You can get there by four-thirty if you leave St. Louis by 2pm.

Well on it’s way to becoming a culinary resort of sorts, Overlook Farm in Clarksville Missouri is constantly building relationships with Missouri farmers to put together a menu that’s a dance party for your taste buds, and leaves you with the warm fuzzies because every bite incorporates sustainable practices. Feel-good foodies rejoice!

Proprietor, Nathalie Pettus, owns and operates the two bed and breakfast inns and The Station, the restaurant just a few blocks south of the only four-way stop in town, that comprise Overlook Farm.

Ethan Brandt, whose signature line describes him as “heir apparent” at Overlook Farm, said, “We would say about 80% of our food comes from within Missouri, from our bread to our lamb. We are currently working on a number of projects to make Overlook Farm even more sustainable , including, but not limited to, composting stations at the restaurant, the inns, and all around, rain barrels, and even converting our cars to run on alternative energy sources.” He explained that sustainable practices are central to their role as restauranteurs out of respect for their art and the land.

I was invited by the Overlook Farm crew to enjoy an overnight at their fancy bed and breakfast, and to get my eat on at their restaurant. Never one to deny a dinner invitation, and with the invite arriving in close proximity to the second anniversary of wedding my old ball and chain, I decided to make a romantic little road trip of it- complete with dinner and the B&B’s signature romance package waiting for us in the room. (Three cheers for rose petals, brandy and bubble bath!)

Getting There

The view from the front porch, imagine how great that will look this fall...

After making the one and a half hour journey through the rolling Mississippi River Valley on one of the most scenic drives in the state, we arrived in Clarksville Missouri- population 490. We checked in at The Station, which is the main hub for the farm, restaurant, and inns. While we waited for the room key we explored the gift shop where, among the handmade gifts and floor to ceiling stacks of cooking and gardening guides, my eyes deigned on an adorable silver plated julep cup that has now made it’s home among my travel treasures. A friendly check-in sent us on our way to the grand, brick mansion on the hill that was all ours for the night.

Let me just say, having had shared more than enough awkward breakfasts and conversations with different inn keepers in my time I was overly happy to find that everything operated out of the main restaurant… dreaded B&B morning-after weirdness averted. We truly the mansion to ourselves, save for the mysterious cook who lived in the basement, which sounds really creepy but we didn’t even hear the guy much less meet him. I am pretty sure they don’t keep him in the basement like some weird VC Andrews novel, he is, after all, the chef who whipped up the incredible meals we enjoyed during our stay, so he must be a pretty decent guy.

Each room has it's own gas fireplace!

We got into our room and were completely blown away. I mean, we knew it was going to be nice, but had no idea we were going to be sleeping in a fully restored, plantation era mansion complete with wonderfully preserved antiques, and modern flourishes like marble bathrooms and jacuzzi tubs, a grand pool house, and a southern-style veranda with ceiling fans and wrought iron furniture. Poking your head out onto the front porch of the inn offers a panoramic view of the river bank, and the thick trees that blanket the landscape seriously had me wanting to throw open the doors and hitch up my hoop skirt to run and hug a returning solider.

Since we were there by our lonesome we reached back to our 4-year-old selves and ran around the mansion exploring, gawking, and looking through a really cool album that showed the restoration process, but eventually had to stop ourselves to keep from missing dinner.

The Main Event
After enjoying a glass the bottle of organic wine we freed from the gift shop’s stock, and getting ourselves so fresh and so clean-clean, we made it to dinner.

The restaurant sits just off the river, and boasts gardens and orchards that supply many of the ingredients that inspire their culinary creations. The hot summer night was too sticky and kept us indoors in the The Station’s fine dining room, but we had a great view out onto their patio and courtyard which is surrounded by lush creeping vines and water features. It was definitely an anniversary worthy dining experience, with the best part being (besides being spawn free for the night) that we didn’t have to stuff ourselves into some high fulutin’ air that didn’t quite fit us for our fine dining experience (though we did leave our jeans in the room and opted for a cotton dress and khakis).

I mowed down the salmon special in what may not have been a very delicate and lady-like way, and The Mister enjoyed a steak with quail egg on top (enjoy the gratuitous food pr0n)

The salmon special

The dish that inspired my MIL to tell our daughter we like a quail egg more than her... Maybe...

The evening ended with our bellies full, and a quiet evening on the veranda (and never fear I made sure to call the big old back porch off the main mansion a veranda with a southern twang all.night.long.) sipping Brandy and listening to the rain and bullfrogs. I felt oh so southern, and oh so relaxed.

Break for sleep and none-such.
The next morning we were treated to breakfast at The Station, as the most important meal of the day comes complimentary with your overnight stay. And lawd have mercy, they have the best biscuits and gravy this side of the Mississippi (sorry Mom). I honestly could have eaten those all morning. Everything else was good, but did I mention lawd have mercy?

Frittata, biscuits and gravy, and scrambled eggs with cream cheese... I will never forget you, biscuits and gravy

We finally had a chance to enjoy the gardens while we fueled up for a morning of antiquing and shopping in Clarksville. Honestly, the craftsmen in town are worth the trip alone.

Clarksville’s riverfront boasts a thriving artists community, complete with a very friendly windsor chair maker, glass shop, jewelry shops, and antique treasure hunting.  We did not go home empty handed, however we could have very easily come home with an empty bank account had our senses not gotten the better of us. Many of the shopkeepers make their wares by hand and would be more than happy to indulge you with a story or two about the town’s history or the ins and outs of how they do what they do.

All good things must come to an end, and eventually we had to pack up our treasures and make for St. Louis. BUT- I am plotting my return, so watch out Clarksville and Overlook Farm. Next time I may gather up my girls, and head to Overlook Farm for their Girls Night Inn package which includes a cocktail on arrival, smore’s around the bonfire, a copy of Alive magazine, and complete with wine, chocolates, and cushy robes in the room. Road trip!

**Disclosure: This would be classified as a hella swag. I didn’t receive compensation for this article but my overnight was free, yay! And might I note it was so fun it is well worth paying for a few return visits**

Melody is the Founder and Managing Editor. She is a freelance writer & an interactive media strategist by day. She writes for Girls Guide, STLFamilyLife.com, and on her personal blog, Mrs SmartyPants.com by night. You can email her at melody [at] girlsguidetothegalaxy [dot] com, and you can follow her on Twitter- @cosmosgirl.