OLDE MILL INN/GRAIN HOUSE RESTAURANT
Located on 10 artfully landscaped acres, the historic Olde Mill Inn and Grain House restaurant in Basking Ridge have long been popular for parties, weddings and other special occasions. A barn built in 1768 that once held grain that fed George Washington’s troops during the Revolutionary War was moved across Route 202 and converted into a lodge in 1929. Later, the lodge became a restaurant, and a hotel was added to the property. Both had fallen into disrepair when the Bocina family, known for its real estate development projects, purchased the property in 1992. “The hotel needed a lot of work,” says Bruce Bocina, who originally partnered with his father, Casper, and now runs the businesses with his sister, Barbara Curtin. It took two years to complete the renovation.
Today, the inn boasts 102 guest rooms and suites, and the restaurant serves modern American cuisine accompanied by organic fruits and vegetables from its own garden. Other green initiatives include the use of energy-efficient lighting and earth-friendly cleaning supplies. Bruce’s son, Jon, the assistant general manager, represents the third generation carrying on the family tradition, which still includes real estate development.
“This is just another beautiful property that we run,” says Bruce, “and we try to run it better than anybody else can.”