Crooked Ladle Catering

I love this little Middlebury Staple! I’ve eaten incredible restaurant quality foods at venues and functions (think tar tar and beautifully rendered duck breasts under a scenic Vermont backdrop or at a local food festival) cooked by Lou and his guys and Served by Jenny and her incredible wait and bar staff countless times, as The Crooked Ladle, the catering company. Many locals have, many times at many events! The real deal is sitting down in 51 Main in downtown Middlebury within the restaurant and eating through Lou’s menus. It seems like there are clearly some crowd favorite dishes that will stay on the menu forever, which is true of any restaurant but entree dishes and many appetizers will change seasonally to follow local produce and ingredients and these dishes are where the magic is!! The waitstaff and bartenders are always so cool and calm. They make the effort to recognize and remember you whether it’s from an event you attended as a guest and met the staff or from previous dinners at the restaurant in town. Food is served fast and there is a family vibe to the front of house staff that fits perfectly with warm and cozy dining room. There is a long beautiful bar that runs the length of the dining room on one side and the space has warm red brick walls, and high ceilings, with local artwork and plants decorating every little corner. (Also- Ask about buying artwork! Chances are a vermont artist made it, it’s for sale, and they would love to know they’ve decorated a home somewhere! ) TLDR: I recently had yet another really great experience and meal in the restaurant and realized my leaving this review was long overdue! Go eat food here! Or get takeout and eat this food on your couch! Call and have food cooked at your event! If you’re in Middlebury, this is a must try meal, whichever of the many ways you can find The Crooked Ladle feeding the town/people here.

There are but few places to eat, where the entire menu is like reading a love letter to the authors favorite ingredients. The food is a dazzling mix of scientific precision and creative abandon while the entire staff is at once professional, knowledgeable and perfectly human. They are friends and neighbors and family and once you step inside this beautifully designed space you understand what it means to love food. To love cooking. To love your community. This is a truly, truly special place, long may it be.

First time visit and very impressed! This is a cozy, new, college-town restaurant that surprises both with its sophistication and quality. My wife had a delicious ricotta gnocchi dish while I had a classic Duck confit. Both came with crispy, fresh market vegetables (e.g. parsnips, sweet potato puree, pickled onions) with accompanying flavorful sauces which defy our ability to define. Nonetheless, all was delicious, and topped off with excellent wines as well as scrumptious desserts. We rate this the best restaurant in Middlebury!

Great place to enjoy cocktails and a meal! Our server made time to engage in conversation even though she was very busy. Our food was tasty and fairly priced. We did not leave hungry. Highly recommend visiting Crooked Ladle if your anywhere near Middlebury.

Had a last minute dinner date at the bar with my husband on Valentines day. The restaurant was full but we prefer a bar seat anyway, staff were so friendly and helpful even though they were busy! Drink menu was fun and the food came out so quickly. Only downside is the street parking. Will absolutely be back another time!

Excellent food, service, and drinks! The menu has a great range of meals for just about any preference and at a reasonable price. Beautiful interior space as well. My favorite restaurant in Middlebury!

Wow wow wow! Can't speak highly enough about this place. The service was fantastic, the food was also so complex and standout. We love to go out to eat in Baltimore MD, have been to several James Beard winners in the area, and this place firmly ranks as good if not better than most of those. Make sure you leave room for desert- the Italian custard they were serving on our visit was so insanely good. Probably in the top two of my fave desserts of all time. This chef is really talented, the creativity in the flavor profiles is wonderful.

I really enjoyed the Crooked Ladle. Everything we ordered was very tasty, well seasoned, and came out hot. The kitchen is on point. The staff and servers were great.

