Haven 55: a unique dining experience

Celebrate spring with a spectacular meal in a bucolic setting

Spring is officially here, and if you’re ready to get out of the house and treat yourself to a special lunch or dinner, we know just the place. It’s Haven 55, just over the border in Pineville, Missouri. The bucolic setting, nestled among the trees and overlooking the dam on Little Sugar Creek, is just the antidote to a long winter spent indoors. Every table in the dining room offers gorgeous views of nature, springing to life.

While culinary masterpieces are created in the kitchen you can watch the river roll by and scan for wildlife like Mortimer, a great blue heron who’s a regular here.

Fans of the eatery agree: this place is something special, both for the amazing food and the one-of-a-kind atmosphere that makes you feel like you’ve escaped to another world.

The culinary creations are the art of executive Chef Alan Bone. A Pineville native, Alan started cooking as a teenager. He graduated with top honors from Le Cordon Bleu culinary school in Orlando, working and studying under several chefs before coming back home to open his own restaurant about nine years ago.

It’s a close-knit family effort, with mom Pam Bone working the front, listening to customers and fine-tuning the experience over the years. “It’s taken a lot of trial and error to get it right,” she points out.

This is slow food at its best, she emphasizes, “Everything that comes out of this kitchen is prepared to order. Sauces are sautéed while your chicken is cooking, and everything is timed perfectly. It might take a little longer, but all Alan’s dishes are prepared fresh.”

There are creative chicken and pork dishes with complementary rubs and sauces, a wide variety of fresh seafood offerings, unique and delicious sandwich creations and certified Angus burgers and steaks.

“The New York Strip with blue cheese sauce is our best seller, and we have a big following for Prime Rib night,” says Pam, “But my personal favorite is the 8-ounce sirloin prepared the way Alan does it.”

Get your reservations in by noon on Tuesday evening to partake in Haven 55’s Wednesday Prime Rib night—a mid-week tradition worth planning ahead for.

Haven 55 is open for lunch and dinner, and either one is a great chance to try their fantastic fried green bean appetizer served with a creamy horseradish dip.

You’ll want to come early and grab a drink from the Tavern while you wait for your reservation on Friday or Saturday.

The Tavern is open on Friday and Saturday nights and serves house crafted pizzas and other tavern fare. It stays open later than the restaurant to extend your night out, and they have regular live performances by local artists, as well as karaoke every Saturday night. Visit haven55.com and keep an eye on the Haven 55 Facebook page for changing specials, a more detailed schedule of upcoming events, or to view their menu.

A meal at this hidden gem is more than just lunch or dinner; it’s fine dining in its natural state. Be sure to call ahead for reservations.