Celebrity chef David Burke will run Flemington restaurants at new Union Hotel development

With a 100-room boutique hotel, two restaurants with a liquor license, 206 apartments, an outdoor courtyard and retail space, the multimillion-dollar Courthouse Square project at the historic Union Hotel on Main Street already has the promise to brighten Flemington's future.

That future has become even brighter with news that celebrity chef David Burke will run the development’s restaurants, which will likely open in 2025.

A fine dining steakhouse, Union Steak will be on the first floor of the hotel and will feature “an Old-World charm with woodwork,” Burke said. “It will be one of the better-looking restaurants in the state. People will drive to see this. This will make an impact."

The menu will include Burke’s U.S. patented pink Himalayan salt dry-aged prime beef, as well as short rib, bison, lamb, duck and chicken, and a “great” pastry department, Burke said.

The prices at Union Steak might be lower than that at some of his other upscale eateries, he said.

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The adjacent former Potting Shed building will house a colorful, family-friendly pizzeria called GOAT Pizza, a nod to Burke’s restaurant THE GOAT in Union Beach.

Attached will be a saloon-like tavern with casual fare like burgers and chicken wings. It will have black-and-white tones as well as décor that honors Flemington’s historic settlers and prominent figures, Burke said.

Burke's team is also discussing adding a bakery or gelato shop next to the pizzeria and tavern.

The restaurants are being designed by Minno & Wasko Architects and Planners and decorated by Burke, who is known for curating artwork and eclectic décor himself.

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“I think the designers did a great job,” Burke said. “I don’t want to change anything. We might add some local artwork, since there are artists and glassblowers in town.”

The restaurants will be Burke’s first in Hunterdon County, but they won’t be his first restaurants in towns or buildings in need of revitalization.

“Flemington isn't a city known for its fine dining. We opened in East Brunswick and Union Beach, which are not fancy restaurant towns or necessarily white-collar zip codes either,” Burke said. “We have been pleasantly surprised that if you build it correctly and offer the right product, people will come.”

When Burke opened the Red Horse in Rumson at the former Fromagerie and recently opened the Red Horse in Bernardsville at the former Bernards Inn, both historic buildings “were top-of-the-line at one point but fell on tougher times, and we were able to revive them,” Burke said.

The Union Hotel, one of the most recognizable landmarks in Hunterdon County opposite the Historic Courthouse on Main Street, has been in a coma for more than a dozen years since it closed in 2008.

Built in the 1870s, the hotel's glory days faded after the trial of Bruno Hauptmann, who was found guilty of kidnapping and killing Charles Lindbergh's son from the aviator's home in East Amwell. Journalists from around the world camped at the hotel to cover the trial.

“If you look at Jersey City or Asbury Park, once you start something it becomes contagious," Burke said. "The pioneer goes in and sometimes it catches fire. In Flemington, the land is there, the infrastructure is there and the geography is there. This is good for investors, good for the township and good for New Jersey.”

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Jenna Intersimone has been a staff member at the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey since 2014, after becoming a blogger-turned-reporter following the creation of her award-winning travel blog. To get unlimited access to her stories about food, drink and fun, please subscribe or activate your digital account today. You can also follow her on Instagram at @seejennaeat and on Twitter at @JIntersimone.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: Chef David Burke will run Flemington restaurants at new Union Hotel