My love for this place will never wane even though it's already so popular that it gets completely slammed every day during the period that is winter break for surrounding school systems -- and probably many other times as well. I love that they're socially conscious and really care about social justice and the environment. - They compost.* My pup discovered this after we emerged from a trail next to the back of the bakery. She found all this very scientifically interesting. - They serve in house with reusable metal utensils and plates, which you return to the counter. - They're committed to sourcing organic, sustainably produced flour from a few family-run farms. - Takeout containers (and I feel awful when having to use these at times) are waxed cardboard -- maybe professionally compostable or recyclable, but I suspect not. Still, better than plastic. Eat in if you can. Someday I'll remember to bring my own containers and see if they'll use them. The bread is world class. We've probably tried almost every loaf at this point. They tend towards being traditional styles with robust crusts and a good, slow, cold rise -- breads that take time to make. Our preferences lean towards the sourdoughs, the miche-type loaves, anything with olives, and the potato breads (for those of us with old teeth or missing baby teeth). But everything you could possibly order will be amazing. We loved the beautiful pain d'epi most recently, though the 10 year old (who doesn't have a full set of chompers right now) found it tough to consume without a good dip in Mom's stew at the end of the day. The only version my family cited as more beloved was from Maison Kayser -- yes, a chain, but a very good one where my kiddos literally cut their teeth. Pastries are shockingly good as well, particularly the laminated ones that someone must be getting up at 2 or 3 a.m. to prepare. Chocolate croissants and almond croissants are perfectly layered, generously filled with high quality chocolate (real chocolate, not Nutella!) or almond paste filling that is even good when cold. The "simplest" of pastries (not really at all simple for anyone's whose tried to make these), a plain croissant, will wow a purist. My kiddos love the perfectly frosted maple bun visit after visit. Savory pastries are often filled with beautifully caramelized / browned onions, cheese, and other ingredients depending on the whims of the chefs. Again, I don't think you can go wrong; we certainly never have. There are decent sandwiches and salads on the menu (from the perspective of the spoiled). Nothing is groundbreaking, but they're 200% competent and ingredients are consistently excellent. A recent Harvest Salad, for instance, included fresh and tender butter lettuce, winter squash roasted to tender perfection, nuts and dried fruit in perfect balance. We'd had about 10 different "harvest salads", in the past few weeks in VT at that point, but though this one was more simply designed than many, it was more delicious, given the impeccably fresh, high quality ingredients. We sometimes get here on the earlier side, but never seem able to score a breakfast sandwich, which seems to sell out fast. We like the down-to-earth staff, who smile when they mean it and don't when they don't -- and show fatigue when they need to and ought. I love that the management appears to be humane, opening later than usual when an ice storm makes driving conditions perilous. We recognize some staff members from some years past and we like the continuity a lot. Love the entire picture. All of it. * I just read that all VT households and businesses are required to compost per a state law passed in 2020. Cool! Red Hen seems to have a great sorting system set up, though, with many neat, well maintained bins lined up out back. read more

I've been a huge fan of Red Hen for years. If I could live on their baguettes alone, I would. I hadn't been to the cafe in several years, but found myself close today so I stopped in for a to-go sandwich. It's always been busy when I've gone, but wait times aren't very long and the staff is pleasant. Needless to say, I got home and inhaled my turkey on a baguette. The only thing I think is a little bit of a bummer is the lack of more "traditional" topping options. I like my sandwiches with lettuce, tomato, and onion. The cafe does not offer tomatoes and only has pickled onions. Would be nice to have a little more choice when building your own sandwich. That said, I'm still a big fan and would get food from there again in a heartbeat. read more

Really nice little bakery with a great selection of pastries and bread. We ordered ahead and stopped by to pick it up on our way out of Stowe. I'm glad we did, because on a Saturday morning they are absolutely slammed. The line was all the way back to the door and there were no tables available. We ordered a ham and cheese croissant, a caramelized onion pastry, a sticky bun, and a loaf of Mad River Grain. The croissants were very good. Good lamination, nice and buttery. I do prefer a crunchier croissant though, and I wished there was a little more ham in the ham and cheese. Of the two croissants, I preferred the caramelized onion which was loaded with onion flavor. The sticky bun was delicious, but nothing mind blowing for me. We took the loaf home for some sandwiches and toasts, and thoroughly enjoyed that! Definitely get a loaf of bread when you're picking up some pastries. Overall a solid bakery, but definitely order ahead especially on the weekend! read more

Red Hen Baking - Ham and cheese croissant, caramelized onion savory croissant - Bakeries Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

See all

Came here on Easter and I was SO glad it was open! Found this on our drive home from Stowe and was a great stop! Parking was easy and inside has a decent amount of seating. It is full of pastries and bread, it smells great! Ordered a variety of things and it was hard to choose because everything looks so good. I ordered a chocolate almond croissant, a kouign amann, and a daily focaccia with pesto. They were all delicious. I then ordered a French Onion Toastie and was so crunchy and tasted exactly like a french onion soup! It took about 10 minutes to come out. It was unique and bread was so crunchy and perfect. I thought prices were very fair and would definitely love to come back to this bakery! read more

See all

Nice spot to have coffee. Some of the cakes were very dry. Not happy.Will ask for my money back next time.

