Delicious Food

The Publyk House: Fine Neighborhood Fare and a Superb Salad Bar

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A very American sign!

I experienced my first visit to The Publyk House back in the simpler times of the spring of 2018. My husband and I were visiting Bennington at the time, staying at the lovely Harwood Hill Motel while trying to find an apartment to rent for our upcoming move that summer. We decided to try this restaurant due the proximity to the motel, and we were both quite glad we did.

There is a cozy and inviting atmosphere at the Publyk House. The entrance is carpeted, the bathrooms are clean and spacious, and candles are present on each of the tables. In the winter, they set up the fireplace, which I appreciated greatly when we ate here to celebrate my January birthday in 2019. Outdoor seating with pleasant mountain views is available when the weather allows. It is one of the larger restaurants in Bennington, but it is also popular, so reservations are recommended, especially on weekends and Fridays. The prices for entrees range between $20.00 and $35.00, making it one of the more expensive options in the area. The Publyk House is open 7 days a week during dinner hours, 5:00 – 8:00 PM Monday through Saturday and 4:00 – 8:00 PM on Sunday.

Most entrees at The Publyk House come with access to their salad bar, and we have been continually impressed by the offerings of their salad bar since the first visit. In addition to the usual salad ingredients (lettuce, tomato, etc.), they also offer hard boiled eggs, roasted red peppers, several kinds of pasta salad, and an assortment of crunchy toppings including slivered almonds. At the time, the only downside to the offerings here was the potential to easily fill up ahead of one’s meal. I believe the restaurant did discontinue the salad bar for a time during the pandemic, though it was open the last two times we visited, during this past summer of 2021. My husband and I have different salad bar strategies here: he usually piles what appears to be every topping on top of his lettuce base, while I like to split my salad bar plate into halves, one with a simple salad of lettuce, tomato, peppers, and dressing and the other with whatever pasta salads they are offering. Both strategies can be delicious, but both can also lead to a meal that’s potentially way too filling.

  • Salad bar fun!
  • Lobster mac and cheese.
  • A very enticing dessert menu.

Another special feature of the Publyk House is a honey wheat bread loaf served with whipped maple butter, offered as a complimentary starter for all meals. It’s a crumbly bread that can make quite a mess (or at least it can when I eat it…), but it’s also quite tasty and freshly baked; the butter is a great mix of creamy, savory, and sweet.

The dining room menu has a wide variety of appetizers and entrees to choose from, as does the tavern menu. There are also daily specials in all categories, which is always a plus, and special menus available during holidays like Thanksgiving. I’m not super into steaks or meats, but I sure do love carbs and seafood, so some of my favorite dishes at the Publyk House have been the buttermilk calamari appetizer, the lobster mac and cheese (pictured above), and the stone kitchen pasta. The last two times I’ve visited the Publyk House, I have been pregnant (I am 8 months pregnant while writing this), so I was not able to try any of the amazing looking drinks on their cocktail lists, but I definitely made a note of some to try in the future; the caramel apple mule and the key lime pie martini sound particularly interesting to me.

Awesome way to end a meal: brownies, fudge, and ice cream.

Though I could not partake in all of the beverages during pregnancy, there was certainly nothing stopping me from having desserts (in fact, cravings were encouraging this to happen a whole lot more than usual). There was a special s’mores brownie dessert that totally made my meal recently, and over the summer I was delighted to split a Reese’s peanut butter pie slice with family members who were visiting; it tasted just like a peanut butter cup in pie form. I also have a distinct memory of enjoying a special, homemade cinnamon ice cream during that time went here for my winter birthday in 2019. The establishment has certainly left a positive impression on this dessert-appreciator.

The Publyk House is a lovely restaurant that provides tasty food and a pleasant atmosphere. Though it is on the expensive side, the inclusion of the salad bar and the excellent bread and butter makes everything feel like more of a value. The only issue is the crowds, though of course that is an issue most restaurants would like to have! I would recommend this restaurant to any individual or family; just make sure you either go at a quiet time or have a reservation.

Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★

Excellent Eats: The Grille at Mount Anthony Country Club

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Vermont sunset views by the patio at the Mount Anthony Country Club Grille.

My husband and I first tried out the food at The Grille back in 2019, when things like “restaurant week” were, indeed, a thing. We’ve visited once in the post-covid times, as well, and both were enjoyable times featuring a pleasant atmosphere and many rounds of delectable dishes.

The Grille is the restaurant that is part of the Mount Anthony Country Club in Bennington, VT, which is also noteworthy for its golf course, swimming pool, and winter cross country skiing/snowshoeing trails, all available to members. You can also look into booking the club as a wedding venue or even for a kid’s birthday pool party. Knowing less than nothing about the sport of golf, I’ve only experienced this area as a diner, but even so, I was still able to appreciate the peace and natural beauty of the grounds during each of my visits.

