Here's how some of Vermont's long-standing restaurants stay relevant to customers today

Brent Hallenbeck, Burlington Free Press
·2 min read
Moe Paquette, co-owner of Papa Frank's Italian Restaurant, greets family members including his first grandchild, 6-month-old Clementine Shamoon, at the Winooski eatery April 25, 2023.
Moe Paquette, co-owner of Papa Frank's Italian Restaurant, greets family members including his first grandchild, 6-month-old Clementine Shamoon, at the Winooski eatery April 25, 2023.

Burlington Free Press reporter Brent Hallenbeck is spotlighting long-standing restaurants in Chittenden County. How do these restaurants that date to the 20th century remain relevant while continuing to do the things that have given them such staying power?

Longtime patrons of The Windjammer and Upper Deck Pub, 1076 Williston Road, South Burlington, can still enjoy “the classics,” general manager Dan Phelan said of their traditional dishes. “Years ago, it was kind of like sirloin-chicken-shrimp-prime rib,” he said, with appetizers such as New England clam chowder and French onion soup. Those items remain, but now jostle for diners’ attention with tomahawk steaks and seasonal duck dishes.

Farewell, salad boat: The Windjammer Restaurant adjusts its sails for the times

In 2004, Bill and Naomi Maglaris became only the fourth owners in the nearly century-old history of Henry’s Diner, 155 Bank St., Burlington. According to the Maglarises, the eatery is the kind of place where people propose to their future spouses, and where grown adults remember their grandfathers bringing them when they were children.

Nearly a century old: Henry's Diner looks to past, present as it moves into the future

Halvorson's Upstreet Cafe on the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, shown May 18, 2023.
Halvorson's Upstreet Cafe on the Church Street Marketplace in Burlington, shown May 18, 2023.

Halvorson’s Upstreet Café, 16 Church St., Burlington, has long adapted to the times, according to manager Jason Lenihan, starting in 1983 when Tim Halvorson led installation of the outdoor courtyard in back of the restaurant while wielding “a shovel and a five-gallon bucket."

A Burlington, Vermont, favorite : Halvorson’s Upstreet Café moves forward (with a touch of Penny Cluse)

Primary owner Scott Sorrell and co-owner Jeff Moisan have been excited to bring progress to Chef's Corner, 300 Cornerstone Drive, Williston, which opened in 1997. According to Sorrell, this is "the perfect time for Jeff and I to …”, “… put our flavor on it,” Moisan said, finishing the thought like one might expect from a longtime business partner.

Moving on to a new generation: With founder's retirement, Chef's Corner in Williston plans for next 25 years

Scott Sorrell, left, and Jeff Moisan, owners of Chef's Corner, stand in the kitchen of the Williston restaurant March 17, 2023.
Scott Sorrell, left, and Jeff Moisan, owners of Chef's Corner, stand in the kitchen of the Williston restaurant March 17, 2023.

Finally, Winooski has changed immeasurably since Papa Frank’s, 13 W. Center St., began in 1984, yet the restaurant is still providing pizza and spaghetti for crowds that crave Italian comfort foods. The new and the traditional, it turns out, can co-exist. “You let everyone do their own thing,” Moe Paquette said. “Our regulars still kept coming back.”

The new and the traditional: Papa Frank's Italian Restaurant witnesses big changes in Winooski while staying the course

Do you have a restaurant that you think should be included in this ongoing series, contact Brent Hallenbeck at bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com.

This article originally appeared on Burlington Free Press: Chittenden County VT restaurant: A guide to long-time favorites