality of the blueberries really stood out.
Service: 5
Food & drinks: Great dinner and breakfast.
Service: 5
Lovely boutique hotel inn with wonderful trail system and farm with cows and goats. A beautiful property. The rooms were well sized and service was perfect.
Service: 5
Old Southern charm. Service outstanding. Our room was well appointed, but a little dated.Food & drinks: Dinner was outstanding!
Service: 5
Stayed two nights. The grounds are gorgeous and I enjoyed stopping by the Belted Goat and other businesses. The breakfast included at the Inn is lovely and the morning serving staff was very nice and professional. Food at Belted Goat is excellent. The rooms are pretty and comfortable. Baths need updating (some maintenance issues and also dated). Dinner I did not enjoy. The food was really very good and nicely presented but my experience with the staff was not. I got rather hungry around 5:30 so decided to stop in. I did not have a reservation but rather than seating me (and there were plenty of tables in the bar and restaurant) the person who greeted me and conferred with another to ask if it would be "ok" to seat me in her section. This made me feel rather burdensome, and moreso when shown a literal half a table - as in really not enough room to eat - in the back corner of the bar. I had to suggest I wasn't comfortable there for dinner (it might have worked for drinks only) and could I please have another table. This was frostily managed, and the whole rest of my interaction with this person was simply not good. I'd suggest accommodating inn guests there more freely and that staff needs some training on true grace. I left there feeling annoyed, which is not a good thing when you're trying to relax. Overall I give the entire experience a 4 and would recommend it. But it could be truly great and a 5 with some tweaks.
Service: 3
Dinner at The Fearrington House Restaurant was one of the best dining experiences we've had anywhere. It was certainly among the very best we've had in North Carolina. The food and service were simply phenomenal. Fine dining at its finest.This place was recommended to us by some friends. I probably would have no idea of its existence otherwise. It's kind of located out in the middle of nowhere. I say "kind of" because it was only about a 20-minute drive from our home in Chapel Hill. This place is certainly worth the drive from anywhere in the Triangle, and points beyond. It's that good.The Fearrington House Restaurant is part of Fearrington Village, a sort of farm-like resort that, along with the restaurant, offers boutique shopping, a spa, and an inn. There are also houses, squares, and a park with ponds and trails tucked away from the retail area. The residential neighborhood is sizable.My wife loved this place because the village was a mini getaway from the Triangle. As we drove past the Belted Galloway cows and the silo on the way in, we knew we were entering someplace special. Overall, the property was really charming, peaceful, and idyllic. It was magical as well -- after dinner, we took a stroll around the house and gardens. Along with the beautiful foliage and landscaping, there were rabbits and fireflies. When I booked our reservations, my wife and I were pleasantly surprised to learn that The Fearrington House is a Relais & Chateaux property. Just a couple months prior to our visit here, we had stayed at our first Relais & Chateaux property, Le Bora Bora by Pearl Resorts, in Bora Bora. That was a stellar experience as well. These experiences make us want to go to more Relais & Chateaux properties in the future.The Fearrington House Restaurant is prix fixe dinner only. The menu is seasonal. For us, the price was $150 per four-course dinner with optional $100 wine pairing. Also, one of the main course options, the steak, had an $80 "supplement" if you wanted to upgrade to Japanese wagyu over the regular ribeye. In addition to the four courses, there were three hors d'oeuvres (two canapes and one amuse-bouche), a "pre-dessert," and even post-dessert treats; the latter was not listed on the menu.There were three options per course. Here's what we had:First Canape* Lemon Poppy Macarons with Foie Gras Ganache (x2)Amuse-Bouche* Local Beet Gummy with Brulee Lemon Creme Fraiche and Herb Oil (x2)First Course* Panna Cotta with Roasted Turnips and Black Garlic; pickled daikon, kale, cracker, grapefruit* Kanpachi Crudo with Mango and Fresno Chili Sorbet; jalapeno, cucumber, limeSecond Course* Stuffed Quail with Jerusalem Artichoke; basil, blackberry, crumble* Seared Bass with Artichoke and Bok Choy; chive, maitake, tapiocaSecond Canape* Melon