Guide House

08/08/2026

🍸🌿✨Sarah is popping up with The Cocktail Garden at Green Hill Farm today, 2-8pm. If you’ve been missing those garden fresh cocktails head on over!

Fresh from the garden, headed for the glass. 🌿🍊✨

Sage + grapefruit = today’s mise en place.
Because the best cocktails start long before the first pour. 🍸

07/23/2026

Weston isn’t just another town on the map. It’s Sarah’s hometown.

Watching friends, neighbors, and familiar places devastated by this week’s flooding has been heartbreaking. While the immediate crisis may be fading from the headlines, the recovery is just beginning.

If you’ve been wondering how to help, a monetary donation to a trusted local relief fund is one of the most meaningful ways to make an impact. It allows organizations on the ground to respond as needs change from day to day and get resources where they’re needed most.

❤️ Donation link in comments. ⬇️

Thank you to everyone who has reached out, shared posts, donated supplies, or offered support. West Virginians have always taken care of one another, and seeing our community come together has been a bright spot during an incredibly difficult week.

Please consider donating and sharing this post to help us reach even more people.

07/19/2026

Darin’s Italian grandfather would approve. 😂🤌🏻🇮🇹

🥖 BREAKING NEWS: The bread has been pardoned.

New chef, new ideas… and yes, bread is officially FREE with your meal! 🎉

So, if you were one of those people who swore, “I’d come back if the bread was free,” well… this is your moment. We expect to see you soon. 😄

Come meet Chef Darin, enjoy some amazing Italian food, and don’t worry—the bread basket isn’t going to cost you a thing.

We promise not to say, “We told you so.” 😉

07/18/2026

The best seasoning doesn’t come from a jar, it comes from the garden. Fresh dill, rosemary, and thyme are heading from the garden to the cutting board tonight.

What’s your favorite herb to cook with? 🌱

07/16/2026

One of our favorite tomatoes is finally starting to ripen! 🍅✨

This little beauty is Midnight Snack, a cherry tomato that transforms from green to a stunning deep mahogany-black with a glowing red underside as it ripens. They’re just as delicious as they are beautiful. Sweet, juicy, and perfect for snacking straight off the vine.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about watching a tiny green tomato slowly become a work of art over the course of the summer.

What are you growing in your garden this year? 🌿

07/14/2026

Some exciting news from the Guide House family…

After years of creating memorable meals at Guide House, Darin is returning to the cuisine that first inspired his love of cooking.

We’re thrilled to share that he is now the Executive Chef at Saretto in downtown Martinsburg, where he’ll be getting back to his Italian roots with fresh pasta, classic flavors, and the kind of food that first made him fall in love with the kitchen.

While Guide House remains closed, this page will continue to celebrate our passion for food, entertaining, recipes, and seasonal inspiration—the community we built together is still very much alive.

If you’ve missed Darin’s cooking, we hope you’ll stop by Saretto, say hello, and support this exciting new chapter.

And as always, be sure to follow The Cocktail Garden for Sarah’s garden-inspired cocktail pop-ups, recipes, and events throughout the region.

Thank you for continuing to be part of our story. ❤️

🍝 Please join us in welcoming our new Executive Chef, Darin, to the Saretto family! 👨‍🍳

Chef Darin has been passionate about cooking for nearly 20 years, learning from the very best teachers—his Italian mom and grandmother. Their love of authentic Italian cuisine inspired a lifelong dedication to creating delicious, homemade meals.

After college, Darin began his professional culinary career at a from-scratch Italian restaurant in Morgantown. When he returned home to Jefferson County in 2013, he built an impressive career leading kitchens that ranged from fine dining to authentic Mexican cuisine.

In 2016, Darin fulfilled a dream by opening Guide House Grill, where he served as owner, chef, and wore just about every hat imaginable. Although circumstances beyond his control—including extended road closures and a challenging location—ultimately led to the restaurant’s closure, the experience only strengthened his passion for the culinary arts.

Since then, Darin has continued expanding his skills and experience in several local kitchens. Most recently, he was part of the team at Abolitionist Ale Works in Charles Town.

Now, he’s excited to return to his Italian roots—and his family roots—by bringing traditional family recipes, fresh ideas, and creative new twists to the menu at Saretto.

Stop by, say hello, and enjoy a meal prepared by Chef Darin. He’ll be leading our kitchen full-time and looks forward to welcoming guests and making every dining experience memorable.

Welcome to the Saretto family, Chef Darin! 🇮🇹❤️

07/09/2026

Italian Night at the Guide House was never just about dinner. It was Darin’s family recipes passed down through generations, Louis Prima playing in the background, the aroma of garlic and basil drifting from the kitchen, homemade sauces simmering for hours, and tables full of friends lingering long after the last bite.

Food has a remarkable way of preserving memories. We may not be serving these dinners anymore, but we’ll always be grateful for the moments—and the community—that gathered around them.

What’s your favorite memory from one of our Italian Nights? 🇮🇹🍷🍝

07/07/2026

🌿 Fresh basil, harvested just steps from the kitchen.

This is why we love cooking with the seasons. The flavor, the aroma, and the satisfaction of growing it yourself simply can’t be matched.

Today’s harvest is destined for homemade pesto. 🌿

07/05/2026

🦐🍋 What’s Inspiring Us This Week ✨

Fresh ingredients have always been where great meals begin.

This week’s inspiration: beautiful gulf shrimp from Les & Ali's Jumbo Seafood. Sweet, tender, and packed with that just-off-the-boat flavor that barely needs anything more than butter, garlic, and a squeeze of lemon.

What’s the best thing you’ve cooked lately?

07/02/2026

Some dreams don’t end—they evolve. 🌿🪻

Many of you remember the cocktails, gardens, and celebrations we created at Guide House. Those years inspired something new, and this video captures exactly where that journey has led.

The Cocktail Garden is Sarah’s next chapter: handcrafted cocktails featuring fresh herbs, edible flowers, seasonal ingredients, and thoughtfully designed spaces that invite people to slow down and celebrate.

This styled shoot in a blooming lavender field brought that vision to life in a way that was only imagined until now. It turned out beautifully, and so many more ideas are waiting to bloom.

Thank you to everyone who has followed along over the years and continues to cheer us on. Your encouragement means more than you know. 💜