I always forget how amazed i am with some of the meals i have gotten here over the years. Seriously everything we got the last time was pretty damn great. The only complaint is the sometimes 'weird' seating- especially in the winter months. But seriously, i wish i lived a little closer, i'd be here a lot more.
Review Source:Felt inspired to write this review after being very impressed by the service here today. Â I ordered the Haddock with Green Curry and Toasted Almonds and really did not enjoy it, especially since I didn't realize that it would be so creamy (The name on the physical menu was different than that on the menu, which does specify tat it's made with cream sauce) since green curry is usually made with coconut milk. Â I didn't have much of it but I didn't send it back because I hate doing that. Â When the waitress came to collect our plates I mentioned not liking it too much and they were very sweet about it, received several apologies and had the dish taken off our check. Â
Also, badass duck cigar rolls.
What a surprise to find such a wonderful restaurant outside a major city. We enjoyed every bit of our creative and delicious meal. The staff was also delightful and enhanced our experience. My favorite was the two perfect choices of potato, mashed and fried with dips. Dessert was worth leaving room for. We will make it a point to return. Make reservations as it was busy even on a Tuesday night in September.
Review Source:Black Sheep Bistro in downtown Vergennes is a place that wouldn't be out of place in Brooklyn...except here it attracts a much more diverse and age-varied crowd. Â Younger and hipper (at least in the summer) than the Bearded Frog (which also owns this place) but there were still a few blue-hairs to be seen scattered around the room.
Food was very good. Â Service was slow and left some to be desired. Â Granted it was busy on a holiday weekend night...but they should have been prepared for that. Â There really isn't a true bar, per se...though they do make strong drinks and have a decent wine list.
The whole place could be a room larger...but maybe that's part of the quaint charm. Â The menu isn't very large but that food that we ordered all came out great. Â The family-style mashed potatos and fries with 3 different sauces were a nice touch, though they could have served them earlier in the meal.
Overall a solid restaurant in a small town, but they could have done better.
I came to VT to do the whole Shelburne thing. Beautiful this time of year. Heard about Black Sheep from a friend. Holy cow! Who knew you could eat so well! Â Very reminiscent of French bistro. So the question really is, why go to VT and eat at a French bistro? Simple, the food. There's no attitude, just tasty deliciousness. Â My wife, my 9 year old son, and I had a blast. Â They have this duck cigar appetizer thing with an apricot dipping sauce that my kid could not get enough of. Â Then I had this/brie chicken dish that was so flavorful. Â Finally there were the fries. Let me be very clear: I would eat these all day long if my wife and waist would let me. Signature stuff. Â Made our visit.
Review Source:Amazing food. Amazing hostess. Amazing overall experience. The black sheep bistro is without a doubt one of if not the best restaurants in Addison county, if not the state, hands down. Fantastic, never disappoints. Love love love. And to the few haters out there, get a life. Your not the new York times food critic.
Review Source:I came up to VT to surprise my sister for her 20th birthday. Her friends were going to meet us there and my family would follow 10 minutes later. The restaurant was her pick, and we were excited for the fresh menu and cozy space. However, the hostess did not get the memo that when my sister and her group arrived, they would be seated as a smaller group so to not give away the surprise. Unfortunately she seated greeted them and confirmed the reservation for 9 and then sat them down at a large table, half of which was obviously empty. Strike 1.
Secondly, I did not enjoy my duck confit. The bacon was neither crispy nor salty, just hard and dense and chewy, and the blood orange dressing was so overwhelming I was tempted to wipe down the plate with my napkin. Strike 2.
I will say that the bottle of Reisling we ordered for the table was lovely, and other orders seemed to be better received - the Haddock was good, and the polenta got a rave review.
Strike 3 came when I specifically took aside our waitress and indicated that she should come out with one of the desserts with a candle and we'd sing. Instead, she came out and asked for our dessert order which felt uncomfortable since we were all expecting a dessert to be brought out on its own.
Anyway, I was pretty disappointed overall and thought it was overpriced for what it was.
My waitress was terrible. Â She was cold, rude and even demeaning. Â It was too the point where I was so frustrated that I couldn't really enjoy the meal. Â (I won't comment on the meal, but I feel like I couldn't properly rate it, I was so annoyed with the waitress.) Â I usually never complain, but I felt the need to, and the supervisor made me feel much better.
