The past 10 days have made it tough to think about celebrating summer, with so many Vermont communities experiencing devastating losses due to flooding.

Thankfully, other parts of Vermont were spared the worst of the weather and remain open for business. In fact, they need our business to make the most of their summer season.

Among those areas is the Champlain Islands, a wonderfully summery destination with parks, beaches and beautiful lake views — plus a new crop of eating and drinking destinations that we've researched to share with you. Yeah, we know ... tough job.

Please, if you're able, won't you join us?

— M.P.

Food Ahoy

Bravo Zulu Lakeside Bar, 237 Shore Acres Dr., North Hero, 378-5578, shoreacres.com/bravo-zulu-bar

When part-time South Hero residents Kelly and Neil Gillespie bought Shore Acres Inn & Restaurant in 2020, they made some changes. The most visible of those is a new all-weather, 72-seat patio with a retractable roof on the property's lakeside north lawn.

The patio is home to Bravo Zulu Lakeside Bar — named for a naval signal meaning "well done," in homage to Neil's stint in the U.S. Navy — which celebrated its first anniversary on July 3.

My husband and I visited that day, along with about a zillion other people celebrating the long weekend. We took our buzzer to the lakeshore and sat in a couple of Adirondack chairs until our table was ready, watching boaters pull into the eight spots at the northern dock. (The property will soon have a total of 20.)

Once we were seated, our drinks came immediately, but several large groups ahead of us had jammed up the short-staffed kitchen. We weren't too hungry, though, and the setting was lovely, with a view of the lake and children playing cornhole. We sipped our Foley Brothers Brewing lager ($8) and chile-lime-spiked pineapple soda ($8), one of the many appealing nonalcoholic house drinks. We were on island time.

When our food did arrive, it hit the spot: I had the shrimp salad roll ($18) with a side Caesar subbed for the fries or chips (plus $5), and my husband chose the surf and turf mini lobster and hamburger sliders ($30) with coleslaw (plus $5). The shrimp roll, particularly, was a pleasant surprise both gustatorily and economically, especially when compared with the $35 lobster roll. The griddled bun overflowed with sweet, perfectly poached, creamy dressed shrimp.

Jason Hanny, the property's general manager, said he's worked closely with executive chef Jim Buck to streamline Bravo Zulu's menu and increase efficiency in the kitchen. For my next visit, Hanny recommended the poke bowls ($15 to $19 depending on protein), the fish and chips ($18), and the Cubano ($18), which is modeled on the best one he could find in Miami's South Beach.

Bravo Zulu has a packed event schedule: live music, weekly trivia Tuesdays and, perhaps best of all, a monthly parents' night out. For $25, the staff will feed your kid dinner and keep them occupied while you dine under the stars.

— M.P.

Brews With a View

Kraemer & Kin, 230 Route 129, Alburgh, 796-3586, kraemerandkin.com

I have no fondness for golf clubhouses. About 30 years ago, I poked my head into a suburban Massachusetts clubhouse looking for my then-boyfriend, only to be informed that women weren't allowed. But I will gladly put aside that long-ago affront for the Alburg Golf Links, whose hilltop clubhouse boasts not only a scenic lake view but Kraemer & Kin.

Siblings Heather and Levi Kraemer and Levi's wife, Christie, started their brewery in a two-bay Grand Isle garage in 2020. They graduated from their original tasting room in a former North Hero church to the golf clubhouse last summer, but this is the year they've really come into their own.

After a few months of working in partnership with a chef, Christie took over the kitchen. Levi, the head brewer, is often found splitting wood for the wood-fired pizza oven. Heather runs front-of-house and marketing operations.

The menu changes through the week, with salads and sandwiches for midweek lunch and a small Sunday brunch menu. Thursday burger nights feature half a dozen choices ($16 to $17), such as the Sunrise & Shine, topped with an egg and bacon; and the Western, with onion rings and barbecue sauce. The oven fires up for pizzas ($12 to $14 for a 10-inch pie) on Tuesday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday evenings.

Kraemer & Kin's restaurant proudly claims a Vermont Fresh Network Gold Barn Honor, meaning it has at least 10 local producer partners. The Kraemers' line of beers further emphasizes the family's deep affinity for seasonal, local ingredients. On a recent Sunday visit, beer tasting flights (four four-ounce pours for $12) included a lilac sour, a garlic mustard saison, a lemon balm pilsner and a rose hip pale ale.

To go with our beers, my husband selected a classic burger ($16) made with beef from North Island Dairy in North Hero. A friend enjoyed a wood-roasted beet salad with quinoa, walnuts, dried cranberries and feta ($14). And, from the brunch menu, I chose biscuits smothered in creamy sausage gravy with home fries ($14).

My carbs with a side of carbs plus carb beverage powered me through a 20-mile post-brunch island bike ride. No, I did not even think about playing golf.

— M.P.

Pier Pleasure

North Hero House Inn & Restaurant and Pier Bar, 3643 Route 2, North Hero, 372-4732, northherohouse.com

When we arrived early on a Saturday evening at the Pier Bar, a companion to the North Hero House Inn & Restaurant, we had to wait for a table amid a lively crowd enjoying lake views in three directions. A musical duo played light rock and pop tunes. The casual Pier Bar seemed like the place to be on the islands in the summer.

Rebuilding that bar was part of the complete renovation that husband and wife Doug Nedde and Heidi Tappan did when they bought the property in late 2022.

