Going for Gold: Restaurants with Local Flavor Shine during Gold Barn Month!

Farm to table dining is a quintessential Vermont experience. Over at Vermont Fresh Network, participating chef and restaurant members work hard to bring local food to the Green Mountain State’s vibrant culinary community and dining public. And although all VFN members have demonstrated a commitment to local food, Gold Barn Members go above and beyond to uplift their relationships to growers and producers by centering local, seasonal products in their business models. 

The Network currently has 56 Gold Barn Members, and collectively their local purchasing came close to $9 million on Vermont-grown and crafted food and beverage products in the past year. To receive the Gold Barn distinction, Members must spend at least 35% of their annual food purchasing budget on local food and products, and have relationships with at least 10 local producer partners. 

 

Check out Vermont Fresh Network's Gold Barn Members!

 

Eat your way across Vermont for a Great Cause!

This May, 12 VFN member Gold Barn restaurants are working with local producers to develop special limited release menu items. These specials are a celebration of local and seasonal food. The efforts of participating restaurants are a testament to the creativity and dedication of their staff and the collective work of Vermont’s richly interconnected food system.

$1 from the purchase of each item will be donated to Vermont Fresh Network in support of their work advancing relationships among farmers, chefs, specialty food and beverage producers, and consumers.

May 2023 Menu Specials

 

Bistro de Margot – Burlington 

Producer partners: 100 Stone Farm, Grateful Greens

Warm english peas with oyster mushrooms, count neck clams, crispy crab chips, pea green sauce, and pea shoots. 

Bleu Northeast Kitchen – Burlington

Producer partners: Jericho Settlers Farm

Asparagus and beet salad featuring Jericho Settlers Farm beets and greens.

Brownsville Butcher & Pantry – Brownsville 

Producer partners: Blake Hill Preserves, Strafford Organic Creamery

House-made jelly-filled donuts with Blake Hill Preserves raspberry jam; house-made soft serve featuring Strafford Organic Creamery.

Edelweiss Mountain Deli – Stowe

TBA

Producer partners: TBA 

Edson Hill – Stowe

Producer partners: Vermont Creamery, Jasper Hill

• Vermont Creamery chèvre with challah toast, local honey, toasted sunflower seed, basil olive oil, and cracked pepper.
• Pesto crusted salmon with tagliatelle pasta, local mushrooms, spring peas, Jasper Hill Cellars Moses Sleeper, and white wine. 

Juniper Bar and Restaurant – Burlington 

Producer partners: Health Hero Farm, Jericho Settlers Farm, Georgia Mt. Maple, 1000 Stone Farm, Red Hen Bakery

Health Hero Farm steak for two featuring Jericho Settler's farm carrots, Georgia Mt. Maple's birch syrup, 1000 Stone Farm mushrooms, and Red Hen Bakery bread.

Maple Soul – Rochester

Producer partners: Maplebrook Farm, Maple Meadow, King Arthur Flour, Monument Farms 

Maplebrook Farm ricotta gnocchi. 

Michael’s on the Hill – Waterbury

Producer partners: Cavendish Farms, local vegetables sourced via Black River Produce

Country fried quail with vegetable slaw and truffle honey gastrique.  

Mojo Cafe – Ludlow

Producer partners: Robie Farms, King Arthur Flour, Fiddler Greens, All Souls Tortilleria 

Robie Farms Lengua on homemade bread made in-house with King Arthur flour, wild ramp aioli, velvet gravy, Fiddler Greens micro cilantro served with All Souls organic white corn tortilla chips.

Salt & Bubbles – Essex Junction 

Producer partners: Jericho Settlers Farm, Maplebrook Farm

Green Goddess Salad featuring Jericho Settler’s mesclun for the base and parsley for the dressing, topped with Maplebrook feta. 

Simon Pearce – Quechee

TBA

Producer partners: TBA

Stowe Street Cafe – Waterbury

Producer partners: Sweet Bird Farm, Cabot Creamery, King Arthur Flour

Breakfast sandwich on house-made English muffins using King Arthur flour, with local eggs from Sweet Bird Farm, Cabot Cheddar, and locally foraged ramp pesto.

 

Vermont Fresh Network Gold Barn Members

• American Flatbread - Middlebury Hearth

• Bistro de Margot

• Black Flannel Brewing & Distilling Company

• Bleu Northeast Kitchen

• Brownsville Butcher & Pantry

• Deep City

• Doc Ponds

• Echo Lake Inn

• Edelweiss Mountain Deli

• Edson Hill

• Farmhouse Inn at Robinson Farm

• Farmhouse Tap & Grill

• Great Northern Catering

• Healthy Living Market

• Hen of the Wood - Waterbury

• Homestyle Hotel & Restaurant

• Honey Road

• Inn at the Round Barn Farm

• J.J. Hapgood General Store and Eatery

• Johnny Seesaws

• Jules on the Green Restaurant

• Juniper Bar and Restaurant at Hotel Vermont

• Kraemer & Kin

• Lucky Star Catering

• Mad River Taste Place

• Maple Soul

• Marigold Kitchen Pizza

• Michael's on the Hill Restaurant

• Middlebury Natural Foods Co-op

• Mojo Cafe

• Morse Block Deli & Taps

• Odyssey Events

• Pearl Street Pizza

• Philo Ridge Farm & Livestock

• Red Barn Kitchen

• Richmond Community Kitchen

• Salt & Bubbles

• Shelburne Farms

• Simon Pearce Restaurant

• Stowe Street Cafe

• Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa

• Sugarsnap

• Susanna's Catering

• The Grey Jay

• The Pitcher Inn

• The Quechee Club

• The Reluctant Panther Inn and Restaurant

• The Tillerman

• The University of Vermont Medical Center

• Three Penny Taproom

• UVM Dining/Sodexo

• Vermont Farms Catering

• Wake Robin

• West Mountain Inn

• Westview Meadows

• Westview Meadows at Montpelier

• Yellow Farmhouse Inn

 

Photo by Winter Caplanson of New England Food and Farm, featuring VFN Gold Barn Member Salt & Bubbles.