Guide to Brattleboro, Southern Vermont & Area
Welcome to our home! We moved here over 25 years ago after falling in love with the region’s beauty and art- and food-centered community. Here are some of our favorite haunts and recommendations, though certainly not an exhaustive list. There’s a lot to explore here, and something for everyone!
Nestled in the Southeastern corner of Vermont, Brattleboro is right on the border of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, so we included some spots from nearby towns that are a hop-skip-and-a-jump to visit, often driving through some beautiful scenery.
Check out Yankee Magazine’s 2025 Editor’s Picks for New England places to see, taste, explore (we’re in there as best Vermont artisan chocolates!)
Restaurants
Peter Havens $$$ refined New American cuisine crafted in a snug and bustling bistro setting. Chef Zachary Corbin uses his twenty years of culinary experience and love of Vermont to focus on the local bounties of the Green Mountain state, putting out thoughtful and inspired meals. Their Oyster Bar next door offers small plates and apps with a focus on fresh seafood, a daily-rotating raw bar, signature cocktails and expertly curated wines in a casual and cozy atmosphere.
T.J. Buckley’s $$$$ located in a gorgeous and intimate restored 1920s dining car, Chef Michael Fuller takes local to soaring heights with inspired seasonal plates and a knockout wine list. You can see him zipping around the Farmers Market in the early morning gathering his fresh produce and meats that local farmers have set aside for him.
Plated $$$ New American farm-to-table cuisine in a verdant teal and copper dining room in the bustle of downtown Brattleboro. Hang at the gracious bar for a craft cocktail and a bite and meet some locals, or find a cozy table or booth and watch the world go by on Main Street.
Cai’s Dim Sum $$$ A family owned and run hidden gem in a welcoming home dining room and art gallery, Cai’s food embraces local produce, pairing the flavors of the Artist/Chef’s childhood with fresh food from Vermont farms. The kitchen is truly her studio! Ingredients are the mediums to create ARTasFOODasART that is abundant, nourishing and feels like home.
Vegan A.F. $$ born to bring vegan food to a higher level crafting sustainable cuisine with an edge, and committed to creating a space that is socially responsible through ethical eating, Chefs Nikki and Eva combine their years of experience in restaurants to make creative, delicious plant-based recipes loved by vegans and non-vegans alike in their modern and cozy dining room and outdoor patio.
Kipling’s Tavern $$ inspired pub fare, local Vermont Beer & classic, creative craft cocktails served in a warm, lively atmosphere with lovely vintage touches. Owners Maggie and Bryan combine their years of experience in the hospitality business to welcome you into this little 1926 wood-paneled gem of a place with great service and a cozy vibe.
High Thai $$ contemporary Thai cuisine with a killer craft beer list in a modern, open room with skylights and windows overlooking Pliny pocket-park. Order the chives bites, and whatever the owner/bartender recommends for a pour.
The Marina $$ it’s all about the breathtaking views! A waterfront restaurant serving food and cocktails in a family-friendly setting, with an outdoor patio open in warm weather months. Under new ownership, the decor is contemporary with earthy colors and textures, and the new menu is a creative twist on classic favorites.
Martocci’s $$ pizza and calzones are Martocci’s specialty, made with cold proofed dough and a variety of toppings for classic and creative combinations, or build your own. Their full bar includes cocktails and Italian wines by the glass or bottle, all in a casual industrial setting.
SuperFresh! Organic Café $$ plant-based cuisine with a focus on wellness in a crunchy-cool spot on the Whetstone River in downtown Brattleboro, including fresh juices, pantry items and baked goods.
Yalla $ outstanding vegetarian Israeli-Greek-Yemeni cuisine including pita, hummus and falafel that can stand up to the best anywhere. For real. There’s probably going to be a line, and the dining room is tiny, but it’s well worth it. You can find their hummus at the nearby Bratt Coop.
Amy’s Bakery Arts Café $ artisan scratch bakery with cookies, pastries, cakes and custom orders, plus coffee, sandwiches, soup and lunch items. The lovely tranquil back dining room overlooks the Connecticut River and Wantastiket Mountain.
The Porch Café $ yummy fresh breakfast and lunch sandwiches, salads and specials that you can eat in, enjoy on their sweet patio, or take to-go for a picnic or mountain top lunch.
Brattleboro Food Coop Deli $ Full deli stocked with a wide variety of house-made items they will pack for you from the case, or you can grab pre-packed in the grab-n-go. Great selection of drinks, cheeses, snacks, bakery items, salad bar, hot soups, pizza, smoothies and more with many vegetarian and vegan choices, and lots of local products including maple syrup, honey and more. Enjoy in their Whetstone Café that overlooks bustling Malfunction Junction with Wantastiket Mountain and the Connecticut River in the background.
Outside Brattleboro
The Putney Diner Putney VT
Gill Tavern Gill MA
Upper Bend Café & Brunchette Turners Falls MA
Hope & Olive Greenfield MA
The People’s Pint Greenfield MA
Rise Above Bakery Greenfield MA
Coffee
Patio Coffee top-notch coffee from the best roasters nationwide, masterfully made into delicious espresso drinks on a patio overlooking the Connecticut River. In the wintertime the cafe moves inside to the building’s industrial-chic vestibule, right next to a hip art gallery. Pastries by local baker extraordinaire Paradox Pastry go quickly. Go down the alley off Main Street and be not afraid.
