Ore Hill has a brief, but somewhat tangled, history. Along with Swyft, a more casual sibling restaurant that shares the same address and ownership, and Rock Cobble Farm, a nearby estate in South Kent that supplies incredible produce, dairy products, and beef to both restaurants, Ore Hill was the brain child of philanthropist Anne Bass. We have loved the wood-fired pizzas, cocktails, and anything vegetal at Swyft since star chef Joel Viehland (previously of Noma, Gramercy Tavern and Community Table) opened it in 2018. Sadly, Chef Viehland left Swyft in 2020 without realizing plans for Ore Hill and not long after, Ms. Bass passed away. She provided for the farm and two restaurants in her estate, however, allowing Ore Hill to finally open in April 2023 with Chef Tyler Anderson as culinary director and Ryan Connelly as executive chef. The New York Times recognized Ore Hill as one of the best restaurants in the US the same year, the only restaurant so recognized in Connecticut. But the story doesn't end there. For reasons not made public, it seems that Chef Connelly left in late 2024 and Chef Ryan Carbone was brought in as a replacement. At our recent meal, Chef Carbone had not been long at the helm. We do not know first hand what the kitchen was like prior to his leadership -- but we can comfortably say that Ore Hill under Chef Carbone is inventive, interesting, and delicious. It makes brilliant use of lesser-known, lesser-appreciated ingredients that can transform a dish -- like nasturtium flowers and gooseberries. This kitchen takes risks, combining ingredients in unusual ways -- and it often pays off big time. Whoever is designing the food here is brilliant and those who are executing the food are doing a fine job of it. Ore Hill is only open for dinner and only offers a five course prix fixe or a chef's tasting menu. There is bread service, something we have learned to never take for granted given that it is no longer a norm in most NYC establishments: Two extremely thick slices of toasted, smoky sourdough with extremely yellow butter sourced from Rock Cobble Farm. (There could be doctoring of other sorts, but I usually associate butter this color with well grazed cows.) We chose a bottle of wine to go with our meal, a light 2020 Rossese di Dolceacqua, "E Prie" di Anfosso Lorenzo from Liguria. I did not love this wine on first sip, immediately after opening and without food, but the wine grew on me, playing surprisingly well with seafood, cheese / dairy, even lightly acidic dishes and red meat. Our courses: Canape: Black Point Oyster, tomato dashi, cucumber, basil First: - Beef tartare, farm beets, anise hyssop: Finely minced beef and beets were visually indistinguishable, served atop an anise hyssop leaf. We were instructed to eat everything together as though it were a hand roll. - Sea scallop crudo, cucumber, shiso, gooseberry: Sea scallops were pleasantly firm, just yielding enough, and interestingly reminiscent of the cucumber in texture. The gooseberry-based sauce was quite tart and little bit tannic, a fascinating stand-in for more familiar lemon. Second: - Tomme bottoni, green garlic, chive, chervil: Pasta "buttons" were filled with mellow, nutty Tomme cheese and topped with tendrils of flavorful micro greens, both from Rock Cobble Farm. Interestingly, this was the dish that paired best with the Rossese wine. - Grilled summer squash, skate wing, wild rose, red currant, mint: The rose had quite a concentrated fragrance, but was incorporated so gently and thoughtfully into the dish -- as pretty petals garnishing the dish, blended into the sauce, and in the poaching liquid for the skate -- that it was not overwhelming. Third: - Beef flat iron, green beans, bb carrot, lemon balm butter: The beef was perfect: perfectly seasoned, perfectly juicy, cooked to medium rare and wonderful with the lemon balm butter. -Steelhead trout, tomato jam, wood sorrel: The surprise star was the peppery pop of nasturtium flowers sprinkled atop. Fish was oversalted, but otherwise expertly handled. Cheese (a kind gift of the chef): a bloom, a gouda, and a tomme, all sourced from Rock Cobble Farm's dairy cows + spelt crackers Dessert: Summer berries, farm yogurt, sunflower granola, chocolate, lemon balm: Such a fun play of textures and flavors. The essence of summer berries captured perfectly. Black walnut miso pot de creme, blueberry, creme fraiche, sesame: Clever use of blueberry, present as a concentrated powder sprinkled atop the pot de creme, and alongside the creme fraiche and sesame tuille. Ore Hill's kitchen does a wonderful job of highlighting the flavors of intensely fresh ingredients and not impeding their clarity. I'm not sure where Chef Carbone's and Chef Anderson's visions overlap, begin, and end. But whatever they're doing to collaborate -- it is delicious without doubt. read more

