Stillwater is a small town with a big appetite for food and drink. Many of its best restaurants and bars are inside its historic hotels and inns, and the valley around it adds a vineyard, a craft brewery and an apple farm. Here is how to eat and drink well without a long search.
Hotel restaurants
At Hotel Crosby, MatchStick Restaurant and Spirits serves farm-to-table small plates and has around 700 rare whiskeys, which makes it the town’s serious whiskey destination. The Lora houses three concepts: Made, a coffee and juice bar for the morning, Feller, a full-service restaurant, and The Long Goodbye, a craft cocktail bar. Water Street Inn has three dining options, including Charlie’s Restaurant and Irish Pub and a rooftop bar, Papa’s Rooftop.
The Lowell Inn
The Lowell Inn has two famous dining rooms. The George Washington Room is Colonial in style, open year-round for breakfast, lunch and dinner and recommended for reservations, while the Matterhorn Dining Room is a Swiss fondue restaurant with a wood-carving theme, where reservations are required. It is a classic night out and is popular for anniversaries.
Cocktails and a speakeasy
Downtown has cocktail bars and a speakeasy that tourism writers highlight, and the hotel bars are also open to non-guests. After dark, the riverfront and the bridge are lit, so a drink and a walk make a good evening.
Wine, beer and cider
Saint Croix Vineyards is on the same property as Aamodt’s Apple Farm, so you can combine a tasting with a visit to the orchard. Lift Bridge Brewery is a local craft brewery named for the town’s signature bridge. The Rivertown Inn arranges wine tastings at local wineries for its guests. Always arrange a designated driver or rideshare.
Sweet and casual
An old-fashioned soda shop on Main Street is a classic stop, and the orchard sells apple brats, pies and cider in the autumn. The town’s bookstores and antique shops are often next to cafés where you can take a break.
On the water
Stillwater River Boats offers brunch, lunch and weekend dinner cruises. Brunch includes French toast, breakfast meats, eggs and pastries, lunch is build-your-own sandwiches with potato salad, and weekend dinners offer choices such as pot roast, cod or stuffed chicken. Vegan and vegetarian meals are available on request when you book, and beverages cost extra.
Practical tips
Reserve dinner on Friday and Saturday evenings and during October. Ask about dietary needs when you book, as small kitchens can usually accommodate if they know in advance. Menus and hours change, so check before you go. Bring cash or a card for market stalls.
A food-lover’s day
Start with coffee at Made, browse Main Street, lunch on the river boat, a tasting at the vineyard or brewery in the afternoon and dinner at the Lowell Inn or MatchStick. It is a gentle, indulgent way to experience the town.
Eating on a budget
Not every meal needs a hotel dining room. Sandwiches from a Main Street café, a picnic on the riverfront, apple treats at the orchard and a shared plate at a bar can make a day affordable. The paddlewheel cruise lunch includes build-your-own sandwiches, which is a convenient way to combine a meal and an activity.
Dietary needs
Vegan and vegetarian meals are available on the river boats if you ask when booking, and hotel restaurants generally respond well to advance notice. Mention allergies when you reserve, and confirm by phone if the issue is serious. Small kitchens can adapt but rarely have much flexibility on the night.
Drinking responsibly
The town is small, and most bars are within walking distance of the hotels, which makes it easier to enjoy a drink without driving. For the vineyard and the brewery, plan transport in advance. A rideshare can take a while to arrive in a small town on a busy weekend, so do not leave it to the last minute.
Breakfast and coffee
Start the day at the Lora’s coffee and juice bar, at a hotel breakfast room or at a Main Street café. Inns such as the Rivertown Inn serve a daily breakfast with organic and artisanal foods, and the paddlewheel boats serve a brunch on selected sailings. A good breakfast sets you up for the hills, the museum and the river, and it is often the most relaxed meal of the day in town.