I went because someone told me how great it was. Â I'll have to go back to give it my full attention. Â Now I know to make sure that a particular waitress NOT serve me!
Good food, good staff, I just didn't leave feeling completely wowed.
We received a gift certificate from the Inn we stayed at, and everyone had been raving about it, so how could we not try? The Innkeeper told us we had to make reservations and we didn't entirely believe him, but we went with it. We figured small town, not really a busy season, seriously? Reservations? He was right. At 6:30pm the place was full.
We were a little confused by the entrance. You open the door to a curtain. Maybe I have watched the Wizard of Oz one too many times, but I hesitated opening the curtain as i have been brainwashed "Do not look behind the curtain!" I assumed it was there to keep people out, and there must be another door. No, no. Open the door, open the curtain, host(ess) is on your right.
Once seated I took my jacket off only to put it back on 5 minutes later because it was absolutely freezing. Â The table we were seated at was right in front of the kitchen door, but the strategically place a curtain to keep the bustle to a minimum (see? curtain to keep customers OUT!)
The appetizers came out quick. We ordered the soup and duck cigars - fancy name for eggroll - and both were delicious. For entrees I had the squash ravioli. It was amazingly good. There were mixed greens on top of the ravioli which was different and it went really well. The filling was fresh and purely vegetables. My date got the steak. He enjoyed it but didn't think it was anything memorable. The steak came with mashed potatoes and fries, both of which we barely touched because we were full.
We managed to split a slice of cheesecake at the end. When ISN'T cheesecake god - so no extra points given there.
The menu is very simple - a few appetizers with prices ranging $7-$12, and a few entrees, all $19. 2 appetizers, 2 entrees, 2 coffees, 1 glass of wine and 1 slice of cheesecake came to almost $90.
The one final thing sticking in my memory and most likely contributing to my mehh attitude is this: When we were leaving a chef came out and started yelling at the waitress. It was uncomfortable to watch and even more awkward to hear her profoundly apologizing.
Wow. Â Agree with all previous reviews - this place is just awesome! Â We made the long trek to Vergennes on Saturday for a celebratory dinner and were wowed by each and every dish. Â My husband got the soup du jour (Mushroom Bisque) and we were both wowed by how flavorful it was. Â But the greatness didn't stop there - he got the stuffed chicken and I got the porkchop with the fig / balsamic reduction. Â Even the starches served "family style" were a nice touch to a special dinner. Â The fries weren't anything to write home about but the dipping sauces were yummy and it was a fun accompaniment. Â The garlic mashed potatoes were creamy and not overwhelming with garlic. Â For desserts, I had the homemade cheesecake with raspberry sauce (YUM) and he had the ice cream with raspberry sauce and almonds. Â I love when places give you a reasonable amount of dessert and don't overwhelm you with sweetness. Â This was just that.
The atmosphere was cozy and charming but I do recommend reserving a seat away from the door, if you can - they try to block the wind from the door with heavy drapery but it still sneaks in. Â
We both left happy, full and singing it's praises. Â Well worth the hour long drive from Underhill!
We really want the Black Sheep Bistro to be the go-to place for a REALLY special dinner. And it is really good, but not five star special.
Their starter and entree menus are simple and classy, but the flavor palette skews sweet (even the mashed potatoes!). Lots of maple syrup (no surprise, but it can become a crutch). The pate seemed dry and the salad was outstanding.
The signature cone of frites was really good, but not sublime, and the sauces seemed thin. The bistro steak was a perfectly cooked filet mignon, instead of a more flavorful cut. Not bad, just surprising. The haddock was just slightly undercooked and its bed of greens got a little overbalanced. Â
Since the demise of Cristoph's on the Green, the Black Sheep Bistro holds the undisputed title of best restaurant in town, so it's where you go in Vergennes.
This is the most awesome bistro! When we drove past on our way north, we had oohed & aahed at the cuteness, and rued the fact that we would probably never eat there. When hunger struck on the way back south, lo & behold, there was Black Sheep Bistro! Not knowing the town or the place's reputation, we hedged and decided we'd at least get a drink and apps. We walked in & were immediately charmed. So cozy and cute and welcoming - ok ok we'll stay.
