My husband and I love this place. Pete always has a great wine to recommend, and the food is…read moredelicious as well. We always run into local people we know and have an enjoyable time. It is a great date night outing.

We (three adults) went to Brix on a whim after the Vermont State Fair. We did a quick Google search…read moreof restaurants in the area and the menu looked good. We left so glad that we picked it! The restaurant is small with a limited number of high tops inside, a bar, and a few tables outside. The decorations and vibes are adorable. We were impressed from start to finish. Peter, our waiter, was friendly and chatty (without being too chatty), which we really appreciated, and he definitely nailed small-town Vermont charm. One of us ordered the Salty Chihuahua drink. It was tasty and very well priced. One of us started with a small green salad which was loaded with olives and feta- yum!! There was not a single bite of food that wasn't delicious. It blew us away. We ordered three entrees: chicken sliders, grande salad, and a special: the summer squash skillet, which we added meatballs to. We will be talking about and figuring out what was in those meatballs for years to come. The dishes were on the smaller side, but the prices reflect the amazing quality of the food. We are three New Yorkers with lots of opinions and high standards when it comes to what we eat. Brix exceeded those standards. We have a ski condo on Stratton and don't often make the drive into Rutland, but any time we do, it's guaranteed we will be eating at Brix.

My second visit to Mystico Cucina Italiana, and somehow it was just as impressive -- if not better…read more-- than the first. Consistency like this is rare, and it says everything about the standards they keep. I started with the Pomegranate Granita Oysters, and wow. Bright, refreshing, unbelievably fresh, and balanced perfectly. They were the kind of oysters you slow down for because you don't want the bite to end. I ordered the duck ragu again because I couldn't stop thinking about it from my last visit -- and once again, absolute perfection. Rich, comforting, layered with flavor, and yes... I cleaned the plate spotless. Not a drop left behind. From the hospitality to the execution of every dish, everything about this restaurant screams class, quality, and a superb dining experience. The team makes you feel welcome, the food exceeds expectations, and you leave already planning your next reservation. Manchester is lucky to have a place like this.

We heard really good things about Mystic Restaurant in Manchester Center, VT. We were in town and…read morewanted to give it a try. I had the Rigatoni Alla Carbonara. My friend had the Bucatini Cacio E Pepe. He said his dish was fine. Mine, on the other hand, was pasta coated in this thick orange paste (no sauce), which was absolutely tasteless (no exaggeration). It's as if they didn't even taste it for seasonings. I asked for salt. They offered to remake it, but I opted to try to make it edible adding my own seasoning. With quite a bit of salt, it was "ok", but the consistency left a lot to be desired. I probably should have sent it back and ordered a salad. A restaurant is only as good as it's food. Two stars is the best I could give them. The atmosphere was nice, and the service was good. But the food...

