Thomas House Restaurant was ‘magical little gem’ | Marshfield restaurants our readers miss most

MARSHFIELD − Earlier this year, the Marshfield News-Herald asked readers which former restaurants they miss most in the Marshfield area. Readers suggested almost 20 restaurants that they miss in the community. Over the next several weeks, we will highlight the top five restaurants our readers miss most, counting down from No. 5.

No. 5: Thomas House Restaurant

The Thomas House Restaurant, billed as upscale fine dining, was located at the corner of Veterans Parkway and Central Avenue in downtown Marshfield in the former Thomas House Hotel.

The three-story railroad hotel was built in 1887 and operated until 1925, according to News-Herald archives. In 1999, the building, which at one point was nearly demolished to make room for a parking lot, was lifted and moved back about 67 feet to make room for the Highway 13 Boulevard project.

Local architect Lyman Smith renovated the former Thomas House Hotel and opened it as the Thomas House Restaurant in November 2009 as an upscale restaurant. Smith restored the Thomas House to reflect its vintage flavor complete with an eclectic mix of period pieces and modern accessories.

Its pub featured European-style beers and an extensive wine list. Local craftsman Tim Matti of Auburndale completed the woodwork and made the tables in the pub.

Patrons could watch the chef at work while they dined from the "sought-after" cook's table.

Thomas House Restaurant consistently won Best Fine Dining in the Best of Marshfield awards hosted by the Marshfield Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“I had nothing but good experiences going out to eat there,” one reader wrote to the News-Herald. “The food was excellent quality and usually prepared in a gourmet style − something that has since disappeared in Marshfield. It wasn't a place you wanted to eat at every week, but it was great for special occasions like anniversaries, holidays and such.”

In addition to being recognized for its fine dining, the restaurant was also popular for its year-round live music offerings, which included live music series and open mic nights in its lower level and on its patio, often featuring singer-songwriters from Wisconsin.

“Their downstairs music venue was extremely unique for this area,” one reader shared. “It was a real jewel, and I wish there was some way local musicians and event planners could ... revive this aspect of the old Thomas House. This area suffers from a dearth of quality nightlife options, and I'm sure this would help to fill that void."

"(Thomas House Restaurant) was a magical little gem tucked into the heart of town with a great atmosphere for live music that could be heard from the street,” another reader said.

After the building was on the market for more than a year, Smith announced the Thomas House Restaurant would close in September 2017, calling the sale "bittersweet" and sharing that Simplicity Credit Union had purchased the property.

“I knew the day would come; the building has been on the market for a while, but it’s still hard,” Smith told the News-Herald at the time. “I have worked and continue to work with a great staff. I can’t thank the staff enough or the community enough for the support I have been given.”

Simplicity has since converted the Thomas House Restaurant into its Mortgage Center Branch, and Exclamation marketing service also operates in the building.

Editor Jamie Rokus can be reach at jrokus@gannett.com or follow her on Twitter at @Jamie_Rokus.

This article originally appeared on Stevens Point Journal: Marshfield restaurants: Thomas House was ‘magical little gem’