While the official day of love may have already passed, we feel like it’s never too late to celebrate the love in your life. Vintage House has been Hickory’s staple restaurant for those in search of a luxury dining establishment that mimics the city’s charm for almost 45 years. Whether you’re looking for an evening of romance, a celebration over dinner, or an evening out with friends, Vintage House provides an unforgettable dining experience. The recipe for Hickory’s leading fine dining restaurant— a vintage, charming interior, paired with a rich, sophisticated menu and a world-class wine list. Be careful, your date might just fall in love.
With years of expertise cultivating classic culinary staples with a modern twist, Vintage House offers an extensive selection of food and drinks to enrich your culinary experience. Choices range from innovative salads, delicious creamy pastas, or sophisticated entrees that are sure to please your palette. Embark on a culinary exploration, sample appetizers such as Fried Calamari topped with pancetta vinaigrette over roasted garlic aioli, or Butternut and Pumpkin Ravioli glazed with a brown butter sauce, sprinkled with candied pecans. Can’t choose? We get it, you’ll find there’s no wrong choice when considering the locally sourced ingredients and fresh seasonal produce that make up each dish at Vintage House.
The peak of the flavorful journey that is an evening at the Vintage House can be found in the entrees. Known for their rich flavor profiles, each entree is individual and eccentric. Vintage House’s most treasured dish— Chef Ryan’s Filet Tournedos. The dish is a tribute to chef Ryan Childers, who dedicated over half of his life to crafting dishes in the Vintage House kitchen. As a true fanatic of the dish, it was only fitting the dish be renamed in his honor after his passing last year. The Filet Tournedos are nothing short of extraordinary, served over oyster mushrooms and root vegetables, topped with sharp blue cheese crumbles, along with a Madeira reduction and parsnip puree. With such a meaningful background and legacy to leave, the guests at Vintage House seem to treasure the dish as much as the staff, a true depiction of the culinary world bringing our community together.
To quench your thirst, peruse the extensive award-winning wine list or a crafted cocktail for a sip of something flavorful to pair with that signature dish of your choice. The restaurant's signature cocktail is The Betty White, a fresh and lively cocktail with citrus vodka, limoncello, elderflower liqueur and egg white, packing a punch like its namesake. If you’re a self-proclaimed connoisseur, taste the carefully selected featured wine of the month or stick with something tried and true. With some of the finest wines in the area, you’ll be sure to savor every sip.
After being a part of the Hickory community for so long, the restaurant places great value on its role in serving the Hickory community. Many of Vintage House’s guests have been dining for generations, the restaurant considers it both an honor and “indescribably heartwarming” to hear past stories about prom dinners, family dinners, anniversary celebrations and so on from years past.
Speaking of heartwarming, reserve the restaurant’s classic red booth if you’re planning to treat that special someone to a luxury meal for two. Tucked away in a wood-paneled alcove, the upholstered red booth is the restaurant’s most requested table, an iconic table for couples to enjoy an intimate candlelit dinner. The custom-built booth has had its fair share of love stories, filled with history from first dates, 100th dates and proposals, it’s the perfect place for a memorable evening with that someone you love.
Formerly Hickory’s historic Abernethy Home built in 1915, The Vintage House sits in the heart of downtown… no pun intended. The home serves as the perfect host for Vintage House, each room with its own unique ambiance. After undergoing renovations in 2022, diners can expect a warm welcome from the restaurant's timeless interior. Appreciative of the rich history that accompanies Vintage House, the owners have kept a lot of the original bones of the restaurant while giving the restaurant an elegant and refurbished feel. The “porch room” of Vintage House features an original stained glass window salvaged from a church that was formerly in a church next door in 1908. The restaurant is brought to life by similar personal touches of the community, only adding to the beauty and charm of the home. Refined lighting, grand fireplaces, specialty wallpapers and an abundance of candlelight cultivate the irreplaceable atmosphere and classic white tablecloth dining experience that accompanies a delicious meal at Vintage House.
Phototography by Calvin Reyes.
