The Local Flavor

Author: Joshua Carson and C. Gregory Lazerus

If you're looking for a small, cozy, English-style pub, look no further than Main Street in Bristol, Vt. The Bobcat Café is nestled amongst local business in the heart of this quaint town 20 minutes from Middlebury. With a large bronze bobcat hung across the entryway, the pub calls like a beacon to diners and drinkers alike.

Upon entering the pub, you can see traces of its namesake scattered everywhere. Decorated with bobcats and rustic wooden picture frames, you immediately feel at home in the familiar and warm atmosphere, with clientele ranging from the local farmer to the typical college student. The bar area is especially welcoming, made from a dark stained wood with rows of bookshelves hanging above - you can see why this place was packed early on Saturday night. With ample seating, the pub is a perfect getaway for a relaxing drink with friends or a sit-down meal with the family.

The Bobcat Cafe offers standard pub fare, including fish and chips, burgers and sandwiches together with innovative salads, pasta and meat dishes. But the entrée selections were limited and a bit on the pricy side, so we stuck with the pub menu and were not disappointed.

To start, we tried the French onion soup and the garlic mussels with toast. The soup, served in a traditional crock, was covered in a plethora of melted cheese and chock-full of onions. While a bit on the salty side, this was a great way to kick off the meal. The mussels were presented in a large white bowl and submerged in a garlic marinara sauce. They tasted great, but on their own were not very substantial. Be sure to eat them together with the toast and sauce to prepare for the main course.

Following the apps, we jumped right into our entrees, having ordered a burger, steak sandwich and steak salad. The burger and steak sandwich were cooked to order and served with all the usual garnishes, including lettuce, tomato, onion and choice of cheese, and came with a choice of sweet potato or regular fries. For those Atkins-conscious eaters, the steak salad would be a good choice, although an increase in the portion of actual stake wouldn't be a bad idea.

The Bobcat Cafe is not only a pub and eatery but also a brewery with freshly-brewed beer served on tap every day. We would recommend the IPA, but you can also choose from porter, ale and other seasonal beers. Another option is to get the sampler and try them all.

With moderate pub prices and homebrewed beer, the Bobcat Cafe is not a bad option for parents weekend. While the drive is a bit long, and the service a little slow, this is a good choice for a relaxed, quality meal in a English-style pub with a Vermont twist.