In Vermont, from farm to plate is a hot food concept. The Red Farm to Plate, established through legislation in 2009, is a comprehensive collaboration of the state food system to improve the agricultural and food economy and double access to local food by 2020. It is the first of its kind in New England and the most comprehensive in the country. With state support and unity of purpose, entities in the food system, from food producers (farms) to restaurants (plates), take ownership and pride in the farm-to-plate movement.
Whether you call it farm to plate, field to fork, farm to table, or field to plate, in a Vermont restaurant, it generally means that the owners and chefs have direct purchasing relationships with local farmers, preparing menus based on In what’s seasonally fresh in Vermont, create shorter menus with a higher concentration of locally-raised, pasture-raised meat and use local produce first, followed by regional. Highly regarded farm-to-plate restaurants, most of which are owned by chefs, commonly identify local ingredient sources on their menus and websites.
Where do Vermonters go when they want to savor the best meals made with Vermont’s freshest ingredients? As you tour the Green Mountain State, look for one, or all, of these 12 local favorites that are dedicated to farm-to-plate cuisine.
01
of 12
Hen of the forest
Direction
92 Stowe St # 1117, Waterbury, VT 05676, EE. UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-244-7300
Web
Visit the website
Reservations are a must for chef-owner Eric Warnstedt’s tree-lined winery in an 1835 grinding mill, located just minutes off I-89 at Exit 10 in Waterbury. Dedicated to “serving seasonal American food to celebrate Vermont and Northeast farms,” Hen of the Wood sets the standard for farm-to-table dining. Warnstedt has been named a finalist for the James Beard Awards for Best Chef in the Northeast on several occasions. Dinner is served Tuesday through Saturday. A second hen of the woods debuted in late 2013 at the recently opened Hotel Vermont in Burlington. Dinner is served here every night.
02
of 12
Root the restaurant
Direction
55 Washington St, Rutland, VT 05701, EE. UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-747-7414
Web
Visit the website
Rutland is fast becoming a local food mecca, with one of the state’s leading agricultural and food networks connecting local businesses and social programs with possibly the most diverse collection of food producers in Vermont. Roots, a cozy downtown restaurant, serves traditional specialties filled with these various local ingredients. Lunch and dinner are available Tuesday through Sunday.
03
of 12
Lake Trattoria
Direction
95 Main St , Newport , VT 05855-6103 , EE . UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-334-8222
In the center of Vermont’s northernmost city, on the shores of Lake Memphremagog, Newport has experienced a culinary renaissance sparked by the Fresh By Nature campaign, which has transformed the city’s traditional restaurants into restaurants focused on the sustainability of the food system. Lago Trattoria is a good example of this trend, serving traditional Italian food from ‘field to table’. Open for dinner Monday through Saturday.
04
of 12
Juniper at the Wildflower Inn
Direction
2059 Darling Hill Rd, Lyndonville, VT 05851, EE. UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-626-8310
Web
Visit the website
On the outskirts of bustling Lyndonville, deep in the cracks of Vermont’s remote northeastern kingdom, the Wildflower Inn draws diners with its on-site restaurant: Juniper’s. Here, local meat (including some of the inn’s pasture-raised beef) is featured extensively on the menu, along with produce and specialty items from a variety of nearby farms. Dinner is served Tuesday through Saturday for both inn guests and the public.
05
of 12
The Downtown Grocery
Direction
41 S Depot St, Ludlow, VT 05149-1323, EE. UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-228-7566
Web
Visit the website
In Ludlow, the closest town to Okemo Mountain Resort, the best place to dine is not a grocery store, as the name implies, but a restaurant with chalkboard menus, chef and owner Rogan Lechthaler is prepared with farm ingredients in Innovative sauces and local meats cured in the cellar. Open every night for dinner except Tuesday and Wednesday and also for Sunday brunch.
06
of 12
Starry Night Café
Direction
5371 US-7, Ferrisburgh, VT 05456-9796, EE. UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-877-6316
Web
Visit the website
Cafes and Bistros
4.8
Chef Josh Krechel grew up in New Jersey, but embraced local farm ingredients when he moved to Vermont in 1998 and spent his first four years cooking at Shelburne Farms. Small seasonal menus were the staple from the beginning in 2000 when David Hugo opened this dimly lit and fairly remote cafe on a lonely stretch of Route 7. Dining rooms are open Wednesday through Sunday – always call ahead, since they often close for private events.