This was such a nice dinner. My wife and I were celebrating our birthday and we couldn't ask for a better night. The food was spectacular, the ambience was relaxing, and service was impeccable. The chef came out and walked us through a couple dishes and really made the night for us. What a great guy! I couldn't recommend this place higher. read more

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FALL 2023 Menu Highlights The tasting menu begins with a single canapé as an amuse-bouche. A bite elicits delightful surprise... so spoiler alert, skip to first course description if you want to be likewise surprised! The New York State cheddar is melted and encased in a pillow of pastry dough. Black honey (yes, it's a thing) is drizzled on top of caviar that is perched on top. A bite elicits simultaneous bursts of flavor and texture -- crunchy pops of salty caviar, creamy cheese. Just dreamy! First course added to the excitement and demonstrates why New York Times selected Ore Hill as sole restaurant in Connecticut their writers consider to be a national favorite in 2023. Sunchoke custard is truly sunchoke three ways -- moist chunks of sunchoke and veil thin fried crispy slices of sunchoke on a bed of creamy sunchoke custard. Sibling restaurant Swyft is known for their innovative and sophisticated pizzas, and another first course took pizza to unimaginable levels with toppings of tiny beef tartare cubes, thin, tart slices of pickled tomatillo, and slightly spicy horseradish cheese curds. With the second course came agnolotti filled with smoked ricotta, surrounded by cubes of pickled beets and juices, and topped by toasted rye crumbs. This vibrantly colored dish is befitting for fall, with the earthy rye, smoky cheese, and vibrant beets. Another second course available on the fall menu invited surprise-- seared scallops and potatoes are visually indistinguishable as the potatoes were cut and roasted in a way that mirrors the appearance of scallops. Two scallops and two potato rounds sit in a bright green pool of yuzu and lovage infused sauce and topped with broccoli florets. Two meat dishes are offered in the early November 2023 menu -- lamb and strip streak. While well-prepared meats can be experienced in many places (including home), what makes these courses noteworthy are the innovative sauces and preparation of side vegetables that accompany them. An Asian-inspired concoction comprised of bok choy, celery root, and five spice juice elevates several medallions of lamb. A wide sliver of strip steak is paired with a sophisticated iteration of the classic onion and mushroom pairings. Choice of two desserts end the Fall 2023 tasting menu -- "campfire cake" and apple tart. The campfire cake has a creamy layer of chocolate ganache wedged between a graham cracker crust and toasted meringue topping. A delightfully reimagined s'more! The apple tart is a lighter dessert choice, with delicate mini cubes of apples encased in pastry and topped with a dollop of crème fraiche and a leaf-shaped cookie. SERVICE: With two or three items on a tasting menu of an acclaimed restaurant it is unlikely to make a bad course choice, but the server is eager to explain the origin of the restaurant and answer any questions. Service is attentive and mindfully unobtrusive. In the upper floor Rose Room dining area there are two entryways from the hallway through which the server periodically visits five widely spaced tables of two to four customers. read more

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Elegant Dining Experience we chose the Chef's Choice and it was Amazing our waiter explained every dish every dish and the Chef stopped by to say hello and talked about the menu. read more

If you're on the hunt for a true farm to table dining experience, you've found the right spot! Prepare for a wonderful evening in an intimate dining setting. The restaurant has the feel of an old farm house. The decor inside is very simple. Our reservation was for 6:00pm and we were the only ones in a room of four tables for about 30 minutes-so it was very quiet initially. For drinks we started off with a couple of their craft cocktails. They also have a sommelier on the premises for bottles of wine, or a pairing available with both the prixe fixe and tasting menus. We opted for the prixe fixe as opposed to the chefs tasting menu to sample multiple dishes, and everything we had was delicious. The highlights for me were the peekytoe crab over egg custard, and risotto with morel mushrooms. For dessert we opted for the carrot cake with pistachio cream and brown butter. It was served with a dollop of carrot sorbet and shaved carrot chips. The sorbet was incredibly light and refreshing. It was carrot cake reimagined and I can't recommend it enough! Our server Chris was attentive, funny, well versed in the menu , and fully prepared to answer any questions and make recommendations. I highly recommend Ore Hill for a unique dining experience. read more

