Eclectic New American$$church-street-marketplace
Bohemian downtown bar-restaurant with a tranquil solarium and an outdoor patio. Open since 1982; the cocktails-and-eclectic-plates Burlington institution.
Signature: Cocktails, Eclectic plates, Brunch hash
Order: Whatever the cocktail of the month is plus the daily blackboard plate.
Tip: The solarium is the off-Church gem; weekend brunch runs from 11:30 with the eggs Benedict the canonical order.
Crepes and Vermont fare$waterfront
Burlington's waterfront creperie on the corner of Lake and College streets on Lake Champlain. Member of the Vermont Fresh Network sourcing local producers.
Signature: Choco Monkey crepe, Johnny Crepe, Maple BBQ pulled pork
Order: Choco Monkey sweet crepe and the Johnny Crepe with maple-BBQ pulled pork.
Tip: Lake patio in summer and expect a 20-30 minute wait on weekend brunch; the Choco Monkey crepe goes to nearly every table.
Pizza by the slice$hill-section
Long-running Main Street pizza counter near UVM; thin-crust slices, craft beer, arcade games and pool in the back. Late-night standard till 02:30 weekends.
Signature: Buffalo chicken slice, Veggie slice, Cheese steak
Order: Two slices and a Sip of Sunshine pour.
Tip: Open till 02:30 Friday and Saturday; the most reliable late-night slice in Burlington.
Wood-fired pizza$$shelburne
Sourdough wood-fired pizza on Route 7 in Shelburne, sharing a building with Fiddlehead Brewing. BYO Fiddlehead; voted Vermont's Best Pizza since 2023.
Signature: Sourdough pizza, BYOB Fiddlehead beer
Order: A naturally leavened Margherita pizza plus a Fiddlehead Mastermind IPA from next door.
Tip: Fiddlehead is the BYOB source; Folino's provides frosty glasses. Walk-in only.
Contemporary American$$$church-street-marketplace
Hotel Vermont's lobby-level bar and restaurant from Executive Chef Doug Paine. Wood-burning hearth, ingredient-driven cocktails, terrace overlooking the lake.
Signature: Hearth-cooked plates, Vermont-spirit cocktails
Order: Whatever is off the hearth, plus a Vermont-gin cocktail.
Tip: Open all day; breakfast from 07:00, bar to 22:00 most nights.
Fried chicken and oysters$$winooski
Sister room to Misery Loves Co.; opened August 2022 at the top of the Winooski rotary in the historic Block Building. Fried chicken and East Coast oysters.
Signature: Fried chicken, Vermont oysters, Hot-honey biscuit
Order: Half-bird fried chicken, half-dozen Vermont oysters and a biscuit.
Tip: Bar walk-in; book the dining room on Resy. Dinner only, and the half-bird fried chicken sells through by 21:00 on weekends.