07
of 12
Michael is on the hill
Direction
4182 VT-100, Waterbury Center, VT 05677, EE. UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-244-7476
Web
Visit the website
Perched on the perfect knoll overlooking Route 100 between Waterbury and Stowe, Michael’s on the Hill served “locally driven” food before the phrase was off the plate. Swiss chef and owner Michael Kloeti artistically presents European-style cuisine, partnering with local food mainstays like Cold Hollow Cider Mill to create core-inspired seasonal dishes on the ‘Hill’ at Waterbury Center, Michael’s is open every night except Tuesday.
08
of 12
Farmhouse Tap & Grill
Direction
160 Bank St, Burlington, VT 05401, EE. UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-859-0888
Web
Visit the website
Burlington, Bohemian’s trendsetting queen city and Vermont’s most populous place, delivered a Big Mac to America’s corporate food industry when it kicked out the city’s only McDonald’s in 2007. Instead, a burger joint was opened. from Vermont. Farmhouse Tap & Grill, one block from Church Street Marketplace, serves up plump, juicy burgers from beef, pork, and turkey – the meat is grass-fed and locally raised. Veggie and black bean burgers are also on the menu. The beer selection is staggering, and while the line to get in can make you wince (reservations are taken for lunch but only for big dinner parties), it’s worth the wait. Lunch and dinner every day.
09
of 12
Bistro kitchen table
Direction
1840 W Main St , Richmond , VT 05477-9514 , EE . UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-434-8686
Cafes and Bistros
4.8
Inside a two-story vintage brick farmhouse once owned by Vermont’s first governor, diners find themselves in a culinary experience that exceeds farm-to-plate. You could call it a forest to plant! Foraged delicacies are creatively turned into main dishes, and the impressive array of food sources listed on the Kitchen Table Bistro website may just stun you. Located at the junction of Routes 2 and 17 in Richmond, it is a stone’s throw from one of many agricultural partners – Conant’s Sweet Corn. Open for dinner Tuesday through Saturday.
10
of 12
SoLo Farm & Table
Direction
95 Middletown Rd, South Londonderry, VT 05155, EE. UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-824-6327
Web
Visit the website
A girl from Vermont moved to New York City, and while working as a waitress, she met a Spanish chef with loads of praise. Luckily for Vermonters, she brought it home, and together they advanced the farm-to-table movement – that trend is even in the name of their restaurant. The high-class culinary prowess of the East Village positions SoLo de Genovarts as a powerhouse on the local food scene with a wine list to complement. Open for dinner Thursday through Monday.
eleven
of 12
The Gleanery
Direction
133 Main St , Putney , VT 05346 , EE . UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-387-3052
Web
Visit the website
Opened in the fall of 2012, the Gleanery puts another twist on the farm – meet its farmers and artisans. From the food to the tableware to the actual table displaying culinary creations, the local effort behind each is of equal importance. This café, dining room and gallery are open from Wednesday to Sunday for dinners and communions, as well as lunch from Wednesday to Saturday and Sunday brunch.
12
of 12
NECI in Hand
Direction
118 Main St , Montpelier , VT 05602-2908 , EE . UU.Get directions
Telephone
+1 802-223-3188
The golden dome of the state house shines over Vermont’s charming capital, home to progressive decisions made by collaborative government and the distinguished New England Culinary Institute (NECI). With an emphasis on farm-to-plate cooking skills, NECI turns out to be a promising innovator and steward of the land. Many remain in Vermont; Others venture into less sustainable-minded regions of the country, creatively introducing seasonal, local, and humanely raised foods into the pockets of America. Experience your culinary education first-hand at NECI on Main, the university’s signature restaurant in the center of Montpelier, serving lunch and dinner Tuesday through Saturday (dinner only in summer).
The farm-to-plate trend is all the rage at some of Vermont’s best restaurants, but it’s not so much about a cart as about chefs realizing their desire to cook what’s fresh, local, and in season. In Vermont, the groundwork is being laid for the local food industry to grow and become a sustainable economic force, and, with a wide range of restaurants embracing the farm-to-table philosophy, doubling the local food intake for 2020 is becoming an achievable and affordable goal. inspiring goal
