Hen Of The Wood is the most well-known restaurant in town and it's also what you might imagine a prototypical Vermont restaurant to be: patrons in flannels and sweaters, freshly split firewood stacked against a back wall, a giant hearth crackling at the end of the bustling room. Like some wayside village tavern, only you're downtown amongst a typically well-heeled crowd, and instead of cask ale you can drink mezcal mixed with Strega. The Vermont-iness is also reflected on the menu, which is always changing based on what's available from nearby farms. Carrots, roasted and topped with hop honey or radicchio alongside shaved apple and cheddar, for instance. It's not all vegetables, though—the Hen is a great place to get a steak, cooked on a giant grate inside that previously mentioned fireplace, and a dedicated cheese menu showcases the state's strong dairy know-how. Getting a reservation is a good idea because this room fills up every night of the week, but if you're game to take a risk (and arrive early in the evening), you can walk in and nab a seat at the bar—our favorite spot to eat—or at the chef's counter, where you can watch how the grill cook keeps the coals composed using a garden hoe.