On the final weekend that Princetons Mountain Barn Restaurant was open in August 2021, Carla Zottoli spent every possible moment sitting at the bar, listening to the stories of customers who lined up at the door to make one final visit.
Zottoli, who built the restaurant with her parents Bill and Peggy Zottoli as a teenager and ran it for 16 years, heard from visitors who had been coming for multiple generations, had gotten engaged there, celebrated milestones and simply loved the welcoming atmosphere.
It was hours and hours of stories, Zottoli said. That was when I called (daughter Gabi Bennett) and said, I cant let this go.
Zottoli and Bennett are currently preparing to reopen the restaurant as simply The Barn, paying homage to the nickname used by its loyal customers. The pair are hoping to open their doors in late January or early February, 40 years after it originally opened in February 1983.
Zottoli explained that she leased the restaurant over to her cousins Steve and Mindy Zottoli when Bennett was in middle school in order to spend more time with her family. Steve and Mindy ran the business until its abrupt closure.
Bennett said The Barn is all she has thought about for the last year. While the owners want to keep the same welcoming, family-friendly atmosphere that kept the Mountain Barn so firmly in its regulars hearts, the new restaurant may seem very different from its predecessor at first glance.
We want it to have longevity and a heart and see where it takes us, she said.
Carla Zottoli, left, and daughter Gabi Bennett, owners of The Barn in Princeton. (Tra Lavery, MassLive)A new look with a nod to the past
In addition to painting the exterior of the building a clean, dark gray in place of its signature red, much of the vintage and antique memorabilia that decorated the restaurants interior is gone. Bennett said that while Bill Zottoli had spent many years collecting the road signs, antique car motors, automotive advertisements and more, they no longer matched the vision for the business.
Were not car people, were not farmers. … Were not my grandpa. What he did was great, and he did what he was passionate about, she said. We want to do what were passionate about.
What remains is anything relating to Princeton or to snow and skiing, as well as a 1920s-era wooden Zottoli Garage sign that spans one wall of the main dining room. The building also still sports its beloved vintage lantern lighting. The result is a less cluttered, but still cozy and welcoming space.
In addition to the decor, Zottoli and Bennett have overseen significant renovations to the building. In the bar room, where a wall has been taken out to make more space, a new L-shaped bar top provides extra bar seating, and a brand-new, smaller bar in the main dining room offers a more intimate bar experience. In the back room, which has been repainted a soft green and where they plan to host private events, banquette seating circles the room. The kitchen has been gutted and fitted with new appliances and the floors throughout the building have been refinished.
A lot of the work, including felling trees at the back of the property to open up more space for outdoor events and building new high-top tables, has been done by Bennetts husband Ryan, who she married in 2021 after meeting him at the Mountain Barn.
Bennett said some of their old regulars have seemed worried that the changes are too much, especially after finding out that much of the old decor was auctioned off. However, the owners have been welcoming visitors into the space since November to see the progress, and that has assuaged many fears.
A lot of people were nervous or skeptical, she said. But they come in and see that its clean and bright and see the new bars, and theyre excited and receptive.
A new bar in the main dining room of The Barn. (Tra Lavery, MassLive)Elevated comfort food
The new menu, created by chef Eric Marvin, will feature a seasonal, rotating selection of local ingredients in new and exciting combinations. Zottoli explained that she has always been a foodie, and loves trying cuisine from different places and cultures, so they wanted to bring that into the restaurant, without making it too pretentious. She called the menu elevated comfort food.
Were not doing Michelin-star tomato foam, she joked. Were trying to make people feel comfortable and welcome but push them slightly out of what theyre used to.
About 40% of the menu will remain the same year-round, while the rest will change with the seasons. In addition, about one-third of the selection will be appetizers to market to customers who prefer to share small plates, or sit at the bar or in the upstairs lounge and have a snack with their drinks.
The drink menu will have local options as well, with the house beer being produced by Holdens Seven Saws Brewing Co. They are working with small wineries for their wine selection, and one of their two wine distributors works only with minority- and women-owned and small, family-owned wineries.
A 1920s-era wooden sign advertising Zottoli Bros. Garage in the main dining room of The Barn in Princeton. (Tra Lavery, MassLive)Same family atmosphere
Despite all the changes, Bennett and Zottoli want to keep the same family atmosphere that has always been the signature of the restaurant.
I was raised here, and I had the best childhood here, Bennett said. This could be the best place. It comes alive when there are kids here.
For now, they are putting the finishing touches on the Barn as they prepare to open. While they have had some construction delays because of scheduling with contractors, they are close to fully staffed, and still hope to make it for the 40th anniversary of the original opening.
Zottoli said she was excited to be back in the restaurant.
Its a little scary. I havent done this in 20 years, and things have changed a lot, she said. Its a labor of love, no question about it.