You're in the very suburban town of Lebanon, New Hampshire. You've got everything that you need at…read moreyour fingertips but maybe you're looking to enjoy wine or sip a cocktail at a place with more of an urban edge. Drive 5 minutes over the state line to Putnam's in White River Junction, Vermont for that sommelier-staffed experience. Love the ambience and rigorous focus on elevated, quality ingredients, at Putnam's. They have a corkboard-covered 3-ring binder menu which is aptly named a Field Guide. Trust me, this name is earned by the Tasting Notes alone. The field guide is like a thesis for advanced Upper Valley sippers, Vermont or not. If you forgot your book or paper, just saddle up to the Putnam's Field Guide. You'll find an elaborate offering of editorial descriptions of beverages from wine to martinis (6 kinds) to beer and whiskey (one from Japan). Btw, it's rare to find a wine bar that doubles as a gorgeous coffeehouse serving pastries, espresso-based drinks, teas and breakfast sandwiches on weekends. I'm looking forward to enjoying them sometime if I'm back. The offering at Putnam's Vineyard rotates seasonally, so I will describe what was there on my visits. Visit their website for updated menu surprises. As for the evening and weekends Fall menu, they call their offering Picnic Food. It's a modest title for an extensive offering of appetizers and a few sandwiches. Think fancied-up olives, pretzels, Brazilian cheese puffs, a craft beer mix, 2 melty sammies with Vermont cheeses (1 with turkey, the other veggies), beet and chevre arancini, dips and a vast selection of desserts. Vermont cheeses, apricots, Marcona almonds, dried apricots and crostini are looking divine on the cheese board. Oh, and there's also Superbon Madrid potato chips with Osetra caviar and a mini spirit of Gaston Chiquet champagne. Just saying. There is also a weekend brunch menu with bagels and egg sandwiches. As for the wine, I recommend a flight at Putmam's. In the fall season, these flight offerings were named: the Bella Blanca Wine Flight, the Falling Leaves Mixed Wine Flight, Fireside Reds Red Wine Flight, The Forgotten Bunches Mixed Wine Flight and the almighty and an unforgettable Sparkler Flight. In this flight, I slowly savoured 3 wine sparklers at $25 total. (And no, I cannot spell savour without a "u.") These wine flights are a true value. And here are the wines in the sparkler flight: 1.) Cava 2021 by Avinyó 2.) Crémant de Bourgogne Sparkling Brut Rosé NV by Albert Bichot 3.) Lambrusco by Villa Castellazo ROTA The Cava is everything. All three were delightful and I showed up needing warm fuzzies on an evening where there was live music so the total experience was extra lovely. There is also a whiskey flight! The coffee and craft beverages selection for the fall/winter menu includes a nitro cold brew, a brown butter latte with Maldon sea salt and biscotti and a FROLA New Orleans style cold brew slushie with maple syrup and coconut cream. To any craft and coffee beverage you can add Vermont Ice Cream Coffee Liqueur or Whistle Pig Piggy Back Bourbon. Yes, please. If you are making a trip of it, catch the local bbq joint across the way from Putnam's at lunch and then visit the wine bar for drinks. Layer up, because I've been nippy there twice, and then linger over one delightful beverage after the next. Oh, and there is a charming wine shop at Putnam's with handmade gifts to peruse, as well.

Simply the coolest hot spot in this little nook of Vermont. Arriving on a Sunday night, the outside…read moreof this fabulous old depot building looks like it's abandoned. But oh the speakeasy that lies within! Follow it around to the "secret" entrance and you are welcomed in with an impressive industrial chic meets garden / exotic jungle atmosphere. Little nooks of seating areas with their own unique feel. Cannot overstate the oozing charm of this large space that manages to create cozy corners. Friendly service, generous cheese board, a gift shop selection of sassy souvenirs. There is only goodness to be found here in the vine/yard. One of best hidden gems we have ever discovered.

Sweet , calm ambiance. That ambiance that makes you want to pull a good book out and read it , with…read moreyour hot cup of tea or coffee. This is that place, cozy and filled of kind staff.

Great lunch spot with healthy food choices. I got the sesame noodles with chicken in a wrap and it…read morewas delicious. My friend got an avocado toast with sliced boiled eggs on top and enjoyed it also. Devoured an almond cookie dipped in chocolate for dessert. So yummy. Pretty artwork on walls of cute dining areas. Friendly service too.

This place opened up recently on College St. My husband first spotted it driving by one day and…read moremade a note for us to go check it out. I'm very glad we did. We were warmly greeted, and they inquired if we were there for a table/bar seating, or the retail shop. We sat at the bar, and there were other customers at tables enjoying a glass and engrossed in conversation. They offer a small snack menu, along with a selection of wines, and they have a good knowledge and will provide counsel on the options. We ordered the ricotta toast and the lonzo, a ham similar to prosciutto. Both were delicious! The lonzo comes with a drizzle of quality olive oil on top, and a sprinkle of salt, and a dab of mustard. The ricotta toast (no pic sorry) was also tasty. The space leans to industrial loft, but is warm and invites conversations and relaxation. The shop also has a retail space, and a monthly wine club subscription is an option. It is separated from the restaurant, but not a quirk of their shop, but archaic Vermont liquor laws. We decide to subscribe and picked up our first selections to take home.

Perfect in so many ways! Beautiful space, kind and knowledgable folks, amazing natural wines and…read morewell-designed small plates menu. We sat at the bar for glasses of wine with lots of treats: a bowl of yummy olives, fancy tinned fish, bresaola, mind-blowing new award-winning blue cheese from Jasper Hill (withersbrook) and a cherry, tomato, almond, burratini salad...all served with slices of excellent bread. Perfect accompaniments to each plate: lemon and garlic with the fish, cherry conserves with the cheese, etc... We'll be back again and again, with friends in tow.

