Fine Dining

The Butcher Room, Hen of the Wood

It’s no secret that Hen of the Wood is my favorite restaurant in Vermont. For years, it has been on my Vermont bucket list to have dinner in the acclaimed Butcher Room, a private dining experience for 6-12 on a butcher-block table off of the kitchen at Hen. […]

Junction at the Essex Resort & Spa

Junction at the Essex Resort & Spa, Essex, Vermont

I love under-the-radar restaurants, especially ones with no good reason for being under-the-radar. Junction, located at the Essex Resort & Spa in Essex, Vermont, is one of these unique eateries. Lucky for us, the interactive restaurant is within a few miles drive of where we live. Over the […]

Red Clover Inn, Mendon, Vermont

Red Clover Inn, Mendon, Vermont

One of my favorite things about traveling through Vermont is finding hidden gems. Mendon, a town situated between Rutland, Chittenden, and Killington with a population of just over 1,000, is best known for Vermont Maple Sugar and Spice. But, there is another compelling reason to visit in Mendon, […]

Special Occasion Restaurants in Vermont

Best Vermont Restaurants for Special Occasions

One of my favorite Facebook messages to receive is this: “Erin, it’s our {enter special occasion here}. We need your recommendation for the best Vermont restaurants to celebrate!” This happens frequently. I always throw out ideas for my favorite Vermont restaurants for special occasions across the state. Some […]

Simon Pearce Restaurant, Valentine's Day in Vermont

Where to Celebrate Valentine’s Day in Vermont?

Recommendations for Celebrating Valentine’s Day in Vermont Oh, Valentine’s Day. Whether you’re in the love-it or hate-it category for Valentine’s Day, consider going beyond the chocolate, flowers, and material things this year. Instead, experience something new together and make a lasting memory with your significant other. (Although really, a box […]

Dorset Inn, Dorset Vermont

The Dorset Inn, Dorset, Vermont

When traveling south on Route 30 from Middlebury to Dorset for a mid-week getaway in the quaint New England town, I found myself winding through tiny towns and around lakes, past artisan galleries, general stores, and more barns and silos than I could count. Within a few miles of […]

Bouillabaise - Bleu Northeast Seafood

Bleu Northeast Seafood, Burlington, Vermont

When I was in college at Middlebury, I spent my summers on Campobello Island, an eight-mile by three-mile island on the Bay of Fundy that also is home to FDR’s 34-room summer “cottage”. It’s really rural and makes Middlebury—and most Vermont towns—look like a thriving metropolis. There are no traffic lights for 75 […]

Vermont Top Chefs - Five Questions

5 Questions with Vermont’s Top Chefs

Between high school and college, I took on my first hospitality job at a Relais & Châteaux property in Darby, Montana: Triple Creek Ranch. I was fortunate to learn the ins and outs of fine dining from a chef who set the staff aside before service every day […]

Mad Taco - Vermont Restaurant

Top Choices for Vermont Restaurant Week

I spend way too much time thinking about which Vermont restaurants we should try next. I’m a tad obsessed with getting to know all of the chefs, farmers and purveyors who bring us inventive, wholesome food on a regular basis. Lucky for all us Vermonters and visitors to the state, Vermont Restaurant Week […]

Simon Pearce Restaurant, Valentine's Day in Vermont

Simon Pearce Restaurant, Quechee, Vermont

I’ve long admired Simon Pearce‘s glassware. But I never quite appreciated just how much went into making a single wine glass until I visited Simon Pearce’s factory outlet in Windsor, Vermont. While there, I watched a glassblower skillfully create a perfect glass. Observing for a few minutes gave […]

The Backroom Bar - Pittsfield, Vermont

The Backroom, Pittsfield, Vermont

The town of Pittsfield is one of Vermont’s best-kept secrets. With one (awesome) General Store, two wedding venues, 50 miles of mountain biking trails, five inns and only 400-or-so residents, Pittsfield is a quintessential New England town, home to hearty Vermonters who value their community and the ample outdoor recreation […]

Aww Shucks Oyster Event, Bluebird Tavern, Burlington, Vermont

Bluebird Tavern, Aww Shucks Oyster Event

When I was in college, I lived full-time in Vermont and spent the summer months working at restaurants and an inn in downeast Maine (technically Campobello Island, New Brunswick, Canada). I spent most of my waking hours in Lubec, Maine—largely a community of fisherman—where I befriended the locals. Although Lubec is […]

Restaurants - Featured

5 of the Best Vermont Restaurants to Visit

Eating out in Vermont is something I always look forward to… There are so many talented chefs hiding out in the Green Mountain State who are creating phenomenal dishes that rival the best of the best in New York City or San Francisco. To celebrate the new year and the ever-evolving […]

Cafe Provence, Brandon, Vermont

Café Provence, Brandon, Vermont

Brandon, a small Vermont town and tight-knit artistic community, is located between Rutland and Middlebury at the base of the Green Mountains and has a population that hovers around 4,000 people. The town is a quintessential Vermont village with many brick facades lining Center Street, a Greek-revival town hall and the Neshobe […]