One of the questions we hear most from guests staying at our lodging in Vermont is, “Where should we grab lunch?”
Whether you’ve spent the morning hiking local trails, skiing at Sugarbush, kayaking the Mad River, or exploring Warren Falls, the Mad River Valley is home to some of the best restaurants in Vermont. From locally owned cafés and bakeries to pubs and restaurants, it’s easy to refuel before your next adventure or before an afternoon nap back at the lodge.
These are the places we find ourselves recommending to guests again and again, and the ones we keep coming back to ourselves.
Some of Our Favorite Waitsfield Restaurants
American Flatbread
46 Lareau Rd, Waitsfield
Set inside a beautifully restored farmhouse near Lareau Farm, American Flatbread is one of the most popular Waitsfield restaurants, and for good reason. They’ve been serving wood-fired pizzas made with organic ingredients and local cheeses for decades.
The menu ranges from simple classics to seasonal flatbreads topped with local vegetables, herbs, and nitrate-free meats, alongside salads, local beers, and cocktails. If you’re spending the morning tubing or paddling the Mad River, it’s only a few minutes away from some of our favorite access points.
Toast & Eggs
4752 Main St, Waitsfield
If your adventure starts early, Toast and Eggs is one of the best breakfast-and-lunch spots in the valley.
Everything is made from scratch, from the breads and sauces to the house-cured meats, and the menu leans heavily on local ingredients. Most people come for breakfast, but lunch is just as good if your morning adventure runs a little longer.
Our favorite? The French toast. It’s made with thick-cut brioche, dipped in fresh custard, and topped with fresh berries. It’s hard to pass up, even if you stopped in planning to order lunch.
The Mad Taco
5101 Main Street, Waitsfield
If you’re craving something a little bolder after a morning outdoors, head to The Mad Taco. On a hot summer afternoon, it’s hard to beat one of their fresh margaritas.
Their menu also features creative tacos, burritos, bowls, and house-made salsas made with fresh ingredients and locally sourced meats whenever possible. We usually recommend the carnitas, but honestly, you can’t go wrong with anything on the menu.
Canteen Creemee Co.
5123 Main St, Waitsfield
Canteen may be best known for its creemees, but it’s well worth stopping for lunch, too. The menu includes sandwiches, hot dogs, and seasonal specials made with many of the same local ingredients featured in their desserts.
If you’re only ordering one thing, make it the Chicken Cluckster. Just make sure to save room for a maple creemee afterward.
Stark’s Pub
57 Schuss Pass, Waitsfield
If you’re skiing at Mad River Glen in the winter, Stark’s Pub is hard to beat. Located right at the base of the mountain, it’s where you’ll find skiers peeling off their boots and warming up with one of the pub’s well-known burgers and a Vermont craft beer after a morning on the slopes.
During the summer, Stark’s shifts to dinner service, making it a great place to end a day of hiking rather than stop for lunch. Since their schedule changes seasonally, it’s always worth checking their hours before you head over.
Lawson’s Finest Liquids
55 Carroll Rd, Waitsfield
Lawson’s is famous for its beer, but don’t overlook it for lunch.
The taproom always has something new pouring, making it a fun stop whether you’re a longtime craft beer fan or simply curious to try one of Vermont’s best-known breweries. The food menu changes seasonally, but one thing that’s almost always available, and always worth ordering, is the giant warm pretzel.
If the weather is nice, grab a seat outside and enjoy one of the best patios in the valley.
Pizza Soul
5123 Main St, Waitsfield
Pizza Soul proves that great pizza doesn’t have to be complicated.
Their wood-fired pizzas feature thoughtfully sourced ingredients, creative seasonal combinations, and a perfectly blistered crust that keeps people coming back.
Even their gluten-free crust is delicious! It’s crisp, flavorful, and never feels like a sacrifice, making Pizza Soul an easy choice when everyone in your group wants or needs something a little different.
Twisted Halo
40 Bridge Street, Waitsfield
Not every lunch stop needs to be traditional.
Twisted Halo is part bakery, part café, and part dessert stop. They’re known for creative donuts, sandwiches, and pastries, including breakfast sandwiches served on fresh donuts if you’re feeling adventurous. It’s a fun stop if you’re looking for something different, whether that’s lunch, coffee, or an excuse to pick up dessert for later.
More Great Lunch Spots in Warren
Warren Store
284 Main St, Warren
The Warren Store has been part of the community for generations, and it’s one of those places we recommend for just about every kind of day.
If you’re heading to Warren Falls, stop here first to pick up sandwiches, snacks, and cold drinks for a picnic. If you’ve already finished swimming, grab lunch and enjoy it on the deck overlooking Freeman Brook.
Beyond the deli, you’ll also find Vermont cheeses, baked goods, maple treats, and plenty of local products that are hard to resist bringing back to your lodge.
Paradise Provisions
2367 Sugarbush Access Rd, Warren
If you’re heading up to Sugarbush or making your way back down the mountain, Paradise Provisions is one of those places you’ll be glad you discovered. Stop in for a made-to-order sandwich or fresh salad after a morning outdoors, or pick up a hand-tossed pizza to enjoy back at your lodge later that evening. If you’re wondering what to order from the deli, go with the BLT.
If you prefer to make your own spread or want to stock your lodge’s kitchen, Paradise Provisions also carries Vermont cheeses, craft beer, wine, local products, and groceries.
The Reks
59 Mountainside Dr, Warren
If you’re spending the day skiing or snowboarding at Sugarbush in the winter, The Reks is one of our favorite places to warm up afterward. Located in Sugarbush Village, it’s known for hearty comfort food like burgers, sandwiches, wings, salads, and hand-cut fries, alongside a rotating selection of Vermont craft beers.
Order the Vermont Maple Burger with maple-glazed bacon and cheddar and swap stories from the slopes before heading back to your lodge.
Rumble’s Bistro & Bar
62 Gate House Ln, Warren
One of the best things about Rumble’s is that it’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, making it an easy choice no matter what your day looks like. Located at Sugarbush Resort, the menu has a little bit of everything, from sandwiches and burgers to fresh salads and heartier entrées.
The salads are our go-to. They’re generously sized and refreshing after a morning on the Sugarbush hiking trails or the golf course.
The Best Lunch Is the One That Fits Your Day
Some days, lunch is a sandwich packed for Warren Falls. Other days it’s tacos after a hike, pizza after an afternoon on the river, or a burger before heading home from the slopes. However your day unfolds, you won’t have to drive far to find a great meal.
One of our favorite ways to end an adventure is to pick up lunch to go and bring it back to the lodge. Find a spot beside the river at Warren Lodge, gather around the dining table at White Horse Lodge before a game of pool, enjoy a quiet meal in your private dining space at Mad River Lodge, or settle in by the fireplace at Tucker Hill Lodge.
Book your stay at one of our Mad River Lodges, spend the morning exploring the valley, then discover your own favorite lunch spot. And make sure to let us know your pick! We’re always happy to hear about a great meal.