With that in mind, this issue is devoted, in part, to making the most of your food and wine budget. More on that below.

The first Champlain Dinner Club dinner is just six days away, and we are absolutely thrilled with how well the idea has been received. We’ve loved reading your messages and seeing the excitement around it. If you've been on the fence, now is the time…registration closes this Sunday, April 19th, at 6:30 p.m. A small group of matched strangers, a great restaurant, and a location reveal the morning of. There are still seats at the table.

While we’re on the subject of great evenings out…the Burlington Wine & Food festival is now just over two months away, and we also couldn’t be happier with how the lineup of exhibitors is coming together. If tickets have been on your mind, this is a good moment to lock them in. June will be here faster than you expected.

Now…it’s tax week, gas prices are doing what they’re doing, and going out to dinner has started to feel like a slightly bigger decision. So this week, we went looking for the best recurring deals at restaurants around the area. What we found: that it’s still possible to enjoy a visit to a nice restaurant at a reasonable price. Mike's “Long Pour” does the same on the bottle side.

Consider it a guide to a good week out.

It's no secret that eating out has gotten more expensive.

But there’s good news, too…the area has more recurring deals, daily specials, and weekly offers than most people realize. We went looking, found more than we expected, and made a list. Because the tab doesn't have to be the most memorable part of the evening…

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You know that summer can’t be far off when you hear that Shore Acres Inn and Restaurant opens for the 2026 season this Friday, April 17th. And if a meal with a view of Lake Champlain on a spring evening doesn't make you feel like you're already on vacation, nothing will. Chef Dan and Sous Chef Jeanette are back in the kitchen, and the restaurant will be open Friday and Saturday nights only through May 13th, then daily after that. Reservations are open, and we'd get on it sooner rather than later.

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And another local favorite is right around the corner…The Skinny Pancake is doing their annual Free Crepe Day on Thursday, April 30th…sweet or savory, no charge, all day long at the Burlington waterfront location. It's exactly as good as it sounds.

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Big news for anyone who's ever wished their produce would just show up at the door: Paul Mazza's is piloting home delivery of their Traditional CSA shares this season, in partnership with Farm Flow, a new venture started by a UVM junior named Noah. Deliveries will be available weekly on Saturdays from June through October, with a flat fee estimated between $8 and $12 depending on distance. The pilot program for 2026 is available in Essex, Colchester, Jericho, and Williston. Traditional CSA members only for now, and CSA sign-ups are still open with a 13% early bonus if you lock in soon.

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The Vermont Brewers Association is hosting its first-ever golf tournament on May 22nd…brewery owners, industry partners, and supporters from across the state, out on the course for a day of competition and camaraderie. It's also a fundraiser supporting VBA's advocacy and education work. If you're in the industry or just love Vermont beer and want to support it, registration is open until May 10.

Big news out of Middlesex: The Valley Reporter tells us that Woodbelly Pizza is taking over the café space at Camp Meade on May 1st, as Red Hen Bakery moves its café operation to 60 Main Street in Montpelier. Woodbelly will be open seven days a week serving coffee, pastries, and breakfast in the morning, sliding into lunch and dinner with their farm-to-table wood-fired pizza. Red Hen, meanwhile, will continue baking bread at Camp Meade until their new Welch Park facility opens in the fall…so the bread isn't going anywhere, just the café. Two beloved Vermont food institutions, both moving forward.

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If you're a maker, farmer, artist, or vintage vendor, Soda Plant Sundays is worth getting on your radar. The free monthly outdoor market at the Soda Plant on Pine Street, hosted by Haymaker Bun Company, is back for 2026, with dates on June 29, July 20, August 17, and September 21. Vendor applications are open now. Email [email protected] to get in on it.

SIX WINES UNDER $25 THAT WILL GET YOUR ATTENTION

Tonight, May Day kicks off what turns out to be a very mushroom-forward week…a collaboration tonight (April 16) with Funj, Burlington's own mushroom company. It's the kind of pairing that makes sense the moment you hear it. Reservations recommended.

On Wednesday the 22nd, the Farmhouse keeps the fungi momentum going with a Wild Edibles Feast…fiddleheads, sweetbreads, mushrooms, octopus, and more, described as "wild, exotic, and completely delicious earthly and oceanly delights." Reservations highly encouraged on their website.

And on Saturday the 25th, Bread & Butter Farm teams up with Madcap Mushrooms, a two-hour mushroom cultivation workshop from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m…$50 gets you a full walkthrough of the growing process, plus your own mushroom grow bag to take home. Be sure to register in advance.

The mushrooms are having a moment.

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This Saturday, Adventure Dinner is hosting a Tropical Night Pop-Up in their clubhouse, with James Beard nominee Wolf Tree. It’s an evening of island vibe cocktails and tropical-inspired menu items. It’s also a free RSVP…no ticket is needed, just sign up on their website and show up.

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Also Saturday the 18th: South Burlington's first-ever International Food Festival at City Hall on Market Street, running from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Flavors from Mexico, India, Bosnia, Africa, Ukraine, Venezuela, Cuba, and more…$35 gets you five tasting plates, with a cash bar, live music from the Green Mountain Celts and Jeh Kulu.

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Shelburne Vineyard hosts their Wit & Wine comedy night on Friday, April 24th… four of Vermont's top stand-up comedians, hosted by Shelburne's own Meredith Gordon. It's a 21+ show, doors at 7, show at 8. These sell out, so don't wait.

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If maple is your thing, next weekend is your weekend. The Vermont Maple Festival returns to downtown St. Albans April 24-26 for its 59th year…three days of tastings, live music, a parade, artisan vendors, and sugarhouse tours. And on Saturday the 25th, the official Maple Beverage Tasting lands at 14th Star Brewing from 3 to 5 p.m., with craft beer, wine, cider, and spirits, all maple-infused. It’s a ticketed event, so get them soon.

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The 6th Annual Waterbury Onesie Pub Crawl is Saturday, April 25th from noon to 4 p.m. This year's theme is "Hollywood Comes to Waterbury"…onesie required (dignity optional?). The event turns up at Blackback, Freak Folk, The Reservoir, Prohibition Pig, Salt & Rind, and more. Tickets are $10 and benefit American Legion Post 59. Don't sleep on this one.

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Let’s wind up this section with some elegance. Bistro de Margot is hosting a Bordeaux Wine Dinner on Wednesday, April 29th…five courses, wines from their collection, one seating at 6 p.m., and only 24 seats are available. Reserve via Resy before it's gone.

In closing…as we finished up this newsletter, we discovered that tomorrow, April 17, is World Malbec Day, commemorating the day in 1853 when Argentina's president launched an initiative to transform the country's wine industry.