After you ski down, here's where you can chow down in the mountains of Vermont

Brent Hallenbeck | Burlington Free Press

Show Caption Hide Caption Waterbury: A hub for good food and drink A sampling of three of the eateries in downtown Waterbury: Blackback Pub, Stowe Street Cafe and Prohibition Pig.

If you’re going to burn all those calories skiing or snowboarding this winter, you’d better replace them before expending that energy for the next day’s runs. Fortunately, the ski communities of northern Vermont have plenty of eating establishments to help you do that.

We’ve picked five ski regions in the northern half of the state and placed the restaurants into five categories: family-friendly, carb-loaded, beer-loving, higher-end and new since last ski season.

None of these places are within the ski resorts themselves, and some easily cross categories. (Family-friendly and carb-loaded are not mutually exclusive, for instance.) We’ve also included not just the towns the resorts are based in but also some gateway towns with ample dining options. Read on, and stay hungry:

Stowe

Family-friendly: What kid doesn’t like pizza? What adult doesn’t like pizza, for that matter? Piecasso Pizzeria & Lounge delivers the hand-tossed pies, plus a substantial beer list the adults might enjoy. There are also salads, Italian entrees and sandwiches if you’re just not in a pizza frame of mind. 1899 Mountain Road, Stowe. (802) 253-4411, www.piecasso.com.

Carb-loaded: A Mountain Road staple since 1986, Trattoria La Festa offers tons of pasta and tasty bruschetta geared toward rebuilding all that energy spent at Stowe Mountain Resort. It’s served in an elegant atmosphere that’s more classic Italian than classic Italian-American. 4080 Mountain Road, Stowe. (802) 253-8480, www.trattoriastowe.com.

Beer-loving: Fans of Vermont brews finding their way to Stowe are likely to descend upon The Alchemist, manufacturer of the world-famous Heady Topper. Don’t forget that a short walk away you can find Idletyme Brewing Co., which not only serves a wide variety of its own beer in pints, it has a satisfying pub-food menu. 1859 Mountain Road, Stowe. (802) 253-4765, www.idletymebrewing.com.

Higher-end: This one ticks all of the above boxes. Trapp Family Lodge might appeal to kids hip to “The Sound of Music” backstory. Carbs come courtesy of pancakes and baked goods in the morning and items such as butternut and goat-cheese ravioli served on white tablecloths in the evening. Beer fans will dig the Austrian-styled in-house brews. 700 Trapp Hill Road, Stowe. (802) 253-8511, www.trappfamily.com.

New since last season: Over the Wall opened toward the end of last winter. This will be its first full ski-and-snowboard season serving what it calls “a subtle fusion of Asian-Hispanic flavors” that can be paired with a variety of tequilas and other alcoholic libations. 2160 Mountain Road, Stowe. (802) 253-9333, www.overthewallvt.com.

Smugglers’ Notch (including Jeffersonville and Johnson)

Family-friendly: Martell's at the Red Fox offers mac and cheese, hot dogs and cheeseburgers on its sizable children’s menu, while entrees such as confit duck legs and sesame ahi tuna might just speak to the adults. The music offerings let you keep the post-skiing energy going strong. 87 Edwards Road, Jeffersonville. (802) 644-5060, www.martellsredfox.com.

Carb-loaded: Stop by The Cupboard Deli & Bakery on your way to Smuggs to grab some bread, cookies and famously fresh donuts to fuel your runs. The place is open from 4:30 a.m.-10 p.m. every day, so you can also head back apres-ski for pizza, submarine sandwiches and loads of fried-food options. Vermont 15 and 108, Jeffersonville. (802) 644-2069, www.thecupboarddeli.com.

Beer-loving: One of Vermont’s more under-the-radar beer makers, the Brewster River Pub has a its own beers on tap as well as those by other Vermont brewers. The barbecue-friendly pub menu lists eats ranging from St. Louis-style ribs to a “Godzilla” burger with enough ingredients to satisfy a rampaging monster. 4087 Vermont 108, Jeffersonville. (802) 644-6366, www.brewsterriverpubnbrewery.com.

Higher-end: The Family Table (which reopens Dec. 12 after its seasonal break) has pricier offerings such as pan-seared scallops for $30 and aged rib-eye for $35. It also, as the name suggests, has well-priced family-friendly items such as burgers and grilled cheese that won’t kill the bank account after a day of paying for lift tickets. 4807 Vermont 15, Jeffersonville. (802) 644-8920, www.familytablevt.com.

New since last season: A short drive from Jeffersonville, Moog’s Joint opened this summer as an extension of the similarly-named Moog’s Place in Morrisville. The new eatery features comfort foods such as steak and cheese and, like its sister spot, provides live music including old-school blues Dec. 19 by Blue Fox. 1015 Vermont 15, Johnson. (802) 730-8091, www.facebook.com/moogsjoint.

Jay Peak/Burke Mountain (including Jay, Montgomery and East Burke)

Family-friendly: The Northeast Kingdom is a rural, spread-out region, so it’s rare to find a spot to eat so close to Jay Peak. The Jay Village Inn & Restaurant makes pancakes and French toast in the morning and a full menu for lunch and dinner that includes pizza, burgers, steaks, seafood and other tastes to make the young ones happy. 1078 Vermont 242, Jay. (802) 988-2306, www.thejayvillageinn.com.

