Solid, some might even call it massive, the New London Inn is the grand dame of Main Street. It has been the site of countless graduation dinners, birthdays, and anniversary celebrations. It’s also been a haven on those nights when you just don’t feel like cooking. The inn has been a home away from home for antiquers, hikers, swimmers, boaters, leaf peepers, and skiers. Generations of honeymooners have spent their first night of married life there. While most visitors spend a few nights, Calvin Sargent lived there for 26 years. The inn has been serving tourists, travelers, and townspeople, not for decades but for centuries.

A Long History

Longtime residents and visitors will recognize many of the names of early owners. Nineteen-year-old Ezekiel Sargent (great-grandfather of the aforementioned Calvin) built the original farmhouse in 1792. Herman Currier was the first innkeeper, adding the third story and turning the property into a hotel in 1870. Called the Elms under Currier, it became the Hotel Sargent after Ezekiel’s grandnephew Walter bought the inn in 1895.

Early in the 20th century, it became the New London Inn and, in spite of passing through several owners, the name stuck. Twentieth-century owners and managers included Colby Academy (now Colby-Sawyer College), investor Harry Nichols, stagecoach operator Charles E. Shepard, and Frank and Lois Conklin. More recently, Bridget Leroy, whose family famously ran Tavern on the Green, the Russian Tea Room, and Maxwell Plums in New York, and local state representative and real estate investor Dan Wolf have overseen the inn’s hospitality. 

Over the inn’s 240-plus year history, it has been enlarged, updated, reconfigured, and remodeled. Such fine luxuries as central heating, indoor plumbing, and electric lights were added. At various times, there has been a stable to accommodate horses and carriages as well as chauffeurs’ quarters. In 1916, the inn boasted 50 rooms (with shared bath at the end of the hall.) That number has shrunk to 23 spacious rooms and junior suites, all with private baths.

New Owners and Fresh Updates

Longtime friends Matthew Meidinger and Danny Bortnick own Heartwood Hospitality. After several years in restaurant and bar management with Kimpton Hotels and Restaurants at both front and back of the house, their consultancy provides operations and marketing strategy, planning, and execution to new and faltering establishments.

The foursome is both excited and humbled by their plunge into New London’s hotel and restaurant market. “We are shepherds of this amazing historic property,” says Matt. “We have to thread a very fine needle of honoring tradition while providing guests with contemporary comforts and cuisine.” This past spring, the team completed their first major renovation projects—the dining room and lobby. Both areas are fresh, bright, and open. Matt says, “Everything is custom (except the chairs—the lead time was too long) and produced by local and regional contractors and artisans.”

In addition to new floors, furnishings, paint, paper, and fireplace surround, the menus have been updated. Matt says, “The inn’s restaurant had a strong following for many years. but it was on the back end of its success. We are excited by the opportunity to rebuild and rejuvenate it.” Along with new décor and a new menu, the restaurant has a new name, the Elms.

Kate Holt is the new general manager at the inn. Originally from Ohio, Kate has lived on the west coast for many years. “This is my first time living in a small town. The people here have been very kind and welcoming,” she says. Matt agrees. The Meidingers currently live in California but are considering a move to New Hampshire. “Everyone has been great,” he says. “We are looking forward to becoming an integral part of the community.”

New London’s Kitchen and Dining Room

Ken Cazeñas is the new executive chef at the Elms. Born in Saudi Arabia of Filipino descent and raised in Los Angeles, he learned to cook and to love food and cooking from his grandmother. “Growing up, I was the youngest of four kids and spent a lot of time at the market and in the kitchen with my grandmother,” Chef Ken says. “Cooking with her was all about fresh, local ingredients and simple, straightforward techniques and recipes.” From the humble start in his grandmother’s kitchen, Chef Ken has graduated to fine-dining restaurants and hotels in Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Hong Kong. He took a break from corporate hospitality for a few years in 2018 to operate a cozy guest house and farm-to-table restaurant on a beach in the Philippines.

Chef Ken chooses his words deliberately when discussing his cooking style and philosophy. When designing a menu, he looks at the ingredients first. Based on what’s in season, he decides what to cook. Avoiding showy or ostentatious presentation, his dishes are thoughtful, clean, and straightforward. Following the advice of Mahatma Gandhi to “Speak only if it improves upon the silence,” he stays away from frills, fads, and extraneous additions or fussy details. Each dish is designed to bring together a balance of flavors and techniques. Elms diners can expect menus to change with the seasons and focus on local products when possible. Chef Ken has already fallen in love with northern New England. Most dishes coming from the Elms’ kitchen will be familiar, lighter versions of traditional New England fare.

If you have guests coming to visit or need a night out, be sure to put the New London Inn and the Elms Restaurant and Bar on your list of places to be this fall. Whether you stop in for a beer after a leaf-peeping hike or bring the family for the opulent Thanksgiving buffet, you will be welcomed with superb service, comfortable surroundings, and a refined but never stuffy menu. 

The New London Inn

353 Main Street

New London, NH

(603) 526-2791

www.thenewlondoninn.com 

www.theelmsrestaurant.com