10 Best Vermont Restaurants

Vermont is famous for several iconic dishes and the best foods in the state are the Vermont Chicken Pie, Pimiento Cheese, Apple Pie with Cheddar, Maple Glazed Ham, Vermont Cheddar Soup, and Maple Balsamic Roasted Vegetables. Vermont chicken pie exemplifies the state's "waste-not, want-not" ethos, made by stewing old hens until tender and topping them with biscuits. Before turkey became the Thanksgiving staple, chicken pie was the main dish on Vermont holiday tables. Pimento cheese is another famous food in Vermont, made by blending cheddar cheese, cream cheese, mayo, roasted red peppers, olives, garlic, and cayenne pepper. Apple pie with cheddar is a beloved combination in Vermont, where many locals believe apple pie is incomplete without a slice of sharp cheddar cheese. 

Vermont’s state dish is Apple Pie, officially recognized as the state pie and deeply ingrained in the state's culinary culture. The Green Mountain State is serious about apple pie, even setting rules for how to enjoy the dessert. The pie must be served with a glass of milk, a slice of cheddar cheese, and/or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. The pie, made with tart, sweet apples and a flaky crust, offers a balance of sweetness and slight tartness, complemented by the richness of cheddar cheese and a touch of maple syrup. 

The average cost of a meal in Vermont ranges from $10 to $100, depending on the type of restaurant and dining experience. Budget restaurants usually charge around $10 to $20 for a single meal, while mid-range restaurants cost between $20 and $40 for a single meal. Group meals or family-style dining generally range from $60 to $120, depending on the number of people and meal selections. Vermont fine dining restaurants often charge between $50 and $100 per person, offering multi-course meals and upscale dining experiences.

The most popular fast-food restaurants in Vermont are listed below:

• Al's Place: Known for pizza and fast food, located in Vermont.
• McDonald's: Known for burgers, fries, and breakfast items, located at 112 Northside Drive in Bennington.
• KFC: Known for fried chicken and sides, located at 100 Northside Drive in Bennington.
• Subway: Known for made-to-order sandwiches and salads, located at 227 North Street in Bennington.
• Burger King: Known for flame-grilled burgers and a variety of sides, located at 216 Northside Drive in Bennington.
• Dunkin' Donuts: Known for coffee, donuts, and breakfast sandwiches, located at 237 North Street and 209 Northside Drive in Bennington.
• Chipotle Mexican Grill: Known for burritos, tacos, and bowls with fresh ingredients, located at 106 Northside Drive in Bennington.

The newest restaurants in Vermont are listed below:

• Frankie's: Located at 169 Cherry St. in Burlington, Frankie's was named one of the best new restaurants in the U.S. in 2024 by Eater. The restaurant offers a daily changing menu featuring authentic, homegrown Vermont fare, with ingredients sourced from nearby farms, including seasonal items like blue crab and pickled sweet corn.
• Fancy's: Full-service restaurant offering vegetable-heavy, Middle Eastern-inspired cuisine, a signature style loved by Mister Foods Fancy fans in Burlington.
• Minifactory: Offers coffee, drinks, food, and grocery products, along with own line of jams, in a rural Vermont setting in Bristol.
• Windfall Orchard: Known for high-end, award-winning cider products, blending heirloom apple varieties grown on the orchard into premium ciders in Cornwall.
• Rogue Rabbit: Located at 9 Center Street in Burlington, Rogue Rabbit is a Roman-inspired café offering square pizza al taglio and classic Italian sandwiches. 
• Starry Night: Blends Italian-inflected California cuisine with fresh, seasonal ingredients, offering a unique dining experience in Ferrisburgh.

Restaurants that serve the best lunch in Vermont include Honey Road, Pho Hong, August First, American Flatbread, and Henry's Diner. Honey Road, an Eastern Mediterranean bistro in Burlington, is known for delicious and authentic dishes, such as lamb kibbeh, muhammara, and falafel. Pho Hong, a Vietnamese restaurant also in Burlington, serves up delicious pho, a noodle soup made with beef, chicken, or tofu. August First, offers a variety of lunch dishes, including sandwiches, salads, and bowls, with the popular avocado toast with salmon. American Flatbread Burlington, a brew pub, features a variety of lunch options, including flatbreads, sandwiches, and salads, with pepperoni and peppers flatbread being a favorite. Henry's Diner offers classic American lunch dishes, such as cheeseburgers, hot dogs, and tuna melts.

Yes, the best restaurants in Vermont cater to all dietary needs. Vermont Food Standards ensure healthy options like fresh fruits, vegetables, low-fat, low-sodium choices, water, 100% fruit juice, and low-fat milk are available. These guidelines are implemented in state office building cafés, hotels, and local catering businesses. Several Vermont restaurants cater to various dietary needs, such as Superfresh! Organic Café, which offers vegan options such as oven-baked chocolate chip pancakes and a southwest breakfast burrito, along with a mushroom burger with chipotle aioli. The Works Café in Brattleboro provides over 16 varieties of bagels with vegetarian toppings and natural ingredients. The Brattleboro Food Co-Op Deli features an organic salad bar and offers fruit smoothies, organic juices, soups, and stews. 

