Cover Story
7 Nights: The ‘Seven Days’ Guide to Vermont Restaurants and Bars (2009-10)
There’s no ignoring the lackluster economy, but when it comes to the food biz, Vermont actually has some good news to report. Fewer restaurants have gone out of business than anticipated, and new eateries with innovative concepts are popping up like crocuses in spring. While 2008 turned out to be the year of the Asian…
Taste the Italian Countryside at Woodstock’s Osteria Pane e Salute
For folks who haven’t had the pleasure of exploring the Italian countryside, it’s possible to dine at Pane e Salute without sampling a single familiar dish. At the eight-table eatery — which blends cool, modern décor with a few rustic touches — the menu is based on “heirloom” recipes that Caleb Barber and Deirdre Heekin…
At That’s Life Soup in Montpelier, Dip Your Spoon Into Mulligatawny and More
It’s not easy to get the recipe right in small but sophisticated Montpelier. The capital city is both crunchy and world-wise, localvore and price-sensitive. Pam Root satisfies all the constituencies at That’s Life Soup, a cozy café on Elm Street that serves up soothing, steaming bowls to state workers, townies and tourists — not to…
Find Live Music and a Locavore Menu at Middlebury’s Two Brothers Tavern
Middlebury is a college town, but for years — since the drinking age went from 18 to 21 — it’s lacked for nightlife. Two Brothers Tavern changed that when it opened in 2008. A steep flight of stairs leads to the “lounge & stage,” which features big-screen TVs, a lengthy bar and leather couches. Townies…
In Winooski, Tiny Thai Dishes Out Drunken Noodles and Other Far-East Eats
Over the past few years, Asian restaurants have blossomed all over Chittenden County like lotus flowers on a pond. The Queen City recently gained a pan-Asian noodle bar, and another is on the way. Where once there was a single source of Vietnamese pho in the Greater Burlington area, now there are seven. There’s no…
You Must Try the Chef’s Tasting Menu at Michael’s on the Hill in Waterbury
Only a few Vermont restaurants consistently deliver exquisite food and gracious service. Michael’s on the Hill, located on a scenic stretch of Route 100 between Waterbury and Stowe, is one of them. There, in an intimate farmhouse setting, Michael and Laura Kloeti reign over the kitchen and dining room, respectively. When it’s warm enough, seating…
Egg Creams, Bagels and Lox Are Nothing to Kvetch About at Burlington’s Sadie Katz Delicatessen
The bacon cheeseburger isn’t exactly kosher — and neither is the owner, Glenn Walter — but for Jews in the Burlington area, Sadie Katz Delicatessen is a godsend. With specialty items shipped in regularly from New York City, the diner-turned-deli supplies the Queen City with whitefish salad and lox, H&H bagels and Dr. Brown’s sodas.…
Friends Meet for Fresh-Baked Pastries at Fairfax’s Foothills Bakery
Franklin County is meat-and-potatoes country. But if you happen to be a vegetarian — or a whole-foods aficionado — your best option is tiny Foothills Bakery, located right across from the entrepreneurial Food Venture Center. Pleasantly cluttered with homey décor, the restaurant has a lived-in vibe. Going there for a meal is like stopping in on…
For Pre-Ski Brekkie, Carbo-Load at McCarthy’s Restaurant in Stowe
If you’re headed for the slopes — to ski ’em or climb ’em — get a smart start. McCarthy’s Restaurant in Stowe has been dishing up hearty breakfasts for more than 30 years in a small shopping center just minutes from Stowe Mountain Resort and Smugglers’ Notch. On weekends, the place bustles with a diverse…
Claire’s Restaurant Serves Unexpected Locavore Cuisine in Hardwick
The citizens of hardscrabble Hardwick are a mix of farm folk and back-to-the-landers. So it’s not surprising that the “downtown” hosts both a natural-foods store and a busy, homestyle diner. But the burg boasts one totally unexpected eatery: Claire’s Restaurant & Bar. The chef, Steven Obranovich, has a culinary pedigree that extends from the California…
