Peasant

Went here with a few friends for my sisters birthday– can’t wait to go back. Relaxing, welcoming atmosphere… Food was off the wall amazing– so flavorful and perfectly prepared. Great wine selection. An all around delightful experience. Thank you.

Delicious comfort food. We had the cassoulet and the beef ragout. So flavorful. Great Ridge Zin from the wine list and live music playing in the bar. Love this place.

Used a Discovery Map found this place. Came in on a Sunday nite during a thunderstorm. Nice place by the river. Very nice staff. The chef came out and asked how my dinner was. Very pleasant and would be back. Try the chicken liver pâté. Yum

Some of the best food in the valley. The staff is very friendly, and the ambiance is lovely. Definitely a staple for the area.

Every once in a while I have an experience so completely at odds with the prevailing opinion on Unilocal that it leaves me amazed. Peasant was one such occasion.
We arrived promptly at our reservation time of 8pm, to be told our table had not been vacated yet. No big deal. However, I noticed behind us a table set for the exact size of our party. I asked if we could sit at the table, to which I was told, «no, that table is not for you.» Say whaaaaat? Are you kidding? We were only ones in the restaurant at that time with a reservation for a table of the exact setting. With much discomfort, the hostess agreed to ask the manager if we could sit there, to which the right was granted! Sheesh, how dopey can you get.
When our waitress asked for our drink order, I said I would like a bloody mary, which she said they do not make. This is despite having an extensive drink list and obviously a full bar. Now this is bizarre.
Unfortunately the food did not turn out be so good. My wife and daughter’s salmon was served on a very odd purée of artichoke, broccoli rabe, olives and something else. It was plain unpleasant. My Chicken Marsala was buried under a mountain of mushrooms in a very strong dark sauce and kind of odd tasting. The cutlet was too thick and had skin on it.
When the chef/​owner came out to ask how our meal was, we told him our honest opinion, which he was not so happy to hear. Instead of the expected customer-​oriented response one usually gets when dissatisfied with a meal, he hits me, I kid you not, with the old fall-​back insult, «well, seventy other people enjoyed their meals tonight.» AKA the customer is not always right and there is something wrong with you. To which I said, «that’s wonderful.» And he comes back and says, brace yourselves, «why don’t we step outside?» To which I laughed and said just go away. What a loon! Blame the customer for not liking his meal, then threaten him with harm!
So much for what was going to be a good night out in the beautiful green mountains. My advice to you is eat elsewhere.
In his responses below, the owner claims my reviews show me to be an angry person. He says let’s step outside (and expression not generally used when diplomacy is intended), and I’m an angry person? If you look at my reviews, there are good and bad ones. It’s pretty balanced. When I pay good money for a dinner not so good, my reviews say so. From the moment we walked in and they could not seat us at an empty our-​sized table despite our reservation, I could tell something was wrong. And then when the food did not meet the hype, it was confirmed. The final blow was when the whack-​job owner threatens to take me out for an unfavorable experience. If this is how he acts when restrained, I would hate to see what happens when he goes from unhinged to unshackled. As for others complementing him, lucky for them they did not have our crummy dining experience. And it’s surprising to hear that asking to be seated is somehow treating service workers in an undignified way. Poor boobies! It is also of interest that note that in all of his responses he fails to address the merits of my complaints, which would be much trickier than continuing to insult the customer.
So dear readers, the dialogue ends here. Any future incoming from the chef ends with delete delete. If you are interested in hearing my personal views on the good, the bad, and indeed the ugly, feel free to see me on Unilocal

Good food, cozy environment, great service. Skip the meatballs, do try the cassoulet. Their chocolate cake and homemade ice cream were delicious!

This location is very homey and welcoming. The staff were great just attentive enough without being harassing. We had the calamari for an appetizer which is some of the best I have ever had. Our entrées were delicious however mine was just a tad bit underwhelming (maybe it was all the hype). I had the pork bolognese which was just a tad under seasoned and the pasta was nothing spectacular but in no way bad. They had a very nice wine selection too and some great local beers on tap. Overall a great place, very romantic, and great quality food but not the best I have ever had.

Excellent food and service. Nice atmosphere with a quaint bar in the back. Quiet enough you don’t have to yell to talk to someone. Try the ragout. Best chicken marsala I’ve ever had.

