We just crossed the midway point of August, and Labor Day is now two weekends away. That means an unspoken countdown has started…how many more dinners on patios, nights on the lake, and barbecues can we squeeze in before summer in Vermont wraps up for the year?
Fall is one of the most spectacular seasons in Vermont, so this isn't exactly “dread”…it's more that there's just a specific list of things that only work when it's still hot and light enough to be outside after dark, and once that window closes, it stays closed until around next June.
That's probably why this week's “What's On” column runs so long…everyone's doing the same math we are. No pressure…just a reminder that the summer clock is running…
On the Menu…
Starters
Bites & Bottles: Café Mamajuana…Breakfast That’s Worth the Splurge
Tastemakers: Adam Monette, Chef Owner, Café Monette
The Long Pour: Misunderstood Merlot
Starters…
We've been noticing something happening a lot lately when we're out and about.
We'll be at a restaurant, an event, or just talking with someone about the local food scene, and the fact that we publish this newsletter will come up. Often times, the response is some version of, “Wait…how did I not know about this?”
We love that people are so psyched to learn about it, and to get signed up. What we don't love is that we haven't quite figured out how to find all the other people who would probably say the same thing.
The newsletter is growing slowly and steadily, and we're learning as we go. But getting it in front of the right people — the ones who want to know about a restaurant they haven't tried, a bottle worth seeking out, or something interesting happening in Vermont's food and beverage world — is still something we're working on.
So, we're asking for a little help. If someone immediately comes to mind, like a friend who loves to go out to eat, a coworker who's into wine, someone who just moved to town, or someone who simply likes knowing what's going on…would you mind forwarding this issue to them? Or, you can also share this link for them to subscribe.
If you've already been doing that, thank you. We love hearing that someone found The Tasting Room because a friend thought they might enjoy it.
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One more item of note: the Champlain Dinner Club session we had scheduled for Waterbury this week has been rescheduled to Wednesday, September 23. Turns out we ran into trouble finding enough restaurants open on Tuesdays, and with enough open tables to accommodate all our groups, so we're shifting the next session to Wednesday and doing more advance work to lock in reservations ahead of time. More on that as the date gets closer.
In the meantime, if you haven't checked it out yet…take a two-minute quiz, get matched with five people you've never met, and show up to a restaurant that stays a surprise until the morning of the dinner. Sign up, take the quiz, and we’ll be in touch!
Bites + Bottles
We're not really people who get out much for breakfast or brunch…maybe on vacation, or when company comes to town. Otherwise, almost never. But we'd heard so much about Café Mamajuana for such a long time that we finally made a point of getting there this week…especially given that it’s less than 10 minutes from our door.
The Colchester location opened in January 2025, in the space that used to be the Guilty Plate Diner, and is run by chef Maria Lara-Bregatta and her husband, Geovann Ventura. Their original spot was on Oak Street in Burlington's Old North End…
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Lawson's Finest has recently released Sip'N, its first non-alcoholic IPA…and the brewing method is the actual news here. Instead of brewing full-strength and stripping the alcohol out afterward, Lawson's used a maltose-negative yeast that limits fermentation from the start, which is their explanation for why it kept more of the Citra and Mosaic hop character than most zero-proof beers. It comes in under 0.5% ABV, has about 100 calories a can, and just started landing in six-packs everywhere Lawson's is sold.
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On the “doing good” front, Vermont Smoke & Cure out of Hinesburg has donated more than $250,000 worth of its meat sticks to 15 nonprofits across the northeast, including food pantries, shelters, and groups serving people facing housing instability, through a new ongoing giving program. More than 100,000 sticks have gone out so far…the appeal, per the company, is that they're shelf-stable and easy to hand to someone who's on the move or living outdoors.
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On a sadder note, two longtime spots didn't make it through the summer. After 21 years on Route 2 in South Hero, Blue Paddle Bistro has closed for good. Co-owner Mandy Hotchkiss announced it in a social media post, citing what she called "a perfect storm of circumstances." The restaurant was known for crab cakes with mango chutney aioli and coffee-crusted pork tenderloin, took reservations only by phone starting at 6 a.m., and chef/co-owner Phoebe Bright won the 2022 Daysie for best chef.
And Burlington's Esox, a Main Street dive bar that had been open for nearly 50 years, closed as well, citing a rent dispute with its landlord in a social media post that included a photo of a gravestone reading "ESOX, RIP." We wish everyone involved well, and hope there are happy next chapters ahead for both.
Tastemakers: Adam Monette, Café Monette
Each week, we feature three quick questions with someone bringing something creative, thoughtful, or fascinating to the food and wine scene here in Vermont and beyond.
This week, we caught up with Adam Monette, chef-owner of Café Monette in St. Albans, who opened the French-inspired restaurant with two of his former culinary students…and just landed a national 2026 James Beard semifinalist nomination for Best New Restaurant.
Read the full interview, including why he built Café Monette in St. Albans instead of a bigger market, how two of his culinary students became his business partners, and the dish he feels he still hasn't fully mastered…
The Long Pour: Misunderstood Merlot
by Mike Stolese
Poor merlot has had an interesting history.
It went from being one of the most popular red wines on the market, along with one of the noble grapes in Bordeaux, to being an overproduced, flabby wine without much character.
But what caused this change, believe it or not, was its own popularity…
What’s On…
This column is our weekly pick of the best things happening in the Vermont food and drink world…dinners, tastings, classes, festivals and fairs, as opposed to a running list of everyone who's playing at a corner bar this weekend.
Some weeks run long, like this one, simply because there's so much we think is worth your time. At the same time, it also means we're going to have to start getting pickier about what makes the cut.
If you've got something cool happening in the local food and wine world and want to guarantee it lands in front of 5,000+ readers who love food and drink, give us a shout…we’d love to tell you about our featured listings.
Before we go…
Apparently today is National Bacon Lovers’ Day, which to me seems like as good a reason as any for a holiday. But first, a few points.
Bacon is one of my very favorite foods. But it has to be CRISP. All of it… the fatty part does not get a special exemption. “Chewy bacon” is just bacon that someone stopped cooking too soon. And no, I don’t even mean “almost burned”…I want it right up to the point where you’re starting to worry about it catching on fire.
I realize people may disagree about this. Of course, they’re wrong, but I respect their right to disagree. 😄
What about maple bacon? Well, we are in Vermont…but regular bacon was not exactly crying out for improvement. Thoughts?
Surely I’m not the only one with strong opinions about bacon. What are yours? Hit reply and tell us...we’re truly curious.
Happy National Bacon Lovers’ Day...see you next week.