If by any change, you are having fun visiting the mountains of Stove or Burlington VT valley. Don't forget to check the best of the best on cuisine that this towns offer. This venue is one of those. They have free parking, as soon as you step in you are welcome by a stupendous staff. First thing you see it's the cool bar. Very niece. Then you proceed to seat down. The staff kept checking on us. The waiters were excellent and they served our order in a time mannerd. I order Stripbass: Savory cabbage, fingerling potatoes and mustard creme Fraiche. DELICIOUS. Never had a bass this good. You will want to order more. I couldn't chose any better. The cocktails also are a treat for your palette. The ambiance is quiet, very romantic if you feel like having a date with your love one. It's $$$ prizy, but worth it. Totally recommend this venue for those how are looking for a special place for a special night.

Hen of the Wood is, without a doubt, the best restaurant we've been to in a very long time. From the moment we walked into the upscale, dimly lit bar, we felt at home--whether dressed to the nines or in well-appointed après-ski attire. Our party of four was led to a circular table tucked away from the hustle and bustle, making for a perfect setting to enjoy an intimate yet lively dining experience. The evening started with a bottle of the house red, "Hen of the Wood," which paired beautifully with our meal. The cocktail program was equally impressive--a perfectly balanced Manhattan (made with Knob Creek 9-Year Bourbon) and the rare find of Hill Farmstead's Arthur made for standout drinks. For appetizers, the beef carpaccio was by far the best we've had outside of Italy--delicate, flavorful, and expertly prepared. The poached calamari, while enjoyable, was the only dish that didn't completely blow us away, as the flavors didn't quite blend for our tastes. Our mains were nothing short of spectacular. We shared the house-made pasta (terrecelle), the hanger steak, and the duck breast--each dish a masterpiece in its own right. The duck breast, cooked to a perfect medium-rare, was my personal favorite. The rich reduction sauce complemented the thick, tender cut beautifully. As for sides, the maple-roasted parsnips were a revelation--perfectly caramelized and bursting with flavor. Service was impeccable--attentive without being intrusive, expertly timed, and genuinely warm. The staff's professionalism and passion for hospitality were evident throughout the evening. Yes, this is one of the more expensive dining experiences in the Stowe area, but it is, without question, the best. We cannot wait to return.

We had a really great experience here. We sat outside on the patio and even though we couldn't see much, the weather was very nice. We started off with the Parker house rolls served with cultured butter. If you love bread, then this is a must! The rolls were soft and warm and the butter just melted on the bread. It was sooo good! We got the HEN OF THE WOODS MUSHROOM TOAST (Grilled Bread, House Bacon, Poached Egg). If you love mushrooms then this is a MUST!! It was so simple but really good. This was one of my favorites of the evening. Other items we ended up getting were the -PAPPARDELLE (Shishito Peppers, Corn, Breadcrumbs). This wasn't bad but was prob our least favorite dish. -Duck breast: highly recommend this dish! Duck was so tender. It was served on a bed of polenta and collard greens and it was deeeelicious! Service was very good as well!! They were so accommodating even when we brought our 4 month old. Def make a resy!!!

It has been awhile that I have been moved to post about a dining experience up here in the North Country. We visited Hen of The Woods at their Waterbury location. This by far was one of the best meals I have had in the North Country. Reminiscent of the hay days of Liquids & Solids in Lake Placid and on par with their location in Burlington VT. The setting was warm and welcoming. Plenty of room between tables and Farm to table vibe. We sat at the Che's counter which I had requested. Our cocktails were expertly crafted by their superior Mixologists ( I over indulged but they were SO good! ) Our First course were oysters on the half shell with their signature sauces. The ultra fine shaved horseradish danced on the tongue while enjoying the fresh creamy texture of each oyster. Our Second course was the Scallop Crudo swimming in a drop dead delicious light oil/citrus marinade along with slices of tangerines and daikons. Our Third course was a Loin of Rabbit flash fried with a sublime cream and seeded Dijon sauce, and pickled onions. I was going to lick the plate but settled for a spoon for every last drop. The Fourth course was the Steak Tatar with house chips. This dish was a bit acid forward from what i am accustom to but none the less yummy and i love acid. Our Fifth course was the Duck. This cover was cooked to perfection with a puree of sun chokes that reached that blissful velveteen stage! The accompanying stock reduction played second fiddle to the duck but was nicely balanced. All of our covers were on point with seasoning and presentation. We had two desserts: A Chocolate Ganache and the house made Maple Ice Cream, leaving us completely satisfied. Now the service; Everyone and I mean everyone.. was Super Attentive, Professional and reminded me of LB in NYC. Yes, its not the white linen Michelin experience, but the food and service deserved that level of recognition!! Thank you to the chefs and front of the house staff for the perfect evening.

