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We've compiled the best of the best in Waitsfield and Warren - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
The organically grown flour and vegetables—and the wood-fired clay ovens that unite them—take the pizza here to another level. In summer, you can dine outside around firepits on the beautiful valley floor. Have a moment to take in the surroundings; this spot is located at the heart of Lareau Farm, one of the Mad River Valley's first when it was founded in 1794.
Stop by the takeout window of this new-wave snack shack for fried chicken, griddled burgers, and kimchi-stuffed grilled cheese. Stay for the homemade creemees, Vermont's answer to soft-serve ice cream; classics like maple are always on offer, as are seasonal specials like ginger, cinnamon, lemon, and fresh blueberry. The Bad Larry, a whimsical, Willy Wonka-esque sundae on a cone, tops a tall twist of maple ice cream with maple crystals, maple drizzle, maple cookies, and a cloud of maple cotton candy. And in typical Vermont fashion, most ingredients from beef to pickles are locally made.
The sky-high ceilings at this brewery's taproom and restaurant have earned it the nickname "the cathedral of beer" and IPA lovers have been lining up to get a Sip of Sunshine since Sean and Karen Lawson launched their namesake brand from a tiny mountainside brewhouse in Warren in 2008. This spectacular space—opened in 2018—is an appropriately sunny place to sit and enjoy a pint of the brewery's flagship brew, or something from the solid food menu designed to pair with beer: fancy grilled cheeses, local cheese and charcuterie boards, and a just-spicy-enough chorípan sandwich, with chorizo made just for the brewery by 5th Quarter butcher shop, located in the nearby Mad River Taste Place.
Mexican cuisine rooted in Vermont ingredients makes this a go-to stop for locals and travelers alike—particularly those who just ascended the rugged incline of nearby Camel's Hump, one of the state's highest peaks. Chef--owner Joey Nagy and Georgia Von Trapp, his partner, source much of their local haul from their own Marble Hill Farm, fueling delicious cooking from carnitas and al pastor to fresh house-made salsa and slow-roasted yams in the outside smoker.