I love a straightforward, confident menu. There were only a handful of choices, everything is the same price, and the servers could speak to every dish on the menu (not that we tested them, but I overheard it). We went with the escargot to start, which was deliciously salty & garlicy, and just the right texture. For an entree we got the halibut in a Thai-esque coconut & basil curry sauce. It was delicious - came with a really nice spinach salad on the side, PLUS the starch overload of mashed potatoes and a cone of fries. I really can't tell you how much I liked the dressing on the salad. It was light and sweet with just a little bit of tart, lovely all around. They even brought the food on split plates which was very cute. Everything was really tasty, but more than that, it's the coziness that'll bring me back if I'm ever in that area again.
One thing I will say - if I'd had more than a glass of wine to drink, the bathroom would have been very disconcerting... the floor is at a pretty serious slant, which threw me for a little bit of a loop even sober. I guess that's how you can tell if you can get back in the car & drive?
The food is flavorful and each dish is unique. Â Portions are appropriate and send you away feeling like a stuffed sausage. Â If you're a big eater then you may want to consider a starter and a dessert. ;)
The bistro is cozy and, in some places, crowded, but unless you're traveling with a posse and supplies (like strollers, diaper bags, and oversized purses) you shouldn't find that to be a problem.
The noise level is good (easy enough to carry on a quiet conversation). Â And the temperature (despite cold outdoors) was very nice. Â It's dimly lit so if you like bright lights, bring a flashlight.
We love this place. Â And we also plan to check out this chef's other two places; The Bearded Frog on R7 in Shelburne and the Bobcat Cafe in Bristol. Â Oh, and try The Left Bank Shiraz from South Africa...very nice.
We stopped in here on the way back from the races in Saratoga. It's a small resto & we were lucky to get seats as walk-ins at 5:45 on a Monday. Amazing! This is, after all, Vergennes.
This is a truly great little restaurant. We started with escargot & French bread. For the main course we had the Maple Chicken stuffed with brie accompanied with green beans & corn and the Duck Confit accompanied with sausage, home-made, I think, and julienned apples, mashed potatoes and French fries, made and served French style in a paper cone family style.
All this with an Argentine Malbec.This was an excellent meal. Everything was delicious.
Food - 4 STARS
Ambiance/Decor - 4 STARS
Service - 4 STARS
Location - 4 STARS
From the same owner and chef of The Bearded Frog comes Black Sheep Bistro, a more casual French-style bistro in the heart of Vergennes. The food is very similar in style to the aforementioned restaurant, but done better and at a fraction of the cost. The atmosphere is also more inviting with a very European outdoor patio, which is perfect for dinner on a warm summer night. The menu rotates on a seasonal basis and while some items such as the duck confit are the same as The Bearded Frog, Black Sheep Bistro also features some very original and creative dishes of its own.
Appetizers and entrees and all priced at $7 and $19, respectively. We started with a grape & almond white gazpacho and the tuna cucumber tartar with wasabi creme fraiche and falsely advertised taro root chips. The chilled gazpacho was a refreshing starter for dinner. The tuna cucumber tartar had a lot of acidity and flavor, but the cucumbers were difficult to eat and there was no real need for the iceberg lettuce. We were also given crostini instead of taro root chips.
For the entrees, we had the coriander crusted bistro steak with sofrito sauce and the applewood smoked bacon and brie stuffed chicken breast with balsamic cream. Both entrees came with a large complimentary side of mashed potatoes and a large cone of french fries. The french fries were perfectly fried and came with the most delicious sweet basil, garlic, and ketchup dipping sauces. The sofrito sauce was very much like a salsa verde, but went well with the steak. The stuffed chicken breast was outstanding and was a wonderful twist on chicken cordon bleu. The balsamic cream was definitely the highlight of the dish. We ended with a delicious housemade chevre cheesecake with black currant sauce.
Black Sheep Bistro is a great example of a restaurant that can translate great food from farm to table. It's definitely worth the 40 minute drive from Burlington to try.