The food was fantastic but to celebrate a special occasion, they did not make us feel too special in the moment. So we just got engaged earlier in the day (yay!) and this was where we decided we wanted to celebrate. Reviews seemed good and the daily changing menu and farm to table aspect was intriguing! When we arrived we were given some congratulations (now fiancé let them know when he first went in to check in) and they put a "congrats" card on our table. Our waitress also offered her congrats and we reviewed the menu. The space was cozy, dark, intimate with an open kitchen so it almost was a dinner and a show where you could watch the magic of the kitchen. We decided to get the Parker house rolls, a rabbit tortellini, the NY strip for two and ended with the cheesecake mousse. He also ordered their hen of the wood cider and I grabbed a baileys on the rocks. Everything I highly recommend! The drinks were great, especially the cider! The Parker house rolls were delicious, salty and crispy on the top, yet soft and paired with a high quality butter adding more layer to the bite. Next was the tortellini, which was such a wild card for us because we had never had rabbit so we were hoping for the best. And it was fantastic! The broth was rich, full of depth and allowed the tortellini to really shine. The pieces of pasta were perfectly al dente while the filling was perfectly cooked. Then our strip for two came paired with braised kale, lions mane mushroom, smoked cheddar and polenta. This was plenty big for two to split, we actually took some home as it was too filling. The polenta was impressive with its flavor. The kale was well cooked (my fiance loved it, but kale is not my favorite) and the steak was perfectly cooked to a medium rare request. But the mushrooms, that was one of our favorite bites. They looked like bites of meat, hearty and well colored but added such a round flavor to the palate. Would eat again in a heartbeat. We decided to end our meal with the cheesecake mousse, as it sounded amazing with poached pears and dried fruit slices/wafer like cookies on top. We also ordered some tea and coffee and accidentally our waitress forgot the coffee for a while before we checked in again to grab it. The dessert was out of this world, something I'd order a million times over. The texture was light, airy and the poached pears added such a warm seasoning to the dish. Plus the crispy parts on top was a nice balance of crispy to soft. My ONLY critic other than the forgotten coffee is something that feels almost silly to say. But we had just gotten engaged a few hours ago...other than the few congrats we didn't receive anything special or on the house. I know that sounds like I am begging but the next day when we went to other (lesser) establishments we got a glass of Prosecco to cheers with, or a dessert on the house. Not things we asked for or expected but those establishments made us feel extremely special. To celebrate our engagement at this restaurant, I was hoping to feel a little more special than just a regular dinner. For such a high end restaurant with Michelin star quality food and price tag, I was a little surprised to not feel like it matched what we were celebrating. For us this was a big deal! I might be asking too much, or maybe they don't cater to the tables occasions, just the food, which is something to keep in mind! Overall, this was a wonderful meal, a little let down in the experience for what we were celebrating, but we would come back again to try whatever the chef is serving. I beg him to add that cheesecake mousse as a re-occuring dish!

I saw it to be a true local pride and gem when they came highly recommended by both locals and friends-in-the-know (highly travelled foodies). No, these weren't just common recommendations. Why? I clearly observed the same repeated behavior (that usually annoys me when overly used as a style of expression): the "eye-roll" when describing something is *that* good. But that happened repeatedly; even the friends were at the point of "chirping" in delight just talking about their experiences there as they almost shouted in chorus, "GET THERE EARLY TO LINE UP!" (Even if you didn't know they were there as you walked by, you'd definitely notice the line that piles up as people wait for their doors to open. It's that obvious when you're visiting a town as small as this.) Walking through the doors and up the stairs up to the hostess stand felt somewhat like herded cattle wanting to break loose. You can feel the absolute excitement in the crowd wanting to get seated and partake in such a highly recognized restaurant. I guess I was starting to feel the same excitement after waiting this bloody long to get in (JK, it was just an hour and I did so nearby stuffing myself with other goodness the town offered). Led through the restaurant past their bar and open kitchen (the red hot coals underneath the grill was such a beautiful sight), through the side halls and then down another flight of stairs, our group of varied parties entered the speakeasy (porting into another dimension) and were seated accordingly - talk about a streamlined experience. The atmosphere was filled with continued excitement; bartender was all smiles, chatting, taking orders, and mixing drinks simultaneously like the magician that he was. The supporting team flocked around every party assisting with orders, setting or clearing wares, dropping off orders (that were almost instantaneous upon an order going in ESP oysters, which were being shucked in the kitchen as the first crowds entered)...seamless, fast, and beautiful in their hospitality dance. I think what also caught my attention amidst all that was going on was the simple fact that NA drinks were immediately mentioned when drink recommendations were being made to the crowd huddled around the bar. It's still quite new to me despite having been drawn to it more and more over the years. I skipped the main courses as it didn't sing to me in the moment. The small bites, however, including the oysters were deeply satisfying. The wood smoke that carried itself on the Coppa, the sunchokes, and the mushroom toast highlighted the tasting. Each bite, each element was well prepared and came together as magnificent as the eclipse the next day. I really understand why this place gets the hype that it deserves. For such a small town, this spot has quite the gravity that pulls visitors far from town to navigate through their ever changing menu just to savor their delightful culinary touch. Bravo, bravo. Can't wait to be back again.

My best dining experience in Vermont ever! Perfect private dining for our extended family celebration. Incredible main server with others when needed. Vermont elegance: casual but upscale in that flannel shirt kind of way. Every bite and every course, mostly served family style, were delectable. Warm rolls. Oysters and ham. Incredible ravioli type dish. Best of show: duck. Yummy hen of the woods mushrooms and onions and incredible runner up.

Sat at the bar and had the best meal I've had in a while! I had the Rise of the Valkyries pale ale, Hangar Steak, Beets on the side, and for dessert the Almond Cake. Everything was to die for! The hangar steak was a perfect medium rare, and the blue cheese beets paired perfectly- the bartender did a killer job with the suggestions! The almond cake was dense and moist, with tuile on top that was buttery and crunchy. Service was fast and friendly and I learned about the local gin distillery from the knowledgeable bartender which was a cool extra.