Always my go to place for a healthy, locally sourced, and relaxing dinner…read more They have really good steak and duck if you want some local cuisine. I definitely recommend this place if you're in the area.

A shell of its former glory…read more I grew up hearing my parents rave about this place, they were nearly regulars a few years ago at their old location. I tried my brothers steak and we both agreed it was the most unique tasting steak we'd ever had in a bad way. My mom ordered a dish that came with rice and it seemed as if it was a type of quick/instant rice and her meal wasn't enjoyable. She said the quality went downhill from previous years. I ordered the duck, and I could hardly cut it, it wasn't tender, it was extremely chewy and the flavor was almost tasteless and what I could taste wasn't good. The sides were better than the duck sadly. My little brothers got burgers and fries and I will say the fries easily best the rest of the food with their salt and skins still on. The prices are steep and are comparable to other "fancy" middle tier restaurants, another side note all of our dishes for 6 people came out within 10 minutes which says something. I wish our experience was different.

Diner beware~ check…read moreyour receipt, before you pay. an 18% "house service" charge was itemized, in the middle of the entrees. (it may have been printed on the bottom, on the menu?) It is on line. The explanation we received is that it covers all the different staff pooled. With "an option" to add an addition tip for 'excellent service'. (you could end up with 40%)

Went here with five friends for dinner. Huge disappointment…read more First of all, if you're going to have a dinner menu with only three entrees- A) You should have one vegetarian option B) The food better be good. Neither was true. I had the burger. How do you mess up a burger? The supermarket-style bun was burnt, the patty was dry as a bone. One friend had the pork ravioli and didn't finish it. (We're talking a 6'5" guy who had been skiing all day). Another friend had the clam linguine and also didn't finish it. The servings were not large. The wine was overpriced. The menus were paper. Just a pretentious rip-off. I recommend The Foundry instead.

Sunday night pasta night was fantastic. Good drinks, pasta was really really well done and solid…read moreservice all around.

Unique outdoor seating on what's called the " Patio" but is actually a large barn-like covered bar/…read morerestaurant area out in what is a backyard space. Service is efficient and friendly and the pizza is amazing ! It was chilly eating outdoors at night ... so bring your sweatshirt to dine at this unique eatery!

The waitress was lovely. The pounding music was too much; considering everyone in the dining room…read morewas over 50, I don't think it added to anyone's dining pleasure. The paté/terrine (pork and maybe duck or rabbit?) would have been perfect, with big chunks of pork and nicely done, had it not been for the salt content. WAY too much salt. Had it been served with plain fresh bread, it would have been less noticeable. The bread is $12 ! I'm sure the butter that comes with it is great but I did not order it. I might have, at $6. The beet salad was good, not exceptional. The wine pours are very short. We were disappointed.

I love this cozy little wine bar. I've always admired it from the outside for the vines slowly…read moreclimbing the brick, but finally making it inside was a treat. When you walk in, you're greeted by a friendly hostess and the vibe is awesome for a date night or evening with friends Wine selections- love them. It's enough that you have choices without being overwhelmed. I opted for the Sangiovese and I'm currently trying to figure out who sells it where I live since we're just visiting Burlington! They also have a cava from a vineyard that I walked by in Spain a few summers ago so they're selling the good stuff. We ordered the bread and butter which I originally felt was elevated pricing but we felt the butter made it worth it. Meatballs were good but not my favorite of all time. Loved the pasta dish. It's truly homemade and as a pasta maker myself, you can tell that a lot of effort goes into it. Service was wonderful with attentive people who are happy to share their favorites with you. We would definitely come back for either dinner or some small bites and wine!

Was very pleased to finally make it to Foley Brothers Brewery in Brandon, VT. My sister and I sat…read moreoutside on a beautiful fall afternoon and shared a table with some new friends. We had a very pleasant time sipping and chatting. Jane got a sampler, as per her usual, this time all dark beers. She particularly liked the Gingerbread Stout and Long Beard's Oatmeal Stout. I had a Grumpy Wench-a delicious NEIPA. We shared a pretzel. Restrooms are interesting. Parking can be tricky, but manageable. Looking forward to returning.

What a nice place that's tucked away in the woods. Very family oriented as the owner was…read morecelebrating his birthday with his family while we were there. They have a cozy tasting room and a delicious selection of wines and beers ( I bought the pieces of 8). Afterwards, you can cozy up under their heat lamps and soak in the atmosphere.