The 10 Best Restaurants In Rutland Vermont

Located in the heart of Vermont’s Green Mountains, Rutland is a popular destination for skiers from the nearby Killington Resort. Rutland offers a wide variety of dining options – here are the 10 best.

Sandwich Shoppe

Restaurant, Cafe, Sandwich Shop, American

Since it opened in 1981, Sandwich Shoppe has been a local favorite for a wide variety of fresh sandwiches, salads, burgers, and other breakfast and lunch classics. This amazing family-run shop features an extensive menu that takes a while to read but is well worth it. All of the food is made with high-quality ingredients and prepared with care. The shop’s specialty sandwiches are delicious. Many are quite large, with everything very well priced. Favorites include the turkey club, the Italian Stallion, the grilled turkey and dill and burgers made with homemade rolls. Other good picks include Dan’s chicken salad sub, Pauley’s Island Special, the steak and cheese hot sub, and the Christini, a French toast sandwich stuffed with smoked ham and cheese plus a side of maple syrup. In addition, they are willing to accommodate any special requests guests may have. The owners are noticeably very proud of their business, and justifiably so. Many of their patrons love coming back to the restaurant again and again just for the experience. Making every guest truly feel like a valued customer, the staff is always fun, efficient, and very friendly. They even recognize people after just one visit. This is a great place for families with kids, groups of friends, and folks looking for satisfying, quality food that isn’t expensive. It’s not hard to see why many consider Sandwich Shoppe to be the best choice for lunch in the city.

Roots the Restaurant

Restaurant, American, Vegetarian

In a bright, airy, and cozy atmosphere, Roots the Restaurant offers an array of delicious fresh locally sourced salads, sandwiches, entrees, and specials that vary from day to day. Roots is committed to providing affordable meals from minimally processed, locally grown food. This includes organic crops and humanely raised livestock. Vermont offers an agricultural bounty of flavorful produce, meat, dairy, and other food products that are staples on the Roots menu. The menu is inventive with plenty to choose from for both vegetarians and carnivores. Guests are treated to incredible dishes like brie fondue, beet salad atop a bed of spinach and sprinkled with goat cheese, black bean cakes, golden brown scallops, and creamy ravioli. The homemade potato chips are also a favorite. Patrons love the citrus basil julep, lemonade infused with fresh blueberries, and local draft beers including Northern Vermont pale ale to wash down the tasty meals. The restaurant’s interior, complete with exposed brick walls and ambient lighting, is often filled with the pleasant sound of conversation. The staff is very helpful, attentive, and friendly. They are happy to give newcomers recommendations for great activities around town. Weekend evenings are especially popular at Roots, so if you’re looking to dine then, you’ll want to make a reservation ahead of time.

Johnny Boy’s Pancake House

Restaurant, American, Vegan, Vegetarian, Mexican

Widely considered to be the best breakfast place in Rutland, Johnny Boy’s Pancake House is a family-owned and operated restaurant. It serves up hearty breakfast and lunch dishes to locals, tourists, and passers-by, seven days a week, all year round. Every dish at Johnny Boy’s is made from fresh, quality ingredients, many of which are sourced from the local area. Established in 2003 with the opening of their original Killington location, Johnny Boy’s quickly became known for offering generous portions of tasty food at reasonable prices. It became known as ‘the best breakfast on the mountain.’ The family wanted to bring the concept down the mountain, so they opened up the Rutland location in July of 2010. Inside a building that was once a beverage redemption center, the Rutland Johnny Boy’s makes its guests feel like they are having a meal at someone’s home. This is thanks to the cozy atmosphere created by owner Luanne. Patrons love the Mexican and Montreal scrambles, sausage waffles, fresh fruit pancakes served with authentic Vermont maple syrup, biscuits and sausage gravy, salmon omelets, French toast, and country potatoes, just to name a few. In addition, the restaurant’s version of the classic eggs Benedict is truly special, served with thick slices of Canadian bacon, poached eggs, and ‘salsa cheese’ on an English muffin. The Bloody Marys and mimosas are also fantastic.

