This New Hampshire Country-Style Buffet Serves All-You-Can-Eat Comfort Food Locals Can’t Stop Talking About

A cheese soup has been made by the same cook for more than 40 years at one little country restaurant. The man behind it goes by Big Pete, and yes, there’s a barbecue sauce with his name on it too.

The kitchen hand-peels potatoes for its mashed potatoes and makes sauces, soups, dressings, and desserts in-house. I appreciate that kind of stubbornness in a world full of shortcuts.

On Sunday mornings, the place turns into an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet. I’d happily plan a whole New Hampshire weekend around that one detail.

The building dates to the late 1800s, and one family has run the kitchen since 1977. So what keeps a country dining room humming along for nearly five decades, and what should you order first?

Nearly Five Decades Of One Family Running The Show

Back in 1977, the Fenton family bought a place called the Appleseed Inn. Today it’s known as Appleseed Restaurant & Catering, and the same family still runs it.

Peter and Mary Beth Fenton raised their two sons, Pete and Tim, right inside the business. Both sons remain closely involved in daily operations today.

Pete goes by a nickname that makes me grin every time. Folks call him ‘RePete,’ which is honestly the best way to tell two Petes apart.

The family changed the name from Appleseed Inn to Appleseed Restaurant along the way. The new name simply matched what the place actually does, which is feed people well.

That kind of long run is rare in the restaurant world. Plenty of places come and go in a few years, while this one keeps rolling toward its 50th.

You’ll even spot family names on the menu. Tim’s Combo and Big Pete’s barbecue sauce both carry that homegrown signature.

I love when a menu doubles as a family tree. It tells you real people stand behind every plate, ready to take the credit or the blame.

Sunday Mornings Turn Into A Breakfast Buffet Worth Setting An Alarm For

Sunday is the one day this dining room opens before lunch. The breakfast buffet runs from 8:30 to 11:00 in the morning, so sleeping in has limits.

A buffet answers the biggest breakfast dilemma of all. Nobody has to choose between sweet and savory when the line lets you circle back.

This is the all-you-can-eat side of the Appleseed story in New Hampshire. It fits the kitchen’s country-style personality, built on homemade cooking instead of fancy tricks.

The timing works nicely for a lazy weekend. Grab breakfast, take a scenic drive, and still have the afternoon wide open.

Want dinner too? The restaurant reopens Sunday evening at 4:30, so a truly dedicated fan could technically make it a doubleheader.

Hours can change, so a quick check before heading out is smart. Calling ahead also helps if you’re bringing a bigger group.

I’d show up closer to the start than the finish. Buffets reward early birds, and a relaxed second plate tastes better than a rushed one.

Plan for an unhurried pace and a loose waistband. Sunday was made for exactly this kind of morning.

Trains Once Rolled Right Past These Old Doors

Trains from Boston and points south once rolled right past these doors. That’s a fun thought while you’re waiting on your dinner order.

The building itself dates back to the late 1800s. Over the years, it has worn more hats than a small-town mayor.

It started out as a home and has also served as a barn. Later, it became a bed and breakfast called the Lakeside Inn.

That inn name still pops up in a sneaky way. The entree section of the menu is called Lakeside Features, and it’s hard not to connect the dots.

By 1977, the property was known as the Appleseed Inn when the Fentons bought it. They eventually leaned into food and dropped the inn part of the name.

Old buildings carry personality that new construction just can’t fake. Every layer of history adds a little character to an ordinary weeknight meal.

I appreciate a restaurant that doesn’t erase its past. Eating supper inside a former home, barn, and inn beats a strip mall booth any day.

So when someone asks where you ate, the answer comes with a story. That’s a bonus side dish nobody charges extra for.

Hand-Peeled Potatoes And A Soup With 40 Years Of Practice

Somebody in this kitchen peels potatoes by hand for the mashed potatoes. In an age of boxed flakes, that’s practically a love letter.

The made-from-scratch approach goes way past spuds. All the sauces, soups, salad dressings, and desserts get made in-house.

Then there’s the Duchess Soup, a cheese-based soup with serious staying power. Big Pete has been making it for more than 40 years.

Forty years is longer than most recipes survive anywhere. That kind of run says a lot about a dish’s permanent spot on the menu.

A cheese soup on a chilly New Hampshire evening sounds like the right call. I can’t imagine skipping it on a first visit.

Homemade sauces show up across the menu in clever ways. Big Pete’s barbecue sauce and the sweet-and-spicy General Jon’s sauce both come from this kitchen.

Scratch cooking takes more time and more hands. It also gives a restaurant a personality that can’t be copied by ordering from a delivery truck.

Save room for dessert, since those are homemade too. Skipping them would be like leaving a parade before the marching band shows up.

The Chicken Gets Maple Syrup, Apples, And Cheddar, And It Works

New Hampshire maple syrup, apple wedges, and cheddar cheese all land on one grilled chicken breast. That’s the Appleseed Chicken Breast, and the name fits perfectly.

It sits among the Lakeside Features, the menu’s lineup of hearty entrees. Every dish there reads like Sunday supper at a favorite relative’s house.