Carb-loaded: Yes, you can load up on carbohydrates at the Black Lantern Inn, but you can do so in Green Mountain State style. The pasta on the restaurant’s menu, which this fall includes vegetable lasagna and butternut squash ravioli, comes from Vermont Fresh Pasta in Proctorsville. 2057 N. Main St., Montgomery. (802) 326-3269, www.blacklanternvt.com.

Beer-loving: When looking for a good place for a brew, a place with “pub” in its name is a smart bet. The Snow Shoe Lodge & Pub has a bar and offers live music, plus there’s a classic pub-grub menu ranging from pizza to poutine to sate the starving skier. 13 Main St., Montgomery Center. (802) 326-4456, www.snowshoelodgeandpub.com.

Higher-end: The Inn Restaurant aims for country elegance with a largely locally-sourced menu that can range from eggplant roulade to lamb lollypops. A carefully-curated wine list and a romantic setting by the fireplace round out the cozy vibe. 241 Main St., Montgomery Center. (802) 326-4391, www.theinn.us.

New since last season: The Orange Rind opened in June and specializes in smoothies, acai bowls, quinoa bowls, stuffed peppers and vegan options. That’s mostly from June to October, but starting Nov. 27 the business offers cocktails, beer and soups for the winter. 427 Vermont 114, East Burke. (802) 427-3327, www.theorangerind.net.

Bolton Valley (including Richmond and Waterbury)

Family-friendly: Bolton itself has a dearth of off-mountain eateries, so communities flanking Bolton Valley are your best choices for food. The Reservoir Restaurant & Taproom has sliders, tacos and mac and cheese that might skew pre-teen. The post-teen menu has plenty of choice including steak frites and pad Thai spaghetti squash. 1 S. Main St., Waterbury. (802) 244-7827, www.waterburyreservoir.com.

Carb-loaded: Prohibition Pig specializes in barbecue, and items such as chicken and biscuit and the hush-puppy garnish that comes with restaurant’s entrees should help replenish some of those spent calories. Plus, there’s beer, made in-house, which is always a good thing. 23 S. Main St., Waterbury. (802) 244-4120, www.prohibitionpig.com.

Beer-loving: Waterbury is one of Vermont’s best places to sample Vermont’s best brews, but a Chittenden County town just west of Bolton has its own contender. Hatchet is a restaurant that entices with its well-crafted comfort food, and its copious beer list makes for great reading before you delve into some great drinking. 30 Bridge St., Richmond. (802) 434-3663, www.hatchetvermont.com.

Higher-end: The Kitchen Table Bistro is one of the Burlington area’s handful of destination dining spots. On its ever-changing $40 three-course menu you might be able to start with cider-steamed mussels before feasting upon seared salmon, leek and risotto before capping your evening with cinnamon-stick crème brulee. 1840 W. Main St., Richmond. (802) 434-8686, www.kitchentablebistro.com.

New since last season: McGillicuddy’s Irish Pub traces its origins back to Montpelier in the mid-1990s and has spread its comfort-food/draft-beer/sports-viewing ways into the Chittenden County towns of Essex, Williston and Colchester. McGillicuddy’s returned to its Washington County roots in July. 3 S. Main St., Waterbury. (802) 882-8596, www.mcgillicuddyswaterbury.com.

Sugarbush/Mad River Glen (including Waitsfield and Warren)

Family-friendly: Succulent fried chicken and inventive ice-cream flavors? Canteen Creemee Company should have something for every generation of your family. The eatery’s hours can fluctuate a bit — the Canteen Creemee Company website says the place will reopen in early December — but if it’s around when you’re around, don’t miss it. 5123 Main St., Waitsfield. (802) 496-6003, www.canteencreemee.com.

Carb-loaded: From plentiful baked goods to breakfast all day to a six-hour Sunday brunch, The Big Picture Cafe & Theater will fuel your day of snowy activity. Just as good, it’ll give you a place to relax after your day of snowy activity, with of-the-moment movies screened every day except Monday. 48 Carroll Road, Waitsfield. (802) 496-8994, www.bigpicture.info.

Beer-loving: In a town with one of the state’s most-celebrated breweries (Lawson’s Finest Liquids), the Localfolk Smokehouse can get lost in the Vermont-beer shuffle. The barbecue-centric restaurant has 25 beers on tap, including five of its own. 9 Vermont 17, Waitsfield. (802) 496-5623, www.facebook.com/localfolksmokehouse.

Higher-end: The website of The Pitcher Inn touts its “hotel luxury in a relaxed and intimate setting,” and the restaurant reflects that luxury as well. Main courses range from the low $20 range to more than $40, but The Pitcher Inn promises “thoughtfully sourced ingredients, an appetite for detail, and service that is as knowledgeable as it is warm.” 275 Main St., Warren. (802) 496-6350, www.pitcherinn.com.

New since last season: Winter sports can be a blast, but some winter days can leave you asking, “Why does it have to be this cold?” That’s where Stoke Ramen Bar comes in. The eatery that opened in July has just enough varieties of noodles and broth to keep you warm just thinking about it as you’re coming down the mountain. 5081 Main St., Waitsfield. (802) 496-5081, www.stokeramen.com.

Contact Brent Hallenbeck at 660-1844 or bhallenbeck@freepressmedia.com. Follow Brent on Twitter at www.twitter.com/BrentHallenbeck.