The Reluctant Panther Restaurant

4.8

1193 Reviews

$31 to $50

American

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 22, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 5 times today

Charming
Good for special occasions
Romantic

The Reluctant Panther Restaurant features locally sourced American cuisine in a relaxed yet elegantly upscale atmosphere. Menus are complemented by a multiple year Wine Spectator award winning wine list
The Reluctant Panther is happy to accommodate well behaved children but does not offer a children's menu.
Reservations Required.
Please Note: We do not allow dogs in the restaurant, inside or out, with the exception of service animals.

Additional information

Dining style
Fine Dining
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Seafood
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–8:30 pm
Phone number
(802) 362-2568
Website
http://reluctantpanther.com/dining
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Dress code
Business Casual
Executive chef
Sigal Rocklin
Private party facilities
The Panther Pub is Warmly lit and comfortably furnished, the Pub is used for special events and private party bookings. Business dinners and small wedding rehearsal dinners are particularly effective in The Panther Pub.

Location
39 West Road, Manchester, VT 05254
Neighborhood
Manchester
Cross street
Seminary Road
Parking details
Parking is available in our private lot or in public spaces nearby. We have handicap access parking both in the front and rear of our buildings.
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Lobster & Brie Fondue$20.00
Crispy Pancetta, Baguette
Maplebrook Farm Burrata$16.00
Crispy Prosciutto, Roasted Winter Squash, Pear, Pumpkin Seeds, Grilled Cranberry Bread, Aged Balsamic
Crispy Brussels Sprouts$15.00
Caesar Vinaigrette, Parmesan, Crispy Capers, Sunflower Shoots
Buttermilk Fried Local Quail$17.00
Deviled Quail Egg, Spinach, Bacon Vinaigrette, Hot Honey Aioli
Vermont Cheese Board$19.00
Roasted Grapes, Whipped Honey, Maple Roasted Almonds
Mixed Greens Salad$13.00
Butternut Squash, Apples, Pecans, Pomegranate, Thyme Vinaigrette
Roasted Goat Cheese$15.00
Moroccan Spiced Beets, Romanesco, Blood Orange, Pistachios, EVOO
Soup of the Day$12.00
Chef's Inspiration

Entrées

Switchback Ale Braised Short Ribs$38.00
Grafton Smoked Cheddar Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Broccolini & Butternut Squash, Crispy Shallots
Seared Jumbo Scallops$43.00
Sweet Potato Puree, Parsnips, Caulini, Pomegranate Seeds
Grilled Vermont Pork Chop$37.00
Creamy Sage Polenta, Brussels Sprouts, Pearl Onions, Cider Reduction
Roasted Misty Knoll Chicken Breast$36.00
Spinach & Mushroom Gnocchi, White Wine Cream, Crispy Parmesan
Middle Eastern Braised Lamb Shank$41.00
Chamomile Cous Cous, Butternut Squash, Pomegranate Seeds, Sliced Almonds
Grilled Vermont Ribeye$58.00
Bacon, Brussels Sprout & Caramelized Onion Risotto, Romanesco, Cabernet Wine Reduction
Seared Cod Loin$36.00
Creamed Leeks, Wild Mushrooms, Romanesco, Sauteed Spinach, Crispy Capers
Vegan Roasted Cauliflower$33.00
Local Sweet Potatoes, Beets, Middle Eastern Chickpeas, Tahini, Gremalota Sauce
Grilled Venison Chop$44.00
Local Potato & Chorizo Hash, Parsnip Puree, Broccolini, Smoked Maple Gastrique

What 1,193 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Reviews can only be made by diners who have eaten at this restaurant

4.8

4.8 based on recent ratings

4.8Food
4.8Service
4.8Ambience
4.6Value

Noise • Moderate

Loved For

Vermont
Best Overall
Vermont
Best Food
Vermont
Best Service
Vermont
Best Ambiance
Vermont
Best Value
Vermont
Romantic
Vermont
American
Southern Vermont
Best Overall
Southern Vermont
Best Food
Southern Vermont
Best Service
Southern Vermont
Best Ambiance
Southern Vermont
Best Value
Southern Vermont
Healthy
Southern Vermont
Great for fine wines
Southern Vermont
Romantic
Southern Vermont
Good for special occasions
Southern Vermont
American

Review summary

AI-generated from verified diner reviews

The Reluctant Panther Restaurant offers a remarkable dining experience with "exceptional food and service" that consistently impresses. Guests rave about the "lovely ambiance" and attentive staff. Signature dishes like the short ribs and pork chop are "scrumptious." While some note a need for menu refresh, the overall experience is "wonderful" and "highly recommended."

