450 Route 22A, Shoreham, VT

If you've ever driven Route 22A between Bridport and Shoreham, you've almost certainly passed the little red roadside diner sitting right about at the midpoint — which is, of course, the whole idea. The Halfway House Restaurant opened in 1951, positioned roughly halfway between the two towns, and has somehow survived intact for over seven decades.

I grew up in Shoreham, and I've been coming here since I got my license at 16. I'd ride my motorbike over first thing in the morning, nursing my coffee and fancying myself one of the café racers of legend. Not much has changed, honestly — I still show up on slow mornings when I'm too lazy to make breakfast, and order the same thing I always have: two eggs sunny side up, white toast, and bacon.

The place has been run through a series of owners over the years, but the Waag family — led by Cora Waag — owned it for the longest stretch of any of them. Under Cora's watch, the Halfway House became exactly the kind of place that's almost impossible to manufacture: a genuine community anchor. She once said of her regulars, "There are not any airs here put on at the Halfway House. It is very family oriented — we have customers that are third and fourth generation that have been coming here. They tell me their grandparents brought them here." I'm one of those people. This place is woven into my life.

The hallmarks of a great diner are all here: booth seating, spinning counter stools, and a waitress who notices the moment your coffee needs a refill before you do. That waitress is usually Diane — shorter purple hair, almost always behind the counter — and her service is something special. She's warm, remembers her customers, chats with the regulars, and still never misses a beat. The bumper sticker says it all: "Don't complain about farmers with your mouth full." Every morning the local farmers file in, and the place hums with exactly the kind of conversation that's been happening here for 70-plus years.

The food deserves its own paragraph. Because they're open from 5 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week and serve breakfast all day, it's the perfect spot for anyone who likes to sleep in on their days off. The pancakes are always fluffy. Order a muffin and they'll slice it, toast it, and butter it. The strawberry rhubarb pie is homemade and just right — not too sweet. There's a full dessert cooler with all the classics, cheesecake and more, plus local cider donuts. Three options for fries: shoestring, homemade, or waffle. When I bring the family, the kids make a beeline for the box of board games, puzzles, and coloring books near the table — and then we all fight over the cheddar stuffed tater tots, which are the size of a large marshmallow and absolutely worth it.

In the entryway there's a little free library shelf — take a book, leave a book — and it's always well-stocked with different titles every visit. Picnic tables out front for when the weather cooperates.

Now, the Halfway House is in a new chapter — and it's in good hands. Lance Laraway and his wife Trish Lafayette, both longtime fixtures in the Brandon area, have taken over the diner and rebranded it as the Halfway Diner. Even before the name change, this was always a diner at heart — so the new name suits it perfectly. Lance has spent more than 15 years as a Brandon resident and has long been a beloved presence in the community as a coach in local little league programs. The two have previously shown a knack for small business — they opened the Green Mountain Smoke Shop in Brandon in 2022, making a point of partnering with local artists, craftspeople, and Vermont-based businesses. That community-first instinct is already showing up at the diner: a new menu is rolling out, they've installed a cremee machine, and Taco Tuesdays launched in late March as one of their first new touches.

Seventy-four years on the same stretch of road is a legacy worth protecting, and Lance and Trish are exactly the kind of people who understand that. Go say hello to Diane, order the bacon cheeseburger, and save room for pie.

Halfway Diner
450 VT Route 22A, Shoreham, VT | (802) 897-5160