A Fancy Night Out
Prince and Pauper in Woodstock
My husband and I went here for our anniversary this year. The atmosphere is cozy, rustic, and romantic. The food and service were excellent. You could order off a fixed price menu or a la carte. I ordered off the fixed price and thought it was a great deal! I had a mozzarella and tomato salad as a starter; an amazing mushroom soup; duck, which was nice and crispy; and a pumpkin ginger mousse cake, which was delactable. They use local ingredients when possible and I could really tell with the creamy mozzarella and ripe tomato (I’m a tomato snob). I would highly recommend this restaurant.
Simon Pearce in Quechee
I love, love Simon Pearce. Lunch, dinner, doesn’t matter. A beautiful view anytime of year, amazing food, and excellent service. If you’ve never had the Vermont cheddar soup as an appetizer – you gotta try it! I also love the strawberry walnut merinque dessert they have so light and delicious. They frequently change their menu so you can go multiple times if you wanted and never get bored. This is one of the best restaurants in the Upper Valley, if not the best.
Marshland Farms in Quechee
Pine Restaurant at Hanover Inn
The Pine Restaurant is right off the green in Hanover in the Hanover Inn. They have a variety of items on their menu and add unique touches to dishes: foie gras, truffles, pepitas and more. One local raved, “Justin is always coming up with new and unique dishes!” They even do to-go meals (even for Thanksgiving).
Carpenter and Main in Norwich
I was on the menu page and right away saw an item that caught my eye: avacado fries with sweet and sour dipping sauce. Wow! I think it’s really neat you can get a variety of smaller plates like Moroccan meatballs with tomato glaze, sweet potato fried pie with cucumber yogurt dip, asparugus muffin with red pepper and parmesan, and more. This reminds me of a Moroccan restaurant I went to in England. You can also get entrees like trout or chickpea and eggplant stew with artichoke turnover. A creative and appealing place to eat for sure!
Ariana’s in Orford
I don’t like mussels but man the P.E.I mussels with lemongrass, conconut, and cilantro sure do sound fabulous! Whether you like meat or are a vegetarian, Ariana’s has you covered: choose from selections like stuffed chicken breast or vegan curried rice. The most unique feature is the chef’s tasting dinner. The chef will make a 5-6 course meal with items on hand tailored to the customer’s tastes. Check out their menu here. Children welcome.
Peyton Place in Orford
Peyton has a tavern with quiet candlelit dining and a dining room with tall ceilings for a more social atmosphere. Enjoy cuisines from around the world like Vietnamese shrimp and potato cakes, chorizo dumplings, chimichanga, lobster ravioli, crab, and beef wellington. I particularly like how the menu has pictures of all the items.
Lincoln Inn in Woodstock, VT
This restaurant has received rave reviews and was voted top 10 restaurants in 2016 by Forbes Magazine. Impressive! They source their ingredients locally whenever possible and have a globally inspired menu. Their chef is Michelin Star trained too. They do one dinner seating for a gourmet fixed price menu of $55 pp. Sorbert/icecream as a palate starter like bloody mary sorbet or baby arugala basil ice cream. Enjoy mushroom and rabbit fricassee, maple leaf duck, and more. For a truly world class dining experience like a big city would offer, this looks like the place to go.
Great Food – More Relaxed Atmosphere
Samauri Soulfood in Fairlee
Asian fusion and creative takes on traditional fare. People rave about this restaurant! Try the mac and cheese quesidillas, tuna tacos, lobster rangoon, house special fried chicken, and more. Menu here.
Parker House in Quechee
Oh my. French fries with cumin aoli, Moroccan meatballs with pomegranate syrup, New England clambake, seabass with a lemon and sundried tomato risotto. Can I have them all? This is a nice balance of traditional fare with creative flavor combinations and some international cuisine too. This is definitely on my to-go-to list! For more of their menu selection click here.
Latham Tavern in Lyme
The Latham Tavern has excellent food in a pub/tavern atmosphere. People say the ambience is relaxing, rustic, and lovely.
Beyond upper valley
The Courthouse in Newport
I’ve been here multiple times for dinner and their Sunday brunch and never had a bad meal. Enjoy a leisurely meal from their seasonal menu and relax. I really enjoy this restaurant.
Suna in Sunapee
Enjoy traditional favorites and some unique options. Smoked gouda tator tots, crispy orange chicken, lobster mac an cheese and more. See their menu here.
Burdicks in Walpole
Enjoy French cuisine at Burdick’s. Steak fries, trout meuniere, roasted chicken, and more. See their menu here.
Colatina Exit in Bradford, VT
Colatina Exit is an Italian restaurant in Bradford. Enjoy traditional pastas, calzones, and other Italian specialities. Check out the restaurant’s menu.