Three of us arrived at 8:30 on a Friday night after a long drive up from Massachusetts. What a wonderful and warm salon awaited us, set on a charming street in the icy snowy cold of Vermont.
First, the bread which was so magnificent, crispy crust, warm sourdough interior, that I will forever associate mad river valley with the rustic french bread at Peasant.
An appetizer of sautéed calamari with butter and garlic made a perfect dipping sauce for said hunks.
My dish was the cassoulet, a stew served very hot in a round casserole, thick with delicious chunks of chicken and sausage plus white beans.
My son’s salmon was roasted with a maple glaze, creating a really awesome sweet offset to the other flavors, and my wife’s trout was served whole but mostly deboned, stuffed with butter, fresh thyme, and lemon, superb.
We’ll be back, possibly after skiing tomorrow!

I decided to go here during a ski trip with my friends, and BOY was I happy! The service was outstanding and the owners were very accommodating of our large party. The staff made us feel right at home, and there was not a single bad dish! I had the calamari and roasted duck… both dishes were cooked to perfection!!! If you are ever in the area, this place is a MUST! You will not find better food anywhere else, and the restaurant is nestled in the cutest shopping plaza!

Yes, it does live up to the hype. My wife ordered the peasant salad and beef stew. I ordered the meatball appetizer and the ragout (beef tonight) over penne with assiago cheese.
The peasant salad was simple but properly dressed (not drenched in dressy with soggy greens). Her beef stew was beefy delicious. I hope you like perfectly stewed beef chunks. It was one if the mist hearty and tasty beef stew I have had. For me it had a bit if too much rosemary, but it was still excellent. A perfect meal for a cold night.
The meatballs were perfectly braised in white wine, rosemary and onions. How many times have you had a dish braised or marinated in wine and that is all you taste? Not with this. It was beautifully braised and delicious. Dipping the locally baked sourdough bread was yummy.
The beef ragout with penne was well balanced and very satisfying.
We ate at the bar because they were booked all night. Our bartender was friendly and served us well.
This joint is immaculately clean and has a great Italian country home feel.
I highly recommend this place.

So so so so good. We held our rehearsal dinner (which was only 13 people) at the peasant and they gave us a long table in the back room. The food was fresh and not a bad thing came to the table. From the meatballs (YUM) to the calamari to the cassoulet, seriously delicious food.

Date of visit: March 2014
Every year a group of my friends and our families rent a house in the Sugarbush area. We ski, indulge in great food and wine, sleep and repeat. This year we couldn’t get a reservation at our usual places and were forced to try somewhere new. We had heard good things about Peasant and decided to give it a whirl… man were we glad we did.
First impression: Hm, this place is a bit small and a little more casual than I expected.
Atmosphere: Cozy, quaint, casual.
Menu: Short but sweet.
Food: I think we ordered almost every appetizer and shared amongst the table. Everything was fantastic. When it came to the entrees we were blown away, portions were huge and the food was amazing. Some of our friends asked to mix up some of the dishes and the chef was willing. The new creations our friends came up with were fantastic. The chef was so impressed with our requests and how the dishes ended up that he actually came out to our table to chat with us. We were impressed with how accommodating the server & chef were and we were grateful for their flexibility and willingness to make changes to dishes they clearly planned out with great thought. Very, very nice people that just seemed to care about pleasing their customers and making good food.
Final Thoughts: Check this place out! Go, right now!

This was one of the sweetest, nicest places we have ever been. We got in late from the drive up to «The Inn at the Round Barn Farm» and were starving. This was on the way up to the barn so we took a chance to see if they were open. It’s a small town so the whole area shuts down around 8:30 or 9pm. They were very sweet and allowed us to stay even though they had already begun cleaning up. We had the special and it was just to die for! I highly suggest it for those that are in the area.

Peasant is the perfect example of a family-​owned and operated restaurant with a quality-​over-​quantity menu, nice bar area, and extremely friendly and attentive staff!
After a great day of skiing at nearby Sugarbush and walking the town of Waitsfield, we recently found ourselves at Peasant in search of a quick round of pints. Peasant has an impressive beer list, with most selections costing only $ 5 apiece.
This time around, I came here with a ski club on an all-​inclusive trip that included meals, otherwise I would have surely picked Peasant to satisfy my appetite. Menu options include Tagliatelle w/​Italian sausage & mushroom-​gorgonzola cream sauce, Moroccan spiced beef stew w/​honey sour cream, pan-​roasted salmon w/​maple balsamic reduction, and a rotating ragout w/​penne & asiago.
Although a short visit, we had a great time, enjoying our drinks and talking it up with the owners. I’ll definitely be coming back next time I’m up here skiing!

The food, service, and ambience were all excellent. The entrée portions were large enough to share
If you are a meatball lover (as I am) be sure to try theirs.
If you are visiting for the first be sure to check out the view of the Mad river from the covered bridge next to the restaurant.