WATERFRONT RESTAURANTS ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN

Hours: Seasonal (Daily: 12 - 9pm)

There's a time and place for fine dining. This isn't it, and that's the point. Splash at the Boathouse sits right on the water at the bottom of College Street, the kind of spot where a frozen drink and a Lake Champlain sunset count as a full evening's plans. Walk down from Church Street or pull right up by boat, transient slips included.

Hours: Thurs - Monday (4pm - 9pm)

Deep City is Foam Brewers' brunch spot, parked right on Waterfront Park with Lake Champlain filling the front windows. The menu is built for slow weekend mornings, and the tap list is the quiet flex: Foam's own beers alongside guest pours from breweries you'd otherwise have to travel for. (Yes, beer counts as a brunch beverage here.) The space also books for private events, lake view included.

 Seasonal (May - October) 11am - 9pm

Bravo Zulu is a new addition to North Hero and Shore Acres Inn, with a beautiful setting along Lake Champlain positioned facing Eastward towards Vermont, Bravo Zulu is ready to showcase their top-tier menu and drink list. Swing by this summer for a great evening on the shores of Lake Champlain.

Hours:  Open Everyday (12pm - 8pm)

The Shanty on the Shore has been doing seafood the old-fashioned way for decades: fresh, unfussy, no reinvention required. It sits right on Battery Street across from the lake, so dinner comes with Lake Champlain and the Adirondacks out the window. The kind of place you bring the whole family and nobody argues.

Hours: Everyday: 8:00am - 3:00pm

The Skinny Pancake in Burlington is one of many of their epic crepe based franchises throughout the northeast. With a hyper focus on supporting local communities and creating a sustainable food shed. The Skinny Pancake has been a leader in our local restaurant community for a while now.

A quick stroll down Battery Street, College Street, or around Waterfront Park and you will likely pass by the Skinny Pancake. Great for a quick drink, dinner with friends, or a hearty brunch before a day of adventuring. 

Hours: Wednesday - Saturday (12:00-9:00PM) Sunday (12:00-4:00pm)

Farmers and Foragers Dockside is what summer in Burlington tastes like. Set at the Burlington Harbor Marina with Lake Champlain and Lone Rock Point spread out in front of you, it started as a food truck and kept the spirit: order at the window, grab a seat by the water, and take your time. The menu runs homestyle comfort with Vermont conviction. The "Vermont Cheesesteak" has a loyal following for good reason, and the Lake Champlain perch tacos are about as local as a taco gets. It's an easy walk up the waterfront bike path, and when the sun starts dropping behind the Adirondacks, you'll be glad you stayed for one more round.

Hours: Seasonal (Daily: 12 - 9pm)

An eclectic, surf-inspired, dockside restaurant along the Burlington waterfront. The Spot on the Dock is open seasonally, although their opening dates can vary depending on the weather. It is typically normal to see them open anytime in May and by Memorial Day at the latest. 

Hours: Open Noon to 8pm every day but Tuesday.

The Sand Bar sits on the Route 2 causeway in South Hero, which means you get Lake Champlain on both sides before you've even parked. It's the first stop heading into the Islands and a worthy destination on its own: comfort food done from scratch, with crab cakes that have earned their reputation, plus burgers, steaks, and seafood that match the setting. The cocktail list takes the lake view seriously. Reservations are a good idea in summer, when everyone driving the causeway has the same realization at the same time. They also host private events for up to 40, and it's hard to beat a party where the backdrop is open water in every direction.