Restaurants in Vermont that serve vegan food include Vegan A.F., Despacito, Pingala Café & Eatery, Juice Amour, and Broccoli Bar. Vegan A.F. in Brattleboro, offers vegan favorites like buffalo cauliflower wings, barbacoa tacos, and a double-stacked burger in a cozy, socially responsible setting. Despacito in Burlington serves Puerto Rican-inspired vegan dishes such as empanadas, mofongo, and picadillo made with Impossible Burger. Pingala Café & Eatery in Burlington features an all-vegan menu with BBQ Jackfruit Wraps, Karma Burgers, and E.L.T. (eggplant, lettuce & tomato) in a relaxed atmosphere with river views. Juice Amour in Middlebury is a vegan juice bar offering organic juices, smoothies, acai bowls, tacos, soups, and breakfast bowls. Broccoli Bar serves deep-fried broccoli in various styles with toppings.

Restaurants in Vermont that serve gluten-free food are Against The Grain, Woodchuck, Red Leaf Gluten-Free Brewery, West Meadow Farm, Eco Beans and Greens, Cabot Store in Waterbury, Palmer Lane Maple, Blank Page Café, Mazza’s farm, and Branon Family Maple. Against The Grain in Brattleboro, is a 100% gluten-free bakery offering baguettes, pizzas, and bagels. Woodchuck in Middlebury offers hard cider and a self-guided tour of the cider-making process. Red Leaf Gluten-Free Brewery in Jeffersonville is one of New England's only dedicated gluten-free breweries. West Meadow Farm in Essex Junction makes pastries, cupcakes, and fresh bagels, all gluten-free. Eco Beans and Greens in South Burlington offers wraps, smoothies, and rice bowls in a 100% gluten-free facility.

Cabot Store in Waterbury allows customers to create gluten-free charcuterie boards with local cheese and snacks. Palmer Lane Maple in Jericho serves maple creemees in gluten-free cones. Blank Page Café in Shelburne is a dedicated gluten-free bakery offering fresh coffee, pastries, and breakfast tacos. Local farms like Mazza’s Farm in Colchester and Burtt’s in Cabot provide fresh, gluten-free produce. Branon Family Maple in Fairfield and Bragg Farm Sugar House in Montpelier offer gluten-free maple syrup experiences.

Yes, many restaurants in Vermont are generally healthy such as Bistro De Margot, Thorn + Roots, The Vermont Juice Company, The Grey Jay, Starry Night Café, and Highland Lodge. 

Bistro De Margot, is a modern French bistro in Burlington offering seasonal menus with vegetarian, vegan, and gluten-free options. Thorn + Roots provides healthy meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Vermont Juice Company offers healthy breakfast and lunch options. The Grey Jay specializes in healthy, Middle Eastern, and Eastern European cuisines. Starry Night Café focuses on locally-sourced, organic, and seasonal Vermont products. Highland Lodge offers a full-service restaurant with views of Lake Caspian and a cozy bar. Vermont's Act 113 ensures that foods and beverages served by the state meet healthy food procurement standards. Vermont is ranked as the fourth healthiest state in the U.S., with only 58 fast-food restaurants per 100,000 people, the fewest of any state, which contribute to the state's lower obesity rate of 26% and its below-average smoking rate of 15%.

Yes, Vermont is a great destination for food and the state is particularly known for fresh, locally sourced produce, like cheese, maple syrup, apples, and craft beer. The state's emphasis on farm-to-table dining ensures a strong focus on quality ingredients. Vermont's rural nature and close proximity of farms to towns make this style of dining the norm. The Vermont Fresh Network features over 600 mapped destinations, offering plenty of inspiration for culinary exploration, and with fewer fast food restaurants per capita than most places, Vermont stands out as a foodie haven.

The famous cuisine in Vermont are listed below:

• American Cuisine: Vermont is known for hearty, comfort foods like stews, roasts, and farm-fresh vegetables, often incorporating locally sourced meats and produce such as Vermont lamb stew and roast chicken with root vegetables.
• Farm-to-Table: Emphasizing fresh, locally grown ingredients, Vermont's farm-to-table cuisine features seasonal vegetables, cheeses, and meats, with a strong focus on sustainability such as butternut squash soup or locally-sourced vegetable salads.
• Vermont Cheese: Known for high-quality cheddar and other artisanal cheeses, particularly Vermont cheddar, Vermont has a rich cheesemaking tradition.
• Maple Cuisine: Dishes featuring maple syrup are common, from maple-glazed meats to maple-infused desserts and beverages, including maple-glazed salmon, maple syrup pancakes, and maple butter tarts.
• Craft Beer: Vermont is home to a thriving craft beer scene, with breweries offering a wide range of innovative beers, with examples like Heady Topper IPA and VT IPA, and are often enjoyed with local dishes, such as beer-braised pork.
• Cider: Vermont produces excellent hard cider with popular varieties like Woodchuck Cider or Citizen Cider, often made from local apples, and is a popular beverage in the state. 

Vermont's best restaurants serve a range of dishes using local ingredients, making them some of the best places to eat in Vermont. The must-try foods include Apple Pie with Cheddar at Ray Allen’s Allenholm Farm in South Hero; Chicken Pot Pie, topped with biscuits instead of pastry, is served at Penny Cluse Cafe in Burlington or at chicken pie suppers at Richmond Congregational Church; Aged Vermont Cheddar is famous statewide, with samples at Cabot Creamery and Grafton Village, or in a grilled cheese sandwich with three-year cheddar, apples, and ham at MKT Cafe in Grafton. 

Yes, Vermont has a unique dish, such as the Apple Pie with Cheddar, which is a local twist on the classic dessert. The Vermont Apple Pie features a flaky double crust topped with a thick slice of warm, but not melted cheddar cheese. Apple Pie with Cheddar is widely recognized as a Vermont staple, and is available at Ray Allen’s Allenholm Farm in South Hero. The dish can also be found at various local spots that embrace Vermont’s farm-to-table culture.