The restaurant's name preserved that of the property owned by Samuel Hartwell (1742–1829).
Recipes from the restaurant have been published in several books, including ''Adventures in Good Eating'' (1940s and 1950s), ''Mrs. Appleyard's Kitchen'' (1974), ''The Great American Cookbook'' (2011) and ''Adventures in Good Cooking'' (2014). It was described as serving "country fare."
The dining table of the restaurant, which served luncheon and dinner, was placed in a "moon" arrangement so as not to have the guests sitting uncomfortably close to the fireplace.
In 1974, Fitch published ''Hartwell Farm – A Way of Life'', a book which documented the running of the property, including the introduction of running water.