Charlie’s Cafe and Coffee

Charlie’s Café and Coffee is in a great part of Vermont, but it’s hard not to find a great part of Vermont. Located right off route 7A (which is a beautiful way to head south or north in western Vermont) this café has a great vibe with hikers coming off the Long Trail to relax and grab a cup of hot coffee and quick lunch. They have restrooms and Wi-Fi but the internet fades in and out to the point where it’s not usable. Charlie’s has plenty of indoor and outdoor seating with outlets scattered around, so you can quickly charge your laptop/cell phone. The sandwiches for lunch looked delicious but hey, it was 8am in the morning so I wasn’t too tempted, instead I had a apple croissant, which was quite delicious. I was a bit disappointed to see they also served Mocha Joe’s coffee (as mentioned before, it’s not bad, but nothing special for what a true café should have), which was said to be an Ethiopian light roast but tasted more like a medium roast.

When in Manchester or Manchester Center, you are in the middle of the Green Mountain National Forest which sports hundreds of trails including the Long Trail and Appalachian trail, which in southern Vermont are the same trail. Mt. Equinox has its trailhead only about a mile from the center of Manchester. I’ve hiked this mountain before and can attest that the views from the top are amazing. If you’re not up for the hike, you can take Skyline Drive to the top by car.

Overall, I would rate Charlie’s Café and Coffee a 4.3 out of 5

39 Bonnet St, Manchester Center, VT 05255