In El Dorado County’s Gold Country, just beyond the main exit to the little town of Placerville, sits historic Smith Flat House.  I’m sure on your way up Highway 50 heading to Lake Tahoe, you’ve pass this quaint venue and never knew it existed.  With a local focused seasonal cuisine, a scratch kitchen, and so much more, this is a venue to not pass up.

Smith Flat House has the deep history that comes with many of these foothill towns in Northern California. The Deep Blue Channel Mine Shaft runs beneath the cellar and main building that were built on top of the mine shaft with this channel that runs for miles beyond the property. The Cellar space offers a wonderful indoor option for smaller parties of 30-50 guests. With rock lined walls and an 1860’s crafted bar, it is said that Mark Twain enjoyed a beverage or two here! Attached to this fabulous space is a rustic miner’s bar that would make a great speak-easy style bar for your event. This space is called the Powder Room and offers wood wine barrel cocktail tables with bar stools. Stop by on a Sunday evening for the jazz trio and music is offered on other nights too!

On the top floor of the Smith Flat House lies a hall/community room space. This makes a great getting ready room or meeting space for corporate events. A built-in stage, wood laminate flooring, power point and full AV access makes this meeting space ideal with many opportunities for breakout lunch sessions and a breath of fresh air on the deck just outside the space. They have thought of everything and even have a space for the guys to get ready if you are hosting a wedding on site.

The jewel of this property is the grand patio space to the backside of the Smith Flat House. This affordable space offers a glass walled or open air gazebo building [depending on the time of year!], a variety of options for set-up within their grand patio space, market lights and shade canopies, a built in sound system and bar, and even the opportunity to serve your guests brick fired pizza for a late night snack. The nearby ceremony option is simple and offers a backdrop of the 1863 barn still standing. The entire ceremony and reception space has touches of  an eclectic mix of recycled and historic features: old sewer pipes, reclaimed wood beams, rock walls and so much much can be spotted throughout the property. Though the ceremony fits 100 most comfortably, the patio and gazebo spaces can accommodate up to 250 guests. If you take the party to the Cellar space for late night dancing then your event can stay lively until 2:00am!

With an enclosed feeling with the design of the farm fencing and stucco walls, plenty of parking for your guests, and a fountain with lazy plump koi, this well established venue is the place for your next event. A new kitchen was built in 2013 which allows Smith Flat House to produce full production events and a lively restaurant. It’s time you stopped into this scratch kitchen to see what its all about!

~ Vixen Catrina