7 Of the Best B&B’s In America – Gourmet Stays
Are you one of the many people who travels to eat? Do you enjoy the finest amenities in your lodging and in your meal choice?
If so, you’ll enjoy this article as we look at seven of the best B&B’s in America for gourmet stays.
We are picking out some of the best B&B’s for food that is worth traveling for.
#1: Applewood Inn Breakfast and Spa
Located in sunny California, and in the heart of wine country, the Applewood Inn is a Mediterranean-style B&B. Just minutes from Napa Valley, the Applewood Inn is committed to culinary excellence.
They have, of course, proven that excellence as they have been awarded the Michelin Star on several occasions.
Guests love the rooms, many of which come with their own patio or balcony as well as the gorgeous countryside located in the romantic Russian River Valley. The inn is sheltered by towering redwoods and surrounded by fruit orchards and gardens.
Visitors can enjoy a peaceful, relaxed, secluded, romantic get-a-way.
The Applewood Inn has their own gardens and grows their own organic fruit, herbs and vegetables. What’s more, they have their own apiary and chicken coop. They are dedicated to the farm-to-table experience as well as sustainability.
This is seen in their composting system and other green practices.
Breakfast is a two-course affair, rotating daily, and they also serve only organic coffees and teas.
Dinner is chock full of creative dishes and includes a tasting menu. The artistry of the chefs is delightful to the guests as their palate is satiated with the delectable offerings.
#2: Auberge de Seattle, French Country Inn
Moving up the coast to Seattle, we find the perfect spot for culinary travelers.
Auberge de Seattle is a B&B that moonlights as a certified French Specialty Cooking School.
When approaching this inn, you feel like you’ve just arrived in the French countryside. Once you walk in the door, you find gourmet desserts waiting for you.
It’s the hands-on cooking classes that help set this B&B apart. If you choose to take part, you’ll leave the inn not only with a love of French cooking, but you’ll be an expert in French cuisine.
Their gourmet breakfasts served to the guests are always made with no preservatives or additives. They look to their own gardens for many of the ingredients.
A culinary destination, the inn is surrounded by an Evergreen forest in the Woodinville Wine Country. So, in addition to their delicious food and cooking classes, they offer educational wine seminars.
#3: The Inn at the Round Barn Farm
Nestled in the heart of Vermont, this B&B is a real rural retreat.
Dedicated to the farm-to-table meal, guests enjoy a hearty three-course meal that is served in a gorgeous room with floor to ceiling views of the neighboring countryside which is filled with mountains, meadows and ponds in the Mad River Valley.
Their very own organic gardens provide the food, and they locally source the rest of their seasonal offerings.
You can expect Vermont-roasted coffee, fresh squeezed juice, fresh fruit and the best in creative, hearty entrees. You just might find crab cakes with chipotle aioli, rhubarb streusel muffins or other incredible offerings.
Not only will visitors enjoy the food and the lodging, but there are plenty of activities including arts, culture and skiing in the area.
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#4: Farmers Guest House
Since 1867, this historic bed and breakfast has been wowing customers in Galena, Illinois.
You’ll find an escape from the ordinary at this Best B&B Breakfast Tournament Winner.
Like the others on our list, they provide a locally-sourced breakfast. It features ingredients found in the Great Lakes area – eggs from an area farm, cheese from a Wisconsin dairy and fresh produce and meats from local Iowa farms.
Their chef, Susan, was recently a winning contestant on Food Network’s Holiday Baking Championship, so you can see how visitors flock to her muffins, coffee cake, eclairs and more.
Guests also love her specialty items – frittatas, blueberry French toast and bacon & egg cups. Lastly, Susan is renowned for the best pizza in town – her breakfast pizza that’s loaded with bacon, vegetables, eggs and cheese.
#5: Cocoa Cottage Bed and Breakfast
Yes, that’s right. This B&B located in Michigan is owned by chocolate-obsessed innkeepers.
You’ll experience their love of chocolate through your entire stay:
- You’re greeted with chocolate dessert upon arrival.
- You’ll find handmade chocolates on your pillow at night.
- Your breakfast will incorporate chocolate. Consider chocolate zucchini bread and classic hot fudge.
You can even add on their Chocolate 101 package and learn how to make your own chocolate concoctions.
No worries, though. You’ll also find berries and organic cherries from the inn’s garden and fresh produce from nearby farms.
The owners of this B&B make recipes from scratch, using the freshest ingredients, either homegrown or organic.
In addition to breakfast, you can dine for dinner at the inn and experience their culinary creations ranging from organic baby greens with caramelized walnuts to fresh wild-caught lake trout and fair-trade, dark chocolate tiers with white chocolate Grand Marnier mousse garnished with fresh blackberries.
#6: Wickwood Inn
Another Michigan B&B, this inn is just a short walk from Lake Michigan.
This B&B shines because the owner, Julee Rosso, prepares her daily three-course champagne brunch and afternoon hors d’oeuvres from her own cookbook. She’s published a half dozen cookbooks and co-authored the Silver Palate cookbook.
She believes in sourcing ingredients from seasonal options, and guests enjoy her farm-to-table masterpieces such as sugar and spice popovers or pistachio breakfast sausage.
She serves afternoon delights such as savory tarts and raspberry cake.
The Wickwood Inn revolves around their food and was named one of the top six foodie B&B’s in the country.
Count on their food coming from their farmer friends and artisan food producers.
#7: Hartstone Inn and Hideaway
This B&B is in in the heart of the village of Camden on the Maine coast. Built in 1835, this Victorian inn is a sophisticated retreat and the ultimate culinary destination.
Travelers can expect world-class dining with a multi-course breakfast, late afternoon tea with homemade cookies and award-winning cuisine for dinner.
Guests enjoy their English style gardens as well as meals served on china and crystal.
Chef and owner, Michael Salmon, is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America and has been a chef at numerous four and five star hotels.
In addition to their incredible food, Salmon offers a Chef for a Day program that includes a one-on-one cooking experience with him. You’ll also find private cooking classes with the chef, and you can choose from over 25 different courses he’s put together or items from his cookbook.
You can’t go wrong with a stay at this inn as it’s sure to be a delight for your senses and your palate with items featuring local berries, lobster and more.
Final Thoughts
One of the best ways to explore different areas of the country is by eating while traveling. (tweet this)
George Bernard Shaw said, “There is no love sincerer than the love of food,” and that is especially true when traveling by way of bed and breakfast.
We’ve looked at seven of the best B&B’s in America for gourmet stays, and each one of them is unique in their own way.
Some source food from their own gardens while others create partnerships with farms in their area. Other owners cook their own food, while some bring in incredible chefs.
What they all have in common is a dedication and commitment to feeding their guests well and highlighting the dining experience of your stay.
Let us know what you think. Have you stayed at any of these B&B’s? Do you have your own favorite gourmet stay? We’d love to hear about it and share it with our website visitors.
Image: Brooke Lark and Ive Erhard
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