The main courses are served with a salad which is – or was in my case – almost too pretty to eat. It was a work of art with carved vegetable and a vinaigrette dressing I still remember fondly. We had a choice of beef, fish (I think it was halibut), scallops or rabbit. The food was incredible. I had the scallops which were perfectly done. Not too well done which is what I usually find is the problem with scallops. The reason there is no printed menu is that the menu is new every day.

Something that is different but very appealing is the open kitchen where you can see the meals being created by the chef and sous-chef. The single server is always a few feet away (because of the size of the place but that doesn’t mean that you’re under any pressure or scrutiny. The tiny restaurant is oak paneled and slate-floored and the tables sport silver cutlery, vintage dishes and flower vases.

The meal is not cheap, but it is such an experience that $11 appetizers, $40 entrees, and $5 desserts are definitely not out of line for the overall experience that this turned out to be. And somehow the handwritten bill (with calligraphy none the less) seemed to make the experience complete. Oh – by the way, they only take cash and checks.

There was beer which we didn’t have (I know, shocker!) and the wine list was reasonable with prices in the $30 to $100 range. The open kitchen and the fresh flowers and the intimacy of the small tables, bathed in golden lights gave the sense of being in a dinner theater setting – where you were part of the theater in a cozy, “I-belong-here” kind of manner.

TJ Buckleys is located at 132 Elliot Street, Brattleboro, VT 05301-3275, You can call them at (802) 257-4922 and be sure to tell them that Tim and Amy from Forty Putney Road B&B sent you!

While from the outside, the restaurant seems a bit bland, it’s menu is anything but. The menu includes something for every taste, from light to hearty dishes, mild to hot sauces, from vegan to meat options.

We have been to Three Stones on several occasions in the past few months and have been able to sample many of the selections on the small menu.

The main options include home made corn tortillas, prepared in your choice of 3 ways: Uah which is essentially cooked on a griddle, salbute is deep fried and panucho which is is stuffed with refried beans first and then and pan fried. The panucho is traditionally served at festivals with shredded chicken and red onions blanched in vinegar. Three Stones proudly offers the traditional style panucho, but also offers the options of chicken or pork cooked in achiote, garlic, and banana leaf or seasoned beef. The same choices are available for the salbute and uah tortillas.

Additionally on the menu you will find traditional empanadas (which were fabulous), tamales and the mayan specialty, onzicil (toasted and ground pumpkin seeds). Each of the entrees comes with a fresh salad and of course rice and beans.

For desert, try the chocolate cake with chili, called Boca Negra – spicy, unique and delicious. Just like the rest of the menu.

Entrees at Three Stones will run you about $12 – $15, and they have a small beer and wine selection as well (no liquor though, so Margaritas will have to be had elsewhere). Overall a couple should expect to spend about $50 for dinner with tax and tip.

In the nicer weather, Three Stones offers a cute outdoor deck for dining, covered with an awning and surrounded by a variety of pepper plants. Indoors you will find a small dining room with seating for about 30 and an even smaller bar. The decor is trendy and simple and compliments the menu and atmosphere well.

Three Stones is open from Wednesday – Saturday from 5:00 pm-9:00 pm. Reservations can be made by phone and credit cards are accepted. The restaurant is just about a 15 minute walk from our Vermont Inn, and on street parking is available as well if you drive. Either way, be sure to tell them you heard about them from Tim and Amy and be sure to try the Boca Negra!

Three Stones – Oxppel Tunich
Mexican Mayan Cocina
105 Canal Street
Brattleboro, VT
802.246.1035
info@3stonesrestaurant.com

Open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner (call about brunch), the Fairway Tavern menu supplies the basics from burgers and apps to soups and salads. Gourmet options are available on the weekends ranging from duck to fillets as well as seafood and pasta options. Their menu is seasonal and frequently changes so call in advance to check out the latest selection. Great outside dining in Brattleboro is hard to find, but the scenic view and deck at the Fairway Tavern makes this dining spot one of our favs!

