113 Best Restaurants in Vermont, USA

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.

Classic and French-inflected, from the rattan bistro chairs on the stone patio to the escargot and duck confit, this longtime local favorite keeps things simple, with entrées the same price across the board—all served with mashed potatoes and fries, so you don't have to choose.

Classic American breakfast and lunch is served all day in this greasy-spoon diner, fashioned from a circa-1945 railcar. The line may be long, especially on weekends; locals and tourists can't stay away.

This cozy, white clapboard house with an indicative blue awning has been a community staple since 2005. Co-owner Mandy Hotchkiss and chef--owner Phoebe Bright share a decades-spanning friendship; today, their ongoing collaboration manifests in the bistro's seasonal menu and hand-written, daily changing nightly specials inspired by farm-sourced ingredients.

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.

The original Bohemian Bakery began in 2010 as a Sunday-only pop-up in the home of co-owners Annie Bakst and Robert Hunt; it quickly became a weekly haunt for expertly made French pastries. The couple now roasts coffee beans in small batches and fills daily orders of rotating favorites like buttery kouign-amman (flaky pastry with fruit or chocolate) and croissants, custard-filled Danishes, and tall slices of cornmeal cake in their shop.

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.

Local grass-fed burgers and handcut fries are the name of the game at this multicolored food truck. Try one of Burger Barn's more inventive offshoots, like the Nutty Goat: goat cheese, maple-crushed walnuts, caramelized onions, bacon, and mayo.

This may be a local hub for grabbing a quick sandwich or a case of beer, but its true fame stands with its seasonal creemee window. During the warmer months, lines snake around the corner for the café's beloved soft serve, particularly the house specialty: twisted black raspberry and maple ice cream in a cone, extra sprinkles. A large back patio has sweeping waterfront views, making it one of the nicest spots in town to watch the sunset.

For craft beer and inventive pub food, head to this spacious taproom in a historic factory building where the world-renowned Lumière brothers produced films in the early 1900s. Pair your pint of Strawberry Whale Cake (strawberry cream ale) or Vaulted Blue (IPA with notes of candied citrus peel and ripe peaches) with smoked trout dip and loaded birria fries, or opt for hearty sandwiches such as shaved steak or the mushroom Philly. An arcade room provides entertainment for non-beer drinkers, too.

The sign on the door says "HOT." when this bumping breakfast spot is open, and it's right; the meat-free menu with treats like chicken-fried egg and "bonuts" (biscuit donuts) is a darn good time. Go for breakfast, stay for the music and the amusing antics of brothers/co-owners Allan and Travis Walker-Hodkin.

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.

The sourcing and gathering of local ingredients at the heart of chef--owner Cai Xi Silver's cooking is inspired by the food memories of her childhood in Chongqing, China. Her family's Sichuan and Shanghai influences come to life in a to-go menu that includes delicate steamed buns, perfect dumplings, and abundance boxes highlighting regional home cooking backed by Vermont ingredients. Cai's offers take-out and delivery only from her Brattleboro art gallery, with options for private in-home cooking and catering.

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.

Pursuing a mission that "the best wines are grown, not made," this natural wine bar meticulously curates an inventory of organic, biodynamic, no-additive, unfiltered, and wild-fermented vintages, either for sale in the small retail section in the front, or complementing upscale bistro dishes and boards in the classy dining room.

The local outcry when Charles Reeves and Holly Cluse closed their longtime breakfast spot, Penny Cluse Café, in November 2022 was only matched by the widespread sigh of relief when Reeves took over the kitchen at Deep City a year and a half later. Attached to popular Foam Brewers near the Burlington Waterfront, the airy, sunny space is a brunch-lover's dream, with dishes everyone in town has come to love, including a loaded bucket of spuds and herby gravy over biscuits. If there's a wait, grab a beer next door or take a waterfront walk to kill time.

Traditional güveç pots aren't the only elaborate housewares at this Turkish restaurant, which consists of tables in the middle of a high-end antique showroom. The wood-fired oven yields masterful results—and piping hot pide (a flatbread)—making this a great place for lunch or a satisfying dinner.

A gastropub from the folks behind the Hen of the Wood restaurant, this place has one of the best beer lists in the state, and a smash of a smashburger. The food is excellent and the ski-lodge vibe is perfect for lunch, dinner, drinks, families, or romantic two-top or solo bar seats.

Built in 1796, this inn has been continuously operating ever since, and the comfortable tavern and formal dining room serve a Colonial-influenced bistro menu. A member of the Vermont Fresh Network, the restaurant benefits greatly from its strong connections with local farmers.

Under a classic neon sign at the main corner in downtown Wilmington, Dot's remains a local landmark and a reminder of diners of yore. Residents and skiers pack the tables and counter for American comfort food classics, starting at 6 am with the Berry-Berry pancake breakfast, with four kinds of berries.

Books and coffee collide at this café and roastery, where the beans are sourced from women-owned farms in Central and South America and the espresso drinks are always on point. In the stacks, Antidote Books stocks a highly curated selection that leans literary; the shop also hosts frequent readings and author signings.

The line out the door on a typical weekend night should tell you a lot about the local esteem for this farm-to-table restaurant. Serving only local beef, cheese, and produce in a classy but laid-back style, Farmhouse Tap and Grill provides one of the finest casual meals in the area.

In the original historic gristmill home of renowned Hen of the Wood, which moved onto Waterbury's Main Street in 2023, the restaurant's talented team has turned its attention to pasta, from simply perfect spaghetti and meatballs to elaborately rolled lasagna, all made from scratch.

This place has the best wood-fired pizza in town. It also has character to spare: sit in chairs from old ski lifts and step up to the counter fashioned from a vintage VW bus to design your pie from 29 ingredients.

Turkish breakfast towers, tightly wrapped shawarma, and the most sought-after donuts in town are signatures of this breakfast and lunch spot from the team behind Honey Road. Like its nighttime sister restaurant, it focuses on flavors of the Eastern Mediterranean. There's usually a waitlist, but it moves quickly.

This nanobrewery in the heart of downtown Bennington is a haven of craft beers with English-style porters and inventive brews like Melon Grab fruited IPA. All of these beers become the perfect palate cleansers for good pub fare like loaded nachos and deep-fried chimichangas.

In prime position on the mountain road and the Stowe Recreation Path, this brewpub's Bavarian-style lagers and Vermont IPAs are only available on-site. A solid menu of pub food, a large outdoor patio, vegetable garden, and a rich, rustic, chic design, make it a popular stop.

The classics of Turkish cuisine are served with surprising authenticity and maximum deliciousness thanks to the culinary talents of its Istanbul-raised owners, plus locally sourced produce and meats. The open terrace upstairs offers the only rooftop dining in Burlington.