Family Dining by Kim Knox Beckius
In Vermont, it's easy to turn eating into an adventure — three meals a day! From pancakes doused in locally produced maple syrup to wiener schnitzel with a view, here are a few dining establishments that will fill your belly and capture your imagination.
FAST FACT
The Vermont Fresh Network (802-229-4706 or 800-658-8787, www.vermontfresh.net) is a statewide collaboration of farmers and chefs who share the goal of bringing fresh products grown and made in Vermont to the table. This means you'll have bountiful opportunities to feast on tasty, locally inspired cuisine. Visit the organization's Web site for links to dozens of member restaurants.
Breakfast
Breakfast is one of the best meals of the day in Vermont. At Jensen's Family Restaurant (Route 7, Bennington, 802-442-3333, www.jensensrestaurant.com), Vermont breakfast favorites are super affordable, and two children ages five and under eat free with each adult. Or go where the locals go — Alldays & Onions (519 Main Street, Bennington, 802-447-0043, www.alldaysandonions.com) — for the omelet of the day and a cider slushie.
At Backside Café (24 High Street, Brattleboro, 802-257-5056), breakfast is served all day. Even if you're not a morning person, get to Up For Breakfast (710 Main Street, Manchester Center, 802-362 4204) for a bistro omelet with Granny Smith apples, brie, and maplecured bacon or one of this breakfast-only restaurant's other signature selections.
Lunch
After you've worked up an appetite from outlet shopping, have lunch at Zoey's Deli & Bakery (Route 11/30, Manchester, 802-362 0005, www.zoeys.com), where sandwiches are served on freshly baked bread with warm, homemade potato chips.
If you're vacationing on the other side of the state, pick up the makings of a picnic at the Brattleboro Food Co-op (2 Main Street, 802-257-0236, www.brattleborofoodcoop.com), a natural foods market and deli that has an extensive selection of local cheeses and Vermont-brewed beers.
Dinner
For outdoor dining with a spectacular view, Dalem's Chalet (78 South Street, West Brattleboro, 802-254-4323 or 800-462-5009, www.dalemschalet.com) offers balcony seating and a menu featuring German, Swiss, and Austrian dishes.
Johnny Seesaw's (Route 11, Peru, 802-824-5533 or 800-424-CSAW, www.jseesaw.com) is a storied inn at the base of Bromley Mountain. Enjoy heaping plates of Yankee cooking inside this 1920s-era log lodge.
Dine in a vintage Vermont barn at The Barn Restaurant and Tavern (Route 30, Pawlet, 802-325-3088, www.barnrestaurant.com). This rustic yet lovely eatery boasts of the “perfect children's menu” and serves tots Kool Kocktails, too. Or round up your posse and mosey on over to the Sirloin Saloon (135 Depot Street, Manchester Center, 802-362-2600, www.sirloinsaloon.com) for a buckle-busting supper featuring steakhouse selections and an all-you-can-eat salad bar.
