Pangaea

Wow– love this place! We were pleasantly surprised by the entire dining experience–
from the quality of the food, the knowledge of the staff, the ambience of the space etc. etc.
Easily one of our new favorites in this area!

the burgers here are fantastic (pub side of course) and they have the beers to go with them!

Update:
The food and food service were excellent.
The menu items were original and imaginative, and were well prepared. Service was buffet style, well managed and orderly.

From start to finish Pangaea does it right
On this Saturday night the service was exceptional There were s few tables occupied but it seems like they can make you feel you are the only ones with their attention
We started with a delectable amuse bouche of a tasty bite of crab tortilla dressed with s vinaigrette followed by their signature spring roll salad. Each
Course was timed perfectly and was a treat for the taste buds
I enjoyed the pan seared scallops on a bed of corn and vegetable succotash that was lightly seasoned. Pangaea was able to accommodate my dairy allergy without missing a beat
We ended our evening with their homemade peach sorbet garnished with blueberries and mint
Thank you Pangaea for a wonderful dining experience

WOW! The Chef creates 5star cuisine! The service is excellent & knowledgeable! We started w Vermont rabbit pâté, black sea bass & white truffle sauce and something delicious w duck. Our minds & pallets blown! Then a taste of maple squash soup, followed by a hand roll salad w noodles cabbage & peanut vinaigrette (all yummy). The night was special dinner for our daughters bday and we are all please we chose Pangea! For dinner i din’t know a gourmet cobb salad would ever be a thing but bam! Wonderful! I asked my daughter how was her Halibut was and I quote «so good i have tears in my eyes». Everything was beautifully presented. The pace of meal was pleasant/​perfect, not rushed yet no waiting. Wine, cocktails & desert were fab! Definitely the place for a special occasion or just wanting good food!

More focus on presentation than the actual taste. We started with the rabbit Terrine, it was a generous portion but bland, also had the Burgundy braised lamb leg torchon, which was good. Then we had the Warm Cobb with pheasant, again good just not surprisingly good. My wife got the scallops which were good but small. Overall not really impressed still good.

We stopped in here on a road trip based on Unilocal reviews and it was delightful. We enjoyed the back patio and fresh air. The food was delicious and service great.

What a fantastic place, absolutely amazing food and accommodating and courteous staff! We were driving through and stopped for dinner, dining in the casual side of the restaurant. We loved the intense color of the bar area as well as the art on display.
We shared our food as each dish was wonderful. I loved the homemade carrot chèvre ravioli — it was scrumptious and delicate — and the portion just right. You must save room for the homemade sherbet — we melted faster than the flavors.

This review is based strictly on the lounge.
I gotta say, for a while the quality had gone down — we were in town three or four years ago and came up for dinner at the lounge and it was terrible. But that must have been a phase because we’ve been in here at least twice a month since moving back in late June and Pangaea Lounge is our go to choice.
I remember the days of coming in to get a Guinness (shhhh… I was young and stupid) and play pool but they’ve put in a few more tables so the space where the pool table was is a small dining room. From their regular things to eat, like their burgers, to the specials (Always ask what the ravioli is. Then get it), there is something for everyone. It’s high quality, bordering on foodie food. Favorites for us are the cheese plate, my husband ALWAYS gets the artichokes, flank steak, and the stirfry (best thing on the standard menu!). And of course, the ravioli. We usually end up with an appetizer portion as long as it’s fish free (food allergy).
In addition to excellent food, there is a good beer selection, cocktails and a very friendly and knowledgeable staff. And, being Vermont, friendly locals who are all different as night and day but usually engaged in conversation together — which is part of what makes this state so great. Like seriously, you’ll have a hunter, a farmer, a professor from the college, a waitress, the bartender and some tourists discussing the economy. Or their favorite bands.
My only gripe is that I wish they had more wines by the glass but I understand why they don’t — and because of it their wine is always fresh, so no complaints. If you are in the mood to stick to one wine and have someone to split it with, you can get the wine list from the restaurant and order a bottle. I’ll split it with you if I’m there.
Awesome spot you’ll find me at once a week. Not cheap, but worth every penny.

The food was overly flavorful and odd. I ordered the wild mushrooms with truffle cream sauce and it was disgustingly rich. I also tried the Bangkok stir fry and the sauce was thick and too strong and masked any flavor of the vegetables. The service was also very slow and the décor was… creepy and dusty. Several hours later I am not feeling well after eating at Pangaea.

Pangaea is actually 2 restaurants, The Lounge — a more informal, less expensive place, but one that I’ve visited frequently over the years and that I recommend — and Pagaea «Fine Dining» Restaurant, somewhat more formal, more expensive but refined dining level. This review is for the Restaurant, which I’ve also visited frequently over the years, over the span of more than 1 owner apparently.
I have to admit that I find the interior of this place completely charming, the burnished tin ceiling, the sheen of the natural wood floor, and tomatillo red walls, with the large shop windows in the front looking out onto Main Street. What was this place in its former life, you can’t help but think — a dry goods store?
For our most recent visit, we had the flan appetizer, scallops, halibut, and brulee. My only disappointment was that the halibut was a bit dry. But then again I can find absolute perfection a bit boring. Our server, the restaurateur Lani, was always attentive when necessary, thoughtfully informative in discussing the local scene, and skilled at making us feel honored to dine there. What more could you want from a restaurant?

