Vermont’s Cocktail Bars Serve Up Inspired and Playful Creations
August 12, 2024
Top-notch service, tasty drinks and an inviting atmosphere are the ingredients you want in a cocktail bar. Whether you prefer classic martinis, salty margaritas or off-beat drinks, you can’t go wrong at these outstanding Vermont cocktail bars.
-Owner Zoë Zilian opened Au Comptoir two years ago. The name Au Comptoir means “at the counter.” Courtesy photo.
Au Comptoir in Woodstock
Zoë Zilian opened Au Comptoir in Woodstock in 2022. She saw a need for a place where people could gather for decadent cocktails, delightful snacks and excellent service.
“I want people to experience a little gem off the beaten path, as if you had just stepped into an old world, European Village bar,” she says.
Zilian, co-founder of Farmhouse Pottery, renovated the building, which was originally built in 1915 as a mechanic shop for the Rockefellers.
The building features exposed beams, antique brick veneer and old-world wall plaster. The space has antique portraits, custom-made mahogany bar stools and marble café tables. Outside on the patio, you’ll also find fire pits and French café chairs.
This Vermont cocktail bar’s most popular signature drink is La Vie En Rose, served in an Italian Bormioli coupe. It has notes of rose, blood orange gin, cava and a top layer of egg white lightly sprinkled with rose tea.
The bar’s ginger margarita is another crowd favorite, with tequila blanc, fresh lime juice, homemade ginger honey syrup and Cointreau.
Au Comptoir, in English, means “at the counter.” As a child, Zilian spent time in Europe and was inspired by old-world architecture and antiques.
“I wanted to share this experience and passion with others when they step into Au Comptoir,” she says.
Au Comptoir is located at 4 Mechanic Street in Woodstock. Visit aucomptoirvt.com.
-Devil Takes A Holiday in Burlington aims to help people break away from the mundane. Courtesy images.
Devil Takes A Holiday in Burlington
Devil Takes A Holiday in Burlington raised the bar for cocktail bars in Vermont’s largest city.
With about 25 original cocktails to choose from, including We Can’t Elope, with cantaloupe infused Aviation gin, lemon, mint and agave, or a banana milk punch with Appleton Estate rum, Velvet Falernum, lemon, Nilla Wafer and bananas.
Snacks like Buffalo wings, crispy tuna squares and deviled eggs are also on the menu. The bar’s walls highlight art from local artists, all available for sale, with proceeds going directly to the artists.
“While we take our cocktails seriously at Devil, we do not take ourselves or what we do seriously,” says owner Taylor Watts. “We aim to have people break away from the mundane while at Devil and revel in some whimsy.”
Devil Takes A Holiday is located at 111 St. Paul Street in Burlington. Visit deviltakesaholiday.com.
-You’ll find delicious drinks at Jessica’s and a weekly cocktail party called Fancy Fridays. Courtesy photos.
Jessica’s in Middlebury
The Vermont cocktail bar at Jessica’s restaurant at the Swift House Inn feels at once like home and a sweet escape.
Serena Kim and Matthew Robinson bought the 20-room hotel and its on-site Jessica’s restaurant in 2020.
Their most popular cocktails include a ginger gimlet and the Warm and Dusty—a turbo-charged dirty martini.
“We hope people experience an upscale, traditional, intimate and elegant cocktail experience. We have many regulars who know each other, and there’s an established cocktail scene here,” Kim says.
Jessica’s hosts Fancy Fridays every week from 7 to 10 p.m. Kim, a professional club DJ since the 90s, spins live tunes on her turntables for cocktail partygoers.
Fancy Fridays occasionally includes theme nights like 70s or 90s nights. Bartender Laura Fenn creates a new and fun cocktail every Friday—a recent one was a chocolatey cocktail with hazelnut inspired by Ferrero Rocher.
“We really want Jessica’s to be an inclusive atmosphere. We love it when people wear cocktail attire as it helps create the ambiance,” she says. “I’ve been known to spin an array of R&B, house, yacht rock, disco and hip hop. People have made new friends there who come every week to share their love of music and fashion.”
Jessica’s is located at 25 Stewart Lane in Middlebury. Visit swifthouseinn.com/dine.
-Wine isn’t the only game in town at The Left Bank in Weston. Courtesy photos.
The Left Bank in Weston
The Left Bank in Weston is known for its bistro-inspired cuisine and extensive wine list.
But even if you’re not planning on eating dinner or not in the mood for wine, the bar serves up excellent cocktails and offers a relaxed, elegant vibe.
Summer cocktails include the Our ’91, which combines Grey Goose Vodka, St. Germaine, lemon and bubbly, and the L’amour Mére, with Ron del Barlitto rum, Aperol, Banane du Brésil, lime and simple syrup.
Produce from the property’s small-scale farm supplies the restaurant and heavily influences the menu and cocktails.
Now through Aug. 22, you can also enjoy fresh New England oysters every Thursday in The Pavilion, a new outdoor space at The Weston.
The Left Bank is located at 630 Main Street (Route 100) in Weston. Visit thewestonvt.com/dining/the-left-bank.
