Went for lunch with a friend and so glad we did. Great atmosphere, amazing food and wonderful service. Can't wait to go back!
M. Barden
Stone Hearth puts an incredible amount of effort into creating high-quality food with top-tier ingredients, and it shows. However, they have a critical flaw in every dish they serve: they don’t season anything—desserts included.
I’ve dined here about 15 times, and every single time, I’ve had to add salt and pepper to bring out the flavors of their otherwise excellent dishes (a sentiment shared by our local family and friends). Their desserts, while visually stunning and far superior to anything else available within an hour’s drive, lack salt to balance and enhance their flavors. For example, their chocolate cake is beautifully crafted but tastes flat and one-dimensional until I sprinkle on a little salt, which transforms it into an explosion of flavor (a little bit of instant coffee also has a major impact in enhancing the flavor of chocolate without having any taste of coffee in the end result). This is the same with all of their cakes and desserts.
As a CIA-trained chef, I deeply appreciate the quality and care Stone Hearth puts into their food, but it’s frustrating to have to season everything myself. Any chef dedicated to such high-quality preparation should understand the importance of proper seasoning.
Most of their meals are outstanding once seasoned, but there are some exceptions. For instance, the chicken tenders are always so overcooked that they’re dry and tough to eat—even my kids, who love chicken tenders, have complained about them being too dry. When a child finds a chicken tender unappealing, it’s a clear sign of an issue.
Stone Hearth has so much potential, and I truly hope they make adjustments to their seasoning practices. Proper seasoning is such a simple fix, and it would elevate their already impressive offerings to exceptional levels. When I say proper seasoning, I mean they need a TON of it because it doesn't taste like there is any right now.
Bill Carl
Just found this lovely place for a great meal.. very comfortable, very friendly, and a great burger. We will be back!
Service: 5
Nikola Tencza
Can't speak for the rooms just the dining experience. Stone Hearth looks warm and inviting, just the thing for cold hungry travelers in December. By the time we left we felt like we died and gone to Culinary Hell. Not that any one thing was terrible, just that everything missed the mark by a wide margin.
First clue is counter service. The place is understaffed, no dedicated waitstaff. Counter service is more typical of summer roadside eateries, not typical of a New England Inn.
You order and pay first. It's part of the plan.
It's part of the plan because Culinary Hell aka The Stone Hearth Inn is cold and you will wait an hour for your food. Your food will arrive cold after a lengthy wait. Paying for your food at the counter before delivery sidesteps thoughts of simply leaving which materialize after sitting for half an hour in a cold dining room. Cowboy up! Food will arrive in another half hour.
The staff and other patrons are surely demons in Culinary Hell. They carry on as if there is nothing at all wrong, not the cold dining room, not the cold food, not the lengthy wait. C'mon. people! I've worked in hospitality in Vermont. It takes a tiny bit of attention to detail and not a lot more effort to improve the experience.
I guess the standard has been lowered. Mediocre is the new "good".
I suggest hungry travelers drive another minute and eat as the several other eateries in Chester. For example it's difficult to screw up pizza and it's usually served hot.
Jennifer Snide
A cozy dining experience in a classic country inn was what I was expecting. This experience could not have been further from expectations. For food that should have taken 20 minutes, they should have served breakfast for as long as it took. We waited 90 minutes in a freezing cold dining room for a salad and a bowl of chili. The food was decent, but not so wonderful I forgot about the 90 minute wait.
Service: 2
Jessica Karnes
We stopped here recently for lunch with a large bus group. Everyone was so kind and welcoming, the food was served quickly and was so delicious. Definitely a must visit when in the area.
Service: 5
Michael Dunlap
We had an awesome 3-day stay at this inn. Friendly inn keeper and always ready to help make your stay better. Can't say enough good things about it. Thanks!
Service: 5
Diana Morse
Food and drinks: The food was absolutely amazing, throughly enjoyed the French Onion soup and Pretzels, to die for, my mom had the Pork Chop and describes it as delightful. Highly recommended.
Beatrix Heinrich
We had a wonderful time in the sweet, lovingly furnished house with attention to detail. The beds were incredibly comfortable. The landlady was incredibly nice, accommodating and helpful. Everything was great!
Rooms: Beautifully furnished rooms, with great attention to detail!
Food and drinks: Very, very tasty food! The muffins for breakfast are to die for!
While I did not stay or eat here, I want to rave about the staff. I had made a quick stop in their parking lot while driving in VT and thought I may have dropped my wallet when getting out of the car. Later in the day after realizing I was missing my wallet, I called the Stone Hearth Inn and asked if anyone had found a wallet. No one had yet but the kind lady on the phone said they would scan the parking lot to look for it. While it ultimately was never found I was very thankful for their willingness to go out of their way to help a stranger. If I’m ever in the area again I will certainly be back as a customer.