Once again, we had a wonderful, magical birthday celebration at Pangaea, this time, mine rather than Jennifer’s. The goat cheese flan appetizer with Gewürztraminer reduction was surprising and delicious. I chose the filet entrée, with perfectly al dente risotto, and Jennifer had the herb-​crusted baked halibut. Both get our highest ratings. Cookies and crème brûlée topped us off. Service and atmosphere, icy cocktails and a great wine selection keep this little Vermont spot near the top of our Boston-​dominated list of fine cuisine.

Everything was delicious. It was a Sunday and the main dining room was closed but the «Lounge dining room» was quite restaurant-​like. It had a uncarpeted floor which would have been perfectly OK if the family next to us hadn’t had a pair of warring teens :-) But eventually they finished and left.
My salmon with a cream sauce on a bed f sauteed julienned stir fried vegetables was great. The Clean Slate Riesling was good with it.
My companions also enjoyed their meals.

We dined in the Lounge on a Saturday night.
Ambiance was very cozy. The restaurant is in an old house. The service was great.
Where this place fell short is the menu.
The food was good but very overpriced… we were confused because we are used to paying those prices for either very high quality simple food or a much more creative menu. The beer list is ok, but this is VT… and there really wasn’t many local brews on there.
All in all, this place wasn’t worth the hype.

For the sake of other families who make our mistakes, I hope Pangaea reads this and understands how disappointing it is to have this happen on graduation weekend and is prepared next year. For those families who read this, I would warn against eating here on busy weekends.
Understanding that they were busy does not excuse the down right dismal service we received. We went in with great moods, having reserved a table weeks in advance and prepared to wait a bit for the good meals I was used to enjoying the last 4 years. I waited quite a long time to cool down because it really turned a happy night into a miserable experience. The last one I will probably have with them.
This occurred May 31^st 2014
Instead of ranting, here are a few low lights of the evening:
Being unable to receive the bread the other tables were getting, even though we had been sitting long enough to finish 2 bottles of wine and were HUNGRY
Sitting for nearly 2 hours without food (other than bread 45 minutes in)
My food (the duck I always enjoyed) was stone cold/​rubbery– obviously had been sitting for quite some time
General rudeness from everyone but the busboy (thank you for bringing us bread finally even though that was not your job)
My mother literally walking out because we were being ignored
My passive grandfather becoming so angry he just wanted to leave too
A single over the shoulder apology about a slow kitchen, nothing else
Is our life ruined because of one terrible evening? Not really, but it was sad and embarrassing to have taken my family there to celebrate only to sit hungrily while being ignored. I never had the impression that anyone there cared in the slightest that they had turned a fun evening into a bad final memory.

Went here last weekend for the tasting menu and was blown away by the ceativity and quality of the food. Too many courses to count, but everything we tried– the scallops, seared tuna, filet with lobster tail, duck, black cod, spring roll salad, was delicious. Delicious wine pairings and amazing desserts rounded out the meal. We stopped by the bar at the lounge next door for a nightcap, they have a great cocktail list and the menu over there looks intersting as well. More casual but a cool vibe. Defintiely Manhattan quality food, in a rustic Vermont setting. A real treat. We are looking forward to coming back on our next trip up North. Hoping to enjoy the back patio once the warmer weather arrives:)

Awarding a rare 5-​star review after being spoiled rotten here with a very unique tasting menu. Can’t even remember how many courses there were but each dish was better than the last which I didn’t expect and the wine pairings were perfect.
Some described it as «Yankee Eclectic» which seems fitting. Décor is warm and inviting. Perfect for the menu which is a carnivore’s dream! Enjoyed the duck and venison the most but was also blown away but creative options like mushroom strudel and spring roll salad. The list could go on forever. Service here is impeccable and the chef Nick even stopped by the table to see how everything was. He was young and energetic. It felt like he was as excited as we were about the food. It’s always good to see that type of enthusiasm and passion. Pangaea is personable and friendly. You won’t be disappointed!

Amazing food… We came in at like 9:35, and they close the kitchen at 10:00. Our server was polite and not put out by our late arrival. we came In from a 10 mile hike and were very hungry. portions were perfect and the food was very good!

Very friendly staff, beautiful atmosphere, and GREAT food… every time! I absolutely loved the salmon burger… also make an incredible bloody mary.

I just spent a lovely evening with the owner of Pangaea. We talked of $ 12,000 bottles of wine and our «Dead Arm» bottles from ’05 and ’08. We feasted on Brie and Boar and Shrimp and Mahi Mahi and Hummus and Crème Brûlée. I finished my evening with a coffee and Bailey’s and the best company in the world.
I highly recommend the formal dining room for more a more intimate setting. The owner also is part owner of Allegro’s Italian in Bennington. This place is top notch — much butter then anything else Bennington has to offer.
Perhaps I’ll write more on the food later, but maybe not. Of all the things I sampled and loved nothing was mediocre and everything was fantastic.
A lovely evening and I highly recommend a splurge on Pangaea!