One of the most historic buildings in Frenchtown is now home to a new culinary experience with several unique partnerships as Finnbar is now serving customers along the banks of the Delaware River.
Situated at 7 Bridge Street, the home of Finnbar dates to early the 19th century. The historic riverfront structure originally opened in 1838 as the Railroad House and had played host to the Frenchtown Inn for several decades before shuttering in 2022.
The entire building has been renovated by architect Michael Burns and acclaimed designer William Welch into Finnbar. The new digs kept the bones of the structure intact while adding a long, restored wooden bar true to its historical era and dining rooms with views of the Delaware River.
Finnbar’s kitchen is led by Cal Peternell, who formerly served as head chef of Alice Water’s influential Chez Panisse eatery in Berkeley, California. The endeavor serves as a homecoming for Peternell, who grew up on an 80-acre farm in nearby Readington Township.
Finnbar’s menu offers seasonal, produce-driven, and locally sourced fare of Italian and Mediterranean dishes that rotates daily depending on availability. The restaurant has a full liquor license and their drink menu includes a variety of cocktails, local beers, and wines.
“The food will be casual and beautiful, surprising yet not unfamiliar, with options for snacking and drinks, eating a quick meal at the bar, having multi-course celebrations with a tableful of friends,” Peternell says. “Bringing this new concept and my experiences in Berkeley, to my home state, has been especially personal and exciting as my next chapter.”
Finnbar is partnering with Studio Route 29 for the endeavor, which is a Frenchtown based non-profit art center for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Artwork by the studio artists will be continuously on display and the majority of Finnbar’s profits are slated to go directly to Studio Route 29.
Finnbar’s additional partners include restauranteurs Erik Oberholtzer and Antoinette Marie Johnson along with Jill Kearney, who founded Frenchtown’s ArtYard performance and art exhibition facility.
Finnbar is open for diners from Thursday through Monday starting at 4 p.m. for dinner services. Reservations for the restaurant are now being taken through their website and their exploits can be followed on Instagram at the handle @finnbarjersey.
