25 Best Restaurants in Central Vermont, Vermont

Sparkling glassware from the studio downstairs, exposed brick, flickering candles, and large windows overlooking the falls of the roaring Ottauquechee River create an ideal setting for contemporary American cuisine—the food alone is worth the pilgrimage. The wine cellar holds several hundred labels.

The organically grown flour and vegetables—and the wood-fired clay ovens that unite them—take the pizza here to another level. In summer, you can dine outside around firepits on the beautiful valley floor. Have a moment to take in the surroundings; this spot is located at the heart of Lareau Farm, one of the Mad River Valley's first when it was founded in 1794.

What does a mid-century burger joint look like in modern times? Retro décor including a vintage jukebox, pinball machine, and long diner-style counter, sure, but also fresh-ground local beef in the double-double-style Heartbreaker burger, Jump Back Sauce with house-made Japanese mayo, light-as-air doughnuts, orange wine, and the area's best beer list. It all comes together at Matt Walker's hometown restaurant for a perfect nostalgic experience that will bring you back to childhood summers, whether or not you spent them at one of Fairlee's lakeside sleepaway camps.

This sunlit café and bakery overlooking Otter Creek houses some of the best coffee and pastries in the state thanks to chef--owner Caroline Corrente, who honed her skills at pastry school in France before zeroing in on a love for brioche dough. Corrente's specialty sweet and savory buns change daily based on what is available locally—many ingredients are found within a few miles of Haymaker's doors. The OG Bun, always on the menu, is a cinnamon-spiced ode to the classic sticky bun that draws Vermonters from all corners of the state. Corrente added a location in Burlington's hip Soda Plant in 2024.

Since 1923, Jones' has been a destination for doughnuts and baked goods made fresh each day in the earliest hours of the morning. Fill a box with cinnamon rolls, pie squares, apple turnovers, and some of the best doughnuts in the state.

One of Woodstock's liveliest and most popular places to eat, this upscale pub and bistro remains buzzing through most evenings. The chalkboard on the wall lists the hearty menu of American comfort classics given farm-to-table twists, and the craft beer selection is excellent. You can dine at the bar, at a booth under the lofty, wood-beam ceilings in the dining room, or at a table outside on the patio.

Chef Chy Tuckerman was raised in Cambodia, Thailand, Oregon, and New Hampshire before moving to Woodstock in 1997 to continue learning the art of baking at the now-closed Mountain Creamery. A decade later, he opened his sunny, BYOB restaurant just off Route 4, where he fuses the Cambodian and Thai cooking of his heritage into mouthwatering dishes like ginger chicken stir-fry, Khmer curry soup, and traditional luk lok made with beef from nearby Cloudland Farm. Save room for dessert, such as silky mango custard and delicate cheesecake, to experience Chef Tuckerman's 20-plus years of baking knowledge.

The dining room in this 1796 brick farmhouse exudes 18th-century charm, but the food is decidedly 21st century. Former San Francisco restaurant chef--owner Will Dodson creates inventive three-course prix-fixe menus with international flavors, or more casual versions in the lounge, also on-site.

Worth the drive from Middlebury to the small town of Bristol, the Bobcat is fun, funky, and hip—just like the inventive comfort-food menu. Wash your meal down with nearly a dozen excellent house-brewed beers.

Tucked away in Rutland Plaza, this small, casual wine bar serves up locally inspired bistro fare featuring artisan cheeses, charcuterie, seasonal specials, and rotating pastas. There is a nice selection of house cocktails and Vermont beers to choose from, yet the true draw here is the global wine list, a thoughtful selection with about two dozen by-the-glass offerings.

Robert Barral, the former executive chef of the New England Culinary Institute, graces Brandon with this informal eatery one story above the main street. Flowered seat cushions, dried-flower window valences, and other hints of Barral's Provençal birthplace abound, as do his eclectic, farm-fresh dishes.

Stop by the takeout window of this new-wave snack shack for fried chicken, griddled burgers, and kimchi-stuffed grilled cheese. Stay for the homemade creemees, Vermont's answer to soft-serve ice cream; classics like maple are always on offer, as are seasonal specials like ginger, cinnamon, lemon, and fresh blueberry. The Bad Larry, a whimsical, Willy Wonka-esque sundae on a cone, tops a tall twist of maple ice cream with maple crystals, maple drizzle, maple cookies, and a cloud of maple cotton candy. And in typical Vermont fashion, most ingredients from beef to pickles are locally made.