As a self-proclaimed maple creemee connoisseur, I hearby proclaim Red Hen's maple creemee the best in the world! Their Mad Maple is resplendent with rich and creamy maple deliciousness. When served in their homemade waffle cone and sprinkled with maple dust, it's like being transported to culinary heaven. Every week, the magicians at Red Hen concoct a new flavor to offer in rotation, in addition to maple. I just can't seem to try them, due to my maple creemee addiction. But others I've taken to the cafe have and have been impressed. Enjoy your sweet treat out back in the gorgeous Camp Meade community space, a perfect place for children to explore, and for adults to linger under the shade trees. Or plop down on a bench on the porch encircling the cafe. Either way, you'll be in heaven. read more

See all

When we visited Vermont on July 5th, we were on a mission to try a few creemees along the way. We already had one from Little Gordo's in Burlington earlier in the day so I couldn't give these guys a 5 star rating because I found Little Gordo's to be better. The prices were competitive. The bakery was closed but I'm hoping there's another opportunity to give them a try. I say that because there was one seeded baguette left which we were glad to have bought. That deserves a 4.5 star rating. The young lady assisting with orders was personable and nice. There aren't any places to sit but there is a camp area close by (not sure if customers can use the benches). This place is also next to a river walk trail which I thought was a nice touch. I specially loved their sign right outside the ice cream booth. read more

See all

Omg the turkey apple sandwich is sandwich perfection. If I lived closer I'd have lunch here all the time. Amazing bread, all fresh and natural ingredients. The line can be long and move slow but you can also order ahead. read more

A lot of great pastries to choose from here! Delicious and filling, would recommend if you want quality goods. They have seasonal and regular items, with a plethora of savory and sweet. Good service, good vibes. They serve cremees and other entrees, so plenty of food to choose from. A great spot to go to if you're driving through Middlesex. read more

My boyfriend and I stopped here for coffee and pastries on a Sunday morning. I had the maple walnut sticky bun, and he had a ham and cheese croissant. Both were fantastic. I only wish there were more walnuts! The cashier was nice and very patient (it took me a long time to choose from all the beautiful pastries). There is plenty of seating inside, as well as a little store with apparel and pantry products. Such a great cozy cafe! read more

Red Hen Baking - Maple walnut sticky bun - Bakeries Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

As we were traveling up to Vermont, I was looking at yelp and found a bakery, that looks really good. And they didn't disappoint. The chocolate croissants were delicious and the bread was sesame seed poppyseed covered absolutely delicious. read more

We stopped for breakfast on our way to a hike. Good food in a cafe atmosphere. We also stopped back after the hike for a maple creemie in their homemade waffle cone. Waffle cone was good but maple creemie did not have much maple flavor compared to others we had! read more

A great local bakery within the Vermont area! They delivery to the local grocery stores and that's how we discovered them! The bread is fantastic. My personal favorites are their sourdough and polenta breads. We managed to stop by their actual bakery today and have enough time right before they closed to grab bread for our ski trip. The parking lot outside is very tight and can be a bit chaotic. Inside you can order coffee, sandwiches, and they have local meats and snacks. I recommend coming first thing when they open as the bread tends to sell out pretty quickly. read more

Amazing customer service. Great bread, awesome creemees. Can get crowded with parking lines, etc. Also shout out to Bailey who made our visit over the top. read more

Amazing pumpkin spice latte and apple pie latte! Coffee isn't burnt, milk is perfect, it doesn't taste artificial. Absolutely delicious! Their pastries were perfect- recommend getting them warmed up! read more

Coffee drinks are good Fresh pastries and bread daily Love their breads Always busy place Sandwiches are really good and suggest ordering online if you don't want to wait read more

