Epoch Gastropub
Nearly a full year after The Exeter Inn closed the doors of its in-house restaurant amid the height of the pandemic in 2020, the space reemerged last summer with an all new concept. Now known as the Epoch Gastropub (90 Front St., Exeter, 778-3762, epochgastropub.com), the eatery features a completely revamped menu of approachable, globally inspired dishes that changes with the seasons, with a focus on locally sourced ingredients. Offerings are divided in multiple sections, from small plates and snack-sized items to burgers, sandwiches, salads and larger entrees. There’s also a full bar with thoughtful spins on craft cocktails and a breakfast menu with items like Benedicts, omelets, stuffed French toast and buttermilk pancakes. The Scene recently caught up with Tommy Brennan, Epoch Gastropub’s director of food and beverage, to talk about the restaurant’s rebirth and new vision, as well as some of his personal favorites on the menu and what diners can expect when they visit.
How long has the Epoch Gastropub been around?
Officially, we opened on July 1 [of 2021]. I know the restaurant was closed for roughly about nine months or so prior to that, so [it was] right before the start of the Exeter school year [in 2020]. … It actually worked out for us, because it allowed us to partner with Phillips Exeter Academy, which was in need of more space at the time for their students to open for the 2021 year. We ended up closing our doors, and we let the students use [the Inn] as a dormitory, cafeteria and study hall, and that actually kept a good chunk of our staff employed.
What makes the Epoch Gastropub unique?
There’s really nothing quite like us in Exeter. We’re so much more than just a restaurant. We’re a part of this really great inn that’s been around since the ’30s, [and] it has this certain kind of charm that you really can’t get anywhere else — a bit of old world meeting new. … Not only are we able to bring excellent food and drinks, but the inn really affords us the ability to offer even more of a great dining experience. We have a beautiful courtyard where guests can hang out, maybe play cornhole or relax by the outdoor fires, enjoying a cocktail in one another’s company.
What is your favorite thing on the menu?
We have this really great heirloom tomato and burrata salad on there. … That’s one of my favorite things on the menu, and then there’s the shoshito peppers. You can come in and just get a whole bowl of them, and they are so good. … Then, I guess my next [favorite] thing would be the chicken under a brick. It comes out perfect every single time.
What is something on the menu that everyone should try?
If you’re coming in and you’re not crazy hungry — you know, maybe you just want a little snack or something quick to bite on — then I would say our lamb meatballs. It looks like such a simple dish, but there’s so much flavor built in there. … If you’re actually feeling pretty famished, then I would say the salmon.
What celebrity would you like to see eating at the Epoch Gastropub?
I’m a bit of a sci-fi nerd myself, so I think I’d get excited if I came in and saw someone like Patrick Stewart sitting in the restaurant. … He’s such a cool actor, and he’s had a long career, both on stage and on screen. I remember during quarantine he did this cool thing where he would just read a sonnet every day to anyone [who] wanted to listen, just to kind of take a minute away from the craziness that we were going through. … I just think he’d have great stories to tell.
What is an essential skill for running a restaurant?
Calmness under pressure.… When things really get rocking and rolling, you need to be able to guide your team, and I think being that voice of reason… can really kind of help to alleviate stress.… It’s not always that clean cut, but it’s definitely something that I strive to do.
What is your favorite thing about being on the Seacoast?
For me, it would be the sense of community. I grew up in this area, I went to school here, and I’ve chosen to still live here. … I think, for as many towns as there are that make up the Seacoast, you still really have that unique, tight-knit community feel where everyone supports one another.
— Matt Ingersoll
Photo by Brian Samuels Photography.