My husband and I first became aware of the Grille in November 2019 due to “restaurant week”, which is and has been a fun event in the Shires of Vermont where restaurants in the area offer prix fixe menus for great prices in order to encourage more people to come see what they have to offer. Events like that are things that I will certainly not take for granted after the COVID-19 pandemic made such things difficult or impossible in 2020. In our case, we enjoyed a prix fixe dinner – including appetizer, entrée, and dessert – for $30 per person.

  • Fireplace seating available!
  • A special Restaurant Week menu.
  • Delightful sweetness.

Since it was November and the worldwide pandemic was not yet even a figment of our imaginations, we ate indoors, in a room with fireplace, which was a spacious and tastefully decorated for the fall season with small touches like pumpkins and gourds. It’s been awhile, but I know I ordered a perfectly cheesy French Onion soup for an appetizer, a vegetarian burger with mushrooms and caramelized onions for the entree, and a really delightful ice cream-inclusive dessert. I can’t quite recall what came with the ice cream but you can witness its glory in the photo above; this dessert was exactly the right ending to the meal. Everything was delicious without being overwhelming and we were able to leave feeling comfortably full and satisfied. It was exactly the kind of experience you’d want for trying out a new place during “restaurant week”.

We visited The Grille again recently, as I had a week off for spring break and wanted to try to fit something fun in amidst the doctor appointments, car purchasing, and all the boring stuff I can barely make time for when school’s in session (especially as almost this whole school year has been this very unique thing called “hybrid”, which basically means double the planning for teachers). Even though I’ve now received a COVID-19 vaccine, I still feel like eating outdoors is the safer option and, quite simply, I love being outdoors, so we ate on the patio area for this second visit to the Grille. I really enjoyed eating with the view of the pristine golf course backed up by the comforting presence of those ever-beautiful green mountains. At the end of our meal, it was the perfect place to view the sun setting.

  • Outdoor dining options available!
  • Mushroom Arancini.
  • Sparkling rose is the perfect spring drink!

Glorious views aside, the food was also a fantastic experience. We don’t eat out very often, especially these days, so we really went all out and ordered everything we thought we could handle. I enjoyed the whole thing with a sparkling rose that had just the right combination of strength and pleasant taste. My husband and I shared two appetizers – buffalo wings and mushroom arancini, which are risotto balls topped with parmesan and set upon a bed of arugula. The wings were a good size and I was all about the cheesy, savory flavor of the mushroom dish. For the main course, I ordered shrimp scampi, and the whole plate was filled with plump and juicy shrimps. Though my husband was plenty full after he ordered a perfectly medium rare steak, I still had room for dessert and have absolutely no regrets about trying the dark chocolate Oreo cookie pie. Much like my previous experience, it was the most satisfying ending to a great meal, though the fullness level was definitely closer to the max this time than it was previously.

A star attraction at The Grille.

Even when it’s not “restaurant week”, The Grille offers a great selection of food with a mix of American and Italian styles. The prices are reasonable and reflect the value of what you are getting (e.g., if you order shrimp scampi, your plate is going to be covered in delicious shrimp). The service is friendly and currently servers wear masks and adhere to safety guidelines, though the timing of your emal may vary – when we went in 2019, everything arrived at our table quickly and efficiently. However, in 2021, there was a notably longer wait between courses. This may have been because we were the only people eating outside while there were considerably more people dining inside, or because of adherence to different safety protocols in these post-covid times. The good news is that, with the mountains in view and the sweet taste of sparkling rose in my mouth, I was in no hurry.

Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★

Satisfying Sandwiches: The Elm Street Market and Your Belly’s Deli

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Back where I used to live, in Brooklyn NY, sandwiches and delis abounded. In my neighborhood of Bay Ridge, you only needed to walk a few blocks to find a place where you could pick up a hearty sandwich, usually overloaded with meats and/or condiments to the point where about 10 napkins per food item were a necessity. Here in Bennington, Vermont, there are definitely far fewer establishments of this nature, but the two sandwiches places the neighborhood offers do both happen to be affordable and delicious. These places are the Elm Street Market, located on (you guessed it) Elm Street, and Your Belly’s Deli, located on Pleasant Street in the downtown Bennington area.

The Elm Street Market

The first time I visited the Elm Street Market, it was completely spontaneous. It was late in the September of 2018, rather soon after my husband and I had moved to Vermont from New York City. We were taking a walk around the neighborhood to explore when we passed by its charming building, where a sign outside was advertising a deal on cups of cheesy soup. I could not resist the appeal of this soup on a brisk autumn day, so in we went. I ended up ordering a Mount Antonio sandwich – their vegetarian mozzarella sandwich – as cheesy soup would, of course, be best paired with more cheese. We ate at a small table in the market, though now that we’ve lived here a few years, we have been appreciating this establishment more for the great takeout it provides.

