While summer stirs us with its balmy air, endless daylight, and carefree spirit, fall invites us to embrace change. We trade sand for earth-covered trails, corn on the cob and clambakes for fresh game and root vegetables, and fiery sunsets for fiery foliage. And though the season tempts us to hunker down, the vibrant canopy of oaks and sugar maples calls us to bundle up and head outside. What better way to do so than with a great meal?
As the air turns crisp and the trees shift from green to gold, dining with a view takes on a new kind of magic. It’s no longer about beachside spritzes or rooftop rosé, but about leaning into the hush of the woods—where candlelight dances off mossy trunks, the scent of woodsmoke lingers in the air, and dinner feels like a storybook scene. Across the country, chefs and hoteliers are bringing the forest to the table, crafting immersive meals that celebrate the season’s flavor, texture, and tempo.
From torch-lit suppers deep in Vermont’s forests to farm-to-fork hideaways along Maine’s birch groves, foraging walks through the Catskills and Blue Ridge Mountains, and garden feasts tucked within Ojai’s citrus-scented valleys, these immersive dining experiences reinterpret fall’s abundance across the country.
Adventure Dinners | Vermont
Deep in the forests of Vermont, where sugar maples blaze gold and crimson, Adventure Dinners transforms leaf-peeping into a full-on feast. The woman-owned collective champions local farms and food systems through creative, fire-cooked meals in the wild. This fall’s Leaf Peep & Aperitif Dinner (October 12) takes diners on a two-mile forest trek punctuated by fire-cooked courses, cocktails, and conversation beneath the trees. And then there’s the Jasper Hill & Hill Farmstead Adventure Dinner (October 18) at Wilson Herb Farm in Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom—a four-course “cheese dream” created in partnership with Jasper Hill Creamery and Hill Farmstead Brewery. Guests gather inside a glass-walled greenhouse for inventive, cheese-studded dishes paired with five rare brews from one of the country’s most acclaimed breweries. Think Vermont terroir at its most indulgent: herbs grown steps from your table, the warmth of candlelight bouncing off glass, and that unmistakable scent of woodsmoke that marks the height of fall.
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Dinner in the Woods at AWOL Stowe | Stowe, Vermont
At AWOL Stowe, dining is less about spectacle and more about re-establishing a quiet connection with the landscape around you. The boutique retreat, tucked beside the Cady Hill Forest, channels Vermont’s autumn magic through intimate culinary moments that unfold right along the treeline.
Its standout offering, The Forest Table: A Private Chef Experience, transforms dinner into a fully immersive ritual of place. Limited to two guests, the experience features a three-course, locally sourced menu prepared by your own private chef and paired with wines from Ellison Estate Vineyard in Stowe. Set under the forest canopy, the evening feels suspended in amber light—just you, your partner, and the hush of the woods punctuated by the sizzle of what’s cooking nearby.
The $499 package (gratuities included; room and tax not) is bookable up to 14 days in advance and available through October 20, 2025. Guests must be 21 or older, and reservations are made directly through the hotel. While AWOL has hosted larger “Dinner in the Woods” gatherings in past seasons, The Forest Table is now its current signature woodland-dining experience.
Hidden Pond | Kennebunkport, Maine
Sometimes the most memorable dining experience isn’t a grand production—it’s simply choosing to be in the woods, slowing your pace, and letting the season speak for itself. Earth at Hidden Pond is that kind of place.
Set amid 60 acres of birch and balsam fir, Earth is the year-round, farm-to-fork restaurant at the heart of Hidden Pond, one of Kennebunkport’s most acclaimed retreats. Inside, the design feels like a forest brought indoors—walls paneled with reclaimed wood from trees cleared to build the property, a grand stone fireplace, and log-slice accents that nod to the surrounding landscape. On mild fall evenings, the outdoor terrace beckons, offering twinkling lights and a gentle chorus of rustling leaves. Otherwise, the dining room’s forest-framed windows capture the same sense of calm, even as temperatures drop.
The menu changes seasonally, highlighting ingredients from Hidden Pond’s on-site organic gardens and neighboring farms. The current fall dinner menu features a three-course ($105) or four-course ($115) format, with dishes such as butternut squash soup with lobster and crème fraîche, short rib fettuccine with Madeira sauce, Iberico pork chop with maple-glazed carrots, and pumpkin entremet with caramel and chocolate crumble. Each course feels like an ode to the season—simple, elegant, and deeply rooted in Maine’s natural rhythm.
For something even more intimate, Earth offers two private dining experiences tucked within the resort’s forested grounds. The Potting Shed (up to six guests; $600 food and beverage minimum) was once a gardener’s haven and now glows with hurricane lanterns, vintage tools, and lush greenery, creating a private, botanical sanctuary for dinner. The Painting Shed (up to 12 guests; $1,200 minimum) sits beside Hidden Pond, with vaulted ceilings, curated artwork, and sweeping water views that make it feel like dining inside a painting. Both spaces embody Earth’s quiet luxury—refined but never fussy, and wholly in tune with the landscape.
