Publisher’s Letter

Happy New Year! For 21 years, County Lines has celebrated the new year by recognizing outstanding restaurants in our annual Local Dining Guide.

In “Best of the Best,” we cover over 100 outstanding local eateries and drinkeries. We recognize the stars, new restaurants, bars, wine and spirits to sample and sweet treats to enjoy, along with top spots to dine morning, noon, night and for happy hour in towns in our area.

And that’s not all. Associate Editor Marci Tomassone adds her “Dining Guide 2025” with more recommendations. In “Food Events,” she includes a calendar of festivals, cook-offs, restaurant weeks, beer gardens and weekends of chocolate and wine.

In “Taverns and Inns in Chester County,” Jennifer Green of the Chester County History Center and Sarah Wagner of the Chester County Community Foundation look back at our rich history of hospitality and note several historic inns are still hosting diners.

Courtney Diener-Stokes writes about teaching her kids about independence in the kitchen in “A New Year to Empower Kids in the Kitchen.” She offers several recipes for them to try.

Even with a guest list that isn’t grand, but it’s more than you’re willing to take on, if you want to enjoy your guests, not be stuck in the kitchen, read “Small Gatherings Made Simple” by Assistant Editor Shannon Montgomery and explore local caterers as an option.

There are plenty of cookbooks to line your shelves. In “A Bounty of New Cookbooks,” Mimi Liberi of Wellington Square Bookshop suggests six to add.

Dining out should be fun and relaxing. Yet it can be stressful, especially when your diet is constrained. Calories, allergies, cardiovascular diseases … Taylor Vagnoni of Suburban Community Hospital makes several suggestions in “Taking Your Diet Restrictions Out to Dinner.”

 “Gin Is In,” say Don and Scott Avellino of Botanery Barn. They review the history of gin, dating back to the 14th century and blossoming in the 21st century. The selection of botanicals — juniper is key, but gin may include coriander, citrus and other flavors — is what makes the gin exciting and distinctive.

And as always, we have plenty of Family Fun and the Best Local Events to start off the year and work off any calories you gain from sampling local dining spots.

Perhaps you already have County Lines delivered to your mailbox. Save it for future reference. At CountyLinesMagazine.com, you can read the January issue online. At Issuu.com, you can read the digital issue. Or click “Get A Copy” on our website to find locations to pick up your own print copy.

We hope you’d like to subscribe to County Lines. Do it on our website or call 610-918-9300. For single issues, try Wellington Square Bookshop, Main Point Books or Reads & Co. Bookstore. Visiting an advertiser is also a great — and free — way to find copies!

We hope you enjoy this delectable issue. Thank you for reading this month and all year long.

Our very best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year!

Ed Malet, Publisher

610-918-9300

Best of the Best

As we do each year, we recognize stellar restaurants and share recent additions to our local dining scene. This year, however, we focus on those places that have stood the test of time. There are diners, cafés, family-owned restaurants, college bars, tea shops and great places for happy hours. Dine in historic inns, taverns, hotels and old mills. Sample family recipes cooked by the original family or preserved by successor owners. Enjoy food by chefs who have changed their locations but retained the continuity of experience. These iconic dining establishments are our community history and treasures.

Taverns and Inns in Chester County

Historic Chester County taverns and inns served both public and private functions — a place to drink, socialize and exchange news for locals and a place to rest for weary travelers. And since the days of William Penn, these establishments were viewed as a necessary evil. Though few taverns and inns have survived, and fewer continue to serve food and drink, you can still dine like a colonial at inns in our area. We name a few.

Gin Is In

There’s both an art and a science to making gin. Add to its mystique a centuries-long journey from medicinal remedy to sophisticated cocktail favorite to worldwide spirit. For the Dutch, it was an elixir, for the British, an obsession, for Americans, a cultural statement, and for mixologists, one of the more interesting tools of the trade. Like most distilled spirits, gin begins with a neutral base typically made from grains, which are mashed and fermented, then distilled. But it’s the selection of botanicals that makes gin distinctive, plus other factors that contribute to its complexity. With premium ingredients, local botanicals and the healing power of plants, gin has come full circle back to its origins.