Butler Restaurant and Tavern Butlers Restaurant and Tavern The Essex THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Butler’s Restaurant & Tavern

THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Butler’s Restaurant & Tavern

The Essex
70 Essex Way (Freeman Woods)
Essex Junction, VT 05452
802-878-1100
Map
Epicureans will appreciate one of Vermont's top kitchens, which serves up native favorites nightly.
Openings: Dinner nightly, Brunch Sun.

Features

  • Parking lot
  • Dress code: Casual
  • Full bar
  • Reservations suggested


THIS RESTAURANT IS CLOSED Butler’s Restaurant & Tavern Restaurant Review:


As Vermont's foodie flagship, the New England Culinary Institute has long held court over eateries statewide. Toques-in-training rise through the school's teaching kitchens, often landing in bistros throughout the Green Mountains. And while NECI's numbers have waned, the epicurean authority still presides over Butler's at The Essex resort. Here, executive chef David Coolidge brings guests the same farm-to-table experience that continues to underscore Vermont's blue-chip brand. From ash-ripened chèvre to bright mesclun with strawberries, foods are sourced locally. So skip Atlantic salmon and feast instead on native rainbow trout. Encrusted in pistachios, the fish simmers delightfully in a dill vin blanc. Wine suggestions accompany most menu items, inspiring even timid palates. We paired spicy Asian tacos with Dr. Loosen's lively 2006 Riesling. The German white moved playfully against wasabi shrimp stuffed into crunchy wontons. Other dishes include a deeply satisfying coconut curry tofu. Rich with cumin and coriander, the soy entrée showed surprisingly crisp textures. Still hungry? Whether it's bonfire classics like the Vermont s'more or tart Key lime pie, Butler's desserts befit the kitchen's reputation. Watermelon sorbet smacked of the summer fruit so fully, we hunted for seeds. Prices are upscale, despite a relaxed tavern milieu, but service is suitably sophisticated.