The Highlander Family Restaurant and Bar, a stop along the route to Paradise at Mount Rainier National Park, has reopened in Ashford under new ownership.
Kimberly and Shawn Crittenden, who first met working at The Highlander in the late 1990s, are now at the helm. The reopening is a family homecoming: Kimberly’s late mother and sister also worked at the restaurant, according to The News Tribune.
“So far it’s been amazing support. Back when we worked here, it was a bustling place. These areas are gonna continue to grow,” Shawn told the outlet.
The duo divided the space to accommodate a bar and lounge on one side and a family-friendly, all-ages dining room on the other.
The Highlander opens daily at 8 a.m. for breakfast, and while the kitchen closes at 8 p.m., food and menu options remain available as long as the bar is open, according to a Facebook post from the restaurant.
“In the coming weeks we will most likely make some adjustments to kitchen time as we get settled in,” the post read.
The menu leans into classic comfort food. Guests can enjoy steaks and nine specialty burgers, including the Sasquatch burger, made with a custom patty combining equal parts Wagyu beef, bison, boar and venison, topped with homemade bacon jam.
Sandwich options include the prime rib dip, cheesesteak and patty melt, each served with a choice of baked potato, mac and cheese, potato salad, BBQ beans or french fries. A kids menu is also available.
No comfort meal is complete without something sweet. Kimberly, also the restaurant’s head baker, makes pies—from blackberry to cream varieties—and other treats entirely from scratch.
The Highlander officially reopened in August.
The couple told The News Tribune they remain optimistic about the area, despite setbacks such as the loss of access to Mowich Lake after the Carbon Bridge became unusable and the closure of the White River Bridge between Buckley and Enumclaw.
What Now Seattle reached out to the team regarding additional future plans for The Highlander Family Restaurant and Bar. This article may be updated.