The inn's main dining room has been refreshed with décor in crisp white and marine blue. For the summeriest experience, request a table on the enclosed front porch. The restaurant's menu hews classic. The shrimp cocktail ($15) is served with chunky, horseradish-spiked cocktail sauce. Lemon-and-herb-roasted chicken breast ($26) comes with cheddar au gratin potatoes and al dente green beans. Kendrick Bellows, new food and beverage general manager and executive chef, has added a black sea bass entrée ($38) and a coffee-encrusted pork loin ($24), as well as an appetizer of steamed mussels in a garlic, white wine, butter and fresh thyme broth ($17).

The relatively sedate inn scene contrasts with the party across Route 2, down on the pier in its brand new steel-framed pavilion, including a green roof garden of succulents. Roll-down sides allow for three-season dining on the lake.

We ordered drinks beside an old wooden boat that's been converted into an extension of the bar, its bow facing the dining area. I chose the Juicy Screw ($11), a refreshing variation on a screwdriver with vodka, orange juice, watermelon schnapps and soda water. Frozen cocktails ($14) include a tempting strawberry daiquiri with a festive dollop of whipped cream.

We took the drinks to Adirondack chairs at the grassy end of the pier and watched diners come and go in watercraft, pulling up to the adjacent dock.

Waterfront dining makes me want seafood, even when the ocean is far away. We started with clam chowder ($9), a chunky, creamy New England-style version with ample clams, potatoes and celery and a distinct bacon smokiness. Bellows, a longtime chef in the region who favors simple food and local ingredients, has added a full salad and appetizer section to the outdoor menu.

The Pier Bar lobster roll ($32) is a perennial favorite that Bellows hasn't messed with. The pile of butter-dipped lobster came with a thick swirl of sun-dried tomato aioli that I feared would overpower the delicate meat, but it actually drew out its sweetness. Thick-cut housemade chips sprinkled with zesty, ranch-style seasoning shared the plate.

After I saw the fish and chips ($24) arrive at another table, I had to have it. New to the Pier Bar this summer, the dish featured a huge piece of Vermont-beer-battered haddock that was light and luscious inside the crispy coating, accompanied by hand-cut fries.

Between the food and the festivity, the whole atmosphere put the wind in my sails.

— C.S.

Stop, Sip and (Eat a Lobster) Roll

The Rest Stop, 464 Route 2, South Hero, folinopizza.com/the-rest-stop

Colorful signs lure island travelers to the bright red food truck on a hill off Route 2, but there's much more to the Rest Stop than initially meets the eye. The deceivingly simple but top-notch fare almost takes a back seat to the stellar setting.

This new seasonal island outpost of Folino's — the pizza purveyor with locations in Burlington, Shelburne and Williston — proves its proprietors can sling more than wood-fired pies. The sandwich-board selections include a Maine lobster roll, smash burger, Buffalo chicken sandwich and gourmet hot dog as standards, along with appetizers such as crab Rangoon and jalapeño poppers. Sandwiches come with a choice of chips, shoestring fries or not-too-creamy coleslaw.

Customers can plop down at picnic tables beside the truck or stroll down a short gravel path to a newly built deck with umbrella-shaded tables and a large tent. On a recent sunny Saturday, I sat with my husband and our dog under the tent and marveled at the sparkling lake, wind turbines in the distance and boats docked below at Keeler Bay Marina — where the Rest Stop leases four slips for water-bound customers.

A lobster roll is hard to resist, even a few hundred miles from the coastal shacks that set the standard. The Rest Stop nailed the regional classic ($28) with a mound of lump-filled lobster salad blended lightly with mayonnaise, lemon juice and Old Bay seasoning, letting the fresh-from-the-water flavor shine through. It sat in a chargrilled sandwich roll on a bed of pleasantly crunchy lettuce.

The $9 price of a single hot dog might put off some diners, but this isn't your everyday ballpark frank. The extra-long, all-beef dog had a worthy snap and excellent flavor, according to my husband. For an extra $2, it came topped with whole-grain mustard and sauerkraut that Folino's makes with Peppadew peppers and beer, according to chief operating officer Seth Desrochers.

The Buffalo chicken sandwich ($14) delivered a delightful kick, with a tender breast fried to crisp perfection. Topped with a punchy Buffalo sauce, shredded cabbage and red onion, it virtually exploded with flavor.

The Rest Stop does pizza nights on Mondays and hosts live music on the deck, where a full bar includes Vermont brews on tap. For dessert, try the Sisters of Anarchy ice cream from Shelburne. I enjoyed the frosé ($11), frozen rosé mixed with a housemade syrup of strawberries, blackberries and lemonade that made me want to pause and enjoy the view even longer.

— C.S.

Two-Step Move

Two Heroes Brewery Public House, 252 Route 2, South Hero, 378-5187, twoheroesbrewery.com

On July 13, Two Heroes Brewery owners Matt Bartle and Daren and Danielle Orr finally opened their shiny 3,500-square-foot brewery and tasting room on Route 2, at the entrance to downtown South Hero. They will continue to brew their beers, some of which are made with Vermont-grown hops, in their much smaller original space until the brewhouse is fully up and running.

To start, Daren Orr said, the new tasting room will offer pretzel bites ($5) made by nearby Wally's Place and a charcuterie plate ($14) to go with Two Heroes' beers, such as Turtle Bay IPA and Perfect Day honey saison, and its own hard cider on draft ($4 to $7).

By early fall, Orr said, expect to see an expanded menu of pub fare from Cook Sisters Café & Catering, which previously offered meals at Wally's Place.

— M.P.