You’re following in the footsteps of six U.S. presidents when you step through the mahogany door of The Red Brick Tavern, built in 1837. The former Madison County stagecoach stop once boasted 24 rooms for wayfarers. Nineteenth-century students learned reading, writing and arithmetic on its third floor, which served as the neighborhood school. Today, the Red Brick no longer offers overnight accommodations, but its traditional American cuisine caters to just about every taste — from hand-cut steaks and fresh seafood, to salads, pizza and pasta. You can’t find a hearty fried bologna sandwich just anywhere, but you’ll find one here: topped with grilled onions and Swiss cheese on sourdough bread, and served with crispy, brown homemade potato chips.

Don’t worry: You can walk off your meal at The Carriage House of Lafayette — two full shops of antiques and gifts directly opposite The Red Brick Tavern on the National Road.

The Red Brick Tavern, 1700 Cumberland St. (U.S. Rte. 40), London, 740/852-1474. www.historicredbricktavern.com

The Carriage House of Lafayette, 1735 Cumberland St. (U.S. Rte. 40), London, 740/852-5297