Mangalitsa

Mangalitsa is a fantastic little restaurant right in downtown Woodstock, just a short walk from the Woodstock Inn. The atmosphere is cozy, the service is attentive and the food and cocktails are equal parts inventive and delicious. Each member of the small team is passionate about the ingredients and dishes on the menu and the chef himself often brings plates to the table. I have eaten there twice now, the first time I had a wonderful heirloom tomato and burrata salad, a crudo with a fish the chef had specifically brought in that week, and seared scallops with charred vegetables. The second time I had a refreshing salad of cucamelons and tomatoes and then split a new preparation of seared scallops with corn and crispy potatoes and the seared duck breast. At each visit I took recommendations on which cocktails to order and was not disappointed. Everything I have had at Mangalitsa was beautifully balanced with interesting flavors and was downright delicious. The menu changes constantly in response to the season and which special ingredients the chef has on hand. If you want a special meal the next time you are in Woodstock this is absolutely the place to go.

The chef does a wonderful job with extremely tasty and innovative menus which regularly change. My wife had a superb curry pumpkin soup while I had seared jalapeño crusted albacore tuna to start. Mushroom risotto and a perfectly cooked grilled swordfish. I had a bottle of Eden Cider to start - need to find stockists of that ! With pre dinner drinks, a glass of wine, starters, mains and one dessert it came to $140 for 2. We reserved by email a week prior as we heard it is very popular. Our B&B owners were surprised we got a table.

This review is being made purely as a warning. If you don’t know how reservations work for this particular establishment, as I did not know, we’ll you’re in for a treat. The website does not provide any information aside from informing a potential customer that you must email for a reservation. So I did. I received an email back that they were full. My husband and I not knowing that you cannot wait for a table decided to go anyway. The staff upon walking in looked at us like we had committed treason. We were told to wait in a corner and the staff member pointed to the floor providing the radius where we were permitted to stand. I inquired if we could have a drink at the bar. I was met with the most pretentious response I have ever received. I was told “that would seem logical, but we could not because it was full.” There were two people standing at the bar. We were then met by another gentleman who told us to leave. So if you are a tourist or even a local be warned, the staff is rude and if you do not make a reservation far out (I’m unsure of how far out) you will be treated like a dog and told you sit in a corner and eventually thrown out. While I am seeing the reviews for the food are amazing, I will never eat here after how I was treated. Further, to be spoken to like I am uneducated as to what logical may mean is enough for me to write this review. I’m a successful lawyer with a doctorate in law, so thank you for giving me an example of “logical.” Zero stars.

5 stars is not enough. Best experience at a restaurant we've ever had. Excellent, fresh food, friendly and helpful staff..soothing atmosphere. We love smaller operations and farm to table food, and we were so excited to eat here after reading all the reviews and getting other super high recs. Zero disappointment here. We will be back next time we trek up from Philly, and we'll definitely be bringing our loved ones!

What a special evening! Everything about this place is warm and cozy. The staff treats you like a friend, and the owner serves you and takes the time to check in on you. The food was delicious and interesting, fresh and locally sourced. The cocktails and wine were fantastic and we were able to taste a few before making a selection. I can’t say enough good things about this place. It is really something special!