Service: 5
Steve Delaney
Get burgers and sandwiches. Nice back outside seating.
Caroline H
My mom and I stayed here a night in September and loved it! We ate at the eatery for lunch and dinner and had great meals both times. The portions were generous, the prices were very reasonable, and the food was delicious. I'd describe the menu as classic American fare with seasonal and international twist (specials included some Indian dishes at the time). I had the small portion of both salads for lunch and dinner, respectively, with grilled chicken. My mom had the lobster mac. For dinner we shared the house-made pretzels - they did not disappoint!!
Keep in mind that if you do go to the restaurant that it's semi-counter service - you order at the counter, then they bring you your meal to your table and clear it for you. There's outdoor dining, as well. I'm not sure about alcohol because we didn't look to purchase/order any.
The restaurant also has a small bakery with house made cakes, breads, and other pastries that they make daily.
Breakfast was also delicious, large portions (compared to most B&Bs) and quick. They do a traditional eggs/bacon/sausage and toast option OR their special of the day (which was a Belgian waffle). They also have a cold cereal bar available, along with coffee and juice.
As for the Inn itself, the general common areas are well appointed and very up-to-date considering the age of the house/property. I can't remember how old they said the building was but it certainly looked to be at least 1800's. Our room was comfortable and clean. I'd say my only *complaint* is that the rooms themselves need a tad more TLC from a renovation standpoint, but I'm assuming at some point the new owners will work their way around, since it can be no easy feat to renovate an entire Inn in a short amount of time. But there's really no need to spend much time in your room anyhow, because the property is gorgeous and they have nice seating on the front porch and in the rear by the gardens.
This is the kind of place I could see renting out for a private event (baby shower, celebration of life, bridal shower).
The location was also great - it's a stone's throw (1.3 miles or so) from the center of Chester, VT, which is an adorable town with tons of cute little gift shops, cafes, and a couple restaurants (if you don't eat at the Inn, of course!). It's also fairly accessible from 91, for those traveling from CT/MA/NH.
Staff/owner(s) were also friendly and available. Accommodated us for an early check-in due to availability.
Anyway, we hope to return.
Service: 5
Phil Schneidermeyer
Enjoyed the Eatery tonight. From soup to entree to home made dessert everything including the staff was great.
rich berenson
I just had the most delicious blueberry and peach salad woth grilled chicken amd an order of the rob dinner ( couldn’t resist ) Both were amazing! I’ve had lots of good meals here but they keep getting better. The dining room is now open too after a long delay. Check the days and times they are open and enjoy!
Always great food with a great staff.
Went for lunch with a friend and so glad we did. Great atmosphere, amazing food and wonderful service. Can't wait to go back!
Stone Hearth puts an incredible amount of effort into creating high-quality food with top-tier ingredients, and it shows. However, they have a critical flaw in every dish they serve: they don’t season anything—desserts included.
I’ve dined here about 15 times, and every single time, I’ve had to add salt and pepper to bring out the flavors of their otherwise excellent dishes (a sentiment shared by our local family and friends). Their desserts, while visually stunning and far superior to anything else available within an hour’s drive, lack salt to balance and enhance their flavors. For example, their chocolate cake is beautifully crafted but tastes flat and one-dimensional until I sprinkle on a little salt, which transforms it into an explosion of flavor (a little bit of instant coffee also has a major impact in enhancing the flavor of chocolate without having any taste of coffee in the end result). This is the same with all of their cakes and desserts.
As a CIA-trained chef, I deeply appreciate the quality and care Stone Hearth puts into their food, but it’s frustrating to have to season everything myself. Any chef dedicated to such high-quality preparation should understand the importance of proper seasoning.
Most of their meals are outstanding once seasoned, but there are some exceptions. For instance, the chicken tenders are always so overcooked that they’re dry and tough to eat—even my kids, who love chicken tenders, have complained about them being too dry. When a child finds a chicken tender unappealing, it’s a clear sign of an issue.
Stone Hearth has so much potential, and I truly hope they make adjustments to their seasoning practices. Proper seasoning is such a simple fix, and it would elevate their already impressive offerings to exceptional levels. When I say proper seasoning, I mean they need a TON of it because it doesn't taste like there is any right now.
Just found this lovely place for a great meal.. very comfortable, very friendly, and a great burger.
We will be back!
Service: 5
Can't speak for the rooms just the dining experience. Stone Hearth looks warm and inviting, just the thing for cold hungry travelers in December. By the time we left we felt like we died and gone to Culinary Hell. Not that any one thing was terrible, just that everything missed the mark by a wide margin.
First clue is counter service. The place is understaffed, no dedicated waitstaff. Counter service is more typical of summer roadside eateries, not typical of a New England Inn.
You order and pay first. It's part of the plan.
