The Blue Door Kitchen and Inn — Restaurant in Front Royal

Went back for a second time, this is still one of our favorite restaurants. See below for our first time impressions. Here are our “must-order” list: hommos with beef tenderloin tips, cauliflower soup with scallop, black ink trenette pasta with octopus, rack of lamb (love everything but the smoked purée- a personal preference), and the best-selling rye ravioli!

A lovely airy restaurant in a renovated building that used to be a schoolhouse. Everything we tried was excellent. The meatball starters were tender and well seasoned, the umami was out of this world! The rice balls were cheesy and crunchy. So satisfying. The pepper hummus with beef tips was both filling and refreshing, the acid in the hummus and the tenderness of the beef paired well. The pastas, both the ravioli (which had been written about in every review) and the tomatoey eggplant gnocchi were crowd pleasers. The beef tenderloin was cooked well, tender and worked well with the celery root purée. Local beef tastes so much better.

If you can get over the fact that you have to actually call or email to make a dinner reservation instead of just clicking a quick button, you will be well rewarded. But if anyone from management is reading this, please add a way for us to reserve online even if it involves paying a deposit. Having a guest take more than 5 mins to accomplish something that takes 30 second with 99% of the restaurants out there is not hospitable.

The service was friendly and not overbearing. We loved our waitress Page and our interactions with Reem were pleasant.

I can’t review the Blue Door without comparing it the The Inn at Little Washington restaurant (only six miles away), for us the food at the Blue Door is the best, but The Inn has better dessert... so we eat dinner at one place and dessert at the other.

Last but not least, we loved the pottery (plates and bowls) and were happy to hear they were made by a...

My husband and I came across the Blue Door on a post-pandemic trip to the area. Seated outside on the patio, we were amazed by the presentation of the many plates that passed us by on their way to neighboring tables. We were also amused to see that we shared a last name with the chef! But the surprise of the night was the quality and depth of flavors in each of our meals. We were truly amazed to find such a gem this little town of Flint Hill!

My husband has returned for dinner when he hikes in the area, and this time, we made a special trip together to celebrate our anniversary. We stayed two nights at the inn and had two incredible meals from start to finish. These included wonderful wines to choose from, with several local vineyards of high quality (including Gadino Cellars Nebbiolo). I enjoyed octopus and beef tartare as my starters and both nights ordered the ravioli, the filling changing both nights thanks to the inspiration of the chef. Dessert did not fail to disappoint, and the apple strudel on night one and chocolate mousse the next, with accompanying garnishes, completed the meal with the right amount of sweetness.

Before checking out, I was touring the garden and was happy to have a chance to talk to Reem about their culinary journey! She stepped outside and we talked not far from the patio at which I first enjoyed Chef Andrea's cuisine. It was a lovely way to wrap up our visit.

I told my husband that I would be happy to accompany him on some more hikes...knowing that a delicious meal at the Blue Door would be a...

My parents live in Flint Hill and whenever I come home to visit from college I make it a point to stop by for a meal. I have eaten at a lot of amazing restaurants around the world but this is the only restaurant that goes above and beyond every time. The attention to detail is what makes this place the best. The owners Reem and Chef are experts in the restaurant business and are so hands on in their business they make sure everything is perfection. Reem serves tables, greets as many guests as possible, and works one on one with clients to plan events. Her love for the Blue Door is evident. Chef is a genius. He really cannot make a bad dish. He changes the menu very often so you never know what’s in store but it is always guaranteed that the ingredients are the freshest. Evidence of this can be seen by walking through their garden that Chef and Reem attend to. Paige the server is always kind and welcoming, she checks in the perfect amount, and she has an extensive knowledge of the food and drinks she serves. The bartender Megan has the most cheerful attitude, she makes you feel at home, and makes cocktails you cannot get anywhere else. Some of my favorite meals here have been when I dined solo at the bar with Megan. With all of that said this is a must visit place. Wether you have to drive 6 hours or take a plane or walk 30 miles the journey to this magnificent and peaceful restaurant will...