The Roast Turkey comes served over stuffing with gravy and jellied cranberry sauce. Thanksgiving fans no longer have to wait until November.

A classic Roast Beef Dinner holds down the traditional corner. The Pulled Pork Platter lets you pick between Big Pete’s barbecue sauce or gravy.

Fried chicken shows up too, for anyone who judges a restaurant by its crunch. General Jon’s Chicken adds a sweet and spicy chili sauce to a breaded boneless breast.

Entrees typically come with the vegetable of the day and a side. Choices include fries, baked beans, baked potato, rice pilaf, or those homemade mashed potatoes.

Upgrades bring curly fries, onion rings, sweet potato fries, or baked sweet potato into play. Decisions, decisions.

I’d probably start with the house chicken because of the name alone. Then I’d steal a bite of turkey from whoever sat closest.

Corn Nuggets Dipped In Maple Syrup Deserve Your Attention

Corn nuggets with real New Hampshire maple syrup for dipping. Read that again, because it makes total sense the second you hear it.

The appetizer list doesn’t stop there. Lobster Rangoons arrive with General Jon’s sauce, adding a New England twist to a takeout favorite.

Can’t decide? Tim’s Combo bundles Mozzarella Sticks, Potato Skins, Wing Dings, Mac & Cheese Bites, Corn Nuggets, and Lobster Rangoons.

That platter basically solves every table argument at once. Order it for the group and let everyone grab a favorite.

Speaking of mac and cheese, there’s an Adult Size Mac & Cheese on the menu. It uses cavatappi pasta tossed in the house-made cheese sauce.

Burger lovers get some local flavor too. The Eccardt Farm Burger features grass-fed beef from a local farm.

Then there’s a Chorizo Burger made with local Harding Hill Chorizo. That’s a bold move for a country restaurant, and I’m all for it.

Supporting local farms gives the menu a real sense of place. You’re tasting the region along with the meal.

My plan would be simple. Combo first, burger second, and zero regrets.

Your Next Big Party Could Have This Kitchen Behind It

Not every restaurant packs up its comfort food and hits the road. Appleseed Restaurant & Catering runs a full catering service alongside the dining room.

Buffets are a specialty on the catering side. That makes sense for a kitchen that already knows how to feed a crowd on Sunday mornings.

The service covers events across the Lake Sunapee and Dartmouth Region. It also reaches into the Upper Valley and Lakes Region of New Hampshire.

Weddings, reunions, and company gatherings all need food people actually want to eat. A family-run kitchen with nearly five decades of practice brings plenty of confidence to that job.

Buffet-style catering also keeps things relaxed for guests. Folks can choose what they like, go back for more, and skip the plated-meal guessing game.

Planning early is always smart for big events. Popular dates tend to go quickly for any caterer, so reaching out ahead of time saves stress.

I like the idea of a caterer with a real restaurant behind it. You can taste the cooking on a regular night before trusting it with your big day.

That’s a pretty great excuse to book a dinner reservation. Call it research, and nobody will argue.

Right At The Doorstep Of Lake Sunapee Country

Location matters, and this one sits at the gateway to the Lake Sunapee region. You’ll find it at 63 High Street in Bradford, NH 03221.

That spot makes it an easy stop for anyone exploring this corner of New Hampshire. A day of lake views pairs nicely with a plate of comfort food.

Dinner runs Tuesday through Sunday from 4:30 to 7:45 in the evening. Mondays are closed, so plan your cravings accordingly.

Those hours lean early, which suits the country-dining style. Showing up closer to opening gives you more breathing room before the kitchen wraps up.

A reservation is a smart move, especially for a larger party. Nobody enjoys standing around hungry while debating a backup plan.

The setting carries old-time charm, with railroad history right outside the door. It feels like a stop along a route people have traveled for generations.

The vibe is casual country dining, so fancy clothes aren’t a concern. Come as you are after a hike or a long drive.

I’d plan the trip as a full outing. A scenic drive, an early dinner, and a sunset ride home sounds like a pretty perfect evening.

The Fentons Also Run Boats And A Harbor Deli

Running one restaurant would keep most families plenty busy. The Fentons apparently looked at that and decided to add a fleet.

In 2003, they became owners and operators of Sunapee Cruises. The company runs the MV Mount Sunapee II tour boat and the MV Kearsarge restaurant ship on Lake Sunapee.

A restaurant ship is exactly as fun as it sounds. Dinner plus a lake cruise in one move feels like a summer win.

In 2016, the family added Fenton’s Landing to the mix. It’s a seasonal deli in Sunapee Harbor.

All of this ties back to the dining room in Bradford. Appleseed Restaurant & Catering is where it all started for them back in 1977.

The New Hampshire Lodging and Restaurant Association runs the annual Stars of the Industry awards. The Fentons have earned a nomination there for restaurateurs of the year.

That recognition fits a family that keeps building instead of coasting. Nearly five decades in, they’re still finding new ways to feed people.

I’d make a full Sunapee day out of it. Cruise in the afternoon, then finish with a country dinner where the family story began.