Dining Spotlight

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By Toni Woodard

In 2021, excitement was mounting in Ridgefield about a new adults-only hangout that was underway. The plan was to open in 2022, but, well, life and such. The Neighborhood Refuge finally fully opened to the public in late 2024, and it was worth the wait!

The owners have lovingly restored and remodeled “the Little White Church” on the south end of Main Avenue in Ridgefield. Built in 1884 as Union Ridge Presbyterian Church, the building has had several lives over the years. Its current iteration will, we hope, be around for a long time, as it is a fun, comfortable, tasty venue to chat with friends and take in views of the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge in the backyard.

When my husband and I entered the building, I felt relaxed yet excited. The ceilings are soaring and painted a deep rich dark gray that is calming and inviting. Tables and couches and even some pews create spaces to relax. The furnishings are leather, wood and marble, giving the atmosphere an elegance and hipness that still welcomes flannels and jeans.

Behind the main room (sanctuary?) is a much more casual, open space with neutral colors bathed in natural lighting. Described as “the Party Room,” it was hosting a game of music trivia bingo during our recent visit. 

Both rooms have bars with some serious tending. The cocktail list is extensive, with lots of creative, crafted adult beverages to tempt.

Outside the main building is another venue with a fireplace, wooden tables, a crystal chandelier, and walls and windows that allow you to experience the outdoors without freezing. This is where the Neighborhood Refuge hosts live music. It’s an ingenious way to offer a live music experience but still provide a refuge for folks who really don’t want that to be a part of their visit. 

The space between the buildings offers outdoor seating, a fire pit and even a viewfinder/telescope so you can peek at the wildlife just across  the way. While the building is cozy, I can imagine the patio and annex being a favorite spot during our glorious summers.

I was pretty enthralled with the property and buildings at the Neighborhood Refuge, but what about the food and drink? Definitely recommended!

My husband and I stopped by on a quiet, late Sunday afternoon. The service was friendly, helpful and attentive. I had a hard time deciding which cocktail to try but finally landed on the Love Potion #9 ($13). It was gin with lemon, a simple syrup and raspberry puree, with prosecco providing the finishing touch. It was crisp, citric, refreshing, and tasted like a really fancy wine cooler. I was a fan!

Because I love pickles, we started with the Pickles & Curds appetizer ($14.95). I have tried a lot of fried pickles, and the ones at The Neighborhood Refuge are some of the very best I have ever had. 

The pickle chips were good quality (not those cheap, icky ones that can end up on cheap, icky hamburgers), and the batter was perfectly fried and crisp. The batter actually stayed on the pickles — which is often a downfall — and allowed for easy dipping in the flavorful, kicky hatch green chile ranch sauce. 

The white cheddar cheese curds were equally delicious, with the perfect squeaky chewiness you expect from a cheese curd. The pepper jelly that came with the curds tasted like raspberry jam with just a hint of jalapeño that gave it interest without burning tastebuds.

My entrée was the Southwest chicken salad ($16.95). I was a little leery since it came with quinoa and I’m not typically excited about the supposedly healthier alternative to rice. But the quinoa turned out to be quite nice! The salad was flavorful: crunchy romaine leaves, corn, black beans and chunks of roasted sweet potatoes, dressed with what tasted like the same hatch chile ranch as came with my fried pickles. 

The grilled chicken on top boosted the salad to entrée-level. The chicken was lightly seasoned with a Southwest flair, so it added flavor, not just protein. The best part, though? The cornbread croutons. Oh, my gosh! They were not fried or baked; instead, they were just the slightest bit toasted with a tiny kick of heat, perhaps from jalapeño or hatch chiles. They were cubes of cornbread I could get addicted to. So good!

My husband ordered the roasted tri-tip sandwich ($22.95), replacing the pepperjack cheese with cheddar. I snagged a hunk of the meat and deemed it moist, soft and well-prepared. Although my husband enjoyed his sandwich, he was confused by it. It came with caramelized onions and a horseradish cream sauce that made it more like a French dip, but it also had a cherry whiskey barbecue sauce that put it in a BBQ beef sandwich category. Also, while I thought the horseradish cream sauce was fantastic, it was too bold and punchy for my husband. 

Regardless, the sandwich was prepared and presented well enough that my husband is eager to return to the Neighborhood Refuge to try something else on the menu.

The menu is a bit elusive. As of this writing, it isn’t on the restaurant’s website or Facebook page. Photos posted with an online review from a few months ago are not exactly the menu we were presented on our visit. 

While the menu is not extensive, it has a good variety of dishes from salads to burgers to pasta. Honestly, not knowing precisely what will be on the menu but knowing it will be good is sort of fun!

I would love to try the corn chowder ($7.95) with bacon, corn, Yukon Gold potatoes, bell peppers and onions. The Peanut Butter & Jelly Burger ($23.95) caught my eye with its spicy peanut butter, pepper jelly, jalapenos, caramelized onions, and bacon. My husband has his eye on the more traditional Refuge Burger ($20.95) with house pickles he would give to me, as well as the Refuge Meatball ($12.95), served with a marinara sauce, basil,and parmesan cheese on a bed of polenta. 

The cocktails are too many to mention, but I can tell you there was an entire page dedicated to old-fashioneds and another of seasonal specialties that were tempting and beautiful when delivered to other tables. 

The Neighborhood Refuge is for adults 21 and over. Hours are limited: Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings (afternoons, too, on Sundays). That might change with the seasons. The Facebook page is very active and a great way to find out about upcoming events, live music and cocktail and pasta specials. 

As the nice weather returns, I can’t wait to get out on the patio and soak in the beautiful scenery and locals-gather-here vibe!

Toni Woodard is enthusiastic about food, fairs, llamas and writing. She is the author of “I'm Fine: A Practical Guide to Life with Chronic Pain.” Contact her at toniisfine@outlook.com.

The Neighborhood Refuge

113 S. Main Ave., Ridgefield

503-317-9293

3-10 p.m. Friday and Saturday

Noon-7 p.m. Sunday

www.theneighborhoodrefuge.com

Facebook: TheNeighborhoodRefuge

Instagram: @theneighborhoodrefuge