Gill’s Delicatessen

Deli, Restaurant, Bakery, American, Vegetarian

Opened in the summer of 1964 by Ned and Veda Gilligan, Gill’s Delicatessen got its start with some of the town’s most delicious pizza and grinders. Today, under the leadership of the couple’s daughter Kathy Gilligan Phillips, Gill’s has become a Downtown Rutland institution. It’s the source of great food, and a great experience for thousands of visitors each year. The heart and soul of Gill’s are the large stuffed grinder. However, the deli’s menu also features baked beans, fresh salads, meatballs, deviled eggs, and much more. Gill’s uses premium deli meats and cheeses, and their rolls and breads are all baked fresh daily in the deli’s very own bakery. The most popular grinder is their Hot Italian, with spiced ham, peppered ham, and Italian salami. Every grinder comes with cheese, shredded cabbage, tomatoes, pickles, onions, and mayonnaise or seasoned oil. People can also request lettuce if they prefer that over the cabbage. They can only add hot peppers to certain sandwiches. The staff are always friendly and efficient, the prices are great for the massive subs, and many locals have been going to the deli for decades. Folks who have been living in the area for long know that when you’re looking for an amazing grinder, there’s really no better place to go in town than Gill’s. The place is very popular, so if you want to avoid a wait, you can call ahead with your order.

Southside Steakhouse

Bar, Restaurant, Steakhouse, Seafood, American, Cocktails

If you’re looking for a warm and cozy upscale steakhouse experience in Rutland, Southside Steakhouse is the place to be. With the goal of providing a modern approach to the classic American steakhouse, Southside utilizes the highest quality steaks. This includes dry aged steaks aged a minimum of 21 days from the restaurant’s climate-controlled locker. There’s also the freshest available seafood and produce. Patrons love the tasty turkey burger, delicious clam chowder with crispy bacon relish, amazing homemade breads, perfectly cooked wet aged sirloin steak and filet mignon. Other good options are wonderful ricotta fritters, fantastic salmon filet with risotto, and the Southside burger with gruyere cheese, caramelized onion, and rosemary aioli. Every burger comes with incredible homemade coleslaw and truffle fries. Every steak comes with a choice of side potatoes, including truffle fries, mashed potatoes, or a baked potato. Southside also offers new and classic expertly mixed cocktails at the bar. Favorites include the perfectly strong Bacardi cocktail and the basil sour. This is in addition to an extensive wine list, making every guest’s dining experience extraordinary. Alongside the wine list, Southside offers a great wine flight option that allows visitors to choose three from the large list of wines. This luxurious steakhouse is the perfect place for a date, thanks to the dim romantic environment and friendly, attentive service.

Hop’n Moose Brewing Company

Bar, Pub, Pub Grub, American, Wine, Beer, Fast Food, Cocktails

Rutland’s first brewery, Hop’n Moose Brewing Company, offers not only a fantastic selection of in-house microbrews, but also authentic wood-fired pizzas as well as amazing fries and potato chips. This is all in a comfortable, relaxed setting. Some of the most popular pizzas are the margherita, buffalo chicken, meat lover’s, honey BBQ chicken, and The Rutland Raider. The latter is a garlic-based pizza topped with sliced apples, shredded cheddar cheese, applewood smoked bacon, and Vermont maple syrup. It is perfect for the true Raiders fans. The brewpub also serves up excellent burgers, sandwiches, wings, nachos, and other classic pub food. They also offer great appetizers like the Vermont cheese plate, garlic breadsticks, and poutine. With giant widescreen televisions, Hop’n Moose is the perfect spot to watch your favorite games. And, with live music every Friday and Saturday night, it’s one of the best hangouts in town. Visitors can get a reasonably priced beer flight to try out a variety of different brews, or fill up a growler to to take some fresh beer home. Some favorite beers include the swamp donkey, the head doctor, the off white, and the saison. The interior is a rustic, woodsy sports fan’s paradise, with wood-paneled walls, sports memorabilia, hanging jerseys and equipment, and a giant moose head sticking out right above the wall of taps. Hop’n Moose is also very kid-friendly, offering a small kids menu with chicken nuggets, mac ‘n cheese, and a cheese quesadilla, all served with fries.

The Yellow Deli

Deli, Restaurant, American, Vegetarian, Soup

With locations in Tennessee, California, New York, Colorado, Vermont, and even Australia and Canada is The Yellow Deli. This place has brought refreshingly healthy sandwiches, breakfasts, chili, soups, and salads, along with irresistible sourdough and artisan breads baked fresh everyday, to appreciative neighborhoods everywhere. Patrons love the incredible sandwiches like the Reuben on homemade light rye bread and the veggie burger. There’s also the Deli Rose with roast beef, corned beef, pepper jack cheese, provolone cheese, onions, tomatoes, mayo, mustard, and the deli’s own special sauce on an onion roll. Another favorite is the Green Mountain Club, which includes turkey, Vermont cheddar, mayo, lettuce, tomato, and maple mustard on homemade pumpernickel. Guests can even design their own sandwiches to their liking. All of the sandwiches are served with chips or vegetables and a pickle. The Yellow Deli is also a great place to stop in for a nice hot cup of freshly pressed apple cider, iced chai or maté, hibiscus cooler, or homemade root beer. The place sticks to its roots, with all kinds of wooden decor, hand-carved accents, homey fireplaces, and great bluegrass music always playing. Open 24 hours, five days a week, this cozy, quiet restaurant is the perfect spot to meet up with friends for a tasty meal or relax with a good book at any time of the day.

