5 Best Restaurants in Central Vermont, Vermont

Sparkling glassware from the studio downstairs, exposed brick, flickering candles, and large windows overlooking the falls of the roaring Ottauquechee River create an ideal setting for contemporary American cuisine—the food alone is worth the pilgrimage. The wine cellar holds several hundred labels.

Arrive early for a seat at the wraparound bar and a perfectly made negroni. The wood-fired, Neapolitan-style pizzas are excellent, as is the inventive cocktail list and the plentiful supply of local beers on draft.

New owners have transformed the longtime Inn at Baldwin Creek and Mary's Restaurant, giving the 1790s farmhouse a chic update from head to toe. Pizza isn't the only thing that comes out of the new wood-fired oven; locally sourced roasted vegetables and smokey meatballs complement the fire-kissed pies. Live music fills the parlor on Wednesdays in winter and heads outside for a lawn party in warmer months.