Foraging Walks at Eastwind Hotels | Windham & Oliverea Valley, New York
Just two and a half hours from NYC, the Catskills remain the ultimate fall escape—but boutique hideaways like Eastwind Hotel + Bar are giving the region a fresh, design-forward edge. The Scandinavian-inspired glamping retreat recently expanded with its new Mountain House, adding 24 rooms with sweeping views, wood-barrel saunas, and breakfast baskets delivered right to your door. Guests can spend the day hiking or apple picking, then unwind with cocktails by the firepit—or look ahead to Dandies, the property’s first full-service restaurant debuting later this fall.
Eastwind’s Foraging Walk & Cocktail Tasting brings guests even closer to the landscape. These seasonal, 90-minute guided walks lead small groups from the hotel’s wooded grounds into the heart of the Catskills, revealing the region’s wild edible bounty and offering a hands-on introduction to the farm-to-table process. Participants learn to identify seasonal plants—mushrooms, if fortune strikes—while exploring sustainable foraging practices and connecting with the forest through touch, taste, and smell. The experience concludes with a fireside cocktail crafted from locally inspired ingredients, blending education and indulgence in equal measure.
Further south, Eastwind Oliverea Valley hosts its own Fall Foraging Walk & Warm Drink Tasting—set for October 25, 11am–noon—where guests follow a similar guided walk capped by steaming seasonal beverages beneath a canopy of gold and amber. Together, the twin experiences make Eastwind a true embodiment of autumn in the Catskills: rustic yet refined, rooted in nature yet brimming with modern design touches, and always a little bit magical.
Wildflower Farms, Auberge Resorts Collection | Gardiner, New York (Hudson Valley)
Set on 140 acres of meadows and woodlands at the foot of the Shawangunk Ridge, Wildflower Farms is a love letter to the Hudson Valley’s seasons. Here, nature isn’t just a backdrop—it’s the blueprint. Every experience, from dining to foraging, begins with the land itself.
The resort’s signature offering, The Herbalist’s Path: Wild Foraging, invites guests to unearth the region's hidden flavors and healing traditions with celebrated herbalist and author Dina Falconi. During this two-hour guided walk through meadows and forests, participants learn to safely identify, mindfully harvest, and creatively use wild plants in both culinary and wellness practices. Drawing on decades of clinical herbalism and ecological knowledge, Falconi’s workshop reveals the nourishing gifts of the natural world—an experience equal parts education, meditation, and sensory awakening.
The experience is offered by request for $500 (1–4 guests), with additional guests at $75 per person. To continue the journey long after departure, guests can purchase the Wildcrafted Foraging Kit ($95)—a beautifully curated bundle including a hand-forged pair of shears, a foraging bag, and Falconi’s signed book Foraging & Feasting.
After your walk, the property’s dining experiences bring the harvest full circle. At Clay, the resort’s rustic New American restaurant, seasonal vegetables from the on-site farm meet well-sourced proteins and foraged ingredients in dishes that feel both elevated and earthy. The Great Porch offers open-air views of the ridge with shareable bites and pre-dinner cocktails, while the Dew Bar serves light fare and garden-inspired drinks beside the pool. For those craving even deeper immersion, Wildflower’s Maplehouse culinary school hosts rotating workshops—from Botanical Baking to Festive Harvest Donuts—that celebrate the rhythm of the Hudson Valley.
It’s all rooted in a singular philosophy: that food tastes better, and feels richer, when you’ve met the land that made it.
No Taste Like Home | Asheville, North Carolina
In the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, dining doesn’t get more literal—or local—than this. No Taste Like Home, founded by foraging expert Alan Muskat, turns the surrounding Appalachian forest into your pantry and your playground. The experience blends wildcrafting and fine dining in one seamless arc: guests gather, learn, forage, and then feast on the flavors of their own discoveries.
The signature Foraging Tour is a three-hour immersion into the edible landscape, led by naturalists who teach participants how to identify and harvest seasonal treasures—think wild mushrooms, ramps, spicebush berries, and pawpaws. The adventure ends with a short cooking demo and tasting, after which guests can either take their finds home or bring them to one of several Asheville restaurants, where chefs transform the day’s bounty into a custom dish.
Partner restaurants include The Market Place, The Bull & Beggar, Red Stag Grill at the Grand Bohemian, and Vue 1913 at the historic Omni Grove Park Inn—each offering a special “wild plate” crafted from your foraged ingredients. The concept is simple but unforgettable: you buy dinner, and your foraged course is on the house.
For those short on time, the Wild Food Stroll offers a 90-minute guided walk on the grounds of the Omni Grove Park Inn, culminating in sunset cocktails and a complimentary foraged appetizer at Vue 1913. With panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains ablaze in fall color, the experience blurs the line between field trip and fine dining.
Rooted in both education and indulgence, No Taste Like Home captures the essence of the season—harvest, connection, and awe. It’s the ultimate full-circle dining experience: from forest floor to five-star table, every bite tells the story of where it came from.
