By Debby Stalcup Contributing Editor
Step into the grace and elegance that was the life of George Washington Vanderbilt and enjoy fine dining in The Dining Room at the Inn on Biltmore Estate.
Since 1895, Biltmore has had the natural beauty of the North Carolina Blue Ridge Mountains and the majestic house and gardens. They beguile us and allow us to escape from the everyday and live as a Vanderbilt lived.
The Dining Room has offered patrons a taste of this lifestyle since 2001. Included in the Forbes Travel Guide Four Star restaurants, The Dining Room provides expertly prepared cuisine that emphasizes estate-raised and local ingredients, including beef from its own herd. One will experience world-class service inspired by the Vanderbilts.
White linen tablecloths, fine China and crystal add to the elegance, along with the most elite of formal service by the friendly professional staff. Another thing to feast on during your dining experience are the gorgeous views of the estate through the oversized windows. Idyllic mountain ranges and green pastures are stunning.
Said of the Biltmore: “I came to this spot and thought the prospect finer than any other I had seen.”
– George Vanderbilt
My husband, Larry, and I had the pleasure of visiting and staying at The Inn on the Biltmore Estate. It was during his recent trip-of-a-lifetime to the Masters. He got the Masters, I got the Biltmore. Not to worry, I’m also getting a transatlantic crossing on the Queen Mary 2.
Larry’s meal consisted of a filet mignon from a Biltmore raised and fed beef. Potato butter, mushroom, bordelaise and truffle cream also added to the decadence. “The filet was a melt in your mouth experience,” Larry says. With an extensive wine collection and a first-rate sommelier, the meal was perfectly complimented by his choice of wine. The dessert offerings were also worth the trip alone.
The Dining Room also serves breakfast and lunch, as well as Afternoon Tea, a unique-to-Biltmore moment of leisure inspired by the Vanderbilt tradition of sharing tea with their guests.
The Dining Room has been awarded Four Stars from Forbes Travel Guide every year since it opened 23 consecutive years ago. It has been recognized with the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence every year since 2006. The Dining Room has also received other accolades, including being listed in the 100 Most Romantic Restaurants in America.
Anyone can dine like a Vanderbilt at The Dining Room.
