Having done Berks County Eats for more than a dozen years, there aren’t many places to eat in Berks County that I don’t know about at this point. But head outside of Berks – even just a mile or two – and there are still a lot of surprises.
One of those surprises was the Inn at Twin Linden. The Inn is located along Route 23, less than five miles from the Berks County border in Narvon, Lancaster County. Throughout the year, the Inn at Twin Linden is a bed-and-breakfast and special event venue. But on select Saturday nights in late summer and early fall, the Inn hosts a farm-to-table dinner.
I hadn’t heard of the Inn, nor had I heard of the dinners, until their event manager reached out and invited Julie and I to experience it for ourselves.
On a late September evening, we made the 30-minute drive south from Wyomissing to just outside Morgantown. Because of the limited parking on-site, we parked at a church across the street.
The forecast was calling for heavy rains, but there was just a light mist in the air when we arrived, giving us a chance to explore the grounds before dinner. A large firepit encircled with a dozen Adirondack chairs overlooked rolling hills of Lancaster County farmland. Behind it, a vegetable and herb garden. In front of it, bright red, yellow and purple flowers brightened an otherwise gloomy evening.
Typically, the spacious backyard would play host to the dinner, but the forecast forced us inside the renovated barn toward the rear of the property.
While the barn has received some modern upgrades – some new inside walls for insulation, new windows and improved lighting – much of the charm comes from the original features. The dark-hued wood floorboards are uneven with age. One original, wide barn door still maintains its white paint, chipping with age. In one corner, a horseshoe hangs above a mystery door with its original iron hinges.
Dinner was scheduled to start around 6 p.m., and as the time came, we all settled in to our assigned seats. Five tables of 10 were set around the barn. Ironically, we were seated next to another couple from Wyomissing along with a husband and wife from Blue Bell, Montgomery County, who were staying in one of the suites on the property.
On a nicer evening, the first course would be enjoyed cocktail hour-style as we wandered the grounds. Instead, the small plates with a teaser of a pastry were delivered to our tables inside the bar. Aptly named, the “first bite” was a small brie and apple phyllo crisp. It was merely a taste of what was to come, but it was a great first impression. The flaky crust on the inside with the creamy brie on the inside was a perfect match. It was sprinkled with parsley to give it a little earthiness to match the sweetness of the apple. It was a shame that it was gone in just a couple bites.
The first course was our first chance to experience the parade of young servers. The team consisted of mostly girls, elementary through high school, in their long black dresses and hair braided indicating they were Amish or Mennonite. (There were a few exceptions, including some older teens in black shirts and pants and at least one boy who wore a black cowboy hat). We found out at the end of the meal that these were neighbors of the Inn and its owners, recruited to learn the basics of the hospitality industry as they alternated between clearing dishes and setting each course.
Our second course for the night was a trio of appetizers: a roasted pear tart, a short rib spring roll and a crab-stuffed crimini mushroom.
The roasted pear tart was my favorite of the three. It wasn’t too far removed from the first bite, but it had its own unique flavor thanks to the strength of the Gorgonzola and the slightly sweet caramelized onions. The pastry was also a little thicker, though it still flaked with each bite.
Julie’s favorite was the short rib spring roll, which I also enjoyed. It was a very light outer shell stuffed full of tender short rib. It came on a bed of melted, smoked Gouda that was very strong.
I’m not a big fan of any seafood, but I found the crab-stuffed mushroom to be less about the crab and more about the filling and the thick-walled, earthy mushroom it was served in.
All three were very different but very good in their own way. And with small bites of everything, we were able to experience a diversity of flavors over the course of the two-hour meal.
Following the appetizers was the salad course. Everyone at the table agreed that this was one of the best salads we had ever tried. It featured organic mixed greens with roasted butternut squash, sliced apples, pomegranate, shaved fennel, toasted pecans, sharp cheddar and cider vinaigrette. The squash, cooked until soft, was a salad ingredient that I didn’t know I was missing before. Because the squash was roasted, it added a bit of a smokey flavor that was countered nicely by the sweetness of the pomegranate and the thin-sliced apples.
By this point, I would have been satisfied if we had skipped right to dessert. Instead, we still had steak and seafood to come.
Our first entree was NY strip steak served with potato gratin, root vegetable hash, red wine demi glace and fresh sage Hollandaise. The steak was cooked perfectly with the right amount of pink in the middle. The demi glace was sweet, but there was also a teriyaki-like aftertaste that was surprising. The potatoes were very well prepared, thin slices that were slightly crisp on the outside layered with creamy cheese on the inside. And the hash was very good, as well, featuring some of the same squash from the salad plus carrots and parsnips, the latter being an unexpected addition.
As the meal went on, every course seemed to be better than the last so despite having had more than enough to eat, we were excited for our next taste.
The penultimate course featured fish, a maple and Dijon-glazed pompano with autumn squash risotto, roasted Brussels sprouts and a white wine herb beurre blanc. Again, I’m not a fan of fish, but I thought the glaze was very flavorful. You could see the mustard seeds across the top of the white fish, and I really liked the combination of the sweet maple with the sharp Dijon. It wasn’t a heavy mustard consistency, but a lighter, more subtle flavor.
The risotto was amazing. It was thick and cheesy, the rice reduced to the perfect consistency. And the squash gave little pops of flavor throughout. I am going to try to recreate it at home (and will likely fail). If I had one criticism of the meal, it would be that the Brussels sprouts were a little overcooked. Honestly, I wouldn’t have missed them even if they had been cooked perfectly.
Of course, the chef saved the best for last. Dessert was a caramel apple Devonshire cheesecake. It was so decadent with thick caramel and bright fresh apples sitting atop a delicious cheesecake base. The whole thing was topped with tiny fall-colored sugar sprinkles that gave little extra pops of sweetness. We may not have had any room left after the previous five courses, but we were not about to leave a speck of that delicious dessert on the plate.
The apples were locally grown by Zimmerman’s Orchard, and many of the ingredients came from local purveyors – the steak, the cheese and the vegetables all were from local farms and markets. Some ingredients – like the butternut squash, eggs and potatoes – were even more local, grown in the backyard garden at the inn.
The cost per person is $125 which includes a true farm-to-table six-course meal. Though it is BYO, there was also a complementary cocktail – the fireside fizz with Fireball, Prosecco and cider. While the price may scare many away, it is worth it. It was an amazing meal and an amazing night. From the first bite to the last, the meal was exceptional. It was a true dining experience with a familiar, yet elevated menu. Experiences like this are few and far between in our area.
As beautiful as the barn was, I still wish the weather would have cooperated to enjoy the meal under the stars in the backyard. I can only imagine how that would have added to the ambiance of the evening.
But as it was, I would not have traded this meal for anything.
The last dinner of 2026 will be held on October 24. Look for the 2027 schedule in the new year.
BCE Rating
Food: Excellent
Ambiance: Very Good
Service: Excellent
Price: $$$$
The Inn at Twin Linden
2092 Main Street
Narvon, PA 17555
