41 Best Restaurants in Northern Vermont, Vermont

Ask Vermont's great chefs where they go for a tremendous meal, and Hen of the Wood inevitably tops the list, thanks to its sophisticated, almost artful, dishes that showcase an abundance of local produce, meat, and cheese. The utterly romantic candlelit setting is riveting: a converted 1835 gristmill beside a waterfall.

The Burlington branch of Hen of the Wood offers a slicker, more urban vibe than its original Waterbury location but serves the same inventive yet down-to-earth cuisine that sets diners' hearts aflutter and tongues wagging. Indeed, many consider this the best restaurant in Vermont, so drop your finger anywhere on the menu and you won't go wrong.

This Church Street restaurant has garnered multiple James Beard Foundation nominations, launching it into a golden age under the helm of co-owners Allison Gibson and chef Cara Chigazola Tobin. Serving arguably the best dinner in Burlington, high expectations are satisfied thanks to creative takes on eastern Mediterranean cuisine, including a selection of sensational mezes. Desserts from notable pastry chef Amanda Wildermuth are worth saving room for, particularly the popular tahini ice-cream sundae.

This restaurant and brewery in downtown Waterbury is always packed for a reason: fabulous craft beers, sandwiches, salads, and North Carolina--style barbecue served in an airy and friendly bar and dining room. If you just want a quick bite and a draft, belly up to the tasting-room bar at the brewery in the back, or pop across the street to the Craft Beer Cellar, one of the state's best beer stores.

This celebrated taproom remains one of the state's best, thanks in large part to its ability to acquire beers few others in the region can. The vibe feels straight out of an artsy neighborhood in Brussels, but with the earthiness of Vermont.

"Gather, discover, and connect” is the slogan and theme at this intimate Chinese restaurant on the first floor of a residential row house. Traditional Cantonese- and Sichuan-style dishes are served family style, and the "mock eel" was given two chopsticks up on the Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate.

Seating is first-come, first-served at this popular pizza spot, and the wood-fired clay dome ovens pump out delicious and amusingly named pies like "Dancing Heart" (garlic oil, Italian grana padano cheese, toasted sesame seeds) and "Power to the People" (chicken, buffalo sauce, carrots, mozzarella, and blue cheese dressing) in full view of the tables. Fresh salads topped with locally made cheese are also popular.

This cozy, white clapboard house with an indicative blue awning has been a community staple for 17 years. 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.

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.

The upscale wine shop stocks expertly selected sustainable wines from small producers around the world alongside cheeses and other picnic and pantry provisions. In the wine bar, shared plates are seasonal and inspired by wine bar menus in Spain and France, from jamón serrano and boquerones to endive with cultured cream, goat cheese and spiced walnuts.

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 meals in the area.

Some of Vermont's best steak—all meat is sourced from local farms, dry-aged a minimum of 21 days, and cooked to absolute perfection—can be found roasting over hardwood coals in this tavern's open kitchens. The space itself is also a treat, with antique chicken feeders serving as light fixtures and a soapstone-topped bar in the center.

A lively locals' scene, booths by the fireplace, and creative American cuisine paired with well-chosen wines and regional brews make this place perfect for couples and families alike. The inviting bar is a good spot to dine alone or to chat with a regular.

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.

This family-owned microbrewery started in a Grand Isle garage in 2020. Now, it occupies the basement of the clubhouse at Alburg Golf Links, an 18-hole course with stunning views of Lake Champlain. Stop into the upstairs taproom for snacks and sandwiches with a pint of blonde ale, lilac sour, or garlic mustard saison; the beers here are brewed with local — and often foraged — ingredients, including hops from the family's hop yard down the road.

This popular café delivers alfresco bistro cuisine with a distinct French flavor, plus a friendly European-style bar and live jazz. Favorite entrées include salade niçoise, soupe au pistou (vegetable and white bean soup with Asiago and pesto), and beef bourguignon.

Local industry pros Mojo Hancy-Davis and Matthew Peterson launched this cozy neighborhood spot with a menu that ranges from nostalgic favorites—like a beef patty melt on rye—to delicately plated vegetable dishes, such as delicata squash with Bayley Hazen blue cheese custard and whey-braised tomatoes. Go lowbrow for drinks with a Narragansett lager, or highbrow with a bottle of grower Champagne.

Swiss-born chef Michael Kloeti trained in Europe and New York City before opening this establishment in a 19th-century farmhouse outside Stowe. The seasonal three-course prix-fixe menus ($45 and $67) blend European cuisine with farm-to-table earthiness, exemplified by dishes such as spice-roasted duck breast and venison navarin (ragout).

Vermont may be landlocked, but regionally sourced seafood fills the menu at this upscale farm-to-table restaurant in the state capital; the raw bar—think Cape Cod oysters and cold-smoked scallop crudo—is a particular draw. Large plates include prime strip loin with bone marrow and black-truffle raclette with local ricotta ravioletto.

Laura Wade and Aaron Josinsky's new casual spot serves up fried chicken in various forms — from honey-butter wings to whole birds. Comfort-food sides include collard greens that you can add housemade bacon to, a whole grilled onion, fluffy beignets filled with cheddar, and yes, there are oysters (options change daily).

The handmade Italian brick oven is the centerpiece of this hot new pizza spot, which shares a former department store building with AR Market and the curing facility for Vermont Salumi. The team cranks out perfectly blistered Neapolitan-style pizzas and thick grandma pies, with classic and weekly special toppings that range from fire-roasted mushrooms to roast pork and miso drizzle. The bar boasts a top-notch local draft list and affordable, well-made cocktails.

A leader in regenerative agriculture, two of the 400 acres of this diversified farm are dedicated to organic vegetable, flower, herb, and fruit production, which is then channeled into the market's sandwiches, salads, prepared foods, and pantry goods. Farm-raised poultry, lamb, grass-fed beef, and heritage pork are the stars of the kitchen's elegant prix-fixe dinner menu, which changes seasonally. Cozy up near the fireplace in the great room, or dine on the outdoor patio in warmer months to take in the view.