Gazpacho (x2)Main Course* Beef Ribeye with Bordelaise; cippolini, broccoli, king trumpet* Seared Scallops with Fava Beans and Farro; sweet pepper, herb oil, lace tuile, fennelPre-Dessert* Mango Mousse with Blackberry (x2)Dessert* Valrhona Coeur de Guanaja Souffle; dark chocolate, vanilla, whipped cream* Strawberry Rhubarb Pavlova with Basil; lemon curd, sorbet, angel foodCocktails* Virtuous Imbiber ($15) - bourbon, Pasubio, Montenegro, Regan's Orange Bitters; boozy, botanical, spirit-forward* Five Mile Hike ($16) - rum, lemon, cappelletti, chartreuse, orgeat; bright, refreshing, botanicalWine* Glass of Violin, Pinot Noir ($18) - Willamette Valley, Oregon, MVPost-Dessert Treats* Strawberry Marshmallow, Strawberry Jelly, Strawberry Fudge, some sort of Caramel, and another treat we can't remember + Shortbread Cookies to take homeIn general, everything was magnificent and super creative. How do they even think up some of this stuff? For example, we were hit with Macarons with Foie Gras Ganache and Local Beet Gummies right out the gate. And everything worked well together and was delicious (e.g., the macarons were both sweet and savory, and tasted fantastic). My wife, who loves to cook, commented that she woul
Premium luxury inn on a former farm with beautiful accommodations, top-notch service and superb dining. Beautiful extensive grounds and quaint upscale retirement village and shops part of the complex. Our favorite place to stay when visiting family in nearby Chapel Hill.
This review is for the Afternoon Tea at the House served Thursday-Sunday from 12-3 with reservations required. We loved the seating, variety of sweet and savory bites, and tea selection. You pick the type of tea you would like and it is brought out in a lovely pot and steeped perfectly. There were delicious sandwiches and then sweet scones and seasonal pudding and other scrumptious bites. Service is fantastic and always very hospitable. It is fun to also take a stroll around Fearrington Village, visit the bookshop, see the cows and goats, and peruse the boutiques.
Fantastic weekend at a beautiful place. We enjoyed the food, the parks, the village and the fantastic people. Jasmine is fantastic at everything and really made our stay enjoyable whether for a late dinner at the bar, regular meals, or for afternoon tea. Can't wait to come back.
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
Went for a birthday tea over the weekend and it was one of the worst teas I've ever had. The location is beautiful, if a bit shabby and the service was okay-- while I understand that they were obviously short-staffed, the food was awful. Everything seemed day-old and the slices of bread for the tea sandwiches were at least 1/2 inch thick-- more appropriate for a club sandwich than a cucumber tea sandwich. The scones were dry and cold. The biscuits had been heated at some point with pimento cheese, but by the time they arrived at our table, they were cold and dried out with crusts of dessicated cheese falling off the edges. If I had paid $10 for the meal per person, that would seem more appropriate. Everything was fairly traditional and then someone had decided to add a black sesame "Opera" cake that resembled nothing that I've ever (thankfully) tasted before. Very disappointing.
The wine pairing was top notch. The steak was chewy though. Everything else was great
Festive and elegant prepared by a real chef with an eye for art-- in a laid back but refined atmosphere. This is a perfect venue for a festive moment, a proposal, anniversary or just enjoying the finer, more elegant things in life like a full chef's menu and assorted flight of wines. The food in the French tradition, presented in successive courses is poetry for the tastebuds, and a feast for the eye. For those who enjoy tasting small but exquisite bites with the occasional wow-- this is a symphony that must be enjoyed with someone special and with time to savor every bite and every dish!
Wonderful dinner at the Fearrington House. Amazing culinary treats. You will be pleased. Cost is a bit high for the food, but still nice. Previous trip was perfect, this time the main course was ny strip and was a lil chewy and tough mine was medium wifes was medium rare both were about the same a lil tough.Food & drinks: Typically really amazing
Service: 5
Review for tea:Pro: our server Jasmine had excellent service. Food was delicious Accommodating to gluten free, dairy free and for kids. Good variety of tea AND you get to try different kinds if you want. Bathroom soap and lotion smelled nice Con: host was not so attentive. The area we were in smelled like mildew.