The Historic New York Restaurant That's Only Open 2 Months A Year
Nestled in Angelica, New York is a family-owned restaurant filled with rustic charm and the tantalizing scent of maple syrup (not to be confused with pancake syrup). At Cartwright's Maple Tree Inn, the all-you-can-eat buckwheat pancakes are as thick as the history itself. But if you're planning to visit this hidden gem, keep in mind that the restaurant is only open for a limited time each year. Due to the time-intensive nature of its dairy farm and maple syrup production, it only opens its restaurant doors during maple season — from mid-February to mid-April. In 2025, it will open February 4 and close April 6.
The restaurant's seasonal schedule has done little to deter its popularity. In fact, this has only heightened its allure. The inn has become a must-visit destination for food lovers and syrup aficionados, attracting guests from as far away as Germany and Japan and serving up to 1,200 folks a day. Over time, the restaurant's humble beginnings have evolved into a thriving business, thanks in part to an innovative upgrade: the installation of a reverse-osmosis machine that extracts excess water from the sap, significantly improving the efficiency of its maple syrup production. (Visitors can even get a firsthand look at this syrup-making process.) This allows the family to meet increasing demand. They can make 100 pancakes within three minutes, without sacrificing the quality and authenticity customers have come to know. When the restaurant is closed, the family continues to sell maple syrup products like maple sugar candy and maple-coated peanuts in bulk.
How family hardship paved the way for a legacy
The pancake house was founded in 1963 by Ronald and Virginia Cartwright, but their family's story dates back to the 1850s, when Jacob Closser, Ronald's great-great-grandfather, began tapping trees on their land and boiling sap to create maple syrup — a tradition passed down through generations. Ronald's grandfather, Austin Cartwright, took over the family farm and sugarbush in 1913. Sadly, this journey was fraught with hardship. In 1933, Ron's parents, LaVergne and Margaret Cartwright, both died at the age of 28. Ron and his three siblings, all of whom were under the age of 7, were placed under the care of Austin and his wife, Grace. As the years passed, these losses were compounded by multiple fires that ravaged the family's property. Their sugar shack burned down in 1937, and though they built another, it too burned down in 1962, just one year after Austin's death.
Despite this misfortune, Ronald and his wife, Virginia, met these disasters with unwavering resolve, determined to keep their maple syrup production alive. They built another shack in 1963, this time adding a restaurant to serve homemade pancakes with their pure maple syrup (by the way, here's how to tell if your own syrup has real maple in it). Ronald passed away in 2004, but his six children, who now have children of their own, all contribute to maintaining the business. Today, Cartwright's Maple Tree Inn is a testament to the Cartwright family's resilience, hard work, and commitment — a legacy they continue to preserve.