The historic Blue Haven restaurant in Bethel is closing its doors.

For more than half a century, the family-owned and family-style restaurant has been serving country cooking to the residents of Bethel. Before the ubiquitous fast food restaurants started popping up in the 1980’s, the Blue Haven was the only sit-down restaurant in the village (other than pizza parlors).

The Blue Haven was purchased and opened in 1951 by Mattie and Ezra Wilson, the parents of current co-owner Linda Millman. Sold by her parents in 1976, Linda Millman bought the restaurant back in 1979, the same year that she married Tom Millman. The Bethel couple have been operating the restaurant and residing in Bethel for the last 30 years.