Places to live it up or wind down in the high country
Overview: Come out of the Okemo Mountain base lodge, make a left and walk right into the ideally located, Tom's Loft Tavern. The sign on the side of the building reading, “Home of warm beer, lousy food, and grumpy owner” says it all...kinda. About 1/3 of this is true. The beers are perfectly chilled and Tom's often has a lineup of taps that include some of the best craft beers from the region. The food is also the furthest thing from lousy. The menu is filled with all the après ski comfort food staples that you'd want after a day of shredding, the majority of which are pretty damn tasty with off-the-charts portion sizes to fill your belly. And then there's the owner Tom. Sure he can be grumpy, but I like him. He's a truly amusing character and part of the charm of what makes this bar special. If and when you get him at the right time he can actually be quite chatty and full of colorful stories. Those of you who have been know exactly what I am talking about and are probably thinking of your favorite Tom story as you are reading this. Other's who haven't, well, you'll just have to head to Tom's loft and see for yourself. Trust me, you wont' be disappointed.
Why it's All About Après worthy: Tom's loft is one of the few remaining après ski bars that has not been corrupted by commercialization. This place has character and is filled with them too. The tavern may not look like much when you roll up so check your pretentiousness at the door. Once you're in, you'll be hanging with the most fun loving group of people you can find on any given day and guaranteed to have a great time.
Insider's Secret: Order the wings. They were voted the best in the Okemo Valley the first and only time Tom entered the contest. I guess he figured that he'd go out on top. Honestly, they would probably win if he entered them again. They are meaty, tasty and just that good.
This is your apres ski spot if...you want to drink with the soul of Okemo.
More information: Tom's Loft Tavern
