Gelston House Dinner with a View

Proceed at your own risk! This is a mouth-watering post and as such make sure you’ve had something to eat before you continue!

I’ve been living in CT for many years and never had the opportunity to visit this beautiful place until now. I had the pleasure of meeting up with fellow CT bloggers for a greet and taste at the historic Gelston House in quaint East Haddam, CT overlooking the scenic Connecticut River and right next door to the equally impressive and also historic Goodspeed Opera House. I had a fantastic time with great company and amazing food in a fabulous location!

We sat outdoors in the deck area and we ordered from both their pub menu and the full dinner menu. First order up were these amazing drinks. Talk about cocktails on the deck! The first one (l-r) an “Apple Martini” was wonderful but my favorite was the “Key Lime Martini”, third one in, it was insane! The last one was the “Mango Surprise” made with pureed mangos and tequila, a very nice grown-up slushy!I began with a fantastic Roasted Beets & Cranberry salad while my friends decided to indulge in some appetizers. The “Bang Bang Shrimp” was by far my favorite dish! Not pictured was an amazing spread of Blue Point Oysters, sweet and tangy and super delish! (salad photo credit snaphappyfoodie.)No sooner did we finish our appetizers when the entrees started rolling in! Service was excellent. I ordered the Chilean Sea Bass. There were plenty other dishes served but these were my faves.Lastly but certainly not the least we ordered desserts. As you can imagine there were plenty to try from but most of us settled for a medley of good ‘ole american ice cream. The flavors were mango, vanilla, chocolate, peach and tiramisu plus a classic Creme Brûlée! For more than 200 years, the Gelston House has stood on Main Street in East Haddam on the banks of the Connecticut River overlooking the water. The facility boasts a rich history that dates back to 1736, when it was originally built as the Riverside Inn by Jabez Chapman. From 1776 to 1825, the property was operated by the Gelston family before later being turned over to Joseph Goodspeed.Fast forward to 1853 when the core of the current structure was erected by the Gelston Hotel Company, a corporation formed by several residents and headed by George Gelston. The move would eventually lead to the birth of the Gelston House, which continues the tradition of offering room and hearty food to visitors.To this day the Gelston House serves a bustling local and tourist community that includes guests stopping either before or after a show at the Goodspeed Opera House next door for dinner or drinks.