Duchess Coffee amazing beans from small, woman-owned coffee farms skillfully roasted and made into fabulous espresso drinks. The matcha latte and other coffee bar offerings are out of this world, as are the pastries made in-house. Part of Antidote Books, which has a fantastic selection of poetry, art and cook books as well as beautiful coffee brewing equipment and top shelf Latinx owned body care and apothecary products.
Fire Arts Bakery & Café Organic, locally sourced bakery featuring French pastries bread, sandwiches, espresso, brewed coffee, tea, & juices, next door to a ceramic and glass blowing studio with a lovely artisan shop.
Mocha Joe’s Café a town classic going strong for 30 years, locally roasted beans, drip coffee, espresso drinks and baked goods in a funky subterranean spot.
Outside Brattleboro
Abracadabra Coffee Woodstock VT
Bars & Pubs
Peter Havens, Plated, and Kipling’s Tavern have full-service bars in their dining rooms, where you can sit and enjoy a cocktail along with a light bite. Here are more spots for an inspired sip:
Midnight’s in the former legendary Mole’s Eye space, this cozy subterranean spot is a fave among locals and is open 7 days a week from 12pm-12am, with a full bar, live music, and if you’re lucky a visit from Penny the dog.
Saxtons Distillery Since 2006, Saxtons Distillery has been making world class spirits with fresh, local character. Founder Christian Stromberg began with traditional recipes brought from Lithuania over 100 years ago and built upon the wisdom and heritage of crafting fine liquors that has been passed down through the Stromberg family for generations. Visit their Grand Tasting Room for creative cocktails made with their delicious spirits, and bring some home!
Marigold café, bar, and live music venue with a riverfront patio overlooking Wantastiket Mountain. The kitchen serves knockout pub food with a creative twist, and the bar highlights Vermont craft beer and cider, as well as cocktails.
Good Spot Apothecary & Wellness Lounge A crew of dedicated plant-lovers, wellness-seekers, and love-bringers, the good folks at Good Spot serve nourishing, creative mocktails at their bar, and sell a wide variety of herbs, tinctures and body care products made with all natural, potent ingredients.
Outside Brattleboro
Honest Weight Artisan Beer Orange MA
Au Comptoir Woodstock VT
La Garagista West Addison VT
The People’s Pint Greenfield MA
Ellison Estate Vineyard Stowe VT
Farm & Orchard
Brattleboro Farmers Market every Saturday from May through October on Western Ave near the covered bridge, on a piece of land next to a babbling brook, this market rivals all others with a plethora of local produce, mushrooms, bread, pastries, handcrafted jewelry, pottery, candles, coffee, juices, and more, and live music and food booths with freshly prepared foods in a variety worldwide cuisines to enjoy at one of their tree-shaded or sunny picnic tables.
Retreat Farm Market a collection of award-winning cheeses from artisanal cheesemakers, maple syrup, craft beverages, chocolates, and more, you’ll find everything you need to remember your special time in Vermont and supply your pantry with good food that supports regional farmers and makers. Daily cheese tastings and coffee too!
Walker Farm operated by the same family since 1770, the farm is a horticultural destination for flowers, vegetables, veggie starts, fruit and ornamental trees, shrubs and a beautiful selection of plant containers. The farm stand sells their own produce and some from regional growers, as well as locally made cookies, pies, ice cream, meats, and more.
Scott Farm Orchard located on a gorgeous tract of land dotted with antique barns, buildings and artistic stone walls by The Stone Trust, Scott Farm is a National Register of Historic Places listed historic farm that has been in active cultivation since 1791, growing 130 varieties of heirloom apples and an array of other interesting fruit. A beautiful place for a wedding, or an afternoon stroll. In season pick-your-own apples or stop in their farm stand for beautiful orchard fruits, freshly pressed apple cider and hard ciders, as well as a wide variety of locally made jams, jellies, syrups and more.
Wild Carrot Farm a small, diversified, horse powered farm in Brattleboro, raising over 220 varieties of vegetables, flowers, and mushrooms and draft horses. As a community supported agriculture (CSA) farm they work to involve their customers in the farm experience while offering the freshest, most delicious food possible. Pick your own luscious strawberries when in season! Their lovely farm stand stocks their produce as well as locally crafted teas, balms, chocolates and caramels, herbal sodas, baked goods and more.
Rebop Farm farm store is open every day of the year from 9AM – 7PM with a wide selection of their own raw milk and retail cuts of meat from the farm including lamb, beef, pork, chicken, and rose veal, as well as other food, frozen foods and pantry items.
Green Mountain Orchards since 1914 the Darrow family has been growing fruit at Green Mountain Orchards and are one of Vermont’s largest, oldest and most easily accessed orchards. Best known for their delicious fruits, beautiful scenery and famous baked goods (don’t miss the apple cider donuts!), THE place to pick your own blueberries during the season.