Ramunto’s Sicilian Pizza

Known as the best New York-style pizza shop in town, Ramunto’s Sicilian Pizza differentiates itself from other pizzerias by starting with making its own dough from scratch every day. The pizzeria’s sauce is made from the finest vine-ripened tomatoes. The cheese is the best quality 100 percent whole milk mozzarella. Every pizza is hand-tossed and baked in the state-of-the-art Roto-Flex Vermont soapstone oven. The pizzas are loaded with your choice of large generous toppings. They are available by the slice or as the whole pie. It might take more time than a typical pizza chain might, but the quality is worth the wait. The classic cheese pizza and pepperoni pizza are favorites, as are the buffalo chicken, meat lovers, and Hawaiian pizzas. Patrons are also huge fans of the delectable soft and chewy garlic knots and the wonderfully sweet cinnamon knots. So naturally, the famous garlic knot pizza is a real showstopper. At Ramunto’s, guests can watch as the pizzas are being tossed and built in the front window. They will feel like they are in a real New York pizza shop, but with the charm and friendliness that Vermont is known for. The staff are always nice, helpful, and eager to make recommendations. The great cozy dining area has helped make the pizzeria a favorite hangout among local families and friends.

102 Strongs Ave, Rutland, VT, USA, +1 802 747 9980

East Restaurant

Bar, Restaurant, Chinese, Asian, Sushi, Japanese, Thai

The newest Asian restaurant in the Rutland and Killington areas, East Restaurant offers the finest Chinese, Japanese, and Thai cuisine, as well as Southern Asia curry. The menu is lengthy, offering plenty to choose from. Everything the restaurant serves is fresh and delicious, with favorites including the delicious hot and sour soup, the tender tangerine beef, General Tso’s chicken and Singapore noodles. Other favorite picks include crab rangoons, moo shu pork and eggplant in garlic sauce. Try the Happy Family, which is a popular surf-and-turf dish featuring chicken, beef, pork, scallops, and jumbo shrimp sautéed with East’s special blend of Chinese vegetables in a traditional brown sauce. East is also home to a fantastic sushi bar serving up amazing red dragon rolls, spicy tuna, California rolls, sashimi, and spider rolls. There’s also a full bar offering great cocktails. All of the portion sizes are large, perfect for sharing with family or friends. It makes every meal at East a great deal for superior quality food. Patrons love the smart, tasteful decor, complete with clean tablecloths, linen napkins, Asian paintings on the walls, gorgeous lamps hanging from the ceiling, and beautiful ceramic teapots. Fortune cookies are served with fresh orange wedges at the end of every meal, and service is always excellent.

landscape with balloons floating in the air

KEEN TO EXPLORE THE WORLD?

Connect with like-minded people on our premium trips curated by local insiders and with care for the world

Since you are here, we would like to share our vision for the future of travel - and the direction Culture Trip is moving in.

Culture Trip launched in 2011 with a simple yet passionate mission: to inspire people to go beyond their boundaries and experience what makes a place, its people and its culture special and meaningful — and this is still in our DNA today. We are proud that, for more than a decade, millions like you have trusted our award-winning recommendations by people who deeply understand what makes certain places and communities so special.

Increasingly we believe the world needs more meaningful, real-life connections between curious travellers keen to explore the world in a more responsible way. That is why we have intensively curated a collection of premium small-group trips as an invitation to meet and connect with new, like-minded people for once-in-a-lifetime experiences in three categories: Culture Trips, Rail Trips and Private Trips. Our Trips are suitable for both solo travelers, couples and friends who want to explore the world together.

Culture Trips are deeply immersive 5 to 16 days itineraries, that combine authentic local experiences, exciting activities and 4-5* accommodation to look forward to at the end of each day. Our Rail Trips are our most planet-friendly itineraries that invite you to take the scenic route, relax whilst getting under the skin of a destination. Our Private Trips are fully tailored itineraries, curated by our Travel Experts specifically for you, your friends or your family.

We know that many of you worry about the environmental impact of travel and are looking for ways of expanding horizons in ways that do minimal harm - and may even bring benefits. We are committed to go as far as possible in curating our trips with care for the planet. That is why all of our trips are flightless in destination, fully carbon offset - and we have ambitious plans to be net zero in the very near future.