About us

Mara Mehlman, Proprieter

Mara harbored the dream of experiencing the autumn foliage of New England for as long as she could remember, but life always seemed to get in the way. It wasn’t until the fall of 2007 that she decided she couldn’t wait to fulfill her dream any longer. She and her cousin signed up for a bicycle trip through Vermont. Somewhere along the way, as Mara was resting and enjoying the scenery, she was overtaken with the awe and tranquility the landscape inspired, and she boldly proclaimed, “I’m going to live here someday.”

Mara brings a wealth of experience and a knack for hospitality to the Lincoln Inn and Restaurant. She is the founder of Student Chefs Abroad, a company whose mission is to unite American culinary students with internship opportunities in the United Kingdom. While in England, where she has been living for the past three years, Mara worked beside renowned chefs in award-winning restaurants and boutique hotels, along with the next generation of promising culinary students. She discovered her passion for food was in harmony with the modern British culinary culture, which emphasized fresh, local ingredients with artful presentation.

Aside from her professional experience, Mara has also studied French culture and wine appreciation at the Universite de Dijon in Dijon, France. Her taste for great wine, along with her passion for offering an unmatched culinary and lodging experience, is just part of the reason Mara is excited to be living in Vermont. Set amongst a serene mountainscape and some of New England’s best ski areas, the Lincoln Inn also caters to Mara’s love for skiing and enjoying the outdoors.

Driving by the Woodstock Village Green after purchasing the Lincoln Inn and Restaurant, Mara was overcome with a sense of déjà vu. It was then that she realized this was the exact spot where she had her revelation about her future home, and here she was again: Home. She has found an outlet for her enthusiasm for uniting elegant hospitality with inventive and unforgettable dining here in Woodstock, Vermont. Mara has found her home.

Jevgenija Saromova, Executive Chef

Jevgenija Saromova is the Lincoln Inn and Restaurant’s head culinary artist known for her creative vision and artful presentations. Although she comes to us from award winning and Michelin Star restaurants in Italy, France, and England, Jevgenija’s talents extend far beyond any border. Her limitless passion for cooking and her inventive dishes have pushed the boundaries of food innovation. She puts all of herself into each and every plate she creates. She considers dining an entire experience that ignites all the senses. Her natural abilities allow her to pair ingredients artfully, and she loves finding the perfect combination of taste and texture. Jevgenija never fails to astonish dinner guests with her flavors and presentation.

Aside from her natural talents, Jevgenija has had over twenty years experience as a professional chef. She began cooking at a young age under the influence of her grandmother, who first inspired her to use fresh herbs and vegetables from her garden for her dishes. She began working in a restaurant in her hometown of Jurmala, Latvia at the age of 17. She attended culinary school while continuing to cook in restaurants in Latvia before taking her talents to European kitchens in Italy and France, where she immersed herself in the food and culture of the regions.

Because of the years Jevgenija spent cooking in professional kitchens around the world, combined with her natural inclination toward multi-sensory perfection, Jevgenija has developed her own culinary style unlike any others. Cooking is her passion, and like all artists, she looks to create beauty out of what the earth provides. Her food compositions aren’t just for satisfying the hunger of the body, but also to satiate the deeper soul. Jevgenija has arrived at the Lincoln Inn and Restaurant straight from England, and her one-of-a-kind flair for culinary innovation will take the Vermont food culture to a whole new level.

Lord Lincoln of Woodstock and Frankie The Duke of Woodstock, Royal Whippets

The Lincoln Inn and Restaurant’s resident whippets-of-the-green-mountains are brothers from the same litter, but they arrived here from a breeder in Massachusetts at separate times. Lord Lincoln regally and gracefully entered into our lives on September 11th, 2014, and he’s been reigning over the inn ever since.

Lord Lincoln patiently awaited his brother Frankie’s arrival. It was Lord Lincoln who saved his own money from the tooth fairy to bring his brother to Woodstock. Once here, Frankie earned the title, Frankie The Duke of Woodstock. They were reunited in November of 2014, and the two brothers have been inseparable ever since. They sleep intertwined like pretzels. They can be seen gracefully striding together, shoulder to shoulder, over the green pastures and hills of Vermont, sharing one single toy between the two of them as they gallop. Their synchronized gait inspires awe and smiles among our guests. Clever and gentle, Lord Lincoln and Frankie the Duke have loving personalities that will warm your heart.

Even though these royal brothers are turning three this July, they will always be our playful “puppies”. Cuddly, loving, and sweet-tempered, Lord Lincoln and Frankie The Duke bring smiles to everyone.

Prince Alfred, Resident Racer, Hunter, and “Thief”

Our lovely Prince Alfred is now smiling down at us from heaven

Hailing from the verdant hills of Scotland and arriving directly from his home in England, the royal Prince Alfred is the Lincoln Inn and Restaurant’s chief head-of-house. Prince Alfred is a whippet and greyhound mix, a type of dog known in England as a Lurcher. The name Lurcher derives from the Romany word “lur”, or “thief”, and he’ll steal your heart with his refined English bark and his warm, vibrant nature.

Aside from traveling the world, Prince Alfred spends his time philosophizing, entertaining, and mastering the fine art of strutting regally. He is highly skilled in the noble artistry of rabbit and deer hunting, racing, and jumping over logs, where his natural talents allowed him to surpass any formal training in the disciplines. A worldly adventurer, our exalted spirit of England is now free to roam the countrysides of the western hemisphere. His Excellency, Prince Alfred, arrived in America for the first time in May, 2014.



On the western border of the Lincoln Inn & Restaurant property is the only remaining wooden bridge in America of its kind and design. In 1844, T. Willis Pratt, founder of the Pratt Institute of Design in Brooklyn, NY, invented and patented the bridge plans that bear his name. The design uses vertical posts and crossed iron rods through the arched truss to the lower chords. This type found increased favor with advent of iron construction and became the prototype for literally hundreds of steel railroad bridges in use today throughout the nation. Today, the 134-foot long Lincoln Covered Bridge is the single surviving Pratt truss in America.

This bridge was originally in the Village of Woodstock at the present location of Billings Bridge. In the flood of 1869 the bridge was washed downstream intact to Dewey’s Mill, where it rested on an island. During the same flood Charles F. Lincoln’s bridge was destroyed. Tolls collected from the users of the bridge were an important part of the farmer’s income. Lincoln waited until a heavy winter, then brought the Pratt structure up what is now Route 4 by jack sled. In 1877 the Lincoln Covered Bridge was installed at its present location.