You don’t have to be a golfer to dine at 1863 Tavern in Warrington. You could be someone who enjoys dining on casual pub fare while sitting on the outdoor patio watching golfers make their way around the Fairways Golf Club.
The tavern is owned by the club and set amid the greens, which are surrounded by the Fairways housing development. Built in 1965, the golf club spent years serving beverages out of coolers before the full-service tavern opened to golfers and the general public in 2015.
Renovations on the circa 1800s home in the middle of the greens were already under way when they revealed handsome stonework from the original home, said co-owner Val Shartle. “When we saw the stone we knew we had to put the bar here,” she said, referring to the area in the building where the stonework is most visible.
In addition to the bar area, there are indoor dining rooms and the patio that seats up to 70.
Open from April through Thanksgiving on all days that weather permits, Fairways has a social networking system that lets people know when the course and the restaurant will be closed due to inclement weather.
The tavern has a full-service bar run by bar manager Ryan Ball, but food is also important. When Shartle and co-owner Ron Gorniak began looking for a chef for their new restaurant, they found Wayne Fanelli, who worked as a chef at the Cock ‘n Bull in Lahaska for 30 years. The warm-weather job at the 1863 Tavern was just want he was looking for. Making food for the diners who come to the tavern is fun, he said.
The menu is casual pub fare with hamburgers and cheesesteaks among the most popular items. There also are plenty of salads, wings and wraps, plus fish and chips for those looking for a heartier meal. Light fare includes a variety of flatbreads including vegetarian and buffalo chicken options. A different special is offered each night of the week.
Fanelli said he is flexible about what he will make for customers. “If I have the ingredients on hand, I can make anything they ask for,” he said.
The 1863 Tavern is family-friendly and offers a children’s menu.
The 18-hole Fairways Golf Club has no membership requirements and anyone can show up and book a tee time. Play at Fairways spans 4,503 yards with a par of 65, a course rating of 62.1 and a slope of 104. There is water at 11 of the course’s holes.
