The Restaurant At Hill Farm embraces the seasonal farm to table concept for their dinner service. This gorgeous lofted barn nestled in the Equinox Valley of Southern Vermont favors a wood-fired oven to prepare their dishes. A stunning backdrop featuring sweeping views of the Taconic Mountain Range make the experience all that much more spectacular. And at Hill Farm, they are hitting a new low… but I mean that in the best possible way.
Low in terms of the amount of steps they must walk to get from the working farm to our actual table. The produce is grown and harvested right on the sprawling property adjacent to the restaurant where the food is meticulously prepared. Seasonal ingredients are sourced from their garden, as well as from the neighboring food community showcasing craft producers. And the menu is beyond outstanding.
Visiting with our foodie friends Bob and Krissie for the second year in a row, Michael and I couldn’t wait to taste every dish possible. Veterans of this experience, we were all excited knowing the deliciousness that was to come. The menu is sorted into Snacks, Small Plates, Wood-Fired Pizzas, and Large Plates with between three and five offerings for each category. And sharing is encouraged. Yes, please! We wasted no time ordering every single Small Plate, a pizza, and two huge entrees followed by three decadent desserts.
Here’s how we started… We began with the Marinated Cherry Tomatoes, razor thin sliced Peaches and Basil twirls coated in a raspberry vinegar with ginger. The composed salad was garden fresh– just the right balance of flavors and the tomatoes were August picked sweet. The Fried Chicken wings had a dry rub, accented by black lime and were served with a cool farm ranch side dipper. Wow. We loved the Mighty Food Farm Cucumber speckled with shawarma goat cheese, and harissa pistachios and accented with fresh mint and a touch of chili oil. Even the Nappa Caesar Salad was a delight featuring Woodlawn Creamery “rupert”, crispy chickpeas that were like tiny exploding croutons, and bagna cauda.
We moved onto the Wood Fired Pita & Hummus with the most heavenly charred purple onions ever and sweet corn with harissa pickled cucumbers, topped by a pile of shredded lamb. This course practically moved all of us to tears! The hummus was smooth and savory and the complementary flavor toppers just put this dish over the edge…
Until we tried the showstopping Basil Pesto Wood-Fired Pizza with crisped monti verde coppa, soft burattini dollops, peppery arugula, and drizzled with urfa honey. For me this was the best bite of the night. The fragrant pesto, the salty coppa, cool burrattini, the freshness of the arugula and the sweetness of the honey– it was just spectacular!
For the entrees, we shared the Sweet Pickins Half Chicken with fluffy Vermont rice, more incredible charred purple onion, and a puddle of rich spinach yogurt sauce for dipping, and the Red Snapper with tender corn niblets, and charred summer veggies. The dry rub on the chicken was sensational and the yogurt sauce blew us away. The snapper was cooked perfectly and the garden delight on top was light and flavorful.
This crowd never passes up a chance for good dessert and Hill Farm did not disappoint. We ordered the sweet and salty Tahini Ice Cream with mini oat crumble and a splash of goats milk caramel, the moist Olive Oil Cake with tangy stewed and fresh blueberry compote, lime zest and yogurt mousse, and the rich Chocolate Mousse with a blueberry and pistachio dukka topping. All were completely ridiculous! We polished off every single bite.
Many who don’t know me might find it hard to believe that after such an amazing meal, I had room for breakfast the next day. (I’m impressive that way!) But with more locally sourced ingredients and made from scratch plates, it was a no brainer. Plus, breakfast at the inn was included with our stay, so it was like a crime to have passed, right? The small scramble with cheese and dill was just firm and the side salad, extra crispy bacon, and toast hit the spot. The homemade sweet biscuits had a smattering of crunchy sanding sugar on top and paired with their housemade berry jam, local butter, and fresh berries… I swear it was one of the best bites ever. Michael loved the veggie omelette with local zucchini and crispy onions with a side of fresh watermelon, and buttered wheat bread. Breakfast turned out to be every bit as good as dinner!
Our stay at Hill Farm was just perfect. With blue skies, a fun walk around the outlet stores in town, quaint accommodations, and a quick dip at the cozy pool late afternoon, we made the absolute most of our farm to table Vermont weekend. Nothing beats the magical combination of mixing good friends with exceptional food to create great times!
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