Baked goods were fresh and very tasty (we tried a galette, and scone, and the chocolate croissant) and I'd have anyone again although the scone was first among equals. Coffee was hot and very good. Would stop just for that. In fact we stopped back a second time an hour or so later to get our daughter a breakfast sandwich. That took maybe 10 minutes although the place was hopping. Overall chill atmosphere. Definitely recommend. read more

i've been going here since i was a kid and the food is consistently good. the croissants and the maple cinnamon roll are my favorites. this time, we got a chocolate croissant and the peanut tofu sandwich. the chocolate croissant has dark chocolate, so it's a little rich and slightly bitter. the peanut tofu sandwich is very tangy and delicious and made with fresh bread. you really can't go wrong here. everyone is friendly and the environment is pretty cozy. they also sell cookie dough and local provisions if that's something you're interested in. read more

Red Hen Baking - peanut tofu - Bakeries Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

The food is amazing! Best baguettes around. And the croissants are to die for! Definitely check them out if you're in the area! The only downside is how crowded it usually is and the limited seating. read more

Food is Expensive, tastes okay but not how it used to be. Parking lot is crazy and crowded.

Great bakery, sandwiches, & drinks. Right off interstate. Crème's good too. They will be moving into a bigger location down the road, with hopefully better parking read more

This is an experience and sandwich you don't want to miss. I'm sadly, two states away. My wallet is thankful.

What's not to like? Great coffees/teas and baked good. Plus they had some ready made Maple Ice Cream Sandwiches in their cooler, highly recommend those. We've had the Epi Baguette from there a couple times and it was hit or miss. We love how cute the loaf iseasy to eat by just tearing it up. This last time it was a bit over baked and tougher than our first time there. I don't have a picture of this last baguette but I did have a picture of the first one which I have attached below. There is a lot to choose from so we will be back to explore the menu some more! read more

See all

All of the food was amazing. Breakfast sandwich on really nice bread, with plenty of good melted cheese. Golden milk latte with maple syrup. A nice place to sit and have breakfast with friends, mellow vibe. Quality ingredients. Also, got some scones to go, and I am so glad I did! Even the next day, the ham and cheese scone was a wonderful breakfast. Would honestly consider coming back to Vermont just to eat here. read more

Stopped for a quick take out lunch. Although very busy- staff was friendly and efficient. We order a large ice coffee- bold and cold, two BLT sandwiches- yummy fresh bread and assorted pastries that caught our eye as we waited. It was about 15 minute wait, just as we were told to get sandwiches. All delicious and worth the wait read more

If you are looking for basic sandwiches made with your choice of ingredients, this is not the place for you. My BLT was made with tomato jam, though the bacon was crispy. Every other sandwich had what my husband cakes "frou-frou" ingredients. He asked if he could have a breakfast sandwich with a croissant instead of sourdough, the woman said no. My sons enjoyed their roast beef and summer toasty sandwich. We also thought they were preparing all the single sandwich orders before ours, even those that came in after us. read more

Delicious food and beverages in a comfortable atmosphere. Reasonable prices for what they serve. The best sandwich I've eaten in ages. They're so good at what they're doing! Can't wait to come back next time I'm in VT. read more

The gem of Vermont, the pastries and food is delicious. The service was very nice and responsive

Absolutely fantastic spot! I first considered going here based on seeing it on Yelp when I was driving by but it wasn't until a few locals in Burlington told me this was THE SPOT that I decided to make it a stop on my way back down to New York. I'm so glad I did! The meat pie was absolutely fantastic. It must have crack in it or something because it was ADDICTING. They gave me a sample of their delicious potato bread and the chocolate chai was excellent as well. Cute, homey ambiance and great service. I will come back anytime I'm in Vermont! read more

See all

Best bread, pastries, sandwiches, coffee - perfect stop as you're driving north or south on I-89. Comfortable coffee shop - - love this place. read more

If you're extra particular about your carbs, this is where you'll want to spend them. The earlier you get here, the better the selection will be; everything here is good, but some things are great. Like: Honey Lavender Scone! Almond Croissant! Pain Au Chocolat! Maple Cinnamon Bun! These sammiches on fresh baked bread were amazing too: Ham & cheese on a croissant - classic, but w/that croissant - amazing Breakfast sammich, add bacon was grilled within an inch of its life. Exactly the way a patient sammich maker with pride would do it. Turkey & Cranberry - that bread made it super good! Save up your carb expenditure. Spend it all here. You'll be so glad you did. read more

See all

Tried the Red Hen deli for the first time today to grab a sandwich to-go. Let me begin by saying that the bread was AMAZING. But the bread was truthfully the only worthy part of the sandwich. There was essentially NO Turkey on the sandwich at all. They weren't even willing to accommodate "substitutions" in my request of adding cheese to my sandwich. As a Vermonter, cheese is sort of a staple on a Turkey sandwich... in my opinion. I'll definitely be back to buy fresh loafs of bread, but never again for a sandwich. read more

