A time lapse photo of the exterior of The Hideaway.

The third anniversary of The Hideaway gastro pub on Grove Street did not go by unnoticed on Saturday, Jan. 9.

There were drink specials at the bar, and the house band, The Lone Wolf Trio, played its blues and blues rock while a fireplace blazed all night.

It was a celebration of a community’s support for what has become a destination restaurant, rated by Connecticut Magazine as No. 3 on the list of top pubs in the state.

“Oh, it’s great, the support from the community has been fantastic,” said Patrick Lynch, 59, of Easton, the owner of The Hideaway.

Lynch has worked in restaurants and in the food marketing business most of his adult life, but this was his restaurant. He wanted the place to be friendly and casual, with destination quality food and on weekends, live music.

He’s accomplished that, and more.

“We kind of hit a chord with the public, because it’s casual, not too fancy, but a friendly place,” Lynch said. “You want to come in for a quick meal. We want it to have the atmosphere of a town pub.”

And the chef always comes up with something good. The menu includes tuna burgers and a variety of salads topped with lean proteins.

On weekends, there is a Southern Brunch, with fried chicken sandwiches and gravy. The public loves it.

And, of course, on Friday and Saturday nights there is music, no cover.

“I like to bring in blues and blues rock bands,” Lynch said. “I like to offer that to the people.”

He opened the place with a partner, Roy Reeves, known for the Bissell House downtown, which became the Dog and Pony restaurant.

Lynch bought out Reeves, though, and runs the place himself.

“I’m a people person. I love meeting the people,” Lynch said. “I have friends I didn’t know before I bought this place.”

The building has a long history, discovered as the work crews were renovating. The restaurant takes its name from Joe’s Hideaway, which the place was called in the 1950s. They still have the old sign.

In the 1800s, the building served as a dynamite shack for the local railroad, which was blasting through granite to build tracks. Then it was a rail car repair shop, when the train station was located just across the street.

It became a tavern in the 1900s.

The restaurant’s charm is that it is off the beaten path, hence the name.

“It’s not on Main Street, it’s a little off the beaten path. It captures who we are,” Lynch said.

Most recently, it was a restaurant known as the Corner Pub. “But we went in with a much more extensive menu, more entrées, more appetizers, more salads. It’s  a pretty broad spectrum,” Lynch said.

It’s not only a job or career, it’s a role to play. It’s one that suits him well. He worked in marketing, for an international foods company, more than 30 years. “I was always chasing customers, flying around the world. Now people come here to get what I have to offer. For me it’s a new lease on life.”

Lynch and his wife, Heidi, a native of Ridgefield, have two children, Jake, 18, and Matthew, 16, who attend Joel Barlow High School in Redding.

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