  • Elm Street Market signage.
  • The building.
  • Cheesy soup.

I’ve enjoyed trying many more of the Elm Street Market’s sandwiches – I have never been disappointed (every time I’ve eaten lunch from here, I’ve been satisfied), but I have definitely found some sandwiches more remarkable than others. My two favorites are the “Maplelicious”, the perfect blend of turkey, ham, cheddar, and healthy additions like thinly sliced apples and spinach, and the “Wild Bill”, the market’s buffalo chicken sandwich. In both cases, the sauces really bring the sandwich to a standout level – the “Maplelicious” features Elm Street Market’s house-made maple sriracha mayo and the “Wild Bill” features a house made jalapeno sauce. I wish I had these condiments at home, as they are both top notch stuff. I also have a strong appreciation of the “Southshire Shrimp” sandwich, due to its uniqueness (it comes on a pretzel roll!) and the fact that it is literally overflowing with shrimp.

I have been fortunate to work near Elm Street Market, and the few days where I had the time, energy, and money to pick up one of their sandwiches in the middle of a school day were sweet. Speaking of money, the prices at Elm Street are reasonable. The price of sandwiches ranges from $6.95 to $10.49, depending on the ingredients used (vegetarian sandwiches are on the cheaper side). There are good selections of cold and hot options. If you want to beef up your lunch a bit you can make your sandwich order into a “lunchbox” for $14.50. If you choose this option, the sandwich will come with a cookie, chips, a pickle spear and a water bottle or can of soda. You can visit and/or order from 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM on weekdays, and from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM on Saturdays. The Elm Street Market is closed on Sundays.

  • The “Wild Bill”
  • The “Maplelicious”
  • The “Southshire Shrimp”

Another really cool aspect of Elm Street is its daily special. Every single day, there is a unique sandwich available, often with a season twist (for example, a “sandwich of the day” in the spring might involve strawberries) . You can see what the “sandwich of the day” is by following Elm Street Market on Facebook or signing up for an email list. However, you should only do this if you want to be tempted to buy sandwiches on a daily basis – they always sound ridiculously tasty.

  • Outdoor seating available.
  • Safety precautions are serious business here.

Finally, I must mention that the Elm Street Market has been a great model of safety during the coronavirus pandemic. They enforce capacity limits (last time we went it was 2 customers at a time), are strict about mask wearing, and bring your order to your car to encouraging distancing as much as possible. There is also an area now set up to enjoy your food with outdoor seating, if and when the weather allows. This is a business that I feel confident takes health and safety seriously. I appreciate this attitude and with that and the general delectability of all of the sandwiches, I consider myself a very big fan.

Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★

Your Belly’s Deli

Your Belly’s Deli is another establishment my husband and I visited very soon after moving to Vermont, and continue to visit on a regular basis. In comparison to the Elm Street Market, this is more of a sit-down deli restaurant and there seems to be more of an emphasis on the hot sandwiches here.

While the sandwiches here are delicious, if you are going for a sit-down experience, I would recommend making sure you have a lot of room in your stomach – these sandwiches are very filling, and when you are eating on the premises, they come with chips.

The “Belly Up!” sandwich with chips.

Just as with the Elm Street Market, I have enjoyed trying different sandwiches with each visit. Here, since the sandwiches are so hefty and it’s hard to make a choice with so many tasty options, my husband and I will often do a half and half deal, where we order two sandwiches and we each have half.

My favorite sandwiches at Your Belly’s Deli (so far – there’s still plenty I’d like to try!) are the “Belly Up!” sandwich, which involves an excellent, savory combination of roast beef, roasted red peppers, cheddar, and horseradish aoili, as well as the “Turkey Rachel”, which is a turkey sandwich on marble rye that comes with coleslaw and Russian dressing on on it. I’m also a big fan of the “Green Mountain Cheese-State”, a grilled roast beef sandwich that is completely covered in melted jack cheese.

  • A charming menu.
  • Half and half, takeout: “Knuckle Sandwich” and the “Green Mountain Cheese State”.
  • The “Turkey Rachel”.

Aside from sandwiches, you can also purchase snacks such as chips and cookies and even Vermont-made beer and wine. The food is a bit pricier than the Elm Street Market, but all items are similarly priced – here, every sandwich is between $9.00 and $9.50. Your Belly’s Deli is open from 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM Monday through Thursday, as well as on Saturdays. Its hours extend until 7:00 PM on Fridays and it is closed on Sundays.

During the pandemic, we have only ordered from here through takeout, though Your Belly’s Deli is open for indoor dining as of my writing this blog post in October 2020. Not having gone in during this time, I don’t feel I know enough about the establishment’s safety guidelines to form an opinion or comment on them.

In general, Your Belly’s Deli offers substantial and enticing meals. I would recommend a visit or, in times when one may want to be more careful, a takeout order.

Freshly Vermont rating: five out of five stars. ★★★★★