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Every Michelin-star restaurant in Vermont
The honest answer plus 10 farm-to-table restaurants that would earn stars if the Michelin Guide bothered to visit Vermont.
cheaphotels · 18 January 2026 · 5 min read
The truth: zero Michelin stars in Vermont
Michelin has never published a guide covering Vermont. The nearest inspected region is New York City, roughly 300 miles south of Burlington. So the literal answer is zero — but that undersells what's happening in the Green Mountains. Vermont's farm-to-table scene is arguably the most credible in the country, with chefs sourcing within a 20-mile radius and running their own gardens. Below are 10 restaurants that would almost certainly earn recognition if inspectors ever drove up I-89.
The 10 I’d rank star-worthy
1) Hen of the Wood, Waterbury — the benchmark, mushrooms and pork from within the valley, mains $32-$44. 2) The Inn at Shelburne Farms — lakeside dining rooms, dinner around $85. 3) Juniper at Hotel Vermont, Burlington — sharp cocktail program, $28-$40 plates. 4) Doc Ponds, Stowe — casual but technically brilliant. 5) Michael's on the Hill, Waterbury Center. 6) SoLo Farm & Table, South Londonderry. 7) The Reluctant Panther, Manchester. 8) Bistro de Margot, Burlington. 9) Prohibition Pig, Waterbury. 10) Simon Pearce, Quechee, riverside glass mill setting.
Where to book first
If you have one dinner, book Hen of the Wood in Waterbury three weeks ahead — the counter seats open at 5:30pm. For a splurge with a view, Simon Pearce over the Ottauquechee waterfall never disappoints, especially in October foliage. Skip the Woodstock Inn's Red Rooster unless you’re staying there; it's fine, not extraordinary. Reservations tighten from late September through Columbus Day weekend.
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What it costs: real price bands by area and season
In Burlington, expect $130-180 USD midweek in summer at hotels like the Courtyard on Cherry Street, dropping to $95-130 in April and November. Stowe runs $180-260 in summer and shoulder, $300-500 during peak ski weekends at Trapp Family Lodge and Topnotch, and cheaper $140-190 slots in late May and June. Woodstock inns like the Woodstocker sit at $200-280 in summer and easily $400+ during the first week of October.
The Northeast Kingdom stays saner year-round: Inn at Mountain View Farm and the Wildflower Inn area run $150-220 in summer biking season, $180-260 during Jay Peak ski weeks. Manchester falls between Burlington and Stowe, with motels on 7A from $110 off-peak and the Equinox Resort from $280. Foliage the first two weeks of October adds 60 to 150 percent statewide, and Christmas week at any ski town is the second peak.
Getting around and when to go
A car is effectively required outside downtown Burlington. Rentals from Burlington International (BTV) start around $55 a day off-peak. The Amtrak Vermonter runs NYC to St. Albans once daily, stopping at Brattleboro, White River Junction, Montpelier and Burlington-Essex Junction; it is scenic and cheap ($75-95 one way from NYC) but slow. Route 100 down the spine of the Greens is the classic drive and takes about 4.5 hours end to end without stops. Winter driving means snow tires and headlamps by 4pm in December.
The rhythm of the year matters more here than in most states. Late May through June is trail season with cheap rooms. July and August are the family and hiking window. Late September to Columbus Day is foliage and the price peak. November is hunting season and quiet. December through March is ski country, with Stowe, Sugarbush, Killington and Jay Peak driving demand. April is mud season, when many country inns close entirely and the ones open sell rooms for half price.