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First Look: Beloved Vermont crepe restaurant expands to Boston area

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First Look: Beloved Vermont crepe restaurant expands to Boston area


Vermont is considered one of the best states in the country for beer, with such top breweries as Hill Farmstead, Frost, Lawson’s, Foam, Foley Brothers, Zero Gravity and The Alchemist among the names that come to mind.

A few, such as Hill Farmstead, are true destination spots, where people will travel for hours just to enjoy their beers (and in the case of Hill Farmstead, their bucolic surroundings). But the Green Mountain State is also known for its outstanding food, including from restaurants found in such places as Burlington, Montpelier, Brattleboro and the many smaller towns that are tucked away on scenic roads such as Route 100 and Route 4.

These dining spots tend to offer dishes using locally sourced ingredients including everything from cheese to bacon to maple syrup, and some places, such as Worthy Burger, Hen of the Wood, Simon Pearce, Michael’s on the Hill and The Skinny Pancake have become pretty well-known names for locals and visitors alike.

The last of those places has very quietly expanded to the Greater Boston area, giving locals a little taste of Vermont right in their own backyard.

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The Skinny Pancake opened its newest location in Peabody in March, moving into a space at the Northshore Mall just off Route 128. The restaurant sits just to the left of the dining pavilion, and it has an outside entrance, which allows customers to go there without actually having to enter the mall.

The location of the new Skinny Pancake may seem a bit odd considering its quirky and attractive locations in Burlington, Montpelier, Stowe and Quechee, Vermont, as well as its outlet within an historic building in downtown Albany, New York. But another new location in Hadley, Massachusetts, also sits along a commercial strip by a mall, so perhaps its expansion plans are looking more and more at these types of busy shopping areas.

And they did do a very nice job of making the Peabody space as “non-mall like” as possible, with both its main room and little dining areas to the left and in the back featuring a combination rustic-industrial look that you might find in an old mill building. Plenty of seating can be found throughout (including low-top tables, counter seats and booths), and the ordering system is pretty simple, where customers place their orders at the main counter and then find a table and wait for their food to be brought over.

The menu at the new outlet of The Skinny Pancake should be familiar to those who have been to the other locations, with crepes perhaps the signature item. And the crepes are outstanding, as indicated by a couple of recent visits to the restaurant.

The Cubano is one of the highlights of the entire menu, featuring ham, pulled pork and Swiss cheese (both are which are locally sourced), pickles and mustard, making for an unusual but tremendous take on this classic sandwich.

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Sweet crepes include a “Sugarshack,” which has maple sugar from a sugarhouse in the Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts and melted butter, with a side of local maple syrup added to make this crepe even more decadent. Some of the other crepe options include a spinach and Cabot cheddar and a chicken, Cabot cheddar and bacon among the savory crepes and a chocolate hazelnut and a “blueberry pie” among the sweet crepes.

PHOTOS: Inside the Boston area’s first Skinny Pancake restaurant

A handful of other food items are available at The Skinny Pancake, and, being true to its roots in Vermont, the traditional poutine is every bit as good as you’d expect, with handcut fries, thick gravy and cheese curds being just about perfect (no smoked meat as of this writing, though it is very tough to find poutine with smoked meat outside of Quebec).

The Thai salad is a sleeper on the menu and is a good option for those interested in a healthier meal, with delicious black bean fritters an option to go with veggies, sesame seeds and dressing. Smash burgers using beef from a farm in northern Vermont are another good option (and yes, they come with Cabot cheddar), while fans of restaurants that serve breakfast all day can choose from a decadent breakfast sandwich, a few breakfast crepe options, and something called “Noah’s Ark,” which includes eggs, bacon or sausage, and a couple of “frumpled” cinnamon sugar crepes along with maple syrup.

As of this writing, you can order some of Vermont’s award-winning beers here from the aforementioned Frost, Zero Gravity and Lawson’s, along with beers from breweries elsewhere in New England. Perhaps the biggest draw to The Skinny Pancake in Peabody may be the fact that offers beer from Hill Farmstead, which is often mentioned among the best breweries in the entire country.

Until recently, it was virtually impossible to find Hill Farmstead anywhere in Massachusetts (except at the wonderful Armsby Abbey in Worcester), but lately it has been seen in more and more restaurants and bars locally. But it is still very tough to find, so this could be a destination spot for Bostonians just for Hill Farmstead’s sublime Edward (which is currently offered and is a beer that should be on anyone’s list if they like American Pale Ales).

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Oh, and for those who aren’t looking for alcoholic beverages, The Skinny Pancake has some great milkshakes, including maple and espresso.

Because it is still new, the Peabody location of The Skinny Pancake still feels like it is getting up and running, and it’s possible that they could add some new food and drink items to the menu at some point. But it has gotten off to a running start with some very tasty food of the type you might find up north and some of the best beers you’ll find anywhere — and the workers have been incredibly friendly and helpful on early visits, which is always a big plus.

If you’re a fan of Vermont restaurants, this is probably one that you’re going to want to check out, even if you aren’t the biggest fan of dining out at shopping malls.

The Skinny Pancake, 210 Andover Street, Peabody, MA, 01960. skinnypancake.com/locations/peabody

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Mountaineers take home opener over North Shore

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Mountaineers take home opener over North Shore


MONTPELIER, Vt. (WCAX) – In a pitcher’s duel, the Vermont Mountaineers downed North Shore on Sunday night 3-1 in their home opener to get their first win of the young season.

St. Johnsbury graduate Rex Hauser struck out five batters in 3.2 innings of work.

Copyright 2026 WCAX. All rights reserved.



