Great ski areas usually have a huge number of places to eat and drink and the Killington dining options are no exception. Establishments available to visitors include many inns, bars, restaurants and cafes, all dotted along the main access road up the main mountain. The town of Killington VT has a long-adopted policy of not allowing in national dining chains and of actively promoting local vendors, which has worked very well for Killington’s brand and image of doing things differently from other ski mountains, that would often welcome in McDonald’s for a quick financial gain. There are some great highlights (and some rather sad low lights) in the vast array of drinking and dining choices that can often bewilder even the most seasoned visitor.
Best steak in KillingtonThe Killington dining choices for eating steak are pretty poor when compared to the more urban climes of Boston, NYC, Montreal or even Albany. It could be the lack of availability of good red meat or just a trend to do poor quality steaks in the state of Vermont that could be part of the problem. This makes it almost impossible to find a great steak in Vermont, and by that we mean a steak that is better than just a 6 out of 10.
Best Steak: The Foundry
Hardly the best steak in the world, but the steak at The Foundry was tender and juicy and was prepared well. The sides were well chosen and the setting was pleasant. This skirt steak scored at 6/10 when compared to a NYC or Boston steak of the same cut. From all the Killington dining options, there is not have a good steak house available, so you may have to go without, rather than be disappointed. The Santa Fe Steakhouse gets an honorable mention, but with only a score of 5/10 on their New York Strip, its hardly a resounding approval.
Worst Steak: The Wobbly Barn Steakhouse
The steak served in The Wobbly Barn Steakhouse is both expensive and awful at the same time. The culprit appears to be the quality of the meat, which is poor and often thickly lined with fat and gristle. I imagine the chef does his best to make the best out of this bad ration, but this is more like a sows ear than a silk purse. They try to make up for it with a great buffet, but customers still cannot disguise their disgust for the quality of the Wobbly steak. Best go for the chicken here, its hardly ever raw. The lob
Killington chili
Best Chili: Panera Bread in Rutland, VT
It is a sad day when not one single Killington dining establishment can match the quality and consistency of the chili that a national brand, located just 30 minutes away in Rutland VT, can provide. Some decent attempts were made by Charity’s and Choices, but still came up lacking due to the less-than-stellar ingredients and preparation and they cannot be recommended. The chili at Panera in Rutland is both wholesome and consistently tasty and puts Killington to shame. An honorable mention goes out to the Pittsfield General Store that also does an excellent chili, that is well balanced with meat, vegetables and beans, but this is still a ten minute drive from the Killington access road, so its quite shocking that all the restaurants in Killington have lost the recipe for a good chili.
Worst Chili: All Killington On-Mountain Lodges
The chili available at the Killington dining areas in the ski lodges is often an inedible melange of hot brown water and foot-crushed red kidney beans, with some hot spots of sour peppers that the chef may have inadvertently dropped in while he was trying to scare the rats away. The piping-cold chili at the on-mountain lodges is best to be avoided at all costs. The lodges are really only for guests that are forced to use them because of their family commitments, as most regular skiers will avoid them like the plague. Although bringing your own packed lunch sounds a whole lot better, and safer, but Killington not long ago attempted to ban the packed lunch to increase food profits, so this may not last long.
Killington best hidden gem
Best Hidden Gem 1: The Highline Lodge, Killington
The Highline Lodge has a gorgeous bar, NYC style gastronomic restaurant and welcoming staff. Its forever quiet, but never boring. With its soft couches and comfortable chairs set in contemporary ski house feel, its hidden away on the access road and only those in-the-know can really find it.
Best Hidden Gem 2 : Summit Lodge, Killington
An honorable mention should go out to The Summit Lodge that is tucked away behind the Foundry and is often the haunt of local skiers during those dreaded holiday weekend, where lines for tables at the Foundry can be over 2 hours long. The food and service at The Summit Lodge is good and although the place is old, it is a great food and drink destination when the rest of the mountain is packed with out-of-towners.
Killington lunch
Best Lunch Place: The Yurt
Only open during the day and only accessible by skiers and snowboarders, The Yurt provides an amazing array of wonderfully prepared food in a unique setting that epitomizes the very essence of what quality dining can be like in Killington, which is often better know for rowdy beer guzzlers and angry New York skiers than fine lunch dining.
Worst Lunch Place: The Killington Peak Lodge
The Killington Peak Lodge, designed by Robert Williams, is probably the worst experience anyone can have trying to get lunch on any ski day. Part of the problem is that Killington ran out of money for the second floor of seating so 1500 people are crammed into one floor of madness designed for just 300 people. The Killington dining area can often see physical fights for tables during the dreaded holiday weekends when the riff-raff from the big cities descend onto this ski resort and all the locals get out before the trouble starts. Even if you do score a table, or even a chair at the bar, you are rewarded to overpriced, poor quality fare that tends to underwhelm at best, or make you gag at worst. Make sure you arrive with a gold card and a bucket.
Best happy hour in Killington
Happy hour in Vermont means a very different thing than when compared to other states. In Vermont, alcohol cannot be discounted for a certain period of the day and must retain a standard pricing regardless of supply or demand. This means no deals or special pricing on booze, but they make up for it with live music and discounted food instead, including free wings and half price appetizers. After the ski lifts close, most establishments will do some deal with food, but the trick is to avoid the crowds, which is hard to do on a holiday weekend.