Looking for an event venue or a spot for a reception after your wedding at our inn?  The Fairway Tavern hosts group events, conferences and weddings on the beautiful groundsoverlooking the 18 hole golf course here in southern Vermont. Tents flank the rear of the historic pub building providing both covered and open, outside dining options. Ample parking for guests, members, buses and golf carts sit next to the facility as well as the check-in spot for 9 or 18 holes of picturesque golf in southern Vermont. The challenging and historic golf course is just another great excuse to head out to the Fairway Tavern when there’s warm weather. For more information about the Tavern or the course, call 802-254-9864. And check out our website for golf and lodging packages in southern Vermont.   We look forward to seeing you outside on the deck (and hopefully at our beautiful inn for a night or two as well!).

The Marina Restaurant sits near the intersection of the West and Connecticut Rivers just north of downtown Brattleboro. With Mt. Wantastiquet on one side and the Green Mountains on the other, the Marina’s view overlooking the Retreat Meadow is always great, but unbeatable during fall foliage. Dock space allows boats, kayaks and canoes to stop in during the warmer months for a delicious Vermont Beer or one of the seafood favorites. tubing down the West River? What better way to end a day on the water than at a beachy waterfront restaurant in Brattleboro? Although we can’t say there’s a beach, we can mention the waterfront view. Did we mention that already?

Not only is the Marina one of our favorite restaurants with outside dining, the newly designed space brings the outdoors in with lively colors and a friendly, laid-back vibe. The huge windows bring in the breeze and outside dining allows guests to bask in the sun. Hawaiian shirts, fish jumping, the cool Vermont breeze, a refreshing McNeill\’s brew and the sun setting over the Retreat Meadow … does it get any better? Whether it’s a casual dining in southern Vermont with the family, or girls night on the town, the Marina appeals the casual crowd looking for fun, food and, of course, a view. Visit Brattleboro and the Marina Restaurant for the day or stay overnight at our inn in southern Vermont!

Cheers!

That’s why I was so intrigued when a friend of mine who works in downtown Brattleboro told me I have to check out Cafe a la Cart, a brand new “upscale street cart” on Elliot Street right next door to one of our other favorites, Peter Havens.

I stopped by the bright white cart (which is more like a trailer, complete with a grill, prep station and lunch counter) last week and was immediately drawn to the colorful menu propped up against it. It soon became clear why this curbside chow stop was branded “upscale”. While the menu consisted of basic items like burgers, quesadillas, hot dogs and sausage, peppers and onions, the ingredients and preparation were anything but typical.

I went for the “Vermont Farm Burger,” made with all-natural, Vermont-raised beef. Instead of a roll, it’s served on a Portuguese muffin, a crisp and slightly sweet bun. For extra zing, chef/owner Zach Corbin-Teich adds homemade pickles that he cures himself. A fixins bar on the lunch counter is complete with the standard mustard and ketchup, plus a variety of hot sauces, relish and fresh chopped onions.

For the veg-heads, Zach, who has served as chef at several upscale Vermont restaurants over the years, includes a veggie burger on the menu. There is also an “Egg McZach” breakfast sandwich served all day.

Wherever possible, Cafe a la Cart uses fresh local ingredients, all homemade.  As innkeepers, we really appreciate that.  We do the same for our breakfasts and really try to support others who support the local farms and farmers.  The carts daily specials are always listed on a separate chalkboard (when I visited, homemade potato salad and chocolate cookies were waiting). The only drink on the menu, beside bottled water, is fresh-squeezed lemonade, squeezed to order before your eyes (soooo good). Newbies to the Cart may not notice, but there is a shaded picnic table hidden just behind it. Have a seat and relax while you eat, watching the world go by on Elliot St.

You might expect to pay upscale prices at an upscale cart, but nothing on the menu is more than $6. It’s a cash-only establishment, and Zach keeps the windows open from 11 – 5 every day but Sunday and Monday.

So if you’re thinking of coming up to visit Brattleboro this summer, make sure you stop by Cafe a la Cart.  Just a short stroll from our Brattleboro inn and the perfect spot for a casual but delicious lunch.

Our sample covers a 5 night stay (we could have gone on even longer!) but combines a fun mix of outdoors, arts, entertainment, dining and of course some relaxing too.  You can check out what we have put together on our Inn website under the “Our Area” tab.

