Kipling's Restaurant & Pub

My husband and I were visiting Brattleboro on our recent trip to New England and had planned to go to another pub but it was closed that day.  We decided we'd just grab a small bite to eat before heading back to where we were staying in MA so we ended up at Kipling's, probably the only place open at 2:30pm on a weekday.

We decided to order the chili cheese fries.  Being from Texas, we're pretty picky about chili and such, but the chili had really good flavor, very meaty with spices and beans.  There was also a lot of cheese.  You definitely get your money's worth for $10.

We didn't have any beers as it was really hot outside and Kipling's is not air-conditioned (or the A/C was broken the day we went) so we just wanted to stick with water.  The bartender/server was very nice, and my husband and I enjoyed overhearing the conversation between him and a patron about the '86 World Series between the Mets and the Red Sox.  Then the conversation went to hockey and we were lost.

Kipling's is cash only so be prepared!  Should we find ourselves in Brattleboro we'd definitely go back to try other menu items and beers.

Definitely the best burgers in town!

I wasn't a big fan when I first went, but after living in brattleboro for a few years I have come to the conclusion that overall, this is the best all-around pub in town.

They definitely don't have the same variety of beers as, say Flat Street, but the beers they do have are tried and true staples, like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (which is good in any season) and Sam Smith's Oatmeal Stout. Good selection of spirits, and they are not stingy with the drink orders -- a single serving of scotch here would count as a double anywhere else.  

The food is pretty much the best pub food in town. Although the yelp page notes fish and chips, I have to say that the burgers are this pub's strong point. The chili burger and the barbecue bacon burger are amazing; you'll demolish one in two minutes and start thinking about ordering another. The food is usually ready pretty quickly, and although it might be a wee bit pricey, I think you get what you pay for.

The atmosphere is nice. It can take some time to "settle in" as the place is usually heavy on regular customers, but once you're a regular yourself everyone tends to open up. Staff is friendly, people at the bar tend to be friendly, and it's as good a place to catch up on a book while you have dinner as it is to enjoy good conversation.

The only drawback is that the TV is poorly positioned for sports viewing -- if you want to catch a baseball game then Inferno or Rocky Top are far better. But only for that -- for everything else Kipling's is the best game in town.

(Also very kid friendly -- I enjoy bringing my daughter here and they always accommodate us very well. Big bonus points for that.)