Idletyme Brewing Company

Their beer is, in my opinion, underrated in the craft beer snob community! In particular their pale ale which is probably the best APA I’ve ever had. The brewery/​restaurant recently underwent rebranding from Crop to Idletyme which is still being worked out and there still seems to be some confusion. Bottles are branded Crop signage is Idletyme. Most of the beers stayed the same… Maybe? Servers didn’t seem to know. For instance the original Crop Vermont Pale Ale is for sale in bottles as just Crop Pale Ale but on the menu as Idletyme Zog’s Pale Ale (again my server wasn’t sure).
In any case, a great spot for a light lunch and a beer. The atmosphere inside is awesome but the patio on a nice summer day is even better. The food is decent, however it seems to have taken a slight dip in the ownership change/​rebranding. Still fresh ingredients, still great food and interesting menu items but little things like just too much dressing on the salad and the change from fresh whipped cream to canned with on the dessert indicates a little slippage.
Hopefully the kinks get knocked out as this is a great spot that we visit often.

Lovely atmosphere. We sat outside at the bar. It was so nice. The beer was very good as was the food. My wife had a burger and she actually wanted to eat the entire thing. I had a tart and salad. Also very good. For an app we had the cheese fritters; excellent, if not pricey.
We would certainly come back to this place. And the interior is pretty great, too!

I thoroughly enjoyed this micro brewery! The interior of the restaurant is decorated impeccably and in my opinion should be featured in a business interior decorating magazine. Since it was a beautiful night my boyfriend and I decided to dine at the outside bar. It is a nice sized square shaped bar that has such a cozy summer night feel. Our bartender, Ben, was very nice and we loved chatting with him. He also gave us some samples of beer that we probably would have never wanted to try on our own (i.e. a Double IPA). The beer here is fantastic and the flavor profiles of the beer are completely unexpected in a great way.
The food is also flavorful. I ordered the Onion Gruyère Tart which I absolutely loved! Even the side salad was light and was dressed perfectly. My boyfriend ordered the Lemon & Herb Chicken and this dish was packed with flavor and the chicken was so moist. We usually stray away from chicken dishes but we were both very impressed. The only slight disappointment of the night was the pretzel bites. There really wasn’t anything that made them special or stand out.
One of the things that did stand out was that they were trying to close for the night and allowed people to still sit at the bar and drink. A few people tried to order food even though the kitchen was closed and Ben the bartender and the closing manager really tried to do everything to see if they could order food; they went and asked kitchen staff and even tried to accommodate them with rolls. This, to me, is impeccable customer service!

Ridiculous. We waited for over an hour for a hamburger and crab cake. Our waitress was nice enough and apologetic, but I have never, ever experienced anything like this. We asked for our check, and the manager half heartedly apologized and said our food would be «right out», «the kitchen was backed up» I asked for our check, he comped our wings and let us go. We arrived at this place at 7:30, were told there was a 20 min wait, then a 15 min wait. So we stayed. Had a drink, sat at our table and then proceeded to wait over an hour for a crab cake and a burger. Side note: half of he inside was empty, however outside was packed, so they moved all there servers out there to accommodate that crowd and had 1 server working the rest. Terrible, I know we are from New Jersey and have a faster pace of life, but this was hands down ridiculous.

The atmosphere of the restaurant is astounding. The weather was beautiful today and we thoroughly enjoyed the outdoor seating. They are also dog friendly so it was great because we managed to grab a table that was slightly set aside so he had his room and we could eat without trouble The venue is huge but the wait time for the food wasn’t bad at all. So overall I think its great for large groups and if you want an outing with friends, family, or even a date.
In terms of the food though I wasn’t necessarily the most impressed. I am not much of a beer person but they do have a good beer selection. I got the Arugula salad but the cheese was not dispersed very well at all and clumped up into two giant pieces. I also had the chicken added on but it didn’t really have any seasoning or flavor to it so I was very unimpressed by the dish. The fruit and nuts were nice.
I went with my cousin and his wife and her burger seemed to be more on the well done side than medium but overall they both seemed to enjoy the burger. The fries were really good though. Definitely grabbed a couple from their dished and enjoyed them. I would probably recommend the sandwiches/​burgers if you’re hungry because they are hefty proportions.

