Happy Apple Inn started as a Cream Ridge stagecoach stop; owner has big plans

UPPER FREEHOLD - As a kid, lifelong Colts Neck resident Kyle Westendorf was surrounded by the bustle of his family’s restaurant, the Happy Apple Inn, housed within a century-old building that had once been a popular stagecoach stop.

Today, as the official owner of the business in the Cream Ridge section of Upper Freehold, he’s brought new life to the quaint establishment that invites visitors to “discover history [and] rediscover fine dining.”

Located halfway between Trenton and Jersey Shore points, “our building was originally an inn in the 1800s that was rebuilt around 1900 after a fire burned through the town,” said Westendorf, 30. “After that, it operated as an inn for a while and then served as a primary residence for a family until they sold it to my grandfather Horace in 1972.

“My grandfather had previously owned a restaurant in Colts Neck with several partners called the Happy Apple Inn, named for its location across the street from Delicious Orchards’ apple orchards,” Westendorf explained. “But when all of the partners went their separate ways and sold the business, my grandfather transferred the name over to his new property, added a kitchen and a dining area off the back, and he and my grandmother ran it as their new restaurant.”

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Throughout his childhood, “my parents, Buddy and Donna, ran the restaurant, with my mom covering front-of-house activities and my father overseeing back-office operations,” said Westendorf, who admits that he wasn’t necessarily thinking about working in the family business as he considered his plans for college and beyond.

“But then my dad got diagnosed with colon cancer while I was in high school and couldn’t manage the restaurant while he was being treated, so I stepped in to help,” he said. “I washed dishes, prepped food and started learning everything from the ground up. As soon as I got more opportunities to be creative with our menus and the ingredients we ordered, I started to get excited to contribute.

“It was fun and I loved the positive feedback we were receiving from customers,” said Westendorf, who ultimately joined the landmark family business following his graduation from high school.

'A family serving generations of families'

Today, the nearly 6,000-square-foot two-story restaurant features two dining rooms and a full bar with booths downstairs, an upstairs dining room and a new bar upstairs that specializes in over 200 craft whiskeys from all over the world. A patio overlooking Imlaystown Lake seats an additional 65 to 70 people outside.

“We’re primarily a steak and seafood restaurant and freshness and quality are paramount to us,” Westendorf said. “Some of our most popular entrées (all of which come with our salad bar) include our roasted half duck served over apple raisin stuffing with a choice of potato for $34.99, our prime pork chops, and our ‘Captain’s Catch,’ which features a 6-ounce South African lobster tail, seafood-stuffed flounder, gulf shrimp, and clams casino for $46.99,” he said.

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“Along with a popular bacon wrapped shrimp appetizer, we also offer great entrée specials, which include everything from a Kobe flat iron steak to shrimp française over pasta, blackened tuna and more. And we make our own signature apple crisp and rice pudding for dessert.”

Vintage charm pervades the space. “Our building features original plank floors, plaster walls, and an original staircase as well as a century-old bar top that my grandfather sourced from an old speakeasy in Hoboken,” Westendorf said.

But the food and beverage menu are designed to have a fresh and timely feel.

“We have a lot of New Jersey beers on tap, including those from Heavy Reel Brewing Co. in Seaside Heights and Screamin’ Hill in Cream Ridge, as well as a nice selection of wine, tequila and all other liquor,” he said. “And our new upstairs bar featuring a great selection of whiskey just opened on Oct. 27.”

With customers coming from all throughout New Jersey and Pennsylvania, Westendorf said that modern diners want quality. “People appreciate and will pay for great craft ingredients such as Bell & Evans chicken, prime pork chops, and premium king crab legs,” he said. “People want to come out and enjoy a good meal and that starts with quality from the beginning.”

Westendorf said that rising food prices have made operations difficult for many restaurant owners. “For instance, we were known for our prime rib and offered it on our menu every day, but with the price of prime rib currently so high, there’s no room for any waste, so now we only offer it on the last Wednesday of each month,” he said.

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On a personal note, Westendorf said taking over the restaurant years ago without his father there to help oversee day-to-day operations was also challenging. “There were a lot of changes I had to make and logistics to organize and it was tough in the beginning, but now everything runs smoothly and I love where we are today,” he said.

“We’ve been here for so long and have a wide range of people coming in, many of whom came here as kids and are now bringing their own kids with them. We’re a family serving generations of families.”

Big plans to grow

Supported by a team of 14 employees, some of whom have been with the Happy Apple Inn for one to two decades, “visitors will enjoy a friendly, rustic and relaxed experience,” Westendorf said. “We offer affordable fine dining, including a bar menu with burgers, paninis and crab cake, chicken and fried flounder sandwiches as well as sports on our three upstairs bar TVs on Sundays. We look forward to decorating our whole restaurant with greenery, lights and ribbon for the holiday season and guests can reserve our 40-seat upstairs dining room for private parties during the holidays and all year-round.”

Looking ahead, Westendorf is also excited about the opportunities the restaurant’s new whiskey bar will present.

“We do whiskey tastings from May through October where we buy full barrels of whiskey that are made for us and bottled and co-branded with us by the distillery,” he said. “We’re always adding more events in our upstairs bar, so we hope people will continue to check our website for details. And we’re also working on creating a new event space in a barn we’ll be constructing on property that we own across the street.”

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Overall, “we’ve changed so much since I first took over more than a decade ago, but one thing that will never change is our family’s commitment to quality food and great service,” Westendorf said.

“Though I’ve worn many hats here, including serving as head chef for my first seven to eight years, I enjoy this business so much now because I finally get to be the owner," he said. "I do all the ordering, ensure that everything is running smoothly, and am up at the bar on weekends educating guests on whiskey.”

Overall, Westendorf relishes the opportunity to create dishes, programs and experiences that people will enjoy. “I love making sure that people are going to have a good time,” he said. “And they will at the Happy Apple Inn.”

Happy Apple Inn

Location: 29 Imlaystown Road, Cream Ridge section of Upper Freehold

Phone: 609-259-7889

Owners: The Westendorf family

Opened: 1972

Website: www.happyappleinn.com

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Happy Apple Inn in Cream Ridge is hosting more events to grow