-Bluebird Talta Lodge is home to the FjällBar. Pronounced “fyell-bahr,” the name means “mountain” in Swedish.
FjällBar in Stowe
Tucked downstairs at the Bluebird Talta Lodge in Stowe is the FjällBar. Pronounced “fyell-bahr,” the name means “mountain” in Swedish.
Inspired by Swedish minimalism and rustic mountain aesthetics, FjällBar offers creative and traditional cocktails. The drinks are excellent, and the vibe is informal and low-key.
Try a Kentucky mule on the rocks, a gin and juice highball, an espresso martini, an old fashioned, a classic margarita or a matcha lemonade with vodka.
A standout? The Girl Boss, with Elderflower liqueur, lime, prosecco, club soda and fresh herbs.
The menu includes a pickle plate, Nordic sardines, charcuterie board, and more for small plates.
FjällBar is located at 3343 Mountain Road (Route 108) in Stowe. Visit bluebirdhotels.com/hotels/talta-lodge/bar.
-The It Takes Two to Tango cocktail at The Miller’s Toll is a favorite among customers. Courtesy photo.
The Miller’s Toll in Bennington
Walk inside The Miller’s Toll Dinner Club and Lounge and find wingback chairs, lounge chairs, cozy private rooms and an array of cocktails being shaken or stirred.
One crowd pleaser at The Miller’s Toll is a Mai Tai drink called It Takes Two To Mango, which includes fresh banana infused rum, mango, prickly pear, lemon and sparkling wine.
You’ll also find tasty margaritas, Moscow mules and an old-fashioned with local bourbon from Village Garage Distillery, Shagbark hickory syrup, butter pecan bitters, and smoked with cinnamon, walnut and pecan wood chips.
Owners Lisa Harrington-Redding and John Redding of Bennington opened the bar six years ago. He serves the guests, while she creates the cocktails.
Head chef Nick Boisse is a longtime friend and serves up everything from caprese sliders to maple-glazed chicken flatbread to a poached pear salad.
“Our goal was to create an intimate gathering place for people to enjoy each other’s company in a warm, comfortable, inviting space,” Harrington-Redding says. “We also have some the best guests who have become like family over the years. I think the consistency of quality with the inviting family-like atmosphere keeps people coming back.”
The Miller’s Toll is located at 716 Main Street in Bennington. Visit millerstoll.space.
Kipling’s Tavern serves up creative cocktails and pre-Prohibition-era classics. Courtesy photos.
Kipling’s Tavern in Brattleboro
Kipling’s Tavern in Brattleboro is a local landmark that dates to the 1920s when the building first became a local watering hole under a different name.
Bryan Gelke and Maggie Bernhard reopened the beloved establishment in 2022 after it closed during the pandemic.
Kipling’s serves an array of craft cocktails, including favorites like the Pura Vida with white rum, coconut water, pineapple and Luxardo. Another popular drink is the El Nacional, made with tequila, passion fruit, pomegranate, fresh lime and agave nectar.
Kipling’s menu also features pre-Prohibition-era classic whiskey, gin and bourbon-based cocktails, all with a modern twist.
Before becoming a restaurant owner, Gelke worked in high-end restaurants in San Francisco, Lake Tahoe, and Providence, Rhode Island, tending bar and managing staff. Gelke and Bernhard also worked together at nearby Peter Haven’s Restaurant.
“We try to exceed expectations, wow them with our food and style of hospitality, and hope they leave with a reason to return,” Gelke says, adding that the restaurant recently won Best Burger by readers of the Brattleboro Reformer.
Kipling’s Tavern is located at 78 Elliot Street in Brattleboro. Visit kiplingstavern.com.
-The Crooked Ram in Manchester was named one of Esquire’s Best Bars. Courtesy photo.
The Crooked Ram in Manchester
Named one of Esquire’s Best Bars of 2021, The Crooked Ram in Manchester creates crafty drinks like The Boorn Brook Manhattan made with local honey from down the road.
The restaurant and bar have expanded over the years from a small-scale charcuterie and cheese spot to a go-to destination for pizzas, small bites and drinks.
While you’re there, it’s worth heading outback to The Yard, The Crooked Ram’s covered outdoor space open May to October, serving wood-fired pizzas, oysters, cocktails, wine and beer.
The Crooked Ram is located at 4026 Main Street in Manchester. Visit thecrookedramvt.com.
-Blackbird Bistro is located in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom. Courtesy photo.
Blackbird Bistro in Craftsbury
Blackbird Bistro’s cocktail bar and restaurant are in the scenic town of Craftsbury in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom.
Grab a drink and head outside to the patio to enjoy a fire pit, lawn games and gorgeous sunset views.
Drinks include the Mezcal Sour with mezcal, lemon, lime, honey, orange blossom and aquafaba.
Or try the White Rabbit with aged rum, blanco rum, Absinthe, lime, orgeat, pomegranate, rhubarb bitters and club soda.
Blackbird Bistro is located at 1037 South Craftsbury Road in Craftsbury. Visit blackbirdbistrovt.com.
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