If you are from Vermont, or have any suggestions for the itinerary, we would love to hear your thoughts!  Leave us a comment or send us an email.  Let’s make it easy and fun for people to choose Brattleboro as their summer getaway!

Of course, we hope you’ll stay with us at Forty Putney Road Bed and Breakfast when you do take the trip to Vermont!

There are three major reasons we love to head to the New England House specifically in the fall and winter.

1. Their steaks.  They are by far the best steaks here in Brattleboro. Great fresh cuts of meat served well prepared and cooked just right.
2. The portions.  When it comes to steak and comfort foods, quality is as important as quantity!  All of their entrees include a salad and sides and come at a reasonable price.  Most entrees are between $10-$20.
3. The atmosphere.  We love the warm and cozy atmosphere at the New England House in the fall and winter.  We often choose to eat in their pub in front of their huge wood burning fireplace in the front of the room, or next to the warm wood burning stove in the back.  The smell of fresh burning wood in a warm room with a hearty meal is just what the doctor ordered after a full day of sightseeing or hiking (or innkeeping!).

The New England House is located on Route 9 in West Brattleboro.    Of course, if you do go, be sure to tell them that you heard about them from Amy – at Forty Putney Road B&B!  And if you are looking for a great place to stay in the area, be sure to check out our romantic Inn just around the corner from all that Brattleboro has to offer, including the New England House!

What does the Brattleboro Food Co-op have to do with Forty Putney Road Bed and Breakfast? Well I am a working member of the Brattleboro Food Co-op which in addition to giving back to a great local place also gives us a 10% discount. Tim and I are very interested in supporting our local farmers and other producers and the co-op makes that easy to do. I love the fact that I am using locally made cheeses and locally grown produce at each breakfast. It is lots of fun trying interesting ingredients and unique juices for breakfast. We invite you to join us in supporting the Brattleboro Food Co-op and all of the people and producers that make it so special.

Food, well that is another story. You should know that all food is prepared behind the bar in a toaster oven, on a panini maker or on a George Forman Grill. We highly recommend their cold appetizers such as the ploughmans platter. Right now though, I would not recommend Flat Street as a place to go to dinner, but more of a place to have drinks and a snack or appetizer. Of course, word is that that is soon to change and that the basement is currently being renovated into a second bar and a full service restaurant. I truly beleive that when this renovation is complete it will fill that much needed void here in Brattleboro – a place for a great beer selection and great casual dining together.

Flat Street Pub is the “Cheers” of Brattleboro. Locals and tourist alike can find a comfortable place to sit and great conversation here. Be sure to say hello to the great staff including bartenders Martha (shown in photo), Amy and Justin as well as server Hope. They will all take great care of you. If you are looking to strike up a conversation with one of the locals the best way to identify them is by their glass mug. Yes, Flat Street Pub has a mug club. In the last photo you will find a some of these mug club members.

So pull up a seat…let everyone know your name…at Flat Street!

The owner Tom will personally describe the specials of the evening to you and make you feel welcome. Rumor has it that Tom will never forget your name only adding to that local feeling (we were surprised that he remembered us six months later.)

The rest of the staff is friendly, professional and poised. Peter Haven’s is located in the heart of downtown Brattleboro on Elliot Street. The décor is modern yet still elegant. The lighting is just right making you feel comfortable and relaxed. Because Peter Haven’s is a local favorite you will want to be sure to make reservations in advance as this restaurant will book up quickly. If this is a last minute decision for you and you do not mind waiting a few minutes there are 8 seats at the bar reserved for walk-ins without reservations.

The menu at Peter Haven’s offers variety. You will have choices such as duck, scallops, fish, pasta, chicken, etc. The food is very good and consistent which is important to me when I go to one of my favorite restaurants. I recommend that if Tom is telling you about one of his fish specials you strongly consider ordering it. The fish specials are very fresh and always brilliantly prepared. So if you want to ensure that you will have a great meal while in Brattleboro then Peter Haven’s should be on your short list of restaurants.  Be sure to tell him that Tim and Amy sent you!