A revitalized historic home turned restaurant now offers Southern hospitality with panache and precision. The Depot on First, a new farm-to-table eatery in downtown Knightdale, melds vintage architecture with modern accompaniments to provide an intriguing destination dining experience.
Proprietor Christopher Critzer purchased the early 1900s Sears, Roebuck and Co. house several years ago after considering how he could elevate a property he believed was underutilized. The home was formerly owned by Joseph R. Hester, the town’s first medical doctor.
“My main desire was to optimize this property by putting a modern spin on a historic home,” Critzer said during a recent Friday afternoon conversation at the restaurant.
But the softspoken Virginia native and Wendell resident also said he and his fiancée, Carmen Wooten, had grown tired of traveling to Raleigh every time they wanted a nice dinner.
“Part of my motivation for taking on this project was somewhat selfish because there was no other place around here providing the type of food we’re serving,” Critzer shared. “This location gave us a great opportunity to change that.”
Following several years of painstaking planning, engineering, and structural alterations, which Critzer said required tenacity and creativity, the 157-seat restaurant opened for business in October 2023.
The Depot on First encompasses more than 5,000 square feet of space, including several dining rooms, an inviting bar area, a large brick fireplace, and an expansive patio. Durable hickory floors support handsome acacia wood tables. Wrought iron chandeliers and Edison lights suspend from the ceiling, while limewash textured walls provide an upscale-yet-unfussy vibe.
The revitalized Sears, Roebuck and Co. historic house provides the perfect setting for an upscale restaurant.
It’s only fitting that such striking décor be paired with first-rate cuisine. Talented Executive Chef Kevin Stratton, who hails from Vermont, curated an inspired menu that features seasonal, locally sourced provisions.
“Most of the items on the menu are local to North Carolina,” said Stratton, who received his training at New England Culinary Institute. “We use Joyce Farms in Chapel Hill for poultry and duck, Ridgefield Farm in western North Carolina for their grass-fed Brasstown Beef, and Cheshire Pork in Goldsboro. We get our fingerling potatoes and green beans from Blue Sky Farms in Wendell.”
Among the starters, you can’t go wrong with lobster sliders, crab-stuffed mushrooms, or the top-selling crispy pork belly.
“We slow-roast the pork belly in the oven in apple cider and then make a spicy, smoky sauce,” Stratton said. “We pair it with a nice apple slaw.”
As for entrees, consider the dry-rubbed ribeye steak (available in 12- and 18-ounce portions), the lobster ravioli, or the superb duck scarpariello, the chef ’s spin on a classic Italian American dish with sausage, fingerling potatoes, and green beans served in a balsamic pepperoncini sauce.
“The duck scarpariello is a well-balanced dish that’s my favorite on the menu,” Stratton said with a smile.
During our visit, we couldn’t get enough of the rosemary-tinged pecan-encrusted rainbow trout that tasted like it was caught earlier the same day. According to Stratton, the trout, snapper, scallops, and shrimp all come from local waterways.
Also worth strong consideration: wild mushroom and beef risotto. The dish features slices of fork-tender ribeye, cremini and porcini mushrooms, and a red wine and thyme demiglace.
“The risotto is earthy but still quite palatable,” Stratton said, adding that he uses various approaches to cooking in the kitchen.
“I don’t tether myself to any certain type of cuisine or culinary methods,” he said. “I like to employ French and Italian styles, but I also use Asian techniques to keep things interesting.”
Whatever you do, don’t miss the signature dessert involving an otherworldly burnt caramel apple cheesecake.
“It’s a classic New York-style cheesecake that we whip homemade caramel into, and we cook the Pink Lady apples in a local apple cider,” Stratton explained. “This dessert generally sells out every day.”
Food is served on modern, coupe-shaped dinnerware.
When it comes to libations, The Depot on First’s stylish bar is well stocked with diverse offerings.
“We have been slowly expanding our bourbon selection,” said beverage director Zechariah Williams. “We currently have about 65 varieties, and bourbon comes from Indiana, Kentucky, North Carolina, Tennessee, and elsewhere.”
Williams said other spirits are sourced from local producers like Oak City Amaretto, Durham Distillery for Conniption Gin, and Weldon Mills for Rey Coyote Tequila.
Inventive craft cocktails include Hell on Wheels, a gin-based eye-opener with orange juice, brut, and house-made habanero honey syrup; the jalapeno- and tequila-charged Steam Engine; and the Smokestack featuring a mystical blend of mezcal, Wild Turkey bourbon, lime and grapefruit juice, and bitters that’s finished in a glass smoking box.
Red and white wine is available by the glass and bottle, and select local beers are offered on tap.
The Depot on First is open Tuesday through Saturday for dinner beginning at 4 p.m. Plans call for Sunday brunch starting sometime this spring. Reservations are recommended. An intimate private room seats 16 guests, and a large partially covered patio provides a nice view of nearby Knightdale Station Park.
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