The Hermitage Inn

In West Dover, The Hermitage Inn is best understood as a historic Vermont inn with a seasonal New American and French-influenced fine-dining restaurant. Consider it when you want a polished meal with a sense of occasion, especially if the setting matters as much as the plate. If the priority is simply a casual, low-commitment bite, the profile points more toward fine dining than a quick stop.

The value case starts with the confirmed $65 per person price and the restaurant’s Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence in 2026. That recognition is part of The Hermitage Inn’s profile without needing to add unconfirmed details about the beverage program. For a guest who wants a very quick or informal meal, the inn format may feel like more occasion than necessary.

A country-inn meal that works well as part of a West Dover stay

The strongest reason to choose The Hermitage Inn is the combination of a historic Vermont inn setting and a fine-dining menu rather than a purely casual restaurant experience. That matters because a meal here makes sense when it is part of a slower West Dover visit, a celebration, or an occasion where atmosphere is important. The restaurant is not defined here by a chef-counter format or a tasting-menu hook; the information points instead to seasonal New American cooking with French influence.

Named dishes show a menu that can balance refined comfort and inn-style familiarity: The Hermitage Burger, venison bolognese, traditional Gruyere fondue, French onion soup, real truffle fries. That range is useful for diners who want recognizable dishes within a more polished setting.

The Hermitage Inn is especially easy to understand as part of a broader West Dover plan. If the meal is meant to anchor the occasion, its historic-inn setting, smart-casual dress code, $65 per person price point, confirmed Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence give it a clear identity. For a more casual meal, other West Dover dining rooms may be a simpler fit.

Who should book, who should choose something simpler

Book if the goal is a polished meal in a historic inn setting. The dress code is smart casual, so the safest approach is neat, polished attire rather than very casual clothing.

Solo diners can make it work if they want one proper meal in West Dover and are comfortable with the $65 per person price point. For a single diner looking for a fast, inexpensive meal, this is not the strongest use case. For a traveler who wants a more considered meal at a historic Vermont inn, it is a sensible pick.

Planning ahead is still wise if the meal is important to the trip.

For the broader trip, treat The Hermitage Inn as the choice for a seasonal New American and French-influenced fine-dining meal in West Dover. It works when the meal is part of the occasion, not just fuel between activities.