Favorite place to eat in Middlebury, hands down. Do you like a well-stocked bar with creative, frequently updated cocktails and a rotating assortment of Vermont brews? How about seasonal, rotating food offerings with yummy options for both carnivores and vegetarians? Then get yourself to Crooked Ladle and prepare to dig in. Standards like the nachos (IMHO the best in Vermont), falafel (bring on the hot sauce and tzatziki, please!), and French fries (crispy and well-seasoned) make this an ever-reliable stop when you need a nosh. Seasonal salads and soups are fresh, locally sourced, and nourishing while also being creative enough to make you wonder what that extra ingredient might be. "Garnishes" like red flannel hash, sauteed red cabbage, or stir-fried veggies could easily stand alone as sides (or the perfect midnight snack). Specials like pasta with pork ragu (topped with a tiny green salad for crunch) or perfectly-fried fish and chips are not to be ignored - be sure to ask about additions to the menu. The kitchen's sauce game is strong, too, elevating dishes like gnocchi or pork loin to the next level. A note: Because the Middlebury restaurant space grew out of a catering business (they still churn out fabulous food and drinks for private events, btw) you will not find selections like cooked-to-order burgers or steaks. But you can get those anywhere. Come here to treat your palate to something more interesting.

During this 2025 season, CL is the nicest resto in Middlebury. Even so, it's a hit or miss. ++. Ambiance is a typical remodeled VT storefront with high tin ceiling with plenty of wood. Reflecting prior plant shop heritage, there were much greenery throughout the restaurant. There is a full bar on the side as well. ++. Food is international fusion. Their menu is small and some dishes were well received while other dishes were mediocre at best. Venison egg roll - good Corn soup - very good 2 Grilled salmon - loved 2 Pork enchiladas- CoLd and doughy Flourless chocolate- fine The portions were large and easily could've been shared. +. Price is high for the value delivered. =. Service was lacking. After taking our order, our waiter Tim was less than attentive, empty glasses, long wait to even flag him down and he forgot to bring our togo dessert for 20+ minutes! +. Parking is street Overall, some dishes were good but others were barely heated. Seems to practice quantity over quality. With lacking service, if you need an international fusion fix, this is your best bet in Middlebury. This resto will NOT be a repeat for me but some in my family, like it. Hence the higher rating. MY RATINGS - - - Inhumane -- Disgusted - Don't bother =. Missed the Mark +. Good ++ Better +++ EDIBLE... WHERE have you bee my LiFe!

I like this place. Ive been several times, and it generally has a different menu each time. Good use of whats availabke during the season and creatively prepared. Its sandwich stuff as well as food that requires a knife and fork. The place is warm and friendly and in a beautiful old brick mill building. If you dont want a full meal, get a drink at the bar and split an app.... id start with buns!

So happy to see this restaurant in the downtown strip. The food is great and the bar is decent. A little more thought into the cocktail menu would be awesome.

Stopped in here while visiting family and happy we did. It is a cool spot in downtown Middlebury. Fairly small menu but the Baos were very good. The buns did not taste homemade (I could be wrong but everything was cooked well and plenty of food. It is a bit loud but good if have your kids in tow. The drinks were ok, I preferred the food. The service was good and attentive. Definitely a spot to checkout whether visiting or local.

Food was great. I had the duck special and it was excellent. We all enjoyed our meal. Cocktails were extra special, they have excellent bartenders with a sophisticated selection of drinks. Our server was attentive and friendly. A great experience!

Crooked Ladle provided outstanding food for our wedding! They had a wonderful vegetarian menu as well as GF and vegan options to include all of our guests. Countless guests told us it was the best wedding meal they've ever had! Highly recommend both the restaurant and the catering!

We've dined here several times and every time has been great! The soups are always delicious - tomato bisque, coconut carrot, and a beetroot soup. Starters are flavorful and a good size (specials, too - tuna tartare over guacamole!), salads are fresh, and the time from order to table is very brief. Tip: don't order entrees at the same time as apps - they come quickly. Entrees (and specials!) are super satisfying- surf & turf special last night was amazing! Jennifer (owner) is always pitching in on the floor and takes time to visit every table. The energy is always good, and jazzy background music is a good complement to the space - plenty of plants and unique (monkey) art. Also, cocktail specials are always creative and wine and local beer selection are good.

The chicken & waffles are absolutely amazing, I will return just for that!! The service was surprisingly fast considering how busy the place was. My husband did not enjoy his meal, but overall, it's a nice place.

Awesome bar, and delicious eclectic menu. Service is friendly and attentive. Really cool space with live music as well!

The food is absolutely delicious. I literally dream about their fries. And the atmosphere is soothing yet lively and fun. The service is amazing and their cocktails are superb!!