The Golden Lamb

I visited The Golden Lamb for the sole reason that it is the oldest restaurant and inn in Ohio. (I like history.) This place got its license in 1803 -- so I'm betting the oldest in the Midwest.

I expected it to be lovely. Loads of famous people have stayed there, from Charles Dickens up through 12 U.S. presidents. But I didn't really expect it to be so focused on great food. It is. They have a few "historic dining" items (roast turkey, lamb shank, roast beef -- all on the original menu), but most of what they offer is innovative, interesting, and locally sourced--unless visiting another state gets you something special. For example, the Tri-state ham tasting: Sky Haven Farms, OH, Benton’s, TN and Father’s, KY typically aged 8-12 months served with house mustard, pickles & homemade crackers.

Only two of us and only there for one meal, so didn't get to sample widely, but everything we ate or saw going past was impressive. Did have one traditional item -- their Famous Sauerkraut Balls -- simply because sauerkraut balls are an iconic Ohio appetizer/snack food. Then I had the Tavern Cheeseburger: fabulously good beef, Tillamook cheddar, garlic aioli, lettuce, tomato, onion & pickle. Chose the optional mixed greens with balsamic vinaigrette over the fries. Very nice. (And popular enough dressing that you can buy it bottled as you leave.) My friend had the Ultimate Chicken Sandwich: grilled chicken topped with Cabot reserve white cheddar, maple-pepper bacon, spicy mayo, lettuce, tomato, onion & pickle. My friend shared a bit of her peppery, thick-sliced bacon, and it was astonishing.

The rest of the menu made me sorry I didn't live closer. (It's about half an hour out of Cincinnati.)

After dining, we went upstairs to check out some of the more special rooms: the Mark Twain Room, the Charles Dickens Room, etc. If the room is rented for the night, the door will be closed, but if it's not rented, they just put a rope across the entry and let people look in -- which is smart, as most of the named rooms are really gorgeous. But if you're there and not spending the night, the restaurant is worth a stop. The adjacent Black Horse Tavern was under repair when I visited, so didn't get to see that -- so there must be a next time. But nice to find a place like this when traveling.

The Golden Lamb
27 S. Broadway
Lebanon, Ohio 45036
(513) 932-5065
https://www.goldenlamb.com/

I ate there quite often with my grandparents when I was growing up. I always liked the food, though at that point I wasnt particularly picky and mostly ate what would be considered kid food. I dont think I have been back in 30 years. The history and building are definitely very interesting.

-Will

I grew up about an hour away, and we used to drive to the Golden Lamb once a year or so for dinner for a treat. This would have been in the 1960s. I recall it being a good meal, in a place with character- though I was too young to appreciate the food in any depth. They had a nice gift shop with old fashioned candy and bars of lemon soap that I especially liked (funny the things you remember).