By Chris Mays and Bob Audette, Vermont Country Magazine
Southern Vermont’s food scene is evolving with a blend of tradition, innovation, and community spirit. From a Brattleboro-based granola company taking on new ownership to a reimagined riverside restaurant and a café revival tied to a local distillery, these stories show how food in Vermont continues to grow from the ground up.
True North Granola: A Legacy Passed On
In Brattleboro, a friendship turned partnership has given True North Granola a new chapter. Longtime friends Ankur Sharma and Parwaz Virk recently purchased the beloved granola company from founders Ingrid and Franklin Chrisco, who launched the brand in 2007.
What began as Sharma’s search for “the best-tasting, healthiest granola” became a life-changing journey. “I’d eaten granola but never found a really good one,” he said. A family experiment in the kitchen soon led to a passion that connected him with the Chriscos, and ultimately, a shared vision.
Virk and Sharma’s backgrounds in food and wellness aligned perfectly with the Chriscos’ values. “We had other offers,” Ingrid said, “but our value systems and goals didn’t align.” The new owners plan to keep True North’s team intact. “Our employees are extremely valuable to this business,” she added.
Virk sees the transition as a “succession,” not an acquisition. “It’s a responsibility. We hope to carry forward the Chriscos’ legacy,” he said. For Sharma, putting down roots in Brattleboro is part of that mission. “We wanted to be in Vermont,” he added.
River & Rye: A Gathering Place in Jamaica
A new dining destination in Jamaica is serving up local flavor and small-town warmth. River & Rye, opened in late August by partners Emma Spett and Andrew Baldracchi, combines culinary creativity with a commitment to community.
“We really want to be a hub for our community, a place where people can celebrate, have parties and enjoy themselves,” Spett said. “We’re excited to be here.”
Baldracchi’s menu draws inspiration from his experience in restaurants, breweries, and bakeries across Vermont, San Francisco, Chicago, and Maine. Dishes are designed for sharing, “kind of an homage to all the places that he’s worked,” Spett said. The menu highlights local produce from Taft Hill Farm in Townshend and features gluten-free and vegan options.
Signature offerings include sourdough bread, “awesome” carnitas tacos, and house-made desserts that rotate regularly. The restaurant also showcases artwork from local creators, including prints from Jamaica Haus and paintings by Tara Riley of West River Provisions.
The space, located at 3894 Route 30, maintains its rustic charm with exposed beams and original details. “A simple approach to rustic means modern,” Spett described. Outdoor seating and a beer garden invite guests to linger, with weddings and special events already booked for next year.
Spett, who also works with the University of Vermont Leahy Institute for Rural Partnerships, said River & Rye embodies a shared goal of making Jamaica “a destination and not a place where people just pass through.”
West River Café and Saxtons Distillery: A Perfect Pairing
Just up the road in Brattleboro, a familiar café space has been reborn. The former Fire Arts Bakery & Café has reopened as West River Café, now joined by a relocated tasting room for Saxtons Distillery.
“The swelling of support and appreciation for this place inspired me to reopen,” said café owner Raphael Rosner, who previously ran Fire Arts with Lucy Bergamini. The café offers espresso, tea, fresh veggie and fruit juices, and on-site roasted coffee. Hemp seed products from The Hempress and Pinky Toe Chai beverages round out the menu.
For distillery owner Christian Stromberg, the partnership marks a return to his business roots. Saxtons’ Route 30 location was where his brand began to grow after moving out of a barn in Cambridgeport in 2011. “We had to try something else and get in front of people,” Stromberg said. “It will be good to get back there.”
Visitors can enjoy tastings from both Saxtons Distillery and Vermont Vermouth, a pairing Stromberg said “complement each other well.”
From handcrafted granola to reimagined dining and renewed local partnerships, Vermont’s food landscape continues to thrive on passion and purpose. Whether it’s a new recipe, a restored space, or a revived tradition, these ventures share one thing in common, a deep love for Vermont’s communities and the people who call them home.