Harlow’s Farmstand one of the oldest and largest organic vegetable farms in Vermont, it has been in the Harlow family since 1917 and certified organic since 1985. Specializing in organic produce and bedding plants, most of it grown on Harlow Farm, with a wide selection of meat, dairy, staples, snacks, and other goods.
The Bunker Farm comprised of two farmer sisters married to two farmer friends, the families collectively run a flower nursery, a sugar bush and wood-fired maple syrup production facility, and offer their own pasture-raised meats. Their barn stand is self-serve, and the drive out there is full-on Vermont at its most gorgeous.
Outside Brattleboro
Upingill Farm & Bakery Gill MA
Art & Music
Brattleboro Museum & Art Center located in an historic train station, the museum is an independent, non-collecting, contemporary art museum, whose mission is to illuminate art and ideas in ways that inspire, inform, and connect all people, celebrating innovation, learning, and courageous creative expression.
Next Stage Arts located an historic refurbished church in nearby Putney, Next Stage is the only multi-discipline, year-round presenter in our community and has become the vital link in the cultural, artistic and economic pulse of rural, southern Vermont. Music, art, dance, lectures and more.
The Stone Church live music in an immaculately restored Victorian Gothic church in downtown Brattleboro. Full bar, great sound system, a wide variety of music.
Epsilon Spires located in a renovated historic cathedral in the heart of downtown Brattleboro, Epsilon Spires provides opportunities to engage in creative experimentation and critical thinking through innovative performances, art exhibits, film screenings, panel discussions, and educational workshops. They offer our community a safe environment for civil discourse by addressing current topics through the integration of diverse, cutting edge forms of expression on multimedia platforms.
Vermont Jazz Center a nonprofit organization dedicated to creating, promoting, and preserving jazz for a broad constituency of artists, students, and the public through concerts, education, and workshops. Each year, the VJC hosts world-class artists and offers many educational opportunities and concerts to encourage and strengthen the jazz community for generations to come.
Gallery Walk / First Fridays every first Friday from 5-9 pm in Downtown Brattleboro with open galleries, live music, food trucks, Brattleboro Flea, and interactive art stations. You never know what will pop-up or who you’ll see at Gallery Walk! For months May-Oct Elliot Street and Harmony Lot are closed to traffic so we can all enjoy a block party that is ALL about art & community. For Nov & Dec it’s all about the galleries and the stellar exhibits they have planned for you! Gallery Walk is rain or shine.
The Retreat Farm not your typical farm! Instead of growing vegetables, they’re growing a community of people who care about the land and each other. As a nonprofit, they’re working with farmers, producers, and artists to lift up the agricultural, creative, and land-based businesses and experiences that make Vermont unique. Check out the calendar for music concerts in the gorgeous newly restored Big Barn, hang out on the lawn and enjoy live music and local eats during Food Truck Roundup in the summertime, visit their family of farm animals, grab a craft beer or cocktail at the Thirsty Goat, and shop local artisan products at the Market.
Mitchell Giddings Fine Art a gallery showcasing contemporary fine arts and crafts located in the heart of downtown Brattleboro, Vermont. MGFA’s mission is to exhibit and promote artists who consciously engage with the myriad of challenges of personal expression within their chosen medium, curating a diverse collection of innovative works that stimulate the seasoned collector and aesthetic explorer.
Vermont Center for Photography a vibrant community hub where photography inspires creativity, fosters connection, and empowers individuals of all backgrounds to share their unique perspectives. Through accessible galleries, public studios, and educational opportunities, VCP aims to cultivate a love for the art of photography and build a supportive environment where everyone can learn, create, and grow together. Check out their current exhibitions, and peruse their vintage camera gear shop.
Brattleboro Music Center The Brattleboro Music Center offers people of all ages the chance to not only appreciate music, but to learn, play and express themselves. Founded in 1952 by artistic director Blanche Honegger Moyse, the Brattleboro Music Center is a unique, community-based organization, exceptional for the breadth and quality of its programs. Today, under the artistic advisement of Jaime Laredo and Sharon Robinson, the BMC consists of numerous performance, participation, and education programs.
Soft Spot Gallery an art/work/gathering space with fresh takes on expression, in a beautiful old brick factory turned multi-use building.
Vintage & Antique Shops
Clothing, Gift & Accessory Shops
Artisan Shops & Schools
Wonderland Yarns & Frabjous Fibers
Harmony Collective Artist Gallery
Festivals & Happenings
Don’t miss Gallery Walk First Fridays from May-December in downtown Brattleboro, check out Downtown Brattleboro Alliance for more info on happenings and all things local.
Food Truck Roundup at the Retreat Farm
Outdoors
Vermont Canoe (& Kayak) Touring Center
Wantastiket Mountain Trails NH right across the river
Stay
The Inn on Putney Road Brattleboro VT
The Latchis Hotel Brattleboro VT
Tanglebloom Tiny Cabin Brookline VT
Honeycrisp Cottage Southern VT
Four Columns Inn Newfane VT
Big Picture Farm Townshend VT
Woodstock Inn & Resort Woodstock VT
Twin Farms Barnard VT
Brattleboro North KOA Journey Newfane VT
