Calling all Foodies!
Installment two of our Addison County Summertime To-Do List is the one for you! This week we’re dishing up the ingredients for your most delicious summer yet! From creemees, to outdoor dining hotspots, local brewers/distillers/vineyards, to the best stocked farmer’s markets – check out IPJ Real Estate’s suggestions to tempt the taste buds!
Disclaimer** We’ve got a theme going here which does not include straight-up dining recommendations. The many incredible eateries in Addison County that simply do not fit into the parameters we’ve outlined here are hot spots for fantastic food that you must not forget in planning your summer excursions - Starry Night in Ferrisburgh, Tourtourelle in New Haven, and Middlebury’s newest addition, the Arcadian and Haymaker Bun Company duo, come to mind!
BEST OUTDOOR EATERIES:
Otter Creek Bakery in Middlebury – it doesn’t matter that it’s adjacent to the roundabout, you’ve got a view of downtown in three directions and that’s just fun! Order at the counter for breakfast, lunch, and tasty treats, and then take a seat street-side!
Café Provence in Brandon – it’s hard to go wrong with this celebrated menu of French-inspired farm-to-table foods; lay witness to Brandon’s downtown transformation from Café Provence’s extended seating area perched above street level.
Paddler’s Pub in Salisbury is a staple in the warmer months – right on Lake Dunmore, arrive by car or boat, and spend a leisurely evening in the setting sun!
Vergennes is chock full of street-side seating – try 3 Squares Cafe for breakfast and lunch, Park Squeeze for casual dining in the evening, or Black Sheep Bistro for a French-inspired dinner menu. The charm of Main Street in the Little City brings joy!
BEST SUMMER COCKTAILS:
Mary’s Restaurant @ the Inn at Baldwin Creek, Bristol – always an inspired cocktail menu (as well as a fantastic dining menu). Lounge in Adirondack chairs across the lawns, or enjoy the summer breeze if you snag a seat in the “summer kitchen”.
Bar Antidote, Vergennes – always a great experience, Bar Antidote serves up an intelligent menu that goes way beyond delectable cocktails.
In Middlebury, Two Brothers Tavern and sister restaurant downstairs, Notte Neapolitan Pizza Bar, are the go-to’s for their star-studded drink menus.
If you happen to be reading this before Friday, June 21, visit Stonecutter Spirits on Exchange Street in Midd, for their 4th Annual Back Patio Party (starts at 5pm) – sure to be an awesome cocktail experience! Visit Stonecutter’s website and social media – they are always mixing up some brilliant event so even if you miss this one, there will be many more!
HAND-CRAFTED BREWS & SPIRITS:
Hired Hand Brewing Company in Vergennes for local food, craft brews, and indoor/outdoor seating.
Shacksbury – the Shacksbury Cidery and Tasting Room is located at 11 Main Street in Vergennes. These guys have a great business going, and some pretty tasty product you’ll want to take home for your summer picnicking and back yard barbeques!
Bobcat Café and Brewery in Bristol is not only a hotspot for locals but a destination visit for many. You’ll love the ambiance and local cheer.
Heard of the Middlebury Tasting Trail? Seven producers within 3 miles for award-winning beer, wine, cider and spirits, including Lincoln Peak Vineyard, Woodchuck Hard Cider, Stonecutter Spirits, Appalachian Gap Distillery, Otter Creek Brewing, Drop-In Brewing Company and a final stop at Windfall Orchard in Cornwall. Aficionados - plan a weekend to cover your ground responsibly (and leave room in your vehicle - the Midd Tasting Trail will send you home with a whole summer’s worth of libations!)
Have you visited Red Clover Ale Co. in Brandon? Another testament to Brandon’s transformation, this newly opened distillery is right in the heart of downtown, on Center Street. Stop in and let us know what you think!
COLD CONFECTIONS:
lu lu, of course! – in the heart of Vergennes you’ll find small batch artisan ice cream, many made with locally sourced ingredients, in the most delectable of flavors (they also serve coffee – don’t miss the affagato w/maple soft serve!). You will not be disappointed here!
Goodies Snack Bar – Route 17, Addison – stop in for a creemee while you’re passing through the area. Their reputation extends far and wide! Pair with a day trip across the Champlain Bridge to the Crown Point State Historic Site!
Cookie Love, North Ferrisburgh – a convenient stop on Route 7 and winner of the “Best Creemee” Seven Daisies award in 2018 (that’s a truly coveted accolade!) …don’t forget to take home some cookies!
Newly opened in Brandon is Eis Co., next to the Brandon Inn at 22 Park St. – we’ve heard they offer maple creemees and (famed!) Wilcox Ice Cream in an old-fashioned soda shop environment; let us know if you enjoyed your visit; as the Brandon community has so successfully rallied together around downtown improvements, you’ll find some exciting changes like these, in what is shaping up to be a truly lovely (and forever charming) town center!
FARMER’S MARKETS & FOOD EVENTS:
Middlebury Farmer’s Market – every Saturday, and as of June 19th add Wednesdays as well, through October, at 530 Exchange Street, 9am – 12:30pm
Bristol Farmer’s Market – Saturdays, 11 – 2pm, June through October, on the Village Green
Vergennes Farmer’s Market has moved back to the Town Green this year! Visit Thursdays, 3 – 6:30pm
Brandon Farmer’s Market – Fridays, 9am – 2pm, at Estabrook Park, just north of downtown
Foodaroo! – such a great time! Visit the Marble Works on Sunday, June 23rd for food trucks and vendors, great busking, and live music. In its 5th year, this annual event has grown quickly and with great enthusiasm from locals!
Vergennes Strawberry Festival, Monday June 24 at the Vergennes City Park, 6 – 8pm. Strawberry shortcake and the Vergennes Union High School orchestra will be entertaining! It’s a late year for the strawberry harvest, and never too early to celebrate the summer season!
ACORN’s Tour de Farms – September 21st this year, and once again a wonderful way to see and experience local farm producers first-hand and by bicycle. This well-organized biking tour guides you to 4 – 8 farms in the Vergennes, Ferrisburgh and Charlotte area, with plenty of sampling, entertainment, and food and beverage to purchase at every stop (vans will carry your purchases along the trail and hand them over at day’s end!).
Whew! Another installment chock full of suggestions for a summer of good eatin! Enjoy! And please, let us know if you've got favorites we should add, if you visit any of these great new places Brandon is offering up. We're all about good food, good drink, and great times in Addison County, and always appreciate your input!
Until next time,
the IPJ Team