Love the outdoor bar!!! Cider concoctions and great beer! Ronnie the bartender is very creative ! If he has a recommendation go with it! Burger was great! Going back tonight for round 2…

Local brewery in Stowe offers tons of vegetarian options and great beer.
This was previous The Shed which was a frequent hangout of people coming off Stowe Mountain Resort from a day of skiing or snowboarding. My husband and I decided to go here in our effort to try as many breweries as we could.
It’s a really pretty space with dim lighting, a frontier-​esque-​décor and a menu with so many options and tons of them vegetarian/​vegan!
All their beer is brewed there so my husband tried a flight of six beers and I got their Pale ‘n’ Pink which was a pale ale with hints of grapefruit. Not too heavy and went well with my dinner.
We started with the fried pickles, because they came highly recommended. They were delicious, still crisp and not at all soggy. Their dinner options blew us away. Everything on their main entrée dish had a disclaimer that you could substitute tofu for the main meat, which was very appealing to me!
My husband ordered the Tofu & Chips — beer battered tofu, deep fried, served with fries and carrot slaw. He said he loved it and it wasn’t too heavy. I ordered their vegetarian option on the main menu, but asked to add in some tofu for additional protein. It was a stuffed acorn squash with tofu, quinoa, roasted root veggies, topped with smoked mozzarella and then baked until golden brown and gooey. It was sitting on a bed of Romanesco sauce — delicious!
Overall, our experience at Idletyme was great. The staff was friendly, our server was extremely helpful in pointing out popular dishes and things that most people made vegetarian and the food was great. Defintiely recommend if you’re in Stowe!

The pickles! Fried pickle spears (not chips) at Idletyme were out of this world – not just tasty, but served in a mini-​fryer basket with sauce in a mini cast iron skillet.
Beer is good, but it’s a brewing company so you already knew that. However, the sampler is weird: $ 12 for 6 beers OR pay $ 2 per beer for any number of beers??? Should be a discount for doing the sampler, right? Also, the sampler is a fixed list of beers… Unless you want to swap out and just pick any, so it’s not fixed but the waitress is certainly going to give you s!#t about it.
Other than pickles we also had the bratwurst (delicious; tons of sauerkraut) and cheeseburger; burger was one of the best I’ve ever had. Certainly some things to gripe about here (stale popcorn), but overall we really liked the Idletyme.

Our server Steven did an exceptional job recommending beer and food. Oatmeal Stout gets five stars. Their burger was also a great feast. The place was crowded so consider making a reservation but plan on staying a while to enjoy their many offerings.

Atmosphere: excellent
Décor: wonderful
Service: very attentive (kudos to Shannon)
Drinks: I had the Helles Brook Lager, which I would definitely recommend. My wife had the local cider, which she loved, and my daughter had a Shirley temple, which she said ranked among the best she has ever had.
Food:
Biscuits: very good
Appetizers: Butternut squash soup: bland.
Siracha chicken wings: dry, some flavour. The blue cheese dip was tasty.
Main meals: 1) chicken breast with mashed potatoes: Excellent mashed potatoes. Chicken nicely cooked. Flavour was good: 2) salmon: nicely cooked and fresh. Flavour was good. 3) bratwurst with sauerkraut and fries. Nice bun, dry sausage but good flavour. Good sauerkraut and fries.
We were too full for dessert after a long day of travelling.
Would love to come back for drinks during high ski season. Wish the food had been stronger.

Had a flight of six beers. Hefeweizen is good and typical; the lagers were also good. The darker beers got a little bitter for me. We loved the food. Butternut Squash soup always hits the spot in winter — the ample fried parsnip chips they sprinkle on top make it. Gruyère Tart was outstanding. Puff pastry frame a cheese and onion filling; arugula salad on the side cuts through the fat. Mac and Cheese, billed as being made with «Reggiano, Smoked Cheddar» was a bit odd-​flavored. Got no sense of smokiness. We ordered it with the optional bacon, which I recommend. Not just a topping; hunks of thick-​cut pork belly are incorporated into the dish. We sat at the bar and enjoyed the atmosphere. I feel quite satisfied and look forward to coming back.