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Ever since the New York Times published their annual Top 50 Restaurant List, I've been wanting to try Ore Hill. It's a farm-to-table restaurant offering a 4-course prix fixe menu for only $95, or a 7-course chef's tasting menu for $120. It's a bit in the middle of nowhere, but if you do make the trek out to Kent, CT, this is definitely worth trying! read more

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What can I say. Great cocktails. Great service. Exquisite presentation. My husband and both had the prix fixe. Delicious bread with fresh butter. Cheddar beignet - big enough for a few bites but small enough to leave room for what follows. I chose the lighter dishes - Peeky toe crab outstanding - scallop: one scallop - a scallop is a scallop but the veggies and light sauce were perfect for a hot summer night. A small portion of halibut with infused oil and a variety of very fresh peas. Dessert carrot cake with pistachio mouse and gingerbread crumble. My husband chose heavier options - quail, beef tartare on a pizza crust made with ricotta and the chocolate dessert. His review - great combination of flavors and textures. No ambiance to speak of so if that's important don't come here - this is clean plain and simple read more

Ore Hill - Chocolate dessert - New American Near Me - Kent, Connecticut

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Lets start off with the atmosphere, charming dining room with a homey feel. pre fixe menu in which everything was cooked to perfection and every plate came out looking like a piece of art. tried a few things i had never before including the sunchoke custard which was delightful. service was attentive and they were very willing to explain the history of ore hill and each dish. if you can snag a reservation here it is definitely worth it! one of my favorite spots of 2023 for sure read more

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Ore Hill reminded me of Bosq in Aspen. Each dish was exceptional, beautiful and delicious. I'm giving only 4 stars because the dining room was not as I had hoped. I was seated near a drafty window on a cold night. The dining room would benefit from a bit more coziness. The service was good but could have been a little more attentive. read more

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Lovely place -well-lit, quiet. Attentive and knowledgeable service. Extraordinary preparation. Real fine-dining experience.

Although we were shocked to learn that the menu was prix fixe only, it was a special occasion so we abided with great expectations. We were sadly disappointed. The wine we selected Zinfandel/Caignan, Pinot Noir, Martha Stoumen, "Post Flirtation" from Sonoma looked appealing however the nose and taste were awful. It almost tasted like watered down cranberry juice. The Canape of Corn Tomato soup was unpleasant as well and my friend didn't even eat theirs. The flavors made no sense and the temperature was confusing. Was it supposed to be chilled? It was cold but maybe more room temp? Next was the tomato tart which was quite delicious but serving it cold was an odd choice. I understand buying tarts at patisseries can be cold but this is a fine dining establishment and it seemed inappropriate. The dumplings and foie gras were delicious and perfect. The entree of ribeye was delicious however it was also cold. The dessert and cocktails were also fabulous. I felt we had to wait a very long time for our entree and had to ask for more wine repeatedly. I felt that the service, though polite was not great. The black plates on the table for decoration were strange and I was not impressed with the flatware-it looked like picnic flatware. Finally, the music was awful. The sound system was poor and sounded can-like and although I heard Leon Bridges and loved him, the other music choices did not align with the environment. Almost felt like some sort of cool instrumental would be a better fit-nothing upbeat. Light vocals perhaps but less is more in that space. Because it is such an intimate room the music conflicted with the environment. For a $350 meal for two I feel everything should be close to perfect but last night it was not. read more

Ore Hill has almost everything to be great, but that said it is good. I would return. La Bastide in North Salem does everything at a higher level, but you will have to pay a LOT more. April Bloomfield took a stab at high end farm to table at the Mayflower and failed miserably with higher than NYC prices. At $95 the prix fixe is delicate balancing act for a kitchen which services two different dining experiences. Swyft's pizza is really mediocre and some of that soggy dough bleeds into the Ore Hill offerings. The changing menu has both reoccurring variations on a theme (a savory custard with a topping) and some delicate surprises (tiny cappelletti pasta artfully created) . The chocolate mille feuille first appeared to be an airline caliber dish with just a chocolate wafer, but then had perfect puff pastry crunch hidden underneath. The staff is friendly, willing, and able if occasionally harried, and the wine pairing is a bargain at $45 (but needs work). The room is exactly as it should be, with the added luxury of space. Ore Hill is a worthwhile experience and welcome addition to the Connecticut dining scene. read more