Best Dining in Vermont | 2016 Editors’ Choice Awards

Wondering where to eat in Vermont? The Green Mountain offers plenty of restaurant options for hungry residents and visitors alike. Here are our picks for the best dining in Vermont for 2016.

Best Diner: P&H Truck Stop, Wells River Truckers really do stop here for a shower, a snooze, and great road food.  Breads are freshly baked, desserts are homemade, and all the traditional favorites are served up in trucker-size portions. Entrées: from $8.99. 2886 U.S. Route 302. 802-429-2141; pandhtruckstop.com Best Deck Dining: Shona Grill, Bellows Falls Order up a grass-fed-beef burger with caramelized onions and blue cheese and snag a table overlooking the river. Feeling piggish? How about an order of hog wings (lightly fried and sauced pork shanks)? Beef burger: from $9.50. 92 Rockingham St. 802-460-1200; shonagrill.com Best Seafood: Anchor Seafood House & Grille, Wilmington Fried whole-belly clams, New England sea scallops, and a bucket of Maine steamers in Vermont? They’re just a few of the many fresh seafood dishes served at this casual spot, where prime rib holds its own on weekends. Grab a table on the outdoor porch. Entrées: from $17. 8 South Main St. 802-464-2112; anchorseafoodrestaurant.com Best Brunch: 158 Main, Jeffersonville The breakfast-and-brunch menu at this homey local favorite is encyclopedic: 14 omelets (not counting “build your own”); seven variations on eggs Benedict; hearty options such as corned-beef hash, biscuits and gravy, and pancakes layered with sausage patties. Breakfasts: from $4. 158 Main St. 802-644-8100; 158main.com Best Mountaintop Dining: The Cliff House Restaurant, Stowe Ride the Stowe Mountain Resort Gondola to this chic bistro tucked under the “Nose” of Mount Mansfield for spectacular views and creative New American fare. Entrées: from $16. 5781 Mountain Road. 802-253-4754; stowe.com Best Farm-to-Table Dining: Red Clover Inn & Restaurant, Mendon Red Clover uses the state’s abundant bounty to its utmost. Among the standouts: venison-stuffed quail and sweetbreads with smoked bacon and house-made fettuccine. Entrées: from $24. 7 Woodward Road. 802-775-2290; redcloverinn.com Best Lunch: Martone’s Market & Café, Essex Junction Vermonters consistently vote this small brickfront eatery the best place around for homemade soups, salads, and fresh subs and sandwiches piled high with top-quality meats, cheeses, and crisp vegetables. Sandwiches: from $7.50. 16 Main St. 802-878-8163; martonesmarket.com Best Ice Cream: Mountain Creamery, Woodstock Upstairs, have a slice of “mile-high” apple pie with a scoop of the Creamery’s vanilla. Downstairs, enjoy a homemade waffle cone with great flavors such as Myers rum raisin, Vermont maple–walnut, and brownie à la mode. 33 Central St. 802-457-1715; mountaincreameryvt.com

Best Ethnic Food: Derby Line Village Inn, Derby Line Austrian chef Fritz Halbedl has brought 35 years of experience to this elegant mansion. The menu reflects the hearty flavors of central Europe: goulash soup, sauerbraten, wiener schnitzel, and house-smoked wursts. Entrees: from $18. 440 Main St. 802-873-5071; derbylinevillageinn.com Best BYOB: ToKai-Tei, Chester Chef Michiko Yoshida-Hunter prepares Japanese specialties such as soft-shell crab tempura, unagi kabayaki (broiled freshwater eel), and Hawaiian ceviche of tuna. Overnight lodging is available at the on-site Old Town Farm Inn. Entrées: from $23. 665 Route 10. 888-232-1089; otfi.com Best Sweet Shop: Middlebury Sweets, Middlebury A tempting array: old-time penny candies, gummies, 21 colors of M&Ms, 72 flavors of Jelly Belly beans, and homemade chocolates. 12 Ossie Road. 802-388-4518; middleburysweets.com Best BBQ: Curtis’ All American Barbecue, Putney For more than 40 years this outdoor favorite has served up some of the best ribs and chicken north of Dixie and time-honored Southern sides, too. Entrées: from $8.59. 7 Putney Landing Road. 802-387-5474; curtisbbqvt.com Best Diner: P&H Truck Stop, Wells River Truckers really do stop here for a shower, a snooze, and great road food. Breads are freshly baked, desserts are homemade, and all the traditional favorites are served up in trucker-size portions. Entrées: from $8.99. 2886 U.S. Route 302. 802-429-2141; pandhtruckstop.com Best Deck Dining: Shona Grill, Bellows Falls Order up a grass-fed-beef burger with caramelized onions and blue cheese and snag a table overlooking the river. Feeling piggish? How about an order of hog wings (lightly fried and sauced pork shanks)? Beef burger: from $9.50. 92 Rockingham St. 802-460-1200; shonagrill.com Best Seafood: Anchor Seafood House & Grille, Wilmington Fried whole-belly clams, New England sea scallops, and a bucket of Maine steamers in Vermont? They’re just a few of the many fresh seafood dishes served at this casual spot, where prime rib holds its own on weekends. Grab a table on the outdoor porch. Entrées: from $17. 8 South Main St. 802-464-2112; anchorseafoodrestaurant.com