It's been a few months since I've been to Black Sheep Bistro, but I've been three or four times over the past three or four years, and every time that I have gone it has been the same - I expect the food to be amazing, and it is only just okay. Â Don't get me wrong - I can't remember a time when the food was actively bad or something was wrong with it; I just have never been particularly impressed with the creativeness of the menu items, have never thought "oh my goodness, this is so delicious" when I was eating something.
Don't get me wrong, it is a fine establishment. Â The atmosphere is cozy, the servers are always knowledgeable, and I have been there with large groups of people with multiple food allergies and they have always been accommodating. Â It is certainly one of the better quality restaurants in this area of Vermont. Â However, if I were looking for somewhere upscale to go, I would opt for the Starry Night Cafe in Ferrisburg (on Rt. 7 on the way to Burlington) or Cafe Provence in Brandon over Black Sheep. Â Both are of the same fanciness as Black Sheep, and have always impressed me more with the freshness and creativity of their food.
I also find the atmosphere to be a little too dark and stuffy, though I know that that is somewhat a personal preference. Â The decor is pleasant otherwise..
The food was really wonderful, being a foodie, it's not the best I've ever had, but it's probably one of the best in Vermont! My date's steak was not phenomenal, but our lobster ravioli appetizer was the hit of the night! I also really enjoyed the mashed potatoes and fries!
We ate outside, and, while Vermont summers are wonderful, the restaurant is right next to a busy road, so every time a large truck drove by, our conversation was halted!
This restaurant has been here for at least 3 years and seems to be doing well. It is along the main street in Vergennes, just south of the central town square. It has a modern menu with a european/French flair. The building itself is old and historic and it is decorated appropriately.
Their menu has a very limited selection of vegetarian fare but included some reasonably creative salads which our group sampled three of. More importantly for me, they offered french fries. Their fries were moderately thin and crispy with ample skin for flavor. They were served in traditional french style in a cone with dipping sauces. These included an outstanding pesto based sauce as well as a spicier variety.
We tried a couple of the desserts and while they were good, they were not outstanding (e.g. a good but somewhat generic flourless chocolate cake).
The prices at this restaurant are on the high side, $20 for an entree. The service was courteous but it was irritating that some things like refills on soft drinks were charged as additional drink orders. I would recommend this restaurant for its fries and somewhat for it's salads as well as a great setting.
I have to say I was suprised at how amazing this place was. Â Everything about my experience was perfect. Â The food was excellent and the service was top notch. Â Top that off with a bill that was LESS than I had expected, and I can't wait to get back to this place.
I had the pork chops, and can say as a person that rarely exaggerates that it was the best I have ever eaten. Â The sauce was perfectly subtle and the meat was perfectly cooked (not an easy task). Â Portions were well sized and our waitress was great. Â I can't think of a single part that wasn't 5 star quality.
Overrated. Think the Bearded Frog, but not as good. Very similar concept as the Bearded Frog (some of the same dishes as well), actually. The food is decent, sure, but far from great. The sauces are okay, but the chef has not spent enough time in France to truly master the art.
The coffee-encrusted lamb that I had was okay, but nothing to write home about. The lamb was prepared with coffee and little else, it really could have used something to make it more interesting on the palate. The sauteed peppers that the lamb was served on were mediocre, at best.
The fresh rolls were okay, but the sauce had far too much vinegar and overwhelmed the dish.
Give me the Bearded Frog any day of the week.
This was a fantastic place to take my mother for her birthday. Â The atmosphere reminds you of a European bistro; slightly cramped, dark, warm, bustling. Â The menu is original and eclectic. Â And all the apps are one price and same goes for the entrees. Â
There is not a full bar available. They offer beers and basic cocktails. Â
 My mother and I split an appetizer.  It was excellent.  A red cabbage slaw with rice vinegar, sesame oil, cilantro.  We loved it.  It accompanied a lobster ravioli, which were fine.
My entree was coffee encrusted lamb, alongside sauteed seasonal veggies. My mother's was the best. Â She ordered a white fish (I forget what type) Â with a coconut curry glaze. Â And also summer veggies. Â It was amazingly delicious. Â
Dinner is served with a bowl of garlic mashed potatoes and hand cut fries. Â They had a garlic aoli and a basil aoli to dip the fries in.
