Summer is here with the return of seasonal dining.
Canteen Paul Hébert has parked its food truck at the Hebert farm on Glen Road in West Bolton since last year. Paul Hebert has owned his food truck since 2014. He operated out of Ayer’s Cliff until 2020 when he moved to his own place overlooking the pond and has never looked back.
“I originally thought about Knowlton but the town wanted nothing to do with it. So I settled here and am glad I did. It’s better at home. I can fix everything here. Maybe there’s not quite as much business as there might be in the village, but it’s so much more convenient and there are no worries about vandalism. It may not be Brome Fair, but it’s all right.”
Marina Knowlton has been in the Moar family on Brome Lake for 40 years. The Marina has the singular distinction of being the only dining destination on all of Brome Lake. Gerry Moar has owned it forever and raised his family there.
His perennially upbeat daughter Jaime helms the restaurant, preps the food and serves drinks to locals and tourists lured by views of the lake, the sound of water and the music that seems locked forever in the 1960s. “Obviously we have fewer tables for proper spacing, and the prices have gone up to try and compensate for that. But we are also seeing longer lines and more efficiency in the operation. It seems counterintuitive but would I really want to go back to normal?” asks Jaime. “Restaurant sales are up every year and part of the secret is our great team. People really want to work with us. I am really excited for this summer. It can be nerve wracking, but 99% of the people who come are great.” Vitalité Sureau, a family-run business and restaurant, is an idyllic place to enjoy a homemade lunch accompanied by a tasty and healthy drink made with elderberries or their flowers. Everything is prepared on-site with seasonal ingredients, and this is a perfect spot to have an unhurried meal. Located at 851 Knowlton Road in West Brome, Andrea Coombs and Philippe Gélinas are sure to make you welcome in their large, airy barn with patio overlooking a field of elderberry bushes and pastoral vistas. They have been growing elderberries since 2014 and the entire line of Purvita products can be purchased as the farm shop in the summer. They already have four wedding receptions booked this year.
Richard Pilon, the former owner of the popular Star Café will be operating his well known food truck in Lions Park. This is part of a pilot project being tried out by the town. Richard will be operating from Thursday to Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.. His pizzas and other tasty foods will be a welcome addition to outdoor dining in the area. If we can’t have the Brome Fair, let’s at least have a food truck that is a Labour Day standby.