Stone Jug, Carbonear

Stone Jug
232 Water St., Carbonear
Reservations after 6 pm: 709-596-2629

Winter hours: Wednesday - Sunday for Lunch and Dinner starting at 11:30am

CLOSED Monday and Tuesday

Finally made it to Carbonear’s Stone Jug, built in the 1860s by Irishman John Rorke. Have been trying to make time since last summer when my 87-year-old mother went and enjoyed it. The first time she was in there, she was 12 and on her way home to Western Bay from a hospital stay in St. John’s. She was thrilled to reacquaint herself with the original monolithic dark wood staircases that had greeted her 75 years ago.

Fantastic woodwork and stone walls at the Stone Jug 

About 50 European chandeliers are on display
at Carbonear's Stone Jug Restaurant

Not sure if the Harry Potter door in the stairs is original but, every now and then, staff either appeared or disappeared through that door as if by magic. Not surprising as The Stone Jug was a busy place last Saturday night. The greeter told us they were more booked up than New Year’s Eve and we saw at least two parties get turned away. Luckily I had the foresight to make a reservation and although we arrived early we got seated right away.

From the moment we stepped inside a warm feeling came over me, not so much from the temperature, but from the 10-man band playing down in the back corner. 

The Stone Jug Band

Unassuming, and playing everything from accordion to hammered dulcimer, I recognized several of the musicians from lazy days at Auntie Crae’s when you’d duck in out of the Water Street wind tunnel for a cup of something hot and be treated to a concert by some of the province’s most talented musicians. If all goes well the Stone Jug band hopes to play every second Saturday from 3-6 so you’re in for a treat if you stop in for a pint or an early supper. Check out Stone Jug's Facebook page to be sure.

As we were dining with our eight-year-old, our supper was not a drawn-out affair but a quick hamburger and pizza. Although my burger was superb, Piatto does not have to worry about going out of business. Despite the bland pizza crust and toppings, we had a wonderful time. 

The third floor party room

Ocean View. Apparently the building was called the Stone Jug because that's what it resembled from the water.  

Children's meals are accompanied by a pirate patch and hat.

What the menu lacked in taste, the venue made up in atmosphere with dozens of original chandeliers from Europe spread over three floors. The top floor is not open to regular restaurant customers but I was invited up for a look-see. Fantastic place for us muggles to experience the magic of the 1860s. If you have a birthday party, fundraiser or corporate function this is the place you want to book.

Bowie Blog

David Bowie may finally meet the Spiders from Mars

In the 1980s my brother and I went into button production, making rock star images into badges we could wear on our jean jackets, or in my case, a canvas messenger bag from the Army Surplus Store that I dyed purple. Although my messenger bag displayed four tiny store-bought John, Paul, Ringo and George pins, it held a place of reverence for my homemade David Bowie pin. Bowie’s image wrapped around sheet metal cut to size and laminated. All through high school and CEGEP in Quebec I was obsessed with Bowie. I had all his albums on vinyl of course. I wish I still had them today.

Living in residence in Quebec, I remember having to get written permission from my parents in St. John’s to go see David Bowie in concert at the Quebec Coliseum.

 I watched all his weird movies. I remember taking the bus in Quebec City on a frigid Sunday afternoon in winter to go to the library to watch the 1983 British-Japanese prisoner of war film, “Merry Christmas Mr. Lawrence”. With bulky vinyl headphones in position, the world around me disappeared. It was just me and Mr. Lawrence with his head disappearing into the desert sand.

Speaking of Christmas, my favourite Christmas recording is David Bowie and Bing Crosby’s “Little Drummer Boy”. This past December someone young enough to have not lived through Ziggy Stardust was amazed at what a good job was done in studio to combine those two singers’ voices as if they had been in the same room singing!

"We passed upon the stair, we spoke of was and when / Although I wasn't there, he said I was his friend, which came as some surprise / I spoke into his eyes / I thought you died alone, a long long time ago." (From 1070’s “The Man who Sold the World”)