click to enlarge - File: Oliver Parini
- Hen of the Wood
Entering tiny but chic Monarch & the Milkweed feels like stepping into a miniature marble palace. Fluted chandeliers cast warm light over white-stone pedestal tables; napkins are branded with the restaurant's butterfly logo. You could keep it casual and meet for lunch, dipping grilled cheddar-Gruyère sandwiches into each other's creamy tomato soups. But as dusk falls, the restaurant offers exquisite cocktails — get the milkweed punch — and classic fare such as crisp Waldorf salads and smoky bluefish-salad sandwiches. Save room for dessert; the chef spent years turning out pastries at the acclaimed Hen of the Wood.
1633 Williston Rd., South Burlington, guildtavern.com
Classy cocktails set the scene for a posh dinner. The wood-fired grill cooks dry-aged steaks and other local meats for a meal to remember.
click to enlarge - File: Oliver Parini
- Hen of the Wood
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