The Inn at Sawmill Farm

A true gem in Southern Vermont — lovely Italian dinner and it appears we’re the only people here tonight…

We were looking for some Vermont country classics and what we got was some over priced average Italian! Not the right place for an Italian restaurant. We paid $ 92 and had two glasses of wine/​two garden salads and an appetizer size portion of pasta. Ouch!

The Inn at Sawmill Farm has recently been purchased by The Hermitage Club which has also acquired several other properties in the area, including Haystack Mountain. It’s in some sort of weird transition state with friendly but clueless management and deferred maintenance to the point where a minor rehab just won’t do it. The rooms are so out of date, the bathrooms so worn out, the shower is such a joke that it needs and complete redo. The window air conditioners are noisy. The fabrics on the chairs and walls in the common areas are dark, dingy, and to my taste, ugly. The carpet is worn out. I need not go on, but THERE IS ONE REDEEMING FEATURE; the restaurant remains very, very, good. Dinner was excellent though pricey. Homemade pastas were perfect. Sauces terrific. Meats and vegetables of excellent quality. Homemade pancakes in the morning and a great cup of locally roasted coffee served by a cheery and enthusiastic server, made us almost, but not quite forget about the dumpy inn we were in. My recommendation; stay someplace else. Eat at the restaurant (still called Nonna’s but supposedly will change the name soon).

We finally got the chance to dine here after years of coming up to West Dover and it exceeded our expectations. The atmosphere is quaint and relaxing and the food and service was outstanding!!! My husband had the horseradish crusted salmon and I ordered from the specials and had wild mushroom stuffed ravioli in a butter sauce… both were delish and we will definitely be back!!!

Everything about our stay at the inn was absolutely perfect. Just stepping foot inside we (my mom and I) were wowed. every corner was so intricately decorated with antiques and beautiful artwork and furniture. The sitting area by the fire before dinner, the library upstairs to sip coffee, the size of the room we stayed, the location, the breakfast (the waitress was a little snippy but ill cut her some slack she was the only one!), restaurants nearby, farms, horseback riding, antique shops, you name it! Such a beautiful quintessential fall weekend in Vermont. I miss it already!

I’m updating my review because my fiancé and I stayed here again and it was so wonderful. Nonna showed us to our room, and was really sweet to our dog– she even offered to bring him a food/​water dish if he needed it. The pancakes we had for breakfast were delicious, and coffee and granola is free and available all day long. We need utensils for our takeout Chinese one night, and the restaurant gave us what we needed, no problem at all. It’s such a homey, comfortable place to stay– we’ll be back here every year, for sure!

We came back again this year. Continue to love this Inn.

NONNA’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT within The Inn at Sawmill Farm — We dropped in without reservations on Saturday evening (³⁄₂₂) at 8:30 for dinner. What a lovely Inn and entry to the restaurant with large, walk in fireplace adding a cozy feature on a cold night. We were seated immediately in the dining room. It looked like the rush was over as many tables were empty and not reset. No matter to us as it gave us more intimacy on our get away weekend!
Our waiter, Wes, was very professional, friendly but not obtrusive. He was good with his wine recommendation and some local knowledge that we asked him to share. Unfortunately due to our lateness the restaurant was out of a few of the entrees we were interested in, so we had «old reliables» FETTUCCINE & CHICKEN ALFREDO and
VEAL MARSALA. Wes and I discussed wines and agreed on a cabernet that I knew but had never tasted. A good recommendation by Wes and the wines were fairly priced.
All in all a very nice experience with good food. It would be nice to stay at the Inn as well.

This is a fantastic little spot! So glad we stumbled upon this Inn. The staff goes out of their way to make you feel at home, helping us with special requests. We brought our infant and they accommodated our request to be in the main building and for extra towels, etc. The grounds are gorgeous — you can use kayaks, play tennis, hike, or just walk around and take it all in. We have also stayed in the buildings on the grounds — pet friendly! They will bring bowls and biscuits for the pups, if requested. The pool is clean and comfy. I love being able to build a fire and keep cozy. The restaurant on the premises is fantastic and not expensive at all. We will be back and will definitely recommend it to all our friends!

