The Silver Fork — Restaurant in Manchester

Silver Fork – Manchester’s Culinary Crown Jewel

If you’re anywhere near Manchester, Vermont, dining at Silver Fork is an absolute must. I had the pleasure of visiting with eight of my golf buddies, and it turned out to be one of the best dining experiences we’ve had — hands down. From the moment we arrived, the warmth and professionalism of the staff stood out. They gave us a beautiful round table tucked into a private cove within the restaurant — intimate, elegant, and perfect for a lively group.

The setting is as special as the food. Silver Fork is housed in the historic Mark Skinner Library, a beautifully restored Carnegie Library building dating back to 1897. Its grand yet cozy design, high ceilings, and rich wood interiors create an atmosphere that’s both refined and inviting. What really adds to the charm is the rotating gallery of local Vermont artists’ work lining the walls — and yes, the art is for sale, which makes the experience feel deeply personal and rooted in the community.

At the heart of it all are Chef Mark French and Melody French, a dynamic husband-and-wife team. Mark, a classically trained chef with decades of global culinary experience, brings incredible precision and flair to every dish. Melody, who runs the front of house, brings a warmth and attention to detail that elevates the service to a whole other level. Together, they’ve created something truly special — not just a meal, but a full sensory experience.

Our server was phenomenal — knowledgeable, engaging, and genuinely enthusiastic about the menu and wine. Speaking of which, we ordered three bottles of the 2017 Susana Esteban “Procura,” a rich Portuguese red that wowed the entire table. Easily one of the best wines we’ve had in years — deep, bold, and perfectly suited to the meal.

We started with an incredible spread of small plates: • Tuna Carpaccio — bright, delicate, and layered with olive oil, capers, and fresh herbs. • Goat Cheese Soufflé with fig jam — warm, tangy, and utterly addictive. • Chicharron de Pollo — crispy and bursting with citrus and garlic. • Duck Eggrolls — savory and satisfying with a standout spicy peanut dipping sauce. • Steak Tartare with quail egg — executed flawlessly.

For mains, we tried: • Creole Shrimp Mofongo — a standout with bold Caribbean flavors and perfect texture. • Plantain-Crusted Mahi Mahi — vibrant and fresh with a creative twist. • Lobster Risotto with Prosciutto & Asparagus — rich and luxurious. • Woodlawn Farmstead Brisket with Spätzle & Horseradish Cream — an absolute masterpiece.

Everything was flawless — the service, the wine, the food, the ambiance. Silver Fork is upscale but never pretentious. It’s the kind of place where the history of the building, the passion of the chefs, and the soul of Vermont all come together. We felt like honored guests in someone’s lovingly curated home.

We’ll be talking about this meal for a long time — and planning our return. Bravo to Chef Mark, Melody, and the entire Silver Fork team. You’ve set a...

Wow! Where to start...we hadn't yet eaten at the Silver Fork in it's beautiful new location. As a local wedding coordinator married to an executive chef we don't often get a chance to dine out. Coming to the end of a very long season we decided to treat ourselves to a night at the Silver Fork. I wouldn't necessarily say we're hard to please, but just are always looking for that "wow" factor we work so hard in our careers to create for our clients; and let me just say the Silver Fork did NOT disappoint! The ambiance of the new building is simply stunning. Elegant but comfortable, the lighting, artwork, everything was just really a treat for the eyes. Our server was lovely, I'm so sorry we didn't catch her name but she was knowledgeable about the menu, made suggestions on the wine list, and might I say knew how to shake a pretty fabulous martini. She also suggested we preorder a dessert (I'll get to that later) that had a 30 minute prep time, but we were so glad she did. The food was incredible! We ordered a variety so we could try a little of everything, and each dish was better than the last. We started with flatbreads with some of the best olive tapenade we've ever tasted, followed by goat cheese soufle with fig jam, and a duck eggroll that was cooked to perfection. I could've eaten a bowl of the seaweed salad that came with it. The lump crabcake entree and veal lasagna were both out of this world. It's so hard to get my husband to enjoy a meal he didn't cook himself, and he honestly wanted to lick his béchamel sauce off his plate. Onto the desserts...both had an amazing presentation. My pecan chocolate brownie was to die for, and the dessert well worth the 30 minute prep time was the Carribean bread pudding with coconut creme en glace...seriously one of the most delicious things we've ever eaten, and truly not to be missed if you're ever lucky enough to dine here. Thank you so so much to Chef John and his culinary team, Melody, Morgan, our wonderful server, and the whole team at the Silver Fork for such a beautiful evening. Hands-down the best meal we've ever gotten...

This restaurant has been on my list since my last visit to Manchester about a year ago. Please note that my reviews are weighted based on the type, price, etc.

First of all, the atmosphere and concept is wicked cool! Old converted library...love it!

We sat in the upstairs bar area which seemed to have a bit different vibe from the main floor but still loved the room. Sitting at the bar is clearly very popular.

We started with some cocktails from the menu...I had the VT old fashion and it was really good with nice combo of vanilla bitters / VT maple syrup.

Moving to the apps, we had focaccia (tapenade was outstanding - this is a must have), tuna carpaccio, and roasted pear. The tuna was very nice with capers and white onion but the onion overpowered it a bit imho. The pear with goat cheese had really nice blended flavors...the pear was a bit firm and more goat cheese would've been great but it is another must have. Solid starters.

For dinner we had mofongo, mahi mahi, and wienerschinitzel. The presentation for the monfongo was outstanding and the flavors were excellent. The mahi mahi was solid. The wienerschinitzel and German potato salad was absolutely traditional and clearly a signature dish with nice presentation on a plank. It was very good and while I know it is not traditional, I would have loved a bit of Jager sauce (or even better, some lingonberry jam) again imho.

We did order dessert with dinner (takes 30 minutes to prepare) to try the bread pudding and it was definitely worth it. Very good flavor but would've loved a bit more of the cream mainly because it was so good!

Everyone there is really nice and extremely friendly. We had a visit from Melody (owner) which to me is always a huge plus for a restaurant like this. Thank you Melody!

Overall, eclectic menu ranging from German to Puerto Rican which clearly highlights the chef's experiences. My scores for food and service are based on similar dining experiences. If in Manchester and you want a fine dining experience in a really cool atmosphere, this is your place! Oh and great touch having the bill...