Where to Eat Local in Vermont

No matter where you choose to eat in Vermont you will find most restaurants have a food philosophy that incorporates a myriad of local products into their menus. Farm-to-table isn’t just a movement in Vermont, it is a way of life.

For a state that is small in size and population, Vermont produces an abundance of food. More than just maple syrup and Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, the state has award-winning cheesemakers, craft brewers, distillers, chocolatiers, and farm fresh produce.

There are several organizations that are dedicated to helping chefs, restaurants and local food producers work together. The Vermont Fresh Network connects farmers and chefs. Organizations such as Dig In Vermont help visitors and locals find great food and farm experiences such as farmers’ markets, agricultural events, farm stays, craft brew festivals and more.

Rest assured wherever you eat in Vermont, there will be locally sourced products on your plate or in your glass. These are a few of the best places to enjoy local food when you eat in Vermont.

Where to Eat in Burlington

Dedalus Wine Bar

Located on Pine Street, in Burlington’s burgeoning south end, you will find the Dedalus Wine Shop, Market & Wine Bar. What started as a little wine shop with just a few bottles has now grown to include a market and wine bar.

Where to Eat in Vermont

Enjoy a glass of wine or a small plate on the porch of this restaurant or indoors at their wine bar. The menu boasts world-class cheeses, pâtés, charcuterie, and conserva (tinned fish) from Spain and Portugal.

Whether you purchase provisions from the shop or enjoy a meal there, you will find that Dedalus integrates plenty of local items into their menu selections and in the products for sale in the market. Before you go, check their calendar as they regularly hold weekly events with free wine and cheese tastings.

Magic Hat Brewing Company

You can pop into the Magic Hat Artifactory seven days a week for a tour of the brewery and a tasting of their craft brews. There is always a selection of fifteen different rotating beers on tap. They may include their famous #9 Not Quite Pale Ale, Circus Boy or a rare lager or ale.

In addition to their craft brews, Magic Hat now has a small menu of nibbles and bites. The menu includes local cheeses and grilled sandwiches that pair perfectly with each of their tasty brews. Don’t hesitate to ask their knowledgeable staff for suggestions.

Where to Eat in Shelburne

Inn at Shelburne Farms

Where to eat in Vermont

Situated directly on the shores of Lake Champlain, sits the Inn at Shelburne Farms. The former home of Dr. William Seward and Lila Vanderbilt Webb, it is only open seasonally from May to October. In addition to 24 guest rooms, there is a dining room that is open to the public for breakfast, dinner and Sunday Brunch.

Where to Eat in Vermont

The chef builds their menu from what they harvest right on the farm. Shelburne Farms makes their own cheddar cheese from their heard of Brown Swiss Cows. They also source their lamb, beef, veal, and pork from the pasture-raised animals on their property.

Where to eat in Vermont

Where to Eat in Vergennes

Vergennes Laundry

There is no better spot for a cup of coffee and a sweet treat than at Vergennes Laundry. Award-winning Chef Christian Kruse uses plenty of local ingredients at his espresso bar and wood-fired bakery.

Vergennes Laundry

While they are open for brunch and specialty wine dinners, the sweet spot of this bakery is their pastries. The cider donut, sticky buns, cinnamon rolls, and scones rival some of the best in the state. Sit on their front steps and enjoy the views of historic downtown Vergennes or in their beautiful little dining room.

Where to eat in Vermont

Red Mill at Basin Harbor

The Red Mill is another fantstic place to eat in Vermont. This casual restaurant is located within the Basin Harbor Resort. It a great spot for a bite even if you are not staying on property.

Where to eat in Vermont

Like most restaurants in Vermont, the Red Mill also sources local products to use in their menu items that feature dishes like sandwiches, burgers, salads and other pub style food. This is a great place for families as well. They have an outdoor play structure and are located adjacent to an airstrip where you are sure to see small planes take off and land during your meal!

Where to eat in Vermont

Where to Eat in Stowe

Von Trapp Brewery & Bierhall

What started in 2010 as a small brewery in the basement of a bakery has now grown to become one of the best-known craft breweries in Vermont. Johannes von Trapp, the youngest child of Maria and the Baron von Trapp, has stayed true to his roots by brewing an array of Austrian lagers that range from hoppy to sweet and light to dark.

Von Trapp Brewery

At the Bierhall Restaurant, you can enjoy a pint or a flight of the von Trapp lagers. What is on tap rotates with those at are brewed year-round like the Helles and Vienna with others that are only available seasonally.

Where to eat in Vermont

Serving lunch and dinner, the Bierhall menu has a wonderful selection of Austrian style dishes. You will find traditional Bavarian pretzels, bratwurst, and chicken schnitzel along with sides of braised red cabbage and sauerkraut. There are platters of Austrian style curred sausages and local cheeses as well.

