Barn At Bedford Post Restaurant Has Closed It's Doors For Good

BEDFORD, NY — A celebrity break-up will mean the loss of an iconic dining experience for Hudson Valley foodies.

Chef Roxanne Spruance took to social media to announce that the fashionable, but approachable Barn at Bedford Post Inn has shuttered for good.

The continental-style cafe has, for the past three years, been a go-to spot for spotting A-list stars even as pandemic restrictions changed both Hollywood and the restaurant world. But, it was the upscale casual restaurant in rural Westchester County's culinary pedigree that was the real star of the show.

Chef Roxanne Spruance previously served critically acclaimed stints at wd-50 in Manhattan and Blue Hill at Stone Barns. The COVID-19 crisis offered a challenging business environment for much of the time the restaurant was open. The inn’s fine dining restaurant, The Farmhouse, still hasn't reopened after closing early in the pandemic.

In addition to Spruance's bona fides as top chef, she has built a reputation as a fierce proponent of sustainable practices and environmental stewardship. The first public signs of a rift between her and the Bedford Post Inn's ownership came after the property volunteered to allow a controversial cell tower on the secluded grounds.

"I just want to make it very clear that the restaurant and the hotel are very separate," Spruance told the Bedford Planning Board on Dec. 5. "It’s wild to me that the approval for the expansion plans for the hotel that were held up for two years or more with the zoning board, appeals, all of that suddenly got approved via quid pro quo, which I can only assume that all signs are pointing to, that we’re all aware of between Ellen and the property owners, Richard Gere and Russell Hernandez. I’m concerned that the normally cautious planning board process is being compromised by a desire to find a convenient solution for the cell tower litigation. I’ve seen Ellen Calves meeting with Russell Hernandez, one of my landlords well ahead of the planning board’s approval."

In the end, the cell tower was quickly approved and Spruance quietly exited weeks later.

SEE ALSO:

• Decision Made About Verizon Cell Tower On Richard Gere's Bedford Land
• Richard Gere Offer To Allow Cell Tower On Property Met With Skepticism