It was late morning last Wednesday when my family and I decided to go out for lunch. We wanted something close by, affordable, and “non-chain.” What we found was the Joseph Ambler Inn, located in North Wales only a mile or 2 away from the Montgomery Mall. I had driven by the massive estate hundreds of times before, never knowing much about it. It wasn’t until our actual luncheon that I became aware of what this place was exactly.
The Joseph Amber Inn has quite a history that spans back to the late 1600’s. Below is an excerpt from their literature with a brief overview of the Inn and it’s property. There are actually 5 historic buildings on the property, please visit the Joseph Ambler Inn website for further information.
The land on which the Inn now stands was originally part of a large expanse owned by William Penn. In 1682, William Penn granted 1,000 acres to Richard Pearce. In 1711, 50 acres were sold to William Morgan. Morgan built the original section of the Farmhouse, which consisted of a ground floor where meals were prepared, and a small upstairs sleeping chamber. When Morgan died, the property was sold to Joseph Ambler.
Review
Setting – The setting of the Inn is great. Many restaurants/establishments call themselves “Inns” but the Joseph Ambler Inn really lives up to the name. With 52 guestrooms, 12 acres of land, and a variety of historical structures, one could spend a good part of the day exploring the property. The interior of the restaurant/bar area is pristine. Also, a nice outdoor seating area is set-up for dining outside during the warmer months. Personally, I don’t know why anyone would chose Applebees or Chili’s over the Joseph Ambler.
Service – I can only comment for lunch, but overall the service was good. I have a back injury, and the waitress even brought me a more comfortable chair to sit in. (Thanks!)
Food – Again, I can only speak for their lunch menu, but the food was quite good and maybe only a dollar or 2 more than what we would have spent at a chain restaurant. I had a chicken dish. Quality and preparation was great, thought the portion could have been a bit larger. My mother on the other hand had a Kobe burger that was certainly substantial in portion, and cooked just right.
Will I be eating at the Joseph Ambler Inn again? You bet ya!
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