Another great option for dining in Stowe is Charlie B’s Pub at the Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa. They serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner and are members of the Vermont Fresh Network.

In a state where farm-to-table is not a trend, it is just a given you will enjoy the freshest local food if you choose to dine in any of these Vermont restaurants.

Disclosure: Complimentary meals were provided by each restaurant. No other compensation was received for this review. This post reflects the honest opinion of my experience without outside influence.

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Commenting area

  1. Wow, everything looked incredible, the food, the drinks and also the locations. I will have to pin this one so I can refer back to it later. Thanks!

  2. They all look amazing! We absolutely have to get to Vermont. I’d love to try the local cheeses and the wood fired baked goods. Yum!!

  3. Wow, everything looks so delicious and you really made us hungry with this post! We have never been to Vermont, but would love to go there someday. We were thinking of making a road trip from Montreal in Canada down to Boston, MA and then stop in several places in Vermont. Of course, as food lovers, we’d love to try out all the local food. So thanks a lot for sharing this great post, Dana! 🙂

    • Dana Freeman June 16, 2019 at 2:49 pm · · Reply

      Montreal is only 75 miles from Burlington. You could easily do it as a day trip or overnighter from here. Please let me know if you guys do come to visit!

  4. Eating out is one of my favourite things to do when I travel. The Magic Hat Craft Brewery gets my pick in this list. A tasting plate of cheese and other nibbles always works after a long day exploring the land. And my husband and travelling companions would love to taste the different craft beers! Thank you for sharing a great food list!

    • Dana Freeman June 17, 2019 at 4:44 pm · · Reply

      Magic Hat is one of the original (and certainly most famous) craft breweries in Vermont. But if you come you should try a brew tour so you get a little taste of all that Vermont has to offer!

  5. Wow! this looks so yummy. I’ll definitely plan to head off to Vermont by next month and would love to try all these delicious food. Thanks for sharing this amazing article.

  6. Wow, this must have been so much of fun to explore places to eat in Vermont and have such great meals. The pictures of food look very appealing. Shelburne Farms look attractive, and so are the fresh cherry tomatoes. I would love to go on a food tour like this right now.

  7. Everything looks very inviting. Shelburne Farm would be my pick, right on the lake, it must be beautiful.

  8. Eating a alfresco meal while in the fresh air, watching the world go by, is one of the things I love while travelling. All the places you mention here sound great. I can smell that fresh cheese!

  9. Yukti Agrawal June 20, 2019 at 8:55 am · · Reply

    Vermont has nice places to eat with good ambiance and delicious food. Dedalus Wine Bar has nice seating with all those plants hanging all over. Inn at Shelburne Farms has beautiful natural surroundings.

  10. I was sold after looking at the cinnamon roll, ha! I’d love to visit Vermont sometime in the fall and I’ll definitely add these places to my list. I LOVE supporting local businesses, it’s so important.

  11. What an awesome post. I remember visiting the Ben and Jerry’s factory as a kid, but you are clearly right that Vermont has so much more to offer than ice cream and maple syrup. The tapas at Dedalus Wine Bar look heavenly, and so do the beer and pretzels at Von Trapp! It’s awesome that farm-to-table isn’t just a passing fad in Vermont, and I like how you give options for a number of cities. I just have one question: where did you get the cheese board shown in your cover photo?? That one is making my mouth water!

    • Dana Freeman June 23, 2019 at 9:39 am · · Reply

      The cheese board from the cover photo is Shelburne Farms. They are known for their cheddar cheese. We were sampling all of them including the limited edition four year cheddar!

  12. These look so delicious!
    I did not even think before coming here that I could read such a great topic. Your pictures are so enchanting, make me fell in love with Vermont. Thank you for sharing such great insight!

  13. Yum! Any good places for pancakes (I love the fresh maple syrup)? I’d love to try the von trapp brewery.

  14. This is a stunning post! Thanks!!

  15. I had the honor of meeting some members of the Von Trapp family recently and they were so delightful, it doubled my resolve to take the drive north from Boston to these towns you recommend!

    • Dana Freeman July 16, 2019 at 11:16 am · · Reply

      When were you here Lillie? Did you meet Sam and/or Johannes? I am under an hour from Stowe. Let’s meet up next time 🙂

  16. I love Vermont!! One of my favorite US states. You’re post should have a warning – do not read when hungry! 😉

  17. All the food looks good, but sandwiches from the Red Mill look so delicious! I know my son will go for the cinnamon rolls from Vergennes Laundry while I will taste their cider donut.

  18. I really need to dig into that cheese plate ASAP!

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