My (now) husband and I were in Stowe last weekend to elope and after a beautiful outdoor ceremony on Friday (it was 4 degrees) we decided to stop into Idletyme for lunch and celebratory drinks. We were expecting a run of the mill brew pub. This place is anything but. Its pretty swank. We sat in the bar and even that, at 1130 am, is pretty swank.
The hostess (I think her name was Maria?) was wonderful and upon hearing about our recent nuptials, she brought over a champagne toast for us. We were also able to talk with one of the brewmasters who was incredibly friendly and full of ideas on outdoor adventures. The whole staff was wonderful and welcoming. Somehow this place felt like an old shoe for us. A perfect fit!
We had the cheddar fritters to start which are bites of heaven. The sauce they come with is fantastic. And we shared the beer sampler which was 6 4-​ounce tasters. The Double IPA and the Vanilla Stout are both great. Then we had the fish and chips (easily the best cod Ive had) and the fried green tomato biscuit sandwich with bacon (go there and get this immediately). I don’t know what goes into those biscuits but these were basically the best sliders you’ll ever eat.
We liked the food and atmosphere so much, we went back the next night and had dinner – cheese fritters again, crab cakes and a cheeseburger. All were wonderful.
Next time we are up to Stowe, we’ll definitely stop in.

We heard good things about this place and decided to visit on our last trip to Stowe. We were there over Presidents week and knew it would be busy so we showed up at 3:00 to try some beers and bar food. As soon as we walked in a LOUD hostess quickly met us at the door and without even asking what we wanted told us she would not be taking any (walk ins) which she then said three more times very loudly as she hurried us out of the restaurant. We have been coming to Stowe for 20 years and I’ve never had a bad experience quite like that before. Nevertheless we won’t be returning since there are plenty of places in the village that treat guest much better than here.

It was my first time in Vermont and after hitting a local bar we stopped here for some food. My boyfriend and I shared the steak frites subbing out fries for mashers and it was absolutely delicious. The brews were good too!

We came here for dinner and drinks after skiing. The décor was the absolute best thing about this place. It’s very chic and aprés. Unfortunately, it’s all downhill from there.
Wine and beer selection is great. However, the food was a bit of a disappointment after seeing the restaurant’s 4.5 Unilocal rating.
The fried oysters appetizer was ABYSMAL. It took all my will power not to freak out on the server because the dish came with THREE oysters total. Three shrimpy, puny, shriveled, over-​fried oysters. On a bed of coleslaw. For $ 13. That is criminal.
The cheddar fritters were marginally better but just so. They were not over-​fried but totally lacked flavor.
We planned on staying for dinner, but left after drinks and appetizers because we were disappointed and worried it would be a waste of money for mediocre food at elevated prices. The openers totally ruined my mood.
Service is good, no complaints there.
I come to Stowe a lot but I won’t be returning to this place.
Note: I have been here before, when this restaurant was called The Crop and liked it more then. Either way, neither place lives up to the Shed’s legacy.

Stopped in with friends for afternoon drinks and appetizers! The Hefeweizen beer was delicious! We had the cheese fritters, 2am fries and the local cheese platter. Everything was delicious, came out quick and we didn’t feel rushed!

For a pub don’t be fooled– this food was absolutely delicious. The battered beer fish was the fluffiest I have ever tasted! Also tasted the pork shank, butternut squash soup, and Brussels sprout salad. All outstandingly presented and amazing flavors. Nicer dining the main part of the building, adorable pub dining off to the right. Family loved the casual atmosphere but upscale fare. Great prices for the quality of food and great beer/​wine selection!

Really wonderful dinner. The fritters were out of this world, then my salmon dinner had an amazing sauce. Very unusual and delicious. Would definitely return the next time we’re in the area.

Food was quite good – had the cheddar fritters, the the fried pickles, and the pork shank – but service was extremely slow. We were on vacation and had planned accordingly, but it would have been annoying otherwise

This place is fabulous. We had a 9pm reservation for 8 people. We showed up at 8:30pm and we only waited 5 minutes for our table. The food was delicious. We ordered the Mac n cheese, salmon, fish n chips, braised pork, steak frites, chicken and and all of us were happy. The atmosphere is perfect… homey, wintery, eclectic, like a fancy ski lodge. The beer was great. We got a couple Brewski Flights and were able to pick from their list of 10 beers. The server Savannah was so nice. She was very busy but did a great job with our order and was super friendly. Love this place. Would recommend to anyone.

This place was better when it was the Crop. Looks the same inside.
Came for a quick lunch… ok bloody marys
good cheese plate… not enough pickled vegetables
wings were very meh

Stopped here on the way down the mountain heading home for a late lunch. Really nice place and some great menu options. Had a nice red wine and the 2AM Fries (molten beer cheese, brisket gravy and scallions nestled over yummy fries) and the arugula winter salad and opted to have it with the rosemary maple balsamic instead. Great choice and delish dish.
Would certainly come back for dinner some other time.