Red Hen Baking - Turkey Cranberry.... Clearly lacking in the Turkey department - Bakeries Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

We're local and we love this cafe. Consistently excellent pastries, crusty breads with a flavorful and chewy crumb, and we are loving the new creemee window. If you like sweet espresso drinks, try the Bella Mina! The croissants are some of the best in the area too and their weekly wood fired pizza topped with locally sourced and seasonal ingredients is always memorable. As some reviewers note, the sandwiches do tend to run a bit lean for the price point (if you love Red Hen bread and want a Dagwood size sandwich head to the Hunger Mountain Co Op deli) but they're tasty and there's always some good sides and salads available to round out the meal. Staff is super friendly and knowledgeable and we're glad to support a business that fairly and fully compensates its employees. If you're in the area definitely stop by! read more

Red Hen Baking - Blackberry maple twist creemee with blackberry drizzle in a house made waffle cone. - Bakeries Near Me - Montpelier, Vermont

Delicious bread and pastries. We got a baguette and a 3 Millers loaf (whole grain sourdough) and loved both. We also got a box full of pastries that didn't really make it home. read more

The breakfast sandwich is AMAZING! The bread is so delicious. I also had the doughNot, and that was fantastic as well. My friend loved her maple late! read more

Supporting an employee-owned co-operative is a way of life here in Vermont and that's exactly what you do when you stop in at Red Hen. The consistency in the quality of the baked goods, breads, coffees, teas, sandwiches, and their ice cream is really commendable. From the hearty Italian bread I would ask my sandwiches to be made on in high school (my school bought their bread which is incredible because we were being offered Vermont-made products for lunch) to the almond croissants that I covet, there never seems to be a bad bread day in their kitchen. Unfortunately, the almond croissants seem to be coveted by many so it's not a sure chance that you'll get one. The other day, they were out by 11am which made me sad, but it's good to know that they're having a pretty steady flow of people eating in the cafe. Something that Red Hen started doing last year is ice cream! You should be able to tell from my reviews & check-ins that I'm an ice cream girlie, even though I'm lactose intolerant (oops). They're maple rivals all of the sugar houses around and, dare I say, I think that Red Hen does it best. Not too sweet but just maple-y enough, Red Hen lovingly packs their ice cream into a housemade waffle cone THAT DOESN'T LEAK! Maple is their standard flavor with another one on rotation until they run out. I was fortunate enough to snag a cone of their Earl grey ice cream and, boy, was that to die for. I had to take a star off because of Camp Mead. Camp Mead is a big summer favorite hangout for many on Friday nights, on the grounds just behind Red Hen. They have live music, ice cream, pizza, drinks, and some other things there, but it's just not my thing (which is perfectly okay because not everyone likes the same things). Because of the high volume of traffic--both people & vehicles--on Friday nights, it can be a royal pain to find parking and to get out of their lot. However, that's a small inconvenience which is readily eased by a maple creemee :) Overall, Red Hen is a great little place to have a meeting, get some work done, chat with friends, grab a bite to eat, or enjoy a sweet treat during these hot summer days. I highly recommend that you check them out if you get the chance! read more

Red Hen is a unicorn here in central VT. The bread is exceptional, for any place in the country. (I dare you to find a better loaf of miche in New England.) The pastries are excellent for Vermont. The creemees? Maybe the best in the state. For some people, Red Hen is the only reason to stop in the Montpelier area on a New England road trip. You won't find an equal sandwich or baked good unless you drive an hour and a half to Bristol's Minifactory. After that--might as well keep driving till you hit Boston. The only low point? The coffee just isn't great. Not sure if it's the beans, the equipment, or the baristas, but it's just not on par with the rest of the place. For some of that fig bread, though, I'd gladly chug gas station coffee. read more

Amazing little jewel on Vermont! Crispy pastries and wonderful bread..we even took some baguettes, pies and pastries home! Highly recommended if you are in the VT area read more

This place is so sweet! Exquisite bakery presentation and unique loaves (including those shaped like leaves and branches themselves!). Wide coffee and espresso variety and many made to order sandwiches. Surrounded by a very cute, inclusive community walk and play area. They place huge emphasis on locally sourced ingredients and giving back to the community (all tips are given to the chosen charity!). Clearly loved by locals. read more

I live in Phoenix and have not eaten here. But when I mistakenly purchased a gift card to this "Red Hen" instead of the intended Red Hen, the staff kindly responded to my call and refunded my purchase. Thank you! read more