In a corner of charming downtown Bernardsville, chef David Burke is making his mark. In the last five years, he opened two restaurants at the historic Bernards Inn: Red Horse, a modern steak house, and the Bernie, a speakeasy and supper club. Then, this past April, he expanded his footprint in town by taking the casual, pubby Station restaurant and reimagining it as the Station Tavern by David Burke.
“The clientele is really great—cosmopolitan, well-traveled people who like to eat out,” Burke says of his diners. “Now we’re presenting them with three very different experiences.”
Of the three, the Station is the most casual, a laidback spot where the little ones can order chicken tenders off the kids’ menu, the adults can enjoy some more elevated American fare or a juicy burger, and everyone can dig into shareable apps.
So, on a recent Thursday night, my husband and I brought our 7-year-old and 4-year-old boys to check out this new addition to Bernardsville. Located in a landmark, nearly 150-year-old building across the street from the historic Bernardsville Train Station, the restaurant embraces its location.
Courtesy of David Burke Hospitality
Themed touches, like a vintage Union Pacific Railroad chandelier, oversized images of trains on the walls, and a framed clipping of Burke’s own late father, a career train motorman, in the New York Times, are on display, and the chef says he’ll likely add more memorabilia as he comes across it.
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On the early-September night we visited, the restaurant was buzzing. Most of the outdoor tables were full; couples were enjoying the afterglow of happy hour (daily, 3-5 pm) and families were sitting down for dinner. We chose an indoor table and dove straight into the menu. (It was the first week of school, and my 7-year-old was “starving.”)
We immediately agreed on the Bavarian pretzel to start. It was warm, soft, and sprinkled with just the right amount of salt. The kicky stone-ground mustard was a perfect accompaniment. Other apps are just as shareable, from the popular French dip crisps, with shaved prime rib, to various items in the Wings, Rings & Crispy Things portion of the menu, like the crispy fried homemade mozzarella.
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For entrées, diners can go with handhelds or mains like steak frites, served with a flavorful chimichurri; the chicken cutlet cordon blu (a favorite of Burke’s); or the half rotisserie chicken, cooked on a rotisserie right next to the bar. (As a takeout option, the restaurant offers the Winner Winner Chicken Dinner: a whole rotisserie chicken, rigatoni, Caesar salad, fries and broccoli for only $49. 95.)
On the handheld front, the burger choices are plentiful, with both Black Angus beef and turkey on offer. As for the fries, “they’re fried in beef fat, making them crisper, more flavorful, and healthier that those fried in seed oil,” says Burke. My family agreed, gobbling them up. Avocado, bacon, caramelized onions or a fried egg can be added to any burger for $3.
Jersey-bred Burke, who studied pastry at the renowned École Lenôtre Pastry School in France, is famed for his desserts. The Station has three options: a brownie sundae, served with homemade ice cream; a blueberry cheesecake; and fried Oreos. Yet I’m holding out hope that some of the creative offerings from his other Jersey restaurants will pull into the Station, too.
Dining and Cooking