When was Ye Olde Tavern established?

Ye Olde Tavern claims a founding year of 1790, placing it in the Early Republic era.

Ye Olde Tavern — Oldest Bar in Vermont (Est. 1790)

Q: What is the oldest bar in Vermont?

Ye Olde Tavern in Manchester Center is widely cited as the oldest bar in Vermont, with a claimed founding year of 1790. Verification status: Disputed. Widely cited by listicles (Business Insider, OnlyInYourState) as Vermont's oldest bar, and the 1790 building is well documented, but the property spent long stretches as hotels and even a hotel/antique shop (1934), and the 'Ye Olde Tavern' name only dates to 1975. Meanwhile the Marsh Tavern at The Equinox in the same town claims tavern service since 1769, giving Vermont a credible older rival.

Q: Is Ye Olde Tavern still open?

As of our July 2026 review: Open today. Open and operating as of 2026, serving dinner from 4:30 pm. Michael and Minna Brandt, owners since 2001, sold the tavern in May 2022 to Joseph and Patty Iraci, who continue to run it with the same staff and menu staples. Confirm current hours with the establishment before visiting.

Since 1790

The building was constructed in 1790 by Dorset master builder Aaron Sheldon and opened as The Stagecoach Inn, serving travelers on the main north-south road through Manchester. It passed through several identities over two centuries: Lockwood's Hotel around 1850, Thayer's Hotel from 1860, the Fairview Hotel from 1902, and a combined hotel and antique shop beginning in 1934. Peter and Susan Palmer renamed it Ye Olde Tavern in 1975 and renovated it for the 1976 Bicentennial. It is listed on the Vermont Register of Historic Places. Michael and Minna Brandt ran it as a colonial-style restaurant and tavern from 2001 until May 2022, when they sold it to longtime patrons Joseph and Patty Iraci, who operate it today under the slogan 'Wining & Dining since 1790.'

The first telephone line in Manchester was installed at the tavern, and in 1902 it served as headquarters for the local movement to license the sale of 'spirituous beverages' — a license that was revoked two years later.

How solid is the claim?

Disputed

Vermont’s oldest bar — the evidence

Ye Olde Tavern in Manchester Center is our featured pick for the oldest bar in Vermont, with a claimed founding year of 1790. Widely cited by listicles (Business Insider, OnlyInYourState) as Vermont's oldest bar, and the 1790 building is well documented, but the property spent long stretches as hotels and even a hotel/antique shop (1934), and the 'Ye Olde Tavern' name only dates to 1975. Meanwhile the Marsh Tavern at The Equinox in the same town claims tavern service since 1769, giving Vermont a credible older rival.

Claimed Founding

1790

Operating Status

Open today — Open and operating as of 2026, serving dinner from 4:30 pm. Michael and Minna Brandt, owners since 2001, sold the tavern in May 2022 to Joseph and Patty Iraci, who continue to run it with the same staff and menu staples.

Verification

Disputed

Last Reviewed

July 2026

Competing Claims

Other Vermont establishments with a stake in the title:

1769

Marsh Tavern (The Equinox Resort) — Manchester Village

The Equinox says Marsh Tavern has served guests since 1769 and was the first Tory property seized to fund the Green Mountain Boys; it predates Ye Olde Tavern by two decades, though it now operates as a dining room within a luxury resort.

1796

The Dorset Inn — Dorset

Bills itself as Vermont's oldest continuously operating inn (200+ years), a related but distinct 'oldest' claim focused on lodging rather than the barroom.

Ye Olde Tavern

Since 1790

How solid is the claim?

Vermont’s oldest bar — the evidence

Competing Claims

Sources

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