Get a Taste for Stowe, VT at These 6 Incredible Eateries
Snug at the foot of Mount Mansfield—the 4,395-foot crowning peak of the Green Mountains—Stowe, Vermont is one of the East’s signature mountain towns and outdoor-recreation hubs. And, needless to say, plenty of quality time spent on the local slopes of Stowe Mountain Resort and Spruce Peak—or hitting the extensive hiking and mountain-biking trails in the area—is going to work up one heck of an appetite.
Well, here’s the good news: This lively ski village punches well above its weight (in terms of population) when it comes to really great grub. Here’s a roundup of some of the best Stowe restaurants to help you plan your 100 Collection escape to the Ski Capital of the East!
Idletyme Brewery & Restaurant
1859 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT
No question the excellent craft beer—drawing deeply from venerable European brewing traditions, but weaving in a great deal of homegrown New England/Vermont influence as well—is a prime draw at Idletyme, the brainchild of brewmaster Will Gilson. But the elevated tavern-style cuisine, seasonally informed and pulling heavily from local sources, holds its own nicely against those fine-tuned suds with a nice selection of shareable appetizers, salads, sandwiches, burgers, and meat/seafood/pasta entrées.
The gorgeous Idletyme Brewery & Restaurant property itself boasts deep Stowe roots, having lived such previous incarnations as Foster’s Cider Mill, Camp Idletyme, and, most recently, the Shed Restaurant.
Backyard
395 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT
A friendly locals’ atmosphere reliably pervades at “the Yard,” which specializes in unpretentious but varied—and legit soul-nourishing—pub grub as well as a fine range of libations, from local Green Mountain State craft brews to specialty cocktails.
Whether you’re making new friends at the bar or going the al fresco route in the outside-seating area, you can tuck into such crowd-pleasing appetizers as popcorn chicken, fried Brussels sprouts, duck won-tons, corn ribs, and tater tots (plus sundry spins on thereof). Those set the stage for a main course that tends to be just what the doctor ordered (so to speak): from tacos to an assortment of burgers worth writing home about.
Harrison’s Restaurant
25 Main St., Stowe, VT
Right in the heart of the village, Harrison’s Restaurant is one of Stowe’s quintessential eateries: an upscale joint infused with Green Mountain ambience (fireplace, wood beams, etc.) and serving classy, seasonal American Fusion-style cuisine.
From appetizers such as mussels, truffle fries, smoked trout dip, and a lavish cheese board to lobster mac-&-cheese, mushroom ravioli, steak, venison, the Wagyu burger, and other entrées, Harrison’s—which offers inside, bar, and patio seating—checks all the boxes.
Salute
18 Edson Hill Rd, Stowe, VT
Tried-and-true, warm-hearted Italian fare anchored by delectable wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza and focaccia, plus a smorgasbord of different pastas, makes Salute another of the beloved Stowe restaurants—often delivering exactly what one’s hankering for fresh off the ski slopes or a summit hike. The wine selection is also very much a noteworthy draw.
The Bench
492 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT
The Bench makes good use of its wood-fired oven: for everything from scallops, mussels, and nachos to an across-the-board lineup of pizzas. Operating with the mission to supply, in its words, “Vermont Comfort Food,” this happy, down-home bar and grill has an admirably wide-ranging menu in that spirit, from poutine and wings to sandwiches, tacos, fish-and-chips, burgers, and a variety of meat, salmon, and vegetarian mains.
Doc Ponds
294 Mountain Rd, Stowe, VT
Brought to you by the team behind Waterbury’s lauded farm-to-table restaurant Hen of the Woods, Doc Ponds is a fun, funky watering hole: a place where spinning LPs soundtrack wetting your whistle and digging into thoughtfully made bar eats.
Those include winners such as smash burgers and falafel, plus such starters as Vermont Cheddar Fritters and marinated mushrooms. And there’s a topnotch selection of beer, wine, cider, and other adult bevvies (not to mention non-alcoholic drinks) on offer. Bear in mind this place can be busy and it might take awhile to get a seat, but it’s worth the wait!
Explore the Best Restaurants in Stowe, VT From the Perfect Vacation Rental
Thanks to the stellar inventory of vacation rentals managed by our 100 Collection partner Stowe Resort Homes—a labor-of-love kind of business run by Missy and Tom Burgess—you’ll have an ideal launchpad for not only enjoying the all-season outdoor pleasures this mountain village specializes in, but also its crave-worthy cuisine. (Some of Missy and Tom's go-to establishments are on our list, by the way.)
From ski-in, ski-out condos to hillside estates, explore all of your Stowe getaway accommodations—backed up by the 100 Collection’s lofty standards of excellence.