With the table literally on the farm, this restaurant delivers a unique farm-to-table experience that makes it worth the short drive from Woodstock. All ingredients for the seasonal prix-fixe menus come fresh from the farm or local growers, especially Cloudland's own pork, beef, chicken, and turkey.

The sky-high ceilings at this brewery's taproom and restaurant have earned it the nickname "the cathedral of beer" and IPA lovers have been lining up to get a Sip of Sunshine since Sean and Karen Lawson launched their namesake brand from a tiny mountainside brewhouse in Warren in 2008. This spectacular space—opened in 2018—is an appropriately sunny place to sit and enjoy a pint of the brewery's flagship brew, or something from the solid food menu designed to pair with beer: fancy grilled cheeses, local cheese and charcuterie boards, and a just-spicy-enough chorípan sandwich, with chorizo made just for the brewery by 5th Quarter butcher shop, located in the nearby Mad River Taste Place.

This cerulean blue A-frame is a mountainside gem for morning baked goods, award-winning chilli, and specialty drinks like the Mounds latte (espresso, steamed milk, coconut, and chocolate syrup). It also doubles as a local art gallery, so you can peruse the work of Vermont artists over a pick-me-up.

Mexican cuisine rooted in Vermont ingredients makes this a go-to stop for locals and travelers alike—particularly those who just ascended the rugged incline of nearby Camel's Hump, one of the state's highest peaks. Chef--owner Joey Nagy and Georgia Von Trapp, his partner, source much of their local haul from their own Marble Hill Farm, fueling delicious cooking from carnitas and al pastor to fresh house-made salsa and slow-roasted yams in the outside smoker.

Also the home of award-winning jam company V Smiley Preserves, this all-day café serves house-made pastries, coffee, cocktails, biscuit sandwiches, huge salads, creative vegetable dishes and savory yogurt with crispy lentils and poached eggs.

This charming two-story café in the center of Woodstock sources most of its ingredients in state. It's the perfect stop for a Vermont maple latte with local dairy, produce-laden salads, and wraps or egg sandwiches worthy of a long line.

Modern French and American fare with a Vermont accent is the focus of this candle lighted Colonial restaurant off the town green, with three-course prix-fixe meals. A less expensive bistro menu is available in the lounge.

Arrive early for a seat at the wraparound bar and a perfectly made Negroni. The wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizzas are excellent, as is the inventive cocktail list and the plentiful supply of local beers on draft.

Since opening in 2011, chef--owner Donald Billings has created a locavore restaurant driven by ingredients made within miles of the dining room. Humanely raised livestock and Vermont-grown produce is the inspiration behind menu favorites like laden cheese boards, braised pork belly, and homemade Parker House rolls served warm with Vermont butter. Save room for dessert, including the daily-changing crème brûlée.

After a decade of fine-tuning their skills and tastebuds in the coffee industry, Royal Oak co-owners Alessandra and Matthew Delia-Lobo opened their own café on Seymour Street, a cozy spot to hole up for a while. The menu, featuring beans from Burlington-based Vivid Coffee Roasters, is known for shaken ice maple lattes in the summer and frothy cardamom-vanilla lattes in the winter (a seasonal special that, say the Delia-Lobos, now never leaves the menu due to popularity).

Partially hidden in Middlebury's historic Marble Works district, this oasis of tea brews made-to-order spiced chai, house-roasted oolong, and loose leaf teas imported from small farmers in China, India, Nepal, Japan, and Taiwan.

New owners have transformed the longtime Inn at Baldwin Creek and Mary's Restaurant, giving the 1790s farmhouse a chic update from head to toe. Pizza isn't the only thing that comes out of the new wood-fired oven, though it was named one of the 22 best pizza spots in the U.S. by the New York Times. Locally sourced roasted vegetables and smokey meatballs complement the fire-kissed pies. Live music fills the parlor on Wednesdays in winter and heads outside for a lawn party in warmer months.

This emporium of Vermont edibles has great sandwiches, cheeses, local beers, and delicious baked goods—perfect for a picnic or for lunch on the go.