Fullerton Inn & Restaurant, Chester

For locals, the Fullerton Inn & Restaurant’s history is the stuff of legend. Some remember it housing the post office. Some remember the hair salon that used to live in the space. Others remember the upstairs ballroom. The Fullerton Inn has taken many shapes since it was originally built in the 1840s, creating a tableau that extends beyond that of a simple inn or restaurant.

Bret and Nancy Rugg, the Fullerton's owners since 2003, continue the establishment's storied history with 20 comfy guest rooms, a homey tavern, and the state's biggest collection of antebellum bumper stickers. At the Bradford Tavern, bartenders pour pints of Vermont-made craft beers in a relaxed environment replete with a fireplace and live musicians on the weekends. Head chef James Beliveau oversees the Fullerton's restaurant, where he assembles an eclectic menu featuring pan-seared rack of lamb and seafood marsala with smoked provolone and cavatappi pasta.