Looking for a new place to eat with our family for our yearly Stowe trip, Idletyme came up. We decided to give it a try last week…
+Ambiance:
Big points here. Idletyme sets you up for a relaxing, cozy dinner with whoever you Go with. Dim lighting, festive décor, and good interior layout do Idletyme really good justice. We all commented how good the vibe was as soon as we entered.
+Cocktail:
Cherry infused Old Fashioned. This was OKAY. Probably wouldn’t get it again — it didn’t make me WANT to get it. It tasted a little off — maybe the cherry infusion didn’t go well with the ingredients. But not BAD.
+Appetizer:
Butternut Squash. Idletyme did well here as well. Hot, great texture (pureè), and a TOUCH of spice. This was a really tasty soup.
+Entreè:
Steak Frites. This was a big let down for me. The steak was a bit tough, not too succulent, and done a bit over for my taste (even though I ordered it medium rare). The frites weren’t too bad, and some veggies paired with it were done well and picked the slack up for the mediocre steak. The one thing I did like was the flavoring of the steak: it had a nice, flavorful spice to it.
³⁄₅ for Idletyme, and that was given for the ambiance they create and the LOVELY Butternut Squash soup.

3 stars for food and extra star for the beer.
Food: Charcuterie board– a bit expensive considering most of the other items are very large. The prosciutto was cut too thick. The salami and sausage were good, the pickled vegetables were good but came in a little bowl with mustard. Although the mustard was good, I don’t really want my vegetables drowned in mustard, or I at least want the option of drowning them myself. The fried pickles were large pickles quartered then battered and fried. I prefer them sliced thinly and then fried– I think it gives a better ratio, but eh personal preference. For the main: the salmon wrap was well cooked but lacked flavor. The mussels were very very good but was a very small portion for $ 11. The open faced pulled pork sandwich was good– the biscuit it’s served on had herbs in it and was good texture. The salad that came with it was lightly dressed (a bit boring, but what can you expect for a house side salad). We also got the marscapone cheesecake– served in a mason jar. It was very good, had sour cherries and bread crumbs on top and was not a huge portion– but that was good considering everything else we had eaten.
In all the food was average for the price.
Beer: We got a vanilla porter that was very malty and very good! Enough to boost this review up a star.

Same owners as Michael’s. Very friendly and attentive server. Drinks were superb! Food was just right but didn’t meet my expectation. My soup was delicious but need more oomph. My steak was juicy and yummy but my asparagus and fries was soggy and weak in terms of texture. That was slightly disappointing.

Excellent service — I think our waitress’s name was Savannah?– and tasty food. Menu isn’t huge, and portion sizes are perhaps a tad smaller than average restaurant dishes, while prices are slightly higher than average. Worth it, though, for the excellent quality and nice ambiance!
I’d go back in a heartbeat, especially to try more beer.

Great place for lunch! Came recommended from the visitor center. Best grilled pickles we have ever eaten! I had the sriracha chicken wings and hubby had the bratwurst and he said the kraut was the best he ever had. That was served on a pretzel roll. Wings were tender and came with very crisp carrots and celery. We tried the Heady Topper and it was heavenly. Would go back again and would try the beer sampler and cheese board!

Idletyme is an upgrade over Crop, the owner’s previous iteration at this location. The interior has been remade and is comfortable and warm. We arrived early the night before Thanksgiving. Service was prompt and courteous. We started with the fried pickles and cheddar fritters, both delicious. The only complaint of the four of us was an underdone steak that one of our party decided to wade thru rather than bring to the attention of the server. Dinner for four with tip came in under $ 200 (no wine, just a couple of beer orders). Idletyme proved worthy of another visit.

Tasty food, friendly, attentive and knowledgeable service, super ambiance, really nice décor, lots of menu options and great prices. Hits every single mark — we’ll be going here a lot! Welcome to Stowe, Idletyme — we’re all so psyched that you’re here!

This is our #1 «go to» choice in Stowe. After over twenty five years in the community, we are thrilled that this Stowe icon has been brought back to the kind place that everyone will want to return to night after night. Great staff, wonderful menu, fantastic food very well executed not to mention delicious brews. Congratulations on the new brand and the reopening of a place where I am sure many of us plan to spend lots of our Idletyme.