After spending hours at Mount Vernon, Tom and I were hot, tired, and hungry.  There are two dining options at Mount Vernon:  a food court with typical burgers, pizza, and salads and the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant.  After checking out the offerings at the food court, Tom and I opted for the more elegant restaurant.

The Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant is a wonderful place to eat after lots of walking in the hot sunshine.  The day we visited Mount Vernon, the temperatures were in the 90’s.  But the restaurant was cool and quiet.  We were seated right away and were a little surprised to see that not all the patrons were tourists like us.  People a few tables over were having a business meeting.  And some other folks were local enjoying a good meal out.  It says something when the locals choose a restaurant attached to a tourist spot.

The menu offered a variety of foods with a nod to colonial cooking.  I ordered the stuffed meatloaf and Tom got a burger.  I rarely eat meatloaf, but the description made it sound wonderful:  bacon wrapped with a tomato sauce, stuffed with spinach and Gorgonzola cheese.  It came with a side salad and real mashed potatoes.  Our waiter was attentive without hovering.

My meatloaf was wonderful and I ate every bite.  Tom’s burger wasn’t the best he has ever had, but he said it was good and he enjoyed the french fries.  We were both too full for dessert and we still had more to explore so we could walk off our lunch.

If you visit Mount Vernon, the Mount Vernon Inn Restaurant is a great place for lunch or dinner.  It is open from 11 to 4 for lunch every day.  It is also open for dinner after Mount Vernon closes, from 4 until 9 Tuesday through Saturday.