Stowe, VT restaurants

[amytraverso]

Heading up to Stowe tomorrow. Can you guys recommend any places? I've heard of Blue Moon, Michael's, Miguel's....any favorites? I could go within, say, a 15 mile radius, but we don't want to have to run to Burlington for every meal! Would love advice on all price points...fine dining to road food places.

Thanks!

Amy

[amytraverso]

Well, I'm back, so I'll answer my own question. Had a fantastic meal at Michael's on the Hill, a converted farmhouse on the road between Waterbury and Stowe. It's owned by a Swiss-born chef and his wife, and our meal was as good as any I've had in months. New American fare...European techniques with local ingredients, etc., and a strong sense that this place is run by grown-ups. Very careful, artful, and well-prepared. Great venison served with spaetzle.

Also had a very good meal at Blue Moon, a bistro right in town. For lunch, I recommend Harvest, a gourmet market that makes excellent breads, salads, sandwiches, baked goods, and coffee. Also has a terrific cheese selection and lots of local products. For breakfast, try Gigi's breakfast sandwiches, or the pancakes at the Dutch Pancake place.

Amy

[pattimw]

Hi, Amy-

Thanks for that review. Michael's used to be Villa Tragara, a fantastic northern italian place. Glad to hear it is good in its new incarnation.

[Malawry]

bump

I'll be visiting Stowe right around Christmas. Where should I be eating while there? Also, Christmas day recommendations welcome--we're not Christian and are not compelled by a special Christmas dinner as a result. At home we normally eat Asian food on Christmas day--is there any interesting ethnic food we can check out in Stowe on the holiday proper?

[Malawry]

I didn't eat anything particularly outstanding during my recent sojourn to Stowe, but I didn't eat anything terrible either. I agree with Amytraverso about Harvest--they sell lots of goodies including crisp-crusted in-house baguettes and the full line of D'artagnan pates for lunching in front of a warm fire.

We breakfasted in the Main Dining Room at the Green Mountain Inn on Main Street every morning (where we stayed)--the cold buffet is only about $8 and features a bonanza of baked goods, all produced in-house. The honey oatmeal bread is especially wonderful, plus there's some strudels, muffins, coffee cake, and other delicacies along with fresh fruit, hard boiled eggs, oatmeal, yogurt and cold cereal. The hot food (add another $5 or so) is sitting on a steam table and not as special, I didn't think it was worth the extra expense.

We liked the Whip restaurant okay, also in the Green Mountain Inn, for dinner. We had an appropriately sweet-salty corn chowder there, plus decent sandwiches and a great duck-brie quesadilla. (They also have the honey oatmeal bread at the Whip. This stuff is really worth a visit.)

One night, we had dinner at a Thai place on the Mountain Road--I think it's called Red Basil. Not too bad for Thai food in Vermont. I really liked the crabmeat soup, which had a mysteriously-spiced broth and plenty of crab along with tofu and slivered asparagus. The grilled beef salad was also refreshing, spicy-sweet with lemongrass and chile flavors. They serve sushi, but we didn't take a chance on it.

Swisspot on Main Street was wonderful--who doesn't want fondue after a long day of tramping about in the cold? I supped on the classic emmenthaler-gruyere fondue with a plate of fruit and vegetables ($7 supplement--cheese fondues only come with bread). Red grapes, potatoes, assorted apples, carrots, broccoli, and stale French bread dunked in cheese make a great dinner while watching the snow fall outside. The restaurant looks like the inside of an old-fashioned Swiss living room--think red gingham curtains and cuckoo clocks, not IKEA. My husband enjoyed a griddle-crisped crepe filled with imported ham and poked at my fondue. There are also Asian-style shabu-shabu type broth fondues and of course hot oil fondues available as well, plus a short list of more typical restaurant entrees.

[hollydebra]

Our family of 4 is heading up to Stowe for the week . Can I get an update on Stowe restaurants? Is Michaels on the Hill still good? Any great sushi in Stowe?

We love all food, however, being NJ/NY'ers, we are a bit, may I say, spoiled in the restaurant department???

Thank you so much,

Holly

Edited February 15, 2007 by hollydebra (log)

[blackcat]

If you don't mind a short drive to Waistfield, American Flatbread is quite good. It is only open Friday and Saturday nights. Put your name in at 4:30..They start seating at 5 or 5:30.

http://www.americanflatbread.com/index.htm

Harvest market is great Nice cheese selection and the brick oven breads are nice.

http://www.harvestatstowe.com/

[pkeibel]

Michaels is still good, but you can also get some good dinners in Burlington, I recommend L'Amante for modern Italian food, the roads should be cleared by the weekend

[hollydebra]

Thank you so much. I will check them out. How about in the town of Stowe?

How far away is Simon Pearce and is it worth the drive?

Regards,

Holly

[pkeibel]

Simon Pierce is in Queechee a good hour away. It would be worth it if there was no snow and no needed to spend some time a the glass blower or wander woodstock. The mountains got 5-6 feet on Wednesday so enjoy what we have. In Stowe there are good restaurants but nothing to rave about. Waitsfied is a good 40 minutes and there would be American Flatbread and the Pitcher Inn. Burlington also 40 minutes away has the Single Pebble (must have reservations or if your lucky two seats at the bar), L'Amante and American Flatbread. Also great places to try craft beer