This spot is off the beaten path away from any real downtown or city for that matter. It sits along a rural route 30 minutes outside Worcester in more of a farm community. The place is very nice, looking like a farm attached to an old farm house with fields out back and cows etc. It looks picture perfect for a wedding and the spot is very large so you could hold something like that here if you wanted to. The inside is all exposed beams and like you are sitting inside an old barn. It is quite charming and just the outside and inside of this place is worth the visit. The service is very good and pleasant and helpful. The wine list is extensive and offers many good types. The menu is a changing selection of New England dishes, seafood and steaks and various chicken, but all cooked traditional and pure New England classic. The tastes are very good and I was surprised at how good everything was. In the end I was very satisfied and would come back to this very nice spot. I highly recommend it!

My husband and I had our wedding reception at Salem Cross Inn in October of 2003. It was unbelievable! The food was fantastic (prime rib is the best) and the atmosphere terrific.

However, every year since we have returned for our anniversary and most times have been very disappointed. Our first anniversary was great, they brought us a mini cake and everything. However, it seems service has taken a huge hit since we started going. The wait staff obviously have way too many tables and are less than attentive. The food was a huge disappointment this year. I ordered a lobster tail truffle mac n' cheese, which I was told was fantastic. The lobster was chewy and crunchy, the pasta tasted worse then the blue box mac n' cheese. I was a waitress for many years, and give so much credit to those that wait tables. I am the last person to not tip or to call a manger. But, when a waitress glanced my way multiple times and never came back...I had to say something.

After all of this, I am sure I will return because the inn is gorgeous, and has very special memories for me. Hopefully, they will get their act together.

I have had the pleasure of dining at the Salem Cross Inn on a number of occasions over the past few years. Let me tell you about a few of these times:

I attended a "Fireside Feast" -- When my friend and I entered the tavern downstairs, we were greeted with a choice of mulled wine or mulled cider. We then had appetizers, most noteably the cheese ball they had made there. Along the back wall was a woman using an antique apple corer and peeler to prepare the pies, so we could watch her and learn about the device. Recipes for these award-winning pies were available too. In the front of the room was a large wood-burning fireplace with several roasts turning on a series of spits. This contraption was also an antique, invented by Benjamin Franklin, and works similar to a grandfather clock. The chef then brought in a huge cast iron cauldron and poured in cream, fish stock, potatoes and onions, and a variety of fresh fish, and made the seafood chowder right there in front of us. People were taking sleigh rides outside as part of the feast event, too. When dinner was ready, we all went upstairs to the barn and had our seats. We had salad, freshly-baked rolls (try the pecan sticky buns), the seafood chowder (excellent), and the prime rib we'd seen roasting, cut to order. For dessert we had apple pie, topped with a generous dollop of freshly-whipped cream. This meal and wonderful experience was about $45 for each of us, and frankly you can't find such a deal for such quality of food, service and atmosphere. (And NO, I don't work for the restaurant!)

I attended a meeting of the Western Worcester County Bar Association that was held there -- we were escorted to the tavern for cocktails and appetizers, and then were brought up to a private room with a large table so we could have our scheduled speaker and meeting and dinner. The food was superb. I ordered a salad with imported Roquefort dressing, and the fried oysters with a chilled cajun dip. For dessert I had a chocolate mousse. The servers were very competent and professional, and for the most part left us to our meeting and did not make small talk or interrupt us incessantly. They knew what they were doing.

I had a lunch with a friend in the main dining room -- she ordered the escargot with champagne/garlic butter sauce, I noshed on the fresh rolls and salad primarily. She considered ordering another round of the snails, they were so good (and also because I had a few of hers). We then each had an order of the beef stew that was cooking nearby in a cauldron in the fireplace, because it smelled so good. We also each ordered the fried oysters, served with spiced butternut squash, and before we were finished I asked for another plate of the oysters to go.

I attended a political fundraiser -- staff members were in the parking lot helping us all to find spaces. The event was held in the barn. The bar was open for people and there was a long table for appetizers. Waitstaff circled the room offering people other appetizers, and were very unobtrusive. It was a good time.

I attended a wedding reception -- again, staff helped us all to find parking spots. The wedding party had their photographs taken in the lovely gardens out behind the restaurant while we were in the tavern having appetizers. When dinner was ready we went up to the barn and found our places. Fresh rolls and salad, of course, things we take for granted usually, but in this case they were very, very good. We ran out of pecan rolls and two of the women were starting to cut them in half to share and our waitress anticipated the problem and brought us some more of them. The restaurant must have mobilized the majority of their waitstaff to serve us, as everyone's food arrived pretty-much at the same time. The entree was baked stuffed chicken breast with a side of roasted vegetables. Now, usually I refer to these things as "chicken baseballs", as at most places they're barely edible. Not here. It was great. I didn't have much room for the cake when I was done.

So, in other words, I love the food at the "Salem Cross". I should mention the atmosphere a little more too. Exposed wood beams that are obviously oiled by hand on a regular basis. Real antiques being put to real use everywhere. The hardwood floors are easily hundreds of years old, hewn right from trees (NOT processed at a flooring company). The gardens are gorgeous. There are cows grazing in the fields behind the restaurant.

I completely and unreservedly recommend the Salem Cross Inn to anyone looking to have a pleasant meal or some kind of special event.