“Many people expect Vermont dining to be all maple syrup and cheddar,” says Combs (and to note, there is an adorable Vermont Country Store just a few steps from the hotel that supplies both in abundance). “We celebrate our local roots but also do steak tartare prepared tableside, offer full caviar service, and have a monthly chef’s tasting menu in our Wine Cellar private dining room. We offer traditional French-inspired cuisine but it never feels out of place here because the hospitality is entirely Vermont. Warm, personable, unpretentious.”
When you order, opt for a blend of produce-heavy dishes (speaking from experience, the Daily Vegetable should never be skipped) and French classics like perfectly-executed steak au poivre, chicken liver mousse, celeriac remoulade, and of course that tableside steak tartare. The wine pairings are also excellent, earning the restaurant a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for two years running.
Pro tip: Make the most of your surroundings by ordering room service at least once. The menu is a pared-down version of what you’ll find in the restaurant but also includes bottles of wine, which you can enjoy by the fireplace, in bed, on your private balcony if your room has one, in the bathtub (my personal pick), or even with a picnic packed to-go.
Julie Bidwell, courtesy The Weston
Last month,the Weston also unveiled a brand new culinary project: The Green Cat, part bakery, part cafe, part gourmet grocer, part culinary classroom. Helmed by pastry chef Mary Pisanelli, it features a rotating menu of sweet and savory offerings and a robust bread program with 11 different varieties on daily rotation. Don’t miss the mini sourdough boule flights or the signature Fat Cat bialy filled with seasonal delicacies. Produce from the farm is on sale at the grocer counter and woven throughout the menu—including a Green Cat tea blend curated from farm-grown herbs. And then there’s the Demonstration Kitchen, an immersive classroom tucked behind the bakery where guests can master techniques like laminating croissants under Pisanelli’s instruction.
On my trip to Weston, I was struck by the fact that it hit every mark: luxurious accommodations, plenty of nature (try Emerald Lake Loop for a gentle stroll and a swim), a very good massage, and truly excellent food. I came back to my trash-lined street in Brooklyn wondering what I always wonder: Do I really want to live here?
But that’s the beauty of a great weekend getaway. It’s always just a car ride away.