We were tempted with the dessert menu but decided it would be over the top.
I am excited to revisit this small bistro again soon. Â It was superb.
Black Sheep Bistro has been reviewed many times on other sites but I think it deserves more attention on Yelp. Â We drove up to Vergennes from Middlebury to eat one of our best dinners of the year. Â The atmosphere is warm and welcoming from the moment you enter - soft candle light, a heavily draped entrance area to ward off the winter chill, and thoughtfully placed space heaters providing little bursts of warmth. Â Warm and comfy, and greeted by a very friendly server, we sit and enjoy glasses of wine from a list that has plenty of choices. Â
I didn't feel crammed in - enough space between tables so you could talk comfortably without interference from other parties. We were there on a Thursday night and it was 80% full. Â They have great deals Jan-March, to encourage people to leave the warmth of their homes and come to Vergennes.
The appetizers were most interesting to me - I saw several that I would have tried. Â While I had the mushroom-chicken dumplings, the sauce was heavy on the soy, and anything could have been inside the dumplings. Â That was my only so-so dish. Â I had a taste of the pea soup, with bacon, and wished I had ordered it. Â In considering the main courses, my dining partners had the duck, the lamb, and the steak, three things that generally don't tempt me. Â The duck and lamb were enjoyed with relish, while the steak was thought to have too many peppercorns. Â I "settled" for the haddock, thinking "well, it's healthy, I'll get a good dessert." Â The haddock was sublliiiiiiiime. Â It was on a bed of greens (swiss chard, maybe) served with a curry, coconut sauce that was so delicious I had to immediately share it with everyone at my table. Â Everyone agreed I had ordered the best thing. Â (We're kind of competitive about our food choices.)
I still had dessert - a little chocolate cake that I shared.  The ganache of the day (peanut butter/chocolate) was enjoyed by two of my companions  and won the dessert competition.  (Darn!)  I'll have to go back for that one. Â
Not a long list of menu items, but each dish is presented with carefully chosen sides, is visually beautiful, and is of course, very delicious. Â The potatoes they bring as a matter of course are amazing. Â 'Nuf said in other reviews. Â I plan to go again next time I'm up north! Â During the summer the Bistro serves outside as well.
Yum Yum Yum.
Black Sheep is a gem of a restaurant and, dare I say, the finest dining establishment south of Burlington. Â It serves consistently great food which is why it has established such a following despite being located in dinky Vergennes, VT. Â In fact, reservations are pretty difficult to come by because the dining room at Black Sheep is VERY small. Â If the weather is accommodating, they set up extra tables on their front patio to make room for a few more visitors.
Despite the fact I live in California now, I still haven't had the heart to take their phone number out of my speed dial, just in case I need to make a last minute rezzie.
Black Sheep offers a lot of seasonal Vermont specialties with an overarching French theme (think: rich food, cheese, bacon, and lots of butter!). Â Finding it difficult to choose just one dish, I often enjoy ordering a bunch of appetizers ($6) like the duck eggrolls and the lobster ravioli, alongside a salad (also $6) for the same price as one entree ($16). Â All tables are also served a hearty portion of crispy shoestring french fries with gourmet dipping sauces. Â What could be better than that on a snowy evening in Vermont?
A little anecdote of love for the Black Sheep Bistro:
It was a brisk evening and our last-minute craving for a bit of "real" food left my friends and I stuck outside on the front patio to have our dinner. Â Naturally, we decided to warm from the inside and chose a very reasonably priced bottle of California Zinfandel from the wine list. Â When the owner/manager came to our table-side to uncork and pour our wine, she pulled the cork out pretty quickly and it made a loud *pop* sound. Â Surprised at herself, she commented "I'd probably fire any waiter I ever heard do that! Â I'm so sorry!" Wow. Â That kind of care for restaurant etiquette in bumblefuck Vermont? Â You won't find that anywhere else besides the Black Sheep.
Word up on BSB. They rock my socks for simple but fine dining. This is what Vermont is all about.
I last went with a big group. The waitress wasn't so happy to be seating so many of us but it didn't matter. Food was excellent. As other reviewers point out. $5 apps and $16 entrees. Fries, mashed potatoes are to die for.
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