It's part of the plan because Culinary Hell aka The Stone Hearth Inn is cold and you will wait an hour for your food. Your food will arrive cold after a lengthy wait. Paying for your food at the counter before delivery sidesteps thoughts of simply leaving which materialize after sitting for half an hour in a cold dining room. Cowboy up! Food will arrive in another half hour.
The staff and other patrons are surely demons in Culinary Hell. They carry on as if there is nothing at all wrong, not the cold dining room, not the cold food, not the lengthy wait. C'mon. people! I've worked in hospitality in Vermont. It takes a tiny bit of attention to detail and not a lot more effort to improve the experience.
I guess the standard has been lowered. Mediocre is the new "good".
I suggest hungry travelers drive another minute and eat as the several other eateries in Chester. For example it's difficult to screw up pizza and it's usually served hot.
A cozy dining experience in a classic country inn was what I was expecting. This experience could not have been further from expectations. For food that should have taken 20 minutes, they should have served breakfast for as long as it took. We waited 90 minutes in a freezing cold dining room for a salad and a bowl of chili. The food was decent, but not so wonderful I forgot about the 90 minute wait.
Service: 2
We stopped here recently for lunch with a large bus group. Everyone was so kind and welcoming, the food was served quickly and was so delicious. Definitely a must visit when in the area.
Service: 5
We had an awesome 3-day stay at this inn. Friendly inn keeper and always ready to help make your stay better. Can't say enough good things about it. Thanks!
Service: 5
Food and drinks: The food was absolutely amazing, throughly enjoyed the French Onion soup and Pretzels, to die for, my mom had the Pork Chop and describes it as delightful. Highly recommended.
We had a wonderful time in the sweet, lovingly furnished house with attention to detail. The beds were incredibly comfortable. The landlady was incredibly nice, accommodating and helpful. Everything was great!
Rooms: Beautifully furnished rooms, with great attention to detail!
Food and drinks: Very, very tasty food! The muffins for breakfast are to die for!
Service: 5
Restaurantji Recommends
While I did not stay or eat here, I want to rave about the staff. I had made a quick stop in their parking lot while driving in VT and thought I may have dropped my wallet when getting out of the car. Later in the day after realizing I was missing my wallet, I called the Stone Hearth Inn and asked if anyone had found a wallet. No one had yet but the kind lady on the phone said they would scan the parking lot to look for it. While it ultimately was never found I was very thankful for their willingness to go out of their way to help a stranger. If I’m ever in the area again I will certainly be back as a customer.
Service: 5
Get burgers and sandwiches. Nice back outside seating.
My mom and I stayed here a night in September and loved it! We ate at the eatery for lunch and dinner and had great meals both times. The portions were generous, the prices were very reasonable, and the food was delicious. I'd describe the menu as classic American fare with seasonal and international twist (specials included some Indian dishes at the time). I had the small portion of both salads for lunch and dinner, respectively, with grilled chicken. My mom had the lobster mac. For dinner we shared the house-made pretzels - they did not disappoint!!
Keep in mind that if you do go to the restaurant that it's semi-counter service - you order at the counter, then they bring you your meal to your table and clear it for you. There's outdoor dining, as well. I'm not sure about alcohol because we didn't look to purchase/order any.
The restaurant also has a small bakery with house made cakes, breads, and other pastries that they make daily.
Breakfast was also delicious, large portions (compared to most B&Bs) and quick. They do a traditional eggs/bacon/sausage and toast option OR their special of the day (which was a Belgian waffle). They also have a cold cereal bar available, along with coffee and juice.
As for the Inn itself, the general common areas are well appointed and very up-to-date considering the age of the house/property. I can't remember how old they said the building was but it certainly looked to be at least 1800's. Our room was comfortable and clean. I'd say my only *complaint* is that the rooms themselves need a tad more TLC from a renovation standpoint, but I'm assuming at some point the new owners will work their way around, since it can be no easy feat to renovate an entire Inn in a short amount of time. But there's really no need to spend much time in your room anyhow, because the property is gorgeous and they have nice seating on the front porch and in the rear by the gardens.
This is the kind of place I could see renting out for a private event (baby shower, celebration of life, bridal shower).
The location was also great - it's a stone's throw (1.3 miles or so) from the center of Chester, VT, which is an adorable town with tons of cute little gift shops, cafes, and a couple restaurants (if you don't eat at the Inn, of course!). It's also fairly accessible from 91, for those traveling from CT/MA/NH.
Staff/owner(s) were also friendly and available. Accommodated us for an early check-in due to availability.
Anyway, we hope to return.
Service: 5
Enjoyed the Eatery tonight. From soup to entree to home made dessert everything including the staff was great.
I just had the most delicious blueberry and peach salad woth grilled chicken amd an order of the rob dinner ( couldn’t resist ) Both were amazing! I’ve had lots of good meals here but they keep getting better. The dining room is now open too after a long delay. Check the days and times they are open and enjoy!
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