Worthy Kitchen — Restaurant in Woodstock

It's hard to put into words just how disappointed I am with what Worthy Kitchen has become. What was once a welcoming, community-oriented spot now feels like a soulless machine designed to churn out as much revenue as possible at the expense of its customers. There’s absolutely no personal touch, no attention to creating an enjoyable experience for diners—just a cold, profit-driven system that treats you like a number instead of a valued guest.

The first red flag is the ridiculous setup. You’re forced to check in at a host station only to stand in a long, winding line that snakes through the entire dining room. It’s not just inconvenient—it ruins the atmosphere. What kind of restaurant makes you feel like you're at a theme park ride, waiting in line for the privilege of ordering overpriced food? To make matters worse, there's one single POS system where a bartender, already overworked pouring drinks, takes orders for the entire restaurant. You’re expected to tip 20%, 25%, or even 30% for what? A brief interaction where they take your order and drop food at your table? That’s not service—it’s transactional, and the expectation of a hefty tip for such minimal effort is laughable.

And the food? Completely underwhelming, to say the least. For $20, you get a 6oz smash burger that’s hardly worth the price, accompanied by a pathetic portion of fries. How can they justify charging this much for food that barely scratches average? The kid's chicken fingers were no better—$13 for 3oz of bland, mediocre chicken is outrageous. The wings, which could have been a saving grace, were well-cooked but lacked any real flavor. The so-called maple bacon sauce was thin, barely noticeable, and did nothing to elevate the dish. It's clear that quality has taken a backseat to profits, and the food is a reflection of just how little they care about delivering value to their customers.

The entire system is a disaster. After placing your order, there’s no way to get a refill or order more food without standing in that same agonizing line again. It’s as if they don’t want you to enjoy your meal, just pay for it and leave. They’ve sacrificed the guest experience entirely, creating an environment that’s more stressful than enjoyable. By the time we ordered, ate, and left, there were still plenty of empty tables. It’s obvious this system is over-engineered to make it seem like they’re busier than they actually are, all while putting the burden of inconvenience squarely on the customer.

What makes this all even more disappointing is that I remember when Worthy Kitchen was different—better. I went there 10 years ago, and it had a completely different feel. Back then, it was a place where you could get great food, enjoy the experience, and feel like the staff cared about making your meal special. Now, they’ve reduced themselves to a glorified tourist trap, exploiting leaf peepers and locals alike with inflated prices, poor service, and a system designed to squeeze every dollar out of you without giving anything back in return.

It’s a shame, really. Worthy Kitchen used to represent everything good about Vermont dining—community, quality, and service. Now, it’s just a hollow shell of its former self, focused entirely on maximizing volume while minimizing effort. I wouldn’t recommend this place to anyone, Vermonter or not. Save your time, money, and...

Counter service restaurant with table service pricing. Inefficient seating/queuing caused inordinate wait.

This restaurant might have been a victim of high expectations. It was highly recommended and I saw that reviews generally gave it four plus stars. Tables are assigned by a greeter and you might have to wait for a table. Additionally, the person working as greeter was yelling the whole time WELCOME TO WORTHY KITCHEN. HAVE YOU BEEN HERE BEFORE?

I literally took several steps back at this point -- I could have walked 20 feet away I I would have heard the greeter just fine.

When I raised an eyebrow at a 20 minute wait for a table, the quoted time was suddenly reduced to 15 minutes. Our wait was in line with this second quoted time. After waiting to get a table you can now get in line to order your food from the counter. You can pay immediately or open a tab. The menu is on a chalkboard, so it changes frequently. This also means the line moves slowly as people waiting for a table cannot see the menu and decide ahead of time. It might be worth it to have a second board with the menu by the waiting area to reduce this second wait. The person taking food orders is also the bartender, so you might have to wait while they service customers at the bar.

Additionally, our table was squatted on by an adjacent large party while we were in queue to order. The greeter LOUDLY APOLOGIZED PROFUSELY and gave us an inferior table as a substitute. Sorry for harping on the shouting. They missed their calling as a football coach or drill instructor. I know restaurants can be loud and sometimes customers don't listen to important instructions.

There's an extensive beer list showing the name, brewer, style, and tasting notes. That is really helpful. I had an outstanding local pale ale.

In terms of value there's a bit of a negative here for the restaurant. Dishes are about Boston level sit down prices, but at a counter service establishment. The only thing the staff does is clear away dirty dishes. You have to get your own water, utensils, beverages, and run your food.

Of the three entrees I tasted only one was superlative -- the Farmer's plate with some outstanding grilled broccoli. The potatoes on this plate were alright. The portabelo mushroom burger was a cut above average, but the bun was a bit dry. This dish was served with a green salad since the fries here are made in tallow and not vegetable oil. For the price an addition of some kind of potato side would have been nice. The mac and cheese was good, but not great. The mac and cheese deserved some kind of accompaniment (maybe that salad). Particularly for the price.

All in all, my visit was kind of a bummer. I did have higher expectations. I think with some attention to improving the ordering process and bringing the portion size in line with the prices (the food cost on pasta and potatoes is not prohibitive), my experience would have...

When you walk into the Worthy Kitchen, the hostess greets you, identifies your table for you, and then directs you to wait in line to order your food from menus posted in chalk on the wall leading up to the cash register--an active process which I enjoyed more than the conventionally passive one of sitting at your table to be waited on. Queuing also encourages conversation with other diners as you peruse the menu items together. When I reached the register, the gentleman taking my order and a kitchen staff member next to him assured me that they could make the Southwest Veggie Pattie and the Roasted Veggies plant based and oil free. After ordering, I sat down for a short wait before my food arrived. The kitchen made good in removing any animal products (primarily the cheeses on the burger and in the side salad). The Veggie Pattie had a black bean base and I believe was made in house--it was served with several generous slices of avocado and some marinated onion, which added a zing to the dish. It tasted good; the only down-side was the bun--two pasty white bland pieces of bread cheapening the look and taste of what otherwise would have been a class act. I'd suggest upgrading to a brioche bun or at least something with more substance that would hold its own when squeezed rather than retreat into the burger. Unfortunately the Worthy Kitchen couldn't make good on its promise of no oil in regards to the roasted veggies and side salad. They had taken what would have been great tasting and well seasoned tubers, squash, and onion and roasted them in some kind of oil that left a greasy yellow patina on the plate, the veggies themselves, and no doubt my digestive track. The Worthy Kitchen is a pub that boasts an impressive variety of quality microbrews, all locally sourced just like the pub...