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Good To Know, Good To Go

Sometimes it the simple things that help you get the most out of a weekend. Where to get the morning paper, the best breakfast spot, where to have cocktails before dinner, what to do after dinner? We ask ourselves “what do you need to know? And then we go out and find the answers for you. "Good To Know" helps you experience the destination like a local.

Food & Drink

Breakfast

McCarthy’s. Their own bakery, fresh Mansfield Valley Poultry Eggs, the best Cob Smoked Bacon you’ll ever have and creative daily specials like Pumpkin Pancakes all add up the Best Breakfast spot in Stowe. If you happen to be there on St. Patrick’s Day, you’ll get a great surprise, ask them about it.

Lunch/Brunch

Three choices for great views; Norma’s at the Topnotch Resort has a delightful lunch menu and spectacular views of the valley and mountains. Try the porcini dusted fries with garlic aioli. Take the Gondola up to the top of the mountain to the recently renovated Cliff House and enjoy vistas of the entire area. Or, if you enjoy German and Austrian food, try the Austrian Tea Room at Trapp Family Lodge. The view here is the same as the one in The Sound of Music movie and the goulash and wursts are delicious.


For cozy and warm, I love The Whip at the Green Mountain Inn in the village. Roaring fireplaces, intimate booths, great soups and sandwiches. In warmer weather there is also a delightful patio. In the space formally occupied by the The Swisspot
is the new (2009) Frida's offering authentic Mexican food with killer guacamole, great margarita's and an extensive selection of tequilas.

Burger

The Shed. 1st prize winner of the “Best in Stowe” Burger and Ski Magazine’s “Greatest Brew N. America, #1 in the East” for its own Shed Mountain Ale. This restaurant, pub and brewery has been a favorite for many years. Enjoy the cozy pub in winter or the peaceful patio in summer. Great appetizers and sammies like smoked turkey, Vermont Cheddar and Granny Smith apples. The decadent blueberry-apple crumble is delicious. Don’t forget to try their Microbrew Sampler. It’s right on the Mountain Road and right next to the Recreation Path.

Apres Ski

The bar at Spruce Peak has a good selection of beers and makes a delicious hot cider with rum and tuaca. Come down off the mountain and stop at The Matterhorn, the choice for most after a day on the slopes. Great beers, live entertainment, sushi bar, outside grilling when the weather permits and wonderful creekside views.

Appetizers

Want a little something before dinner or late afternoon? Oliver’s on the Mountain Road has a wonderful tapas menu with three different size plates.  Across from the harvest market.

The Matterhorn, on the Mountain Road, has a full sushi bar.

Cocktails

Here's my favorites for a drink before dinner; The Tavern at the Stowe Inn, just outside of town,  has a delightful bar in a three tier restaurant. You can have drinks on the patio or up at the bar overlooking the creek. Brian, formerly of The Olde England Inn, is a great addition at the bar. Topnotch's Butternut Pub is warm and cozy on a winter night and the bar in the restaurant, Norma's has great mountain views and a killer martini menu.