Restaurant at local resort was years in the making and it’s about to open. Here’s a look inside
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RIRIE – A project at least 10 years in the making at 7N Ranch in Ririe is finally coming to fruition.
Resort owners George and Tennessee Newby are getting ready to open Farmhouse Table, a restaurant at 5144 East Heise Road. The menu will include burgers, steak and prime rib and its tentative opening date is April 15.
“We’ve got a big greenhouse down here. We’re going to provide as much of the farm-to-table food that we can,” George tells EastIdahoNews.com.
There will also be an ice cream parlor, soda bar and it will serve as the office for the RV campgrounds near the miniature golf course and the Red Barn. Camping supplies will be available for purchase inside the 5,000-square-foot building.
Construction is still going on inside, but the Newbys allowed us to walk through and see what it looks like. Take a tour in the video above.
Though the Newbys broke ground on the project around 2010, George says the resort keeps them pretty busy and it’s taken a while for it to move forward.
“We’ve always developed as we could afford it. About five years ago is when we got serious about it and put the infrastructure in,” George says.
George’s parents, Marvin and Clara Newby, established the 7N cattle brand and ranch in 1960.
George and his wife moved back home to be with Clara after Marvin passed away. George and Tennessee bought it in 1988.
Up to that point, the 7N Ranch was empty farm ground but George and his wife turned it into a resort. They managed the Heise Pizza Parlor for three years and owner Mike Quinn, who died in a plane crash in 2019, helped them open their first RV campground in 1991.
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From there, it grew to include a driving range and miniature golf. The Red Barn once hosted a dinner show similar to the Bar J Wranglers.
“We stopped doing it after two or three years. Everyone had young families and it was tough. Nobody had time to do anything else,” George recalls.
The Farmhouse Table has always been part of the plan and the Newby’s are excited to give patrons another dining option.
“It’s been a need for a long time. There’s so many people (who visit Heise and 7N Ranch every year) and only one restaurant (Heise Pizza Parlor),” says Tennessee. “Heise does great pizza, everybody loves it. Their service gets so backed up because there’s so many people.”
The opening date is subject to change and may get pushed back. They aren’t planning a grand opening because it’s a highly anticipated project. They’re confident people will show up once they open.
Other ideas they’re tossing around include building a track around the property and giving train rides to customers. They’re also considering adding a deck in the back of the restaurant and setting up corn hole, horse shoes and other games for people.
Whatever happens in the future, the Newbys are excited to unveil the building to the community.
“Our goal for doing this is to bring somebody younger and smarter (on board) so we can start slowing down a little bit. We’re pushing 70,” says George.
Rebekka Sampson is the manager of the restaurant and she hopes it “showcases the community and says what Idaho is really about.”
“We are going to hire local people,” Sampson says. “Local people work here, local people own it and we’re going to have local food.”
Farmhouse Table will be open seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
