![]()
-
Firebird Café
Fish tacos, chorizo Benedicts and huevos rancheros hint at owner Jake Tran’s California roots. Breakfast is served all day.
Essex Junction
-
The Blue Stone (Waterbury)
Hand-tossed pizzas meet short rib, burgers, and "serious" mac and cheese. A rotating tap list features brews from Vermont and beyond.
Waterbury
-
Maxi's Restaurant
Breakfast is served all day, so you can get a Benedict Florentine at morning or night. Not so excited about eggs? Go for fried chicken or Gouda mac and cheese.
Waterbury
-
Pie in the Sky (St. Albans)
The pizzeria and deli is famous for its stone-baked pies (available by the slice), calzones and sandwiches on homemade sub rolls.
St. Albans
-
Rozzi's Lakeshore Tavern & Restaurant
Near the shores of Malletts Bay, catch the game while tucking into prime rib or the two-pound Dozer — one of 30 burgers on the menu. Free happy-hour snacks on Wednesday and Friday. Weekend brunch.
Colchester
-
El Cortijo Taqueria y Cantina (Burlington)
The Farmhouse Group's hip taqueria keeps it fresh and fun in a revamped 1950s diner car. Go for tacos, burritos and killer margaritas. Lunch and dinner served daily, breakfast served on the weekends.
Burlington
-
The Family Table
A Johnson & Wales-trained chef makes comfort food classy with offerings of blackened salmon and maple-brined pork chop. Weekend breakfast.
Jeffersonville
-
Four Corners of the Earth
There's a cult following for Ladislav Pancisin's globe-trotting grilled sandwiches, which include Jamaican avocado, Thai chicken and Peruvian polenta.
Burlington
-
The Rotisserie
For 40 years, this family-owned restaurant has been the spot for prime rib, burgers and big sandwiches. Taco Tuesdays and Wednesday slider specials are popular. Weekend brunch.
South Burlington
-
Royal Orchid Thai Restaurant
Around the corner from the state capitol, locals enjoy Thai specialties such as basil duck and lemongrass chicken. No weekend lunch.
Montpelier
-
Sukho Thai Restaurant
The chef serves Thai noodles, curries and fried rice along with dishes rarely seen in the U.S. The choo chee salad features roast duck with bell peppers, pineapple and cherry tomatoes.
Essex
-
Café Provence
Chef Robert Barral crafts French-inspired comfort food. Try his famous stew of shrimp, scallops and mussels served over saffron risotto, or a thin tomato pie with Blue Ledge goat cheese. Sunday brunch.
Brandon
-
Hinesburgh Public House
The pub celebrates farm-fresh ingredients, Vermont craft beer and local spirits — and the dining room has ample space to accommodate friends and families, including kids.
Hinesburg
-
Asian Gourmet
The sushi is fresh and affordable, as are the Chinese and Thai dishes — think whole Peking duck and mango prawns.
Barre
-
Big Fatty's BBQ (White River Junction)
Do as the slogan says and “Put some South in your mouth”: slow-smoked brisket, wings or fried okra with homemade sauces and rubs. Don't miss the salad bar, 20 craft beers on tap and adjacent crowler pit.
White River Junction
-
Cliff House Restaurant
Take the gondola up Mount Mansfield for panoramic views and upscale New England fare. Lunch in winter. The Summit Series Dinners make for memorable Saturday nights year-round.
Stowe
-
The East Side Restaurant & Pub
Sit in the waterfront dining room or garden terrace at a spot best known for its Sunday brunch, prime rib and fresh seafood. Weekend breakfast.
Newport
-
Morgan's Tavern
Chef John Hessler reinvents New England cuisine in dishes such as seared sea scallops with roasted fingerling potatoes, bacon lardon, Brussels sprouts and maple brown butter. Sunday brunch; daily afternoon tea; dinner Tuesday through Sunday.
Middlebury
-
Rusty Nail
There’s plenty of room to move to local and national talent at Stowe's only dedicated live music venue. Cocktails and local draft beers help everyone onto the dance floor.
Stowe
-
Texas Roadhouse
A casual country vibe sets the scene for hand-cut steaks and fall-off-the-bone ribs. Burgers and kids' meals make it family-friendly. Weekend lunch.
