Mangalitsa — Restaurant in Woodstock

This review is being made purely as a warning. If you don’t know how reservations work for this particular establishment, as I did not know, we’ll you’re in for a treat. The website does not provide any information aside from informing a potential customer that you must email for a reservation. So I did. I received an email back that they were full. My husband and I not knowing that you cannot wait for a table decided to go anyway. The staff upon walking in looked at us like we had committed treason. We were told to wait in a corner and the staff member pointed to the floor providing the radius where we were permitted to stand. I inquired if we could have a drink at the bar. I was met with the most pretentious response I have ever received. I was told “that would seem logical, but we could not because it was full.” There were two people standing at the bar. We were then met by another gentleman who told us to leave. So if you are a tourist or even a local be warned, the staff is rude and if you do not make a reservation far out (I’m unsure of how far out) you will be treated like a dog and told you sit in a corner and eventually thrown out. While I am seeing the reviews for the food are amazing, I will never eat here after how I was treated. Further, to be spoken to like I am uneducated as to what logical may mean is enough for me to write this review. I’m a successful lawyer with a doctorate in law, so thank you for giving me an example of “logical.”...

Small, snug little restaurant tucked-up in Woodstock, VT. There is no grand dining space, but rather an intimate, tastefully decorated space which somehow feels like cozy and fine-dining at once. There's not a lot of kitsch on the walls or tables, but everything that is there, from the napkins to the glasses, seems to be chosen deliberately to make a simple, beautiful space. It's expensive; two people with a small dish, large dish, dessert and one drink each came to $200 with tip, but this should not deter you from coming as it's worth every penny. If you're a "foodie" of just want a truly, fantastically, uncommon taste experience you need to go here. The flavors in each dish are crisp, balanced, and different without being too different. I noticed half way through the meal that there's no salt and pepper on the tables...because you won't need it. Everything was done to perfection. I had a salad dish who's name I can't remember, and the lobster for my main dish, both excellent. If things aren't too busy, the chef will bring out your meal to you. The bartender is also very knowledgeable in terms of drinks and ingredients that go into their food. Waitress was great. Many ingredients seem to be locally sourced when possible.

I'm saying this is the best meal I've had in a very long time and that is comparing it to my travels in Europe and the UK. To give you a scope of my comparisons, the 2nd best meal I've had was...

Mangalitsa is a fantastic little restaurant right in downtown Woodstock, just a short walk from the Woodstock Inn. The atmosphere is cozy, the service is attentive and the food and cocktails are equal parts inventive and delicious. Each member of the small team is passionate about the ingredients and dishes on the menu and the chef himself often brings plates to the table.

I have eaten there twice now, the first time I had a wonderful heirloom tomato and burrata salad, a crudo with a fish the chef had specifically brought in that week, and seared scallops with charred vegetables. The second time I had a refreshing salad of cucamelons and tomatoes and then split a new preparation of seared scallops with corn and crispy potatoes and the seared duck breast. At each visit I took recommendations on which cocktails to order and was not disappointed. Everything I have had at Mangalitsa was beautifully balanced with interesting flavors and was downright delicious. The menu changes constantly in response to the season and which special ingredients the chef has on hand.

If you want a special meal the next time you are in Woodstock this is absolutely the...