1,193 Reviews

d
deborah
Greater Boston
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined 1 day ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful meal, well-timed and attentive service. We enjoyed two delicious new menu items: a venison chop over potato-chorizo hash and a middle-eastern braised lamb shank with cous cous. We always have a great experience here!
Is this helpful?
B
Bonnie
New York City
2 reviews
5.0
2 reviews
Dined 2 days ago
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
Wonderful, festive ambience. Simple and elegant. Staff are always professional, friendly, attentive without being bothersome. Food has been consistently A+!
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M
Mike
Salt Lake City
1 review
4.0
1 review
Dined on December 13, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 4
4. Ambience 4
Our dinner was excellent and great date night spot.
Is this helpful?
D
David
Greater Boston
14 reviews
5.0
14 reviews
Dined on December 10, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 3
Food and service never disappoint year after year Dining Room tend to be noisy
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t
tracie
Los Angeles
13 reviews
5.0
13 reviews
Dined on November 24, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
What a remarkable surprise to find such an elegant yet unpretentious restaurant that is not trying to hard while achieving extraordinary flavors and combinations of ingredients. Vermont is a bit of a gourmet food desert so this is a true gem because there is no attempt to make food with foam or tweezers or eye droppers. Just exquisitely Source ingredients that shine
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S
Sharon
Greater Boston
5 reviews
5.0
5 reviews
Dined on November 21, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
The dining room is spacious and provides a relaxing setting for a delicious dinner. The menu provides a variety of choices and everyone seemed to enjoy their meal when we dined there.
Is this helpful?
C
Catherine
Greater Boston
8 reviews
4.0
8 reviews
Dined on November 8, 2024
1. Overall 4
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 4
Delicious and beautifully presented. Duck breast cooked perfectly and trout: not 1 bone! Pate with bacon was so tasty; the beet salad , again: delicious! Wish we lived closer, we'd come more often. Excellent service. The larger room could get a bit noisy, and the fireplaces could not be utilized unfortunately. Lovely overall.
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C
Christina
New York City
3 reviews
5.0
3 reviews
Dined on November 8, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had a lovely dinner with great service and a wonderful ambience.
Is this helpful?
T
Tom
VIP
Greater Boston
26 reviews
5.0
26 reviews
Dined on November 7, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We had our first meal at the reluctant Panther last night, and it was absolutely outstanding! We can’t wait to come back!
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M
Michele
VIP
New York City
42 reviews
5.0
42 reviews
Dined on November 2, 2024
1. Overall 5
2. Food 5
3. Service 5
4. Ambience 5
We enjoy this restaurant every time we are in the area. We had a bit of a slow start waiting approximately 10 minutes past our reservation time. We were seated, and proceeded to order a bottle of white wine wine. We were told the wine that we ordered was not cold and it would take some time to chill the bottle. The server brought the bottle of wine to the table and an ice bucket and proceeded to let us sit there for 25 minutes, waiting for it to chill. very difficult to understand that they don’t have white wines chilled on a regular basis. This would be an opportunity to try to correct this situation. We did have a delicious meal, short ribs, and duck breast, both delicious and perfectly service was excellent once we were seated. dessert was OK but there’s definitely room for improvement with the butter cake. It was a bit dry and not served warm. Overall, we would continue to dine at this restaurant., Even though we felt that given the circumstances, there was no apology for the missed steps, or no comp of anything. comping the dessert would’ve gone along way to make us feel valued as a guest
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FAQs

The Reluctant Panther Restaurant is rated 4.8 stars by 1193 OpenTable diners.

Yes, you can generally book this restaurant by choosing the date, time and party size on OpenTable.

Make a reservation

2 people

Dec 22, 2024

7:00 PM

Booked 5 times today

Google Map for The Reluctant Panther Restaurant

39 West Road, Manchester, VT 05254

Additional information

Cross street
Seminary Road
Neighborhood
Manchester
Hours of operation
Dinner Tue–Sat 5:30 pm–8:30 pm
Price
$31 to $50
Cuisines
American, Seafood
Dining style
Fine Dining
Dress code
Business Casual
Parking details
Parking is available in our private lot or in public spaces nearby. We have handicap access parking both in the front and rear of our buildings.
Payment options
AMEX, Diners Club, Discover, Mastercard, Visa
Executive chef
Sigal Rocklin
Additional
Banquet, Bar Dining, Bar/Lounge, Beer, Cocktails, Full Bar, Gluten-free Options, Indoor Fireplace, Non-Smoking, Patio/Outdoor Dining, Private Room, View, Wheelchair Access, Wine

Website
http://reluctantpanther.com/dining
Phone number
(802) 362-2568
Private party facilities
The Panther Pub is Warmly lit and comfortably furnished, the Pub is used for special events and private party bookings. Business dinners and small wedding rehearsal dinners are particularly effective in The Panther Pub.

The Reluctant Panther Restaurant

Make a reservation

Additional information

Menu

Appetizers

Lobster & Brie Fondue$20.00

Maplebrook Farm Burrata$16.00

Crispy Brussels Sprouts$15.00

Buttermilk Fried Local Quail$17.00

Vermont Cheese Board$19.00

Mixed Greens Salad$13.00

Roasted Goat Cheese$15.00

Soup of the Day$12.00

Entrées

Switchback Ale Braised Short Ribs$38.00

Seared Jumbo Scallops$43.00

Grilled Vermont Pork Chop$37.00

Roasted Misty Knoll Chicken Breast$36.00

Middle Eastern Braised Lamb Shank$41.00

Grilled Vermont Ribeye$58.00

Seared Cod Loin$36.00

Vegan Roasted Cauliflower$33.00

Grilled Venison Chop$44.00

What 1,193 people are saying

Overall ratings and reviews

Loved For

Review summary

FAQs

How is The Reluctant Panther Restaurant restaurant rated?

Is The Reluctant Panther Restaurant currently accepting reservations?

Make a reservation

Additional information