Haymaker Bun Company in Vermont

"I love everything about this place. I love the exceptional coffee, the open space with the view of the river, and the friendly folks with abundant personality that work there. I loved the Arcadian while it lasted, and love that I still get to enjoy the exceptional pasta at the occasional pop up. Today I had the breakfast sandwich on the savory bun, and wow, did I love that. I am so thankful to have such culinary skill in little Middlebury."

"Haymaker is a gem in the Middlebury food scene. It's an excellent place for anything from taking kids for a Saturday lunch or to meeting for business and coffee. We often grab 1-2 boxes of their buns on Fridays for our staff who love them and their baristas are always friendly and eager to help with any selections. They also have arguably one of the best outdoor patios for summer dining. The team is clearly passionate about what they do and I feel lucky that we have them in our community!"

"As the name suggests, folks come for the buns, but our first visit was before lunch fairly near closing time. Sometimes this situation can lead to some laxity in food and service, but certainly not here as you’ll hear. We were not alone in lunch appeal either as the next day (Dec 23) there was a line winding through restaurant; no telling what appeal might be when college is in session. So I went because of the harvest salad which consists of a pile of mixed greens settled with beets, grilled onions, and toasted sesame quinoa for some crunch. I added the chicken the first day, but second day with bacon (as can see a big fan). I think it worked better with chicken for me. My companions had an excellent potato cheese soup and others had a burger. All thought it was excellent. As we were finishing eating, Tim came round with a platter of baked goods that were up for grabs now at the end of day. I went for chocolate mint cake cookie which was delicious but the maple-molasses oatmeal cookie wowed the table with its flavor and texture. While the food and service was outstanding, the best part might be the setting. Situated on Otter Creek, the structure is three tiered with a double decker bank of windows that bathe the eating areas in light. This beautiful setting naturally enhances conversation and yay!! no music playing to interfere with that conversation. Oh yeah, the buns are as advertised, and maybe even better day old when you take them home to bake. Not a bun guy myself, but not a problem as my son reports the breakfast sandwich is great as was the maple & almond scone that I ordered instead. H"

"Great experience here! Plentiful seating inside and outside with a nice porch overlooking the creek! We got two savory buns and one sweet one. We liked the rhubarb it was not too sweet. We only ask that the staff ask beforehand if you want the buns heated up because we were served a cold sausage savory one which was not as good as the breakfast sandwich on the hot savory bacon one!! The matcha orange juice was very surprisingly delicious!!! The drink retained color and there was a nice froth at the top! Very impressed!!!"

"Our first visit was last week, but I look forward to returning the next time I am in the Middlebury area. Lovely spot overlooking the water, with whimsical decor. I loved that the takeout containers were recyclable. Serious disappointment that they were out of the cinnamon buns! We saw more being made and they look delicious. I had a leek and cheese panini which was delicious even when reheated at all (though I would say that it did benefit from the spinach I added). My daughter enjoyed the avocado toast (though the beet coulis functioned better as a decoration than something to actually eat). I ended up taking home most of my broccoli, cheese and bacon soup. I was tasty but a bit too rich and thick (but I’m not sure I should have expected anything other than rich with that description…..)Anyway, I’d love to try this spot again."

"Lovely spot with great coffee, buns, and service. Highly recommend!"

"It’s a good place but with one huge disadvantage. I took matcha with orange juice-amazing! Sweet buns are super delicious. However, they don’t really know what is inside. My friend is allergic to garlic and onions. I double and triple checked that ricotta bun with broccoli was free of both, however, unfortunately it contained onions It was a huge disappointment."

"My winter root caesar salad with chicken was huge and really really good. You can tell they care about quality here. Will definitely go back."