Hoping to have found a gem amongst a handful of expensive local eateries that cater to tourists looking for a quality dining experience I went to Nonnas with another couple after a shortened day at the slopes on the strength of a handful of positive Unilocal reviews. Unfortunately Nonnas failed to deliver what we were seeking and reminded me to only trust reviews in higher volume.
Our waitress, who we will refer to as Tara to protect her identity, seemed inexperienced and uncomfortable with her role which led to variety of blunders. We realized something was awry we asked about specials and she admitted to not knowing them and often not promoting them because she forgets their details. We were mildly annoyed but mostly amused by her, since our main concern was the quality of the meal about to be served.
Despite the situation described above, I nonetheless remained optimistic about the quality of food output by the kitchen… wrong again. You know its a problem when the highlight of your meal is the salad. Our salads were, simple and clean, a good launchpad for a hearty italian meal.
I ordered veal parmesan which was mediocre and overly seasoned, served with pasta that was cold and a tart tomato sauce. The friends we dined with had similar complaints about their entrees. Our dining companions also thought the food they had was heavily salted and left a strange aftertaste long after they had finished their meal.
The final insult of the meal came with dessert. We ordered the flourless chocolate cake and bourbon pecan pie. Both were homemade and tasty but the portions were comically small. Almost as if Tara was continuing to troll us in her final act.
Even if you can’t get a reservation elsewhere I would avoid Nonnas and get on the waiting list at a better, more reviewed local establishment.

I have been here a few times and have always had a great meal. My favorite nights are Monday’s because they have live music.

A quaint restaurant in a beautiful old inn. Food was great! A little overpriced an not really your traditional «Italian» restaurant… But good none the less!

This review is for Nonna’s, the restaurant at the Inn at Sawmill Farm.
I am a recent transplant to the Dover area, but have spent a lot of time here over the last year visiting my fiancé. Nonna’s quickly won the award for our favorite place for a splurge in town. Last fall after months of saying we should go, we finally went in for dinner. We’ve been back many times since and have never been disappointed.
The restaurant sits in the top of what appears to be a renovated barn or very old house. The décor is upscale enough that you feel like you are really going out for a nice dinner, but also has a homey feel. While there isn’t an official dress code, I usually feel most comfortable in dress pants or a skirt.
The menu is full of rich, italian classics with old favorites and new twists. My partner is part Italian and VERY picky about things like red sauce and meatballs. She has been a huge fan of Nonna’s meatballs, calling them the best she’s had outside of what her Mom makes. She also compliments their red sauce as a great mix of flavors.
Their pasta carbonara is absolutely to-​die for. Made with local, Maplebrook chese, and a perfect balance of saltiness, it is the creamy, melt in your mouth experience that you hope for in Carbonara. I can also give high marks to the Prosecco Risotto with Scallops that was offered this fall. The pop of the sparkling wine against sweet scallops and a perfectly creamy risotto was the stuff dreams are made of.
They are admittedly one of the pricier places in town. Be prepared to drop at least $ 50 or so for two with appetizers, entrees, and non-​alcoholic drinks. That said, you can often find discounts on
. And it’s well worth the splurge! The service is generally friendly and attentive without being stuffy. While I haven’t tried it, they also advertise a Sunday night dinner for four for $ 28 or so. It includes bread, salad, and your choice of pasta with red sauce.
The only reason this place isn’t getting five stars from me is their decision to pull one of my very favorite dishes off of their menu. Their chicken picatta scallopini with home made pasta was among the best I have ever had. I was devastated (okay, MAYBE that’s an exaggeration, but you get the drift) to discover it was not on the menu any longer this season. I can only hope that the winter months will bring it back.
If you are looking for a wonderful meal in a nice atmosphere, look no further than Nonna’s.