Fehn’s 1891 House sits invitingly in a picturesque setting on Delaware Avenue. There’s plenty of room inside, even when the parking lot looks full.
photo by Jim Ashley, Herald-News
Located on Delaware Avenue amid an alluring farm setting, Fehn’s 1891 House is unique among Dayton dining establishments.
Cattle graze in the field behind and beside the house, and a picturesque barn stands nearby.
Inside the restaurant, there’s the soothing aroma of freshly baked breads, both white and whole grain, and classic American food, everything from chicken salad sandwiches to prime rib.
Don Fehn and his wife, Colleen, opened Fehn’s 1891 House to individual patrons a year ago this past weekend. It had been open for private events since December 2004.
The Dayton Coal and Iron Company originally built the house as a day and boarding school known as St. Genevieve’s Academy.
Decor in the restaurant is antique, with stained wood throughout, and paintings by local residents hanging on the walls.
It also features personal gifts, as well as old bottles and broken plates found in the original foundation during renovation.
“We did most of the renovations ourselves,” said Colleen. “We scraped and painted about 90 percent of the house and then hired local contractor RBA Construction to complete the job.”
Today, in addition to being a fine restaurant, it is also the home of the Fehns, who live on the second floor of the house.
Also on the second floor is a bedroom that can be rented by patrons who want to spend the night.
Fehn’s 1891 House continues a tradition begun by Don’s grandparents in 1938 when they opened Fehn’s in Chattanooga. Another Fehn’s restaurant was opened in Hixson near the turn of the century.
Don does the majority of the cooking for Fehn’s 1891 House and is assisted by Colleen. The menu is always evolving. “We are constantly working on different specials,” she said.
Sandwich offerings for lunch are roast pork, chicken salad, roast beef with provolone and ham and swiss.
Also available for lunch are clam chowder soup, salads, cold plates and combination plates.
Lunch prices range from a $5.95 sandwich to an $8.95 salad.
The dinner menu offers such appetizers as shrimp salad, chef salad, spinach salad, chicken salad plate and soup.
Entrees for dinner include prime rib, fried jumbo shrimp, fried chicken, salmon (prepared in a variety of ways) and chargrilled filet mignon.
Dinner entree prices range from $9.95 to $16.95.
Desserts include macaroon pie and “dessert of the day.”
The restaurant can accommodate 50 people and is open for lunch and dinner Thursday through Saturday.
Thursday and Friday hours are 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 to 8:30 p.m. Saturday’s hours are noon to 8:30 p.m.
The restaurant is available for groups of 20 or more people on other days.
In the near future, Fehn’s 1891 House, selected by the Dayton Chamber of Commerce as its April member-of-the-month, may offer outside dining.
For additional information or reservations, call 775-1892.
Jim Ashley can be reached at jimashley@xtn.net.