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Vermont State Police asking for information in Pownal burglary

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Vermont State Police asking for information in Pownal burglary


Vermont State Police are asking for help to identify a suspect in a burglary early Sunday morning in Pownal.

Vermont State Police were dispatched to a reported burglary at the Dwyer’s State Line Beer and Wine Store on US Route 7. Investigation revealed that an unknown white male, approximately 30-40 years old, wearing all dark clothing, forcibly entered the store around 12:59 a.m. Numerous items were stolen from within the store, and the suspect departed the area on foot around 01:38 a.m.

MORE: Catskill Elementary locked down after nearby apartment burglary

Anyone with information regarding this incident or who may recognize the individual is encouraged to contact Trooper Lacoste of the Vermont State Police Shaftsbury Barracks at 802-442-5421.

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Anonymous tips may also be submitted through the Vermont State Police Tip Submission Page online at https://vsp.vermont.gov/tipsubmit. or by texting the keyword “VTIPS” to 274637 (CRIMES).



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Play it again, Sam: A Vermont picture palace reels in new money with old movies – VTDigger

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Play it again, Sam: A Vermont picture palace reels in new money with old movies – VTDigger


A coming-attractions poster for the 1950 film “Sunset Boulevard” looks over the lobby of Brattleboro’s historic Latchis Theatre. Photo by Kevin O’Connor/VTDigger

BRATTLEBORO — Ever since the Latchis Theatre debuted the day after the Great New England Hurricane of 1938, its operators have aimed to take the town by storm with one splashy film premiere after another.

Consider “That Certain Age,” a now forgotten musical comedy “rushed from Hollywood by airplane” for the grand opening before its release anywhere else, the local newspaper reported at the time.

Or “The Wizard of Oz,” screened after a 1939 downtown parade that featured the horse-drawn carriage Judy Garland rode through Munchkinland.

Or “Gone with the Wind,” which arrived with the advertised claim, “Brattleboro will be the first town in the country of less than 10,000 population to see it.”

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“A lot of the history of cinema has taken place right here,” Jon Potter, the Latchis’ current executive director, said in a recent interview. “We hearken back to a golden age, and part of the experience is a trip back in time.”

This summer, the Latchis is offering the latest sequels to “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Toy Story” and “Spider-Man.” Yet operators say 2026’s biggest draw so far is an Oscar-winning best picture — not the reigning “One Battle After Another,” but 1942’s “Casablanca,” which sold a near-capacity 400 tickets in a recent one-night-only return.

“Things are in a transformative moment,” Potter said. “Our movie audience is half of what it was before the Covid-19 pandemic, so we are doing more special events than ever of all shapes and sizes.”

The Latchis is set to host David Lubin, author of the new book “Ready for My Close-Up: The Making of Sunset Boulevard and the Dark Side of the Hollywood Dream,” as part of a June 14 showing of the 1950 film.

“Democracy Now!” host Amy Goodman will arrive June 19 with her new documentary “Steal This Story, Please!” as part of a program moderated by her brother, VTDigger podcast host David Goodman.

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And the “Classics at the Latchis” series that has ranged from 1942’s “Now, Voyager” to 1983’s “Terms of Endearment” will continue June 21 with a Father’s Day presentation of 1973’s “Paper Moon.”

“There aren’t too many places that are a first-run movie theater and also an event space,” Potter said, “and that can be a challenge.”

A horse-drawn carriage that transported Judy Garland in “The Wizard of Oz” arrives outside Brattleboro’s historic Latchis Theatre in 1939. Photo courtesy of the Brattleboro Historical Society

The Latchis’ main auditorium can’t rely solely on films, as for every “Casablanca” is a current box-office bomb that detonates upon arrival. But the theater also can’t limit itself to live performances, since it’s the only cinema in a half-hour radius.

As a result, the Brattleboro landmark has a history of promising something for everyone.

The Art Deco picture palace opened in 1938 as a memorial to Greek immigrant-turned-impresario Demetrios Latsis. (An Ellis Island registrar misspelled that original surname, resulting in what’s now on the marquee.) The four-story building was billed as “a town within a town” for its cinema, 30-room boutique hotel, restaurant and sidewalk of shops.

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The block provided entertainment and escape during the Depression and World War II, then saw audiences scatter with the arrival of Interstate 91 and the internet. The Latchis became a nonprofit organization in 2003, only to face $500,000 in flood damage from 2011’s Tropical Storm Irene and up to $1,000 in daily losses at the height of the 2020 pandemic.

To make ends meet, the Latchis now rents its main auditorium and three smaller screens for private events. It mixes in live stage shows: the Windham Philharmonic played there last week and a new production of the opera “Tristan und Isolde” is set for August. It’s also plugging into technology for simulcasts from New York’s Metropolitan Opera and London’s National Theatre.

Theater manager Luis Negron came up with “Casablanca” when brainstorming a film for Valentine’s Day.

“It’s not only about love,” he said, “but also people were so ready to see heroes winning.”

Even so, Negron was surprised when fans arrived with the lyrics to “La Marseillaise,” the French national anthem that’s heard in the movie.

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“When it played, some people stood up and started singing,” he said. “And every time a Nazi appeared, they booed.”

“It turned a little bit into Rocky Horror,” confirmed Potter, referring to the 1975 cult picture show.

The Latchis isn’t sure how locals will respond when it screens 1951’s “A Streetcar Named Desire” in September. But with the latest “Star Wars” spinoff reporting a 70% drop in U.S. ticket sales from its first to second week, the Brattleboro theater is willing to try something different.

“We’re just opening the doors to what we can do here,” Potter said. “There are lots of reasons to stay home, so you have to give people a reason to come out.”





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