Blackberry Farm | Walland, Tennessee
Few places capture the art of seasonal dining quite like Blackberry Farm, the 4,200-acre luxury resort nestled in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains. Come fall, the property becomes a living canvas of scarlet maples and golden hickories, setting the stage for its signature outdoor dining experience: Meals Afield.
Designed for those craving something beyond the dining room, Meals Afield invites guests to savor a three-course, chef-prepared meal amid Blackberry’s rolling fields and wooded ridges. Dine al fresco at the Yallarhammer Pavilion, where the sun dips behind the mountains and the surrounding forest catches fire in the last light of day. Expect thoughtful Southern cooking elevated by the season—think heirloom vegetables, locally raised game, and desserts that echo the farm’s orchards.
Guests can also explore hiking and biking trails, watch for migratory birds, or cap the day with s’mores by the fire—simple rituals that deepen the connection between land and table. With its blend of Appalachian charm and fine dining polish, Blackberry Farm offers one of the South’s most transporting fall experiences: where every bite feels like it was made for leaf season itself.
Allred’s | Telluride, Colorado
Perched at 10,551 feet above sea level, Allred’s is more than just a meal with a view—it’s a dining altar for mountaintop magic. Sitting at the mid-station of the Telluride gondola (San Sophia Station), the restaurant commands floor-to-ceiling windows that wrap diners in sweeping alpine panoramas: the Telluride Valley unfurling below, the San Juan Range rising around you, and forested ridgelines that blush gold and russet come fall.
That view alone is reason enough to make the gondola ride, but Allred’s brings serious culinary ambition to match. The prix-fixe contemporary American menu leans on regional and seasonal ingredients, with locally inspired touches in every course. Past dishes have included juniper-bourbon–marinated elk loin with butternut squash risotto and huckleberry reduction, Colorado rack of lamb with tomato-eggplant jam and rosemary jus, and starters like wagyu carpaccio, Maine lobster bisque, and oysters on the half shell.
The ambiance strikes a perfect balance between rustic and refined—antler chandeliers and warm wood tones meet polished service and a wall of windows that seem to suspend you in the clouds. The bar offers both select prix-fixe dishes and à la carte options, with first-come, first-served seating ideal for sunset cocktails.
Because of its elevation and alpine setting, Allred’s is perfectly positioned to capture Colorado’s most vivid fall color. Time your reservation for golden hour, when the fading light casts long shadows across the valley and the aspens below ignite in hues of gold, amber, and flame—an unforgettable tableau to accompany your meal in the sky.
The Rochers at the Ranch House | Ojai, California
In a town that already feels like a dreamscape, The Rochers at The Ranch House makes dining feel like an awakening. Reimagined by husband-and-wife restaurateurs Perfecte and Alia Rocher, this newly reopened Ojai landmark revives the beloved midcentury restaurant and gardens first founded by Alan and Helen Hooker in the 1950s—a place once adored by the likes of Julia Child, Paul Newman, and Barbra Streisand.
The Rochers, known for their acclaimed Seattle restaurant Tarsan i Jane and Los Angeles favorite smoke.oil.salt., have restored the historic property with reverence and restraint. More than 250 new plants now fill the 15,000-square-foot garden, which unfolds as a labyrinth of edible flora, bamboo groves, and rose-lined walkways. Every detail nods to Ojai’s legacy of art and nature—from ceramic Buddhas and bas-relief sculptures to pathways inlaid with fragments crafted by local legend Beatrice Wood. Inside, the bar glows with Chantilly Lace–painted trim, retro wallpaper, and a white grand piano, balancing modern elegance with bohemian charm.
There’s no printed menu here—only a four-course prix fixe that changes daily, served as a kind of culinary dialogue between chef and season. Perfecte Rocher, whose Valencian roots and global travels inform every dish, builds each course from what’s grown on-site and sourced from nearby farms and foragers. Expect vibrant, expressive plates—California produce layered with Mediterranean soul—and perhaps a few spontaneous gifts from the kitchen.
Guests choose their table as an extension of the experience itself: open-air garden dining ($120) surrounded by fruit trees and herbs; the tranquil Bamboo Grove ($140) for a more meditative meal; or “Overlooking the Roses” ($140), a private two-person setting beside the rose and herb gardens. The Tea House Tasting Menu ($140), meanwhile, offers an intimate nook hidden just off the main path, draped and softly lit—a secret garden within a garden.
Under Alia’s design eye, the restoration honors what came before while breathing new life into it. The soft matte-black garden walls, century-old lanterns, and lush greenery give the space an almost cinematic stillness—a sensory experience that feels timeless and immediate all at once.
Dinner is served Thursday through Monday (5–9:30pm on Friday–Saturday; 5–9pm other nights), with reservations via Tock. Whether you’re tucked in the Bamboo Grove or beneath a canopy of wisteria and stars, this reimagined classic proves what Ojai has always known: that food, when rooted in place, can feel like poetry.
