(Published in 7 Nights 2009-10)

For folks who haven’t had the pleasure of exploring the Italian countryside, it’s possible to dine at Pane e Salute without sampling a single familiar dish. 

At the eight-table eatery — which blends cool, modern décor with a few rustic touches — the menu is based on “heirloom” recipes that Caleb Barber and Deirdre Heekin have gathered during their annual travels to “il bel paese.” 

(Published in 7 Nights 2009-10)

When bars advertise they’ve got “rock,” they’re usually talking about music.

At McGrath’s Pub, in an inn on Pico Mountain, they mean it literally: The dining room and pub are built around a massive boulder.

If you worship succulent organic strawberries, mark June 28 on your calendar. In addition to acres of pick-your-own strawberries, Cedar Circle Farm hosts an annual strawberry festival with live music, a barbeque with stone-fired pizza, and all the strawberry shortcake you can eat. Situated along the Connecticut River in East Thetford, it’s a sweet spot on a sweet summer day.

(Published in 7 Nights 2008-09)

(Published in 7 Nights 2005-06)

(Published in 7 Nights 2008-09)

Stepping into Mr. Pickwick's at Ye Olde England Inne in Stowe is like entering an alternate universe, in which plaid carpets become a sensible decorating choice and dishes influenced by the Raj cozy up with classic English cuisine. The place has a masculine feel, reminiscent of an upscale hunting lodge, and servers approach with formal civility, more "English country house" than "Vermont casual."

(Published in 7 Nights 2004-05)

(Published in 7 Nights 2005-06)

Before last July, Brandon was best known for its downtown truck traffic problem. Now the little burg between Middlebury and Rutland is on the map for its moules marinières.

(Published in 7 Nights 2006-07)

The Blue Benn and Miss Lyndonville may get more press, but when you're seeking swivel stools and sausage gravy in the heart of Rutland County, Castleton's art-deco Birdseye Diner is what's for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Locals, students and summer people all patronize the lovingly restored 1940s "Silk City" eatery on Main Street, with its bright orange neon sign and chrome-and-porcelain detailing.

(Published in 7 Nights 2008-09)
Back Home Again Café, food is a religion — literally. The group that runs the café is part of an international Christian sect known as the Twelve Tribes Communities. Its bearded men and make-up-free women look a bit like Amish hippies as they submit to perpetual kitchen duty for Christ.