Food Stops Off I-91

In the last couple of months, we've had to drive from NYC to New Hampshire and Vermont, and I'm pretty excited about the stops we've discovered, not far off of the highway.


(Update: Unless I've said I've eaten here, I cannot vouch for the food. I have a friend who went to the Miss Bellow's Diner after reading about it here, and she got food poisoning. We didn't eat there--we did just like the way it looked, but still, I will make more of a point of making it clear when we have eaten at a place. I'm so sorry Sue! )

 

(Near White River Junction, off of I-91)
Farmer's Diner: This is just about 10 minutes off of the highway, and is a great organic-ish/local-ish place to get breakfast or lunch. It's in a shopping center that has a good antique mall (with a toy museum in the basement), and also a place to pick up lots of local cheeses, jams, and maple syrups.

(Near Rockingham/Bellows Falls exit off of I-91)

The Vermont Country Store in Rockingham: This is not the original store, which is much more charming, but this has the same products, and the same massive amount of samples for the taking. Plus delicious Vermont coffee that you can take to go. This is just 5 minutes off of I-91.

Smokin' Bowls: I know, ridiculous name...but apparently the soup is amazing. It is on the same road as the Vermont Country Store above, and is only open as a soup spot during the fall, winter and spring. I think it turns into an ice cream shop in the summer.

Miss Bellow's Falls Diner: A nice old diner in a railroad car...it seems like standard diner fare...but it has a lot of character, and is just 5 minutes off of the highway. (Update: come here to look at the cool diner, but eat at your own risk. Our friend got an awful case of food poisoning from here.)

Knowlton's Kitchen: We didn't go here, but it's just across the river into North Walpole, NH, and apparently, it's a fantastic diner.

(Northampton, MA, right off I-91)

Bluebonnet Diner: we didn't eat here, but the reviews look good. Real maple syrup, landmarked diner.

(Whately, MA, right off I-91)

Whately Diner Fillin' Station: we did eat lunch here and the soups (clam chowder and chili) were totally homemade. The waitress was so excited about them she brought me a taste of each...I ended up getting both. It's open 24 hours and is a chrome "Princess" style diner built in 1960.

Tom's Hot Dogs is in the same town, and gets big thumbs up from Roadfood. The reviews bring up a good point, that there isn't a bathroom, and if it's cold out, you'll be eating in your car, as it's take-out only. But if you're in the mood for a hot dog and great fries, it's good to know about.

If you're driving up in spring or summer, the North Hadley Sugar Shack looks amazing. Maple soft-serve ice cream! Homemade donuts!

(Near Hartford, CT)

Pepe's Pizzeria is in Manchester, and isn't directly off of I-91, but looks worth the 5-10 minutes detour. 

Maine Fish Market, a seafood stop in E. Windsor, CT, a half mile off the interstate.

(The Berkshires-yes, this is a detour--we decided not to take the interstate all the way on the way up, and took the Taconic instead. It adds about an hour to the trip but we wanted to mosey.)
Rubiners in Great Barrington, MA...probably one of the best edited small grocery stores I've been in...and then the cafe in the back, Rubi's, is perfection. Delicious sandwiches (we loved the Reuben) and soups, and desserts.

American Flatbread: Waitsfield Vermont

I have been dying to go have dinner at American Flatbread, in Waitsfield, which is in the Mad River Valley, probably a half hour below Waterbury, and maybe an hour from Burlington.  Somehow, every time I am in Vermont, it isn't over a weekend, and the restaurant is only open on Fridays and Saturdays.  Have you ever had one of their pizzas?  They sell them at many Whole Foods, and they are fantastic--you really won't feel like you are eating a formerly frozen pizza. First of all, they use the best ingredients, most of it organic and local. Second, they make it with love. So here I was,  a 10 minute drive from Waitsfield, and when I told the manager of the hotel I was staying at, The Pitcher Inn , how obsessed I was with American Flatbread, he offered to call there, and see if I could stop in for a visit, just to see them in production.  They make all of the pizzas there during the week, box them up, and send them off, and then on weekends, open as a restaurant.  We got so lucky, and the owner, the sweetest guy named George, showed us around, and spent over an hour just telling his story, and teaching us how to build our own oven.  If you are ever in that area around a weekend, you must go there.  And if you aren't ever in that area, you should at least try his pizzas.  

Winter Getaway: The Pitcher Inn

Last week I went to Vermont with my husband Matt for three nights, and four whole days (the longest ever we've been away from Clara). The first night, we stayed at The Pitcher Inn, and it being a weeknight, it wasn't busy, so we were able to see most of the rooms.  All of them are themed--we stayed in the Mountain Room--there's Trout, Schoolhouse...they are really nicely appointed, each with their own Nespresso machine, super nice sheets, and many with steam room shower/tub setups.  


We loved our breakfast there--it was maybe one of the best omelettes I've had.  The pastries were so good--loved the scones--and when are scones ever that good?

It's in this sweet little town called Warren, which is about five minutes from Sugarbush, if you are into skiing.  There's a cute little store across the street from The Pitcher Inn, called The Warren Store, which has a very organic local menu that serves breakfast and lunch, although we were too stuffed to try anything.  They have beautiful bottles of maple syrup from very small producers, and a very good edit of wine.  

When we checked out, I spoke at length with Ari, the general manager of The Pitcher Inn.  He's such a sweet guy, and so knowledgeable about the area.  He and his front desk person Michelle mapped out so many cheese producers for us to check out, called and made an appointment for us to visit American Flatbread, and told us about the local food coop, and the Woodstock Farmer's Market, where he said we had to stock up on our cheese on our way out of town.

(my kind of heaven--selling stacks of kindling at the local coop)

Quickie Getaway: Vermont Day 1

I am on Day 2 of a getaway with my husband.  This is the longest we've been away (3 nights, 4 days) and it's pretty exciting for us. We drove to Vermont, and spent last night at the lovely The Pitcher Inn in Warren, which is about 3 miles south of Sugarbush (for those of you that ski).  Unfortunately the restaurant at The Pitcher Inn was closed (only on Tuesdays), so we went to The Common Man for dinner.  It was so great--very rustic while grand barn interior, with empty bottles of Dom lining the walls (its a tradition there, where people who are celebrating buy one, and then write their names and dates on it)...and great food.  Huge portions, which pleases the locals, but I would just share one entree next time.  We had microgreen salads, duck with risotto, and quail with a johnny cake and bacon on top (two quails in one entree and it was $23),  and it was all delicious.  I'll write about The Pitcher Inn and American Flatbread later this week.  After all,  I am supposed to be on vacation with my husband.