At 144 years young, the MacCallum House in the heart of downtown Mendocino still exudes charm and quaintness.

It’s been many years since I’ve dined at this restaurant-inn that was originally the family home of Daisy MacCallum, gifted to her by her father William Kelley when she married his bookkeeper. So, when I was invited recently to stay and dine by the owners, I jumped at the chance to revisit this lovely historic Victorian.

Daisy MacCallum was a student of horticulture, who planted thousands of roses on the property. With a expansive green lawn surrounded by trees and flowers, it remains a lush, verdant property, the kind that beckons you to take a load off at one of the Adirondack chairs to relax for a long spell.

Nineteen rooms are available in the main house, separate cottages, or in the historic barn, which is where I stayed.

Unlock the gate to your area, and you’ll find your own private hot tub. Unlock the door, and you’ll find your comfortable room complete with a small sitting area and electric fireplace.

The barn is conveniently situated across the lawn from the main house, so it’s a little more private yet an easy stroll to the restaurant there come dinner or breakfast time.

Chef Alan Kantor, a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, oversees the restaurant that has long championed local ingredients.

The dining room is warm and rustic with a huge stone fireplace. Settle in, and enjoy the sourdough bread as you peruse the menu. The portions are sizeable for the price, too.

My husband started with one of dishes the restaurant is most known for, and rightly so. The steamed clam and corn chowder ($19) is an impressive bowl of clams in the shell (11 of them), sweet corn kernels, smoky Hills Ranch bacon, and chunks of creamy Yukon Gold potatoes. Thankfully, this was not an overly thick, pasty chowder, but a more brothy one in which you could taste a hint of sherry.

My first course of Nye Ranch lettuces ($15) was a bountiful bowl of crisp greens topped with slivers of pluot, cucumber, radish, and spiced candied hazelnuts. It was very lightly dressed in a red wine-herb vinaigrette. It’s exactly the kind of salad you crave when wanting something fresh, light and vibrant.

We also shared an appetizer of plum-glazed barbecue St. Louis ribs ($17) that came with a side of finely shredded cabbage slaw tossed in a buttermilk dressing. The ribs were tender with just enough chew in a sweet-tangy, sticky sauce.

For entrees, there’s a Mary’s free-range fried chicken ($28) plate that arrives crisp and hot right out of the fryer. A bowl of diced watermelon salad is a refreshing accompaniment. The star is the jalapeno cornbread that’s so moist with a hint of sweetness and a pop of grassy heat.

The pan-seared Liberty Farm duck breast ($49) came garnished with sweet potato chips, as well as an arugula salad adorned with prosciutto, grilled peach, and nearby Pennyroyal Farm Velvet Sister cheese. The duck, which I wished had the fat underneath the skin rendered a little more, was finished with a blackberry pinot gastrique. Duck and fruit go hand in hand, though, the amount of sauce could have been dialed back, as it left the salad on the plate rather soggy.

For dessert, last of the season peaches starred in the sugared puff pastry Napoleon ($14) topped with Chantilly whipped cream and finished with blackberry coulis. Instead of just whipped cream between the layers, there was a thick almond pudding, which I appreciated for how it complemented the taste of the stone fruit.

Over the next two mornings, we enjoyed breakfast in the Grey Whale Bar and Cafe that’s just across the way from the restaurant’s main dining room. On a clear morning, you can also have breakfast on the expansive porch.

The breakfast menu is small but solid. Two eggs any style (my husband chose over-easy) comes with a pile of griddled, diced Yukon Gold potatoes, bacon or house-made pork sausage (a coarsely ground, flavorful patty), and house-made toast and jam.

The MacBenedict ($21) is classic with two poached eggs atop sourdough toast with Niman Ranch ham — all blanketed in a thick, creamy hollandaise dotted with chives.

Cornmeal pancakes ($16) are light and fluffy, and finished with blackberry syrup and lemon zest butter. If you really want to indulge, add a scoop of ice cream for an additional $6. Or take a more healthful route with the coconut chia granola parfait ($15) layered with strawberries, and a toasted oat granola studded with cashews, pecans, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, and sesame seeds.

Duly fortified, take a stroll through the local shops or down to the rugged beach because the MacCallum House is conveniently only steps from it all.

More: Gourmet Getaway to the Mendocino Region, Part I: Michelin Two-Starred Harbor House

More: Gourmet Getaway to the Mendocino Region, Part III: Jumbo’s Win Win

And: Gourmet Getaway to the Mendocino Region, Part IV: Boonville Hotel and Offspring Restaurant