Favorite Apres-Ride Hangouts

God forbid that we should go to any heaven where there are no horses….or a place to grab an apres-ride beer with good friends! Perhaps it is the arrival of summer, but lately we’ve been positively preoccupied with having a post-barn hangout on the patio of one of our favorite horse-country pubs.

What makes for a favorite apres-ride hangout? For us, a comfortable/pastoral outdoor patio space is a must. Add to that a substantial list of beers on tap and good (if not a little greasy) pub grub. The best horse country hangouts also always seem to draw an eclectic crowd, which makes for fun people watching and, if you’re the friendly type, interesting conversation.

California Roots

Growing up with horses in the San Francisco Bay Area, some of our best memories are from the private trails of the area, CTETA (now The Horse Park at Woodside), the Menlo Circus Club Charity Horse Show, and a few local apres-ride standbys that hold an ever special place in our heart.

In Woodside, an always reliable apres-ride option is the deli at Robert’s Market, a delightful country grocery, and grabbing a table in the shade of a nearby oak tree.  Since 1960, Roberts has occupied an adobe building at the corner of Woodside and Canada Roads, literally a four-way stop in this little town at the base of the Santa Cruz mountains. Equal parts market, crossroads, and hangout, Robert’s location, nestled in the heart of horse country, makes it a favorite for the area’s horsey set. At the deli counter, you’ll mingle with teens who just finished a riding lesson, hard-core cyclists, hikers, Silicon Valley executives, and local families.

Another favorite apre-ride destination is the historic Alpine Inn in Portola Valley. Depending on your era, one might also refer to it as Rossotti’s or simply Zott’s. Or, if you were around in 1852, you would have called it Buelna’s, a casa de tableta (gambling house) along what was then the Old Spanish Trail.

Around the turn of the 20th century, the roadhouse was the center of much local prohibitionist controversy, but its proximity to and popularity with local Stanford University students, along with a few tricky legal loopholes, has kept the Alpine Inn continuously open in various forms for over 150 years. Neat piece of local trivia – the folk group The Kingston Trio claims to have formed at the Alpine Inn, playing for beer at the establishment in the 1950′s.

The Inn’s food and drink are decidedly no frills. But, greasy burgers and pitchers of beer are always more excusable after a calorie burning ride, right? The real draw here, for riders, bikers, cyclists, tourists, and locals alike, is the outdoor beer garden nestled along the wooded banks of Los Trancos Creek, where, on a sunny afternoon, one can truly be transported to another time. Some customers still even ride their horses to the tavern, where the hitching posts outside the porch look right at home surrounded by motorcycles, road bikes, and expensive sports cars.

Wherever you ride, have we whet your appetite for an after-barn or after-show hangout?! We’d love to hear about your favorite apres-ride spots in your local horse country and what it is that makes you hold them so dear! From Dappled Grey, cheers to a happy summer of riding and relaxing with good friends!