Best destinations for maple sugaring in NH (& VT)? (Thoughts on Polly's pancakes?)

[pilletsh]

Looking to take a road trip from southern NH for maple sugaring weekends - would love to know your takes on best food destinations, with special focus on pancakes/waffles? Is Polly's all it's made out to be? Northern NH or VT destinations all welcome.

[bewley]

Polly's is unique in that the servers cook your pancakes to order. They have a nice variety of pancakes. They are also VERY pricey and touristy.

Littleton Diner specializes in buckwheat pancakes. They're pretty good, well priced, very local. Littleton Grist mill (nearby) makes their pancake mix.

Parkers Maple Barn is pure New England kitsch. VERY touristy. LONG waits, but lots of fun with tours, craft shack and whatnot. Kids love it.

All of these places are worth visiting.

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Littleton Diner
170 W Main St, Littleton, NH 03561

[catnip]

Well-said Bewley.
I agree with you 100%.
The place is usually full of tourists and busses.
When you're at Polly's buy some of their pancake mix to make at home.
We've done that so that when we're up near Polly's we don't feel the real need to get some of their well-made pancakes as we can make them at home whenever we want to.

[madisoneats]

This is the best place ever...and totally off the beaten path
http://www.sugarbushfarm.com/

[rizzo0904]

http://www.nhmapleproducers.com/house...

[rizzo0904]

We enjoyed our trip to Pollys, but I would not make it a point to go back.

We enjoy Parkers Maple Barn in Mason for sugaring season. You can take a nice tour of their operation and have some yummy pancakes.

I believe Ben's in Temple??? is a good destination as well, but I don't think they serve food. They just make great syrup. http://www.bens-maple-syrup.com/

[solargarlic]

We are biiiiig fans of Ben's (yes, in Temple!) syrup. While it's a great stop during sugaring season, they don't serve food...you're right about that.

Parkers can be a pretty fun place, but a few people I've talked to haven't been as happy with the food recently as in the past. During high season, the wait to eat can be well over an hour! I would suggest finding a few shacks to visit, and then find a great breakfast spot that sources their syrup locally.

As for Polly's...it's been awhile, but I really enjoyed the experience. I think it's a great place to go to at least once, especially if you make a day of enjoying other things around the area. When are they open again though???

[Msample]

The one time I ate at Parkers I found the food - an alleged pulled pork sandwich - to be pretty vile. Probably came out of one of those precooked tubs you see at Costco. I have heard better things about their breakfasts. It is pretty far off the beaten path to be sure. Good place for families and small kids I suspect, but not for a more discerning palate.

[rizzo0904]

I would never get anything but breakfast at Parkers. The pumpkin pancakes are good and I usually get a side of ham. I like the maple frappe as well.

[whs]

Polly's is a small place with an out-sized rep. The food is quite good and the setting is spectacular, but the wait times can be ridiculous. One tactic is to call about an hour before you plan to arrive, and ask to have your name placed on the list. It worked for us, walked in and sat down immediately.

We drove through Center Sandwich this weekend and the restaurant at CHI was not open--just checked the website and they are open for lunch mid-June through mid-October.

[basketwoman]

You're right, CHI is not open for lunch right now, but they do open at 4:30 and at 11:30 for Sunday brunch. and they do offer pancakes on the brunch menu. I'm sure they are delicious, as is everything we've tried there.

[basketwoman]

Stop in Center Sandwich at the Corner House Inn. Excellent for lunch or dinner. We like Polly's. Food is good. But, not a place I want to go to every time we go to NH.

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Corner House Inn
Main Ctr, Center Sandwich, NH 03227