The Dining Room at Edson Hill — Restaurant in Stowe

We had a really disappointing experience here this evening. We were looking forward to dinner here with our 2 year old son as a highlight of our trip and a way to go out and celebrate the vacation we have been on. We made this reservation over a month ago and confirmed with Edson hill the restaurant was child friendly. We were provided a high chair and children’s menu and had a wonderful table set up downstairs in the bar area . There was a table across from us on an anniversary celebration and we understand kids are not for everyone in a dining setting so we always order immediately and either myself or husband will walk our son outside while we wait for food to arrive as to make sure we are as polite as we can be with any noise and then bring him back when we are ready to eat . On tonight’s occasion, we had the feeling the table next to us did not like a child being seated nearby so we did this with my husband going outside in the quite cold weather with my son. I ordered immediately our entire dinner - a salad , my son’s pasta and our two entrees- pasta and fish . It took an hour for our beet salad and my sons pasta to arrive . This entire time my husband and son were outdoors which was clear to the server and staff and we had to eventually ask 45 minutes into the experience if our food was coming soon. I assumed at this point maybe the server rang everything to come out at once since a salad and buttered noodles couldn’t possibly take this long. When our food finally came an hour in it was just the salad and our sons food so we got our son in to eat but at this time it had been so long he was starting to get fussy. I completely understand courses and have worked in a restaurant industry but have never waited an hour to get a beer salad and then after this our entrees took another 45 minutes. Meanwhile the tables around us had all ordered after us and received and had eaten their appetizers (which were much more complicated than salad - octopus etc ) dinners and one was onto to dessert. We had to ask that our dinners be boxed to go before they even arrived and were given the check immediately but with nothing comped off for the experience until my husband spoke with the manager even then the bill was over $200 for a salad and some kids buttered noodles to be partially eaten there and everything else we needed to take home and we still hadn’t gotten the boxed food at this point. Had we not ordered immediately, ordered complicated/long to cook appetizers or entrees I would have understood a little more but as people around us had multiple courses order after and received before us it was clear something was missed on our order or with the kitchen with very little check in or attention to what was going on. We got multiple emails/texts from the restaurant leading up to our reservation reminding us of the 15 minute grace period and dining timelines expected (2 hours for 3 people) but we weren’t given the same level of importance when it came to getting our food in a timely fashion and had we stayed our food arrived at almost the two hour since ordered mark but the restaurants ask is we would be finished within two hours. I left feeling like perhaps we were treated differently for having a child with us while other patrons did not even though our child made no noise or disruptions since my husband sat outside with him for nearly an hour in the cold while we waited for any food. I actually had to go sit in the car and trade places with my husband who had moved to the car with my son after it became clear our entrees were not coming out anytime soon after the salad and cried because the experience had been such a complete let down to what I had been...

I'm usually not inclined to leave a review if I don't have a good experience, but based on the majority of the reviews, I felt I should offer a counterpoint. I didn't have a bad experience, but certainly didn't have an experience approaching many of the other reviews.

We had a 5pm reservation and, I assume, due to COVID precautions were seated in the foyer by the fireplace. Our table seating was a sofa and two armchairs, which were low enough that the table came to chest height. Just awkward. It was still early and I asked about seating in the actual dining area and was told all those tables were reserved (we had a reservation, so I confused). The rest of the evening, was a procession of people walking past our table to the dining room...Just odd.

The restaurant is pricey, and I went in having reviewed the menu so I wasn't shocked. The surprise for me was how small the servings were. Every appetizer it seemed came on an absurdly small platter that emphasized the minuscule amount of food that was presented. The Vermont cheese plate had 3 small wedges of cheese (really enough for 1 bite of each, but we tried to stretch it).

When we asked about the "local" cheeses, the waiter had to go check his notes and came back and said "this is a cow cheese, this is a goat cheese, this is a cow cheese, unpasteurized", no names, no kind...just strange.

The entrees were fine, well prepared, nicely presented, but again, the cost ($30-$55 per plate) vs. the quantity seemed out of whack. I'm not asking for a 18-oz chicken to justify the price, but it just was too obvious to overlook how small the serving portions were.

The space seemed lovely, but we left with a sour experience based on the seating and portions that were provided. It was 3x the cost of any meal we had in Stowe during our...

Our older parents, in laws, who are living in upstate NY and lived in one of the most expensive restaurant cities in the world--Tokyo visit once a year for the autumn in Vermont. We are used to "upscale" dining and not unfamiliar with food/wine and Edson was reccomended for a Friday night out.

First, we had drinks. The bartender down in the pub is very cool "ski guy" but so rude. Not funny. He makes a joke bout of the high prices of the drinks , and is generally not friendly. Seems bored and unhappy. If you are bored and unhappy maybe work in another business. Then we are told five times you must take your place in the dining room- but we have two hours, so we do not worry, but our feelings at this point are that something is off. We notice everyone is headed down the bar--but the dining room is filling up.

So we understand Edson Hill are resort, but prices are outrageous for the quality. Our Duck was wilted and overcooked, and our pork was good--but not "resort quality". And the attitudes of some staff are just strange, not good. We felt rushed and looked down on. Again, this is strange to us.

At this level of "upscale" dining, everything must be nearing perfection. Meat and fish was cold or overcooked and came to the table too fast, even though the waiter asked--"shall I delay for the second courses', and then does not delay and out comes dinner five minutes after the appetizers. Then we could not get waiter's attention, and she's clearly trying to move us along.

End of the night, it is ridiculous to charge this much. Ok--we're locals and should know better. Many options better in the Stowe town for 1/4 of price. We will never return, and we are not happy about that, but we...