Williston
-
Top of the Hill Grill
Even vegans can feast at Jon Julian's smoked-meats joint: The menu includes tempeh burgers and veggie burritos along with brisket, ribs, catfish and gumbo. In winter, the grill transforms into the Soup Shack.
Brattleboro
-
Yummy Chinese Restaurant
Families come in for dinner deals on Thai specialties and Chinese favorites, especially jumbo shrimp and dim sum. No lunch on Sunday.
Colchester
-
ArtsRiot (Restaurant)
ArtsRiot has reopened with New York-style pizza by the slice and a limited menu of Italian salads and snacks plus Moroccan BBQ wings, wine, beer and some basic cocktails.
Burlington
-
The Bagel Place
Bagel sandwiches here are next-level: The Caprese comes with mozzarella, tomato, prosciutto and basil, topped with a housemade Italian dressing. Round out your meal with soup or salad.
South Burlington
-
Barnard Inn Restaurant and Max's Tavern
A classically trained chef-owner prepares polished plates for the formal dining room and upscale pub fare for the tavern. The wine cellar holds more than 350 bottles.
Barnard
-
Barrio Bakery
The family-owned neighborhood café produces from-scratch artisan pastries baked fresh daily, along with espresso and coffee drinks. Wednesday through Friday, the space stays open late as a classic pizzeria.
Burlington
-
Bobcat Café & Brewery
Contemporary comfort food pairs perfectly with beers brewed on-site and throughout Vermont. Start with a hazy house hefeweizen and garlic-herb Misty Knoll Farms chicken wings.
Bristol
-
China Town Restaurant
This joint has been dishing boneless spareribs and Hunan chicken to central Vermont for more than 20 years. Open 'til 10:30 p.m. or later daily.
Barre
-
Crossroads Bar & Grill
Pair a hyper-local brew with a mountain view on the back patio — or head inside for house-smoked meats, scratch-made ice cream and nightly entertainment. Reopened as of September 2021.
South Royalton
-
Hero's Welcome General Store
Vermonty sandwiches are named for Norman Rockwell, John Deere and Ethan Allen. Take one out to the dock after perusing the vast array of housewares, gadgets and dry goods.
North Hero
-
The Jay Village Inn & Restaurant
The relaxed family pub has been feeding hungry souls three meals per day for more than 30 years. Evening faves include specialty pizzas and slow-smoked ribs.
Jay
-
Nino's
Ready-made Sicilian- and New York-style slices let diners mix and match. Choose from more than 30 specialty pies, such as the eight-vegetable primavera and the cheesesteak gorgonzola.
Middlebury
-
Rick's Grill
Milton's go-to roadhouse dishes out burgers, salads and wraps along with specials such as Mediterranean seafood risotto. Local brews on tap; sports on 10 TVs. Weekend brunch.
Milton
-
Trattoria La Festa
Home-style pastas and grilled, seared and roasted meats transport diners to the chef-owners' native Italy. Peruse the award-winning wine list of more than 250 bottles.
Stowe
-
10 Railroad Street
Inside a historic train station, guests feast on comfort fare such as buttermilk-brined smoked chicken, from-scratch soups and burgers. Sunday is brunch only.
Morrisville
-
Al Ducci's Italian Pantry
Sit down for a prosciutto-fig-and-Brie panini at an Italian specialty foods market brimming with fresh mozzarella, cured meats and breads.
Manchester Center
-
The Arlington Inn
Inn guests and the general public feast on potato gnocchi, porterhouse veal chops and pan-roasted duck at a chef-owned inn built in 1847. Enjoy cocktails on the patio during the town farmers market on summer Fridays.
Arlington
-
The Back Behind Restaurant & Barbecue Smokehouse
Sit at the bar, in the dining room or in a vintage Rutland Railway caboose while enjoying hickory-smoked barbecue with jalapeño corn bread and homemade baked beans. Weekend and holiday lunch.
Killington
-
The Backyard Tavern
This dive draws 'em in with wings, cheeseburgers, TV, pool tables and a fireplace. Live music and DJs on the weekend.
Stowe
-
Bistro de Margot
Chef-owner Hervé Mahé parlays Parisian culinary training into classic French cuisine. Pair buttered escargots with a wine from Bordeaux.
Burlington
Start Over