The meaning behind the Restaurant 1793 name is purposefully ambiguous. In order to uncover its real meaning, Owner/Chef Chris Bennett invites guests to visit the restaurant in Merchantville. (It has nothing to do with the address or the year 1793).
Open since April, the 1,000-square-foot restaurant serves a contemporary American tasting menu. Patrons can expect four or six courses with a seasonal focus. According to Chef Chris, the food is approachable but refined and elevated.
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A Seasonal Multi-Course Menu
At Restaurant 1793, the six-course menu features two appetizers, a pasta course, two mains, and a dessert course. They also recently introduced a four-course menu that includes one appetizer, pasta, main, and dessert each.
The rotating menu changes about every six weeks, which means they have about two menus per season. This frees up Chef Chris to avoid being pigeonholed into a menu if something isn’t in peak season. Produce comes from a small local farm whenever possible, subject to mother nature, which guides what’s on the menu.
Everything on the Restaurant 1793 menu is made in-house, including pasta, service table focaccia bread, and gluten-free cornbread. “Everything is always super fresh,” says Chris. “Nothing is sitting around.”
Would You Care for Some Cheese?
Something that sets Restaurant 1793 apart from other spots is their unique cheese cart, which has become a runaway success. The cart boasts six different cheeses imported from France, and is brought to every table as a supplemental course. They serve this cheese with berries, honey, and seasonal sides. They also have caviar service (from a Swedesboro shop) that comes with crepes, crème fraiche, and chives.
Another noteworthy aspect of Restaurant 1793 is their standout tea service. The restaurant curates a selection of 8 loose-leaf teas designed to complement each course. Their tea progression guides patrons through perfect pairings during either menu option to ensure both multi-course experiences are balanced and flavorful. While the restaurant is BYOB, they also serve six creative zero-proof cocktails.
About the Restaurant
Chef Chris was formally trained at the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City. There, he developed a strong foundation in classical technique. Soon after, he worked in fine dining restaurants and private clubs, including the Union League of Philadelphia. Most recently, he worked at June BYOB in Collingswood under Chef Richard Cusack.
“We offer fine dining restaurant service, but we aren’t super stuffy,” Chris says of Restaurant 1793. “We don’t have white linens, but we have beautiful, handcrafted wood tables. If you’re walking by and want a great meal but aren’t dressed up, you can still come in and get high end service and food.”
Visit Restaurant 1793 at 7 East Park Ave, Merchantville. (See them on Google Maps.) To learn more:
| Visit Their Website | Reserve a Table | Follow on Instagram | Follow on Facebook | Call 856-470-1090 |
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Restaurant 1793 FAQs
Yes, they accept reservations.
Yes, there are gluten-free options.
Restaurant 1793 offers vegetarian options, yes.
They do not offer Takeout, no.
No, they do not offer delivery.
No, they are BYOB.
They do not have a kids’ menu, no.
All Photos: © Restaurant 1793
