30 cheap eats places in Burlington, editor-picked. the best low-budget spots in Burlington: the places editors actually return to. All Burlington food.
Onyx Tonics Specialty Coffee ★ 4.8
church-street-marketplace · 126 College St, Burlington, VT 05401
Designed to feel more like a tasting room than a classic coffee shop; six-plus single-origin coffees rotating weekly from local and US roasters.
Scout & Co. Old North End ★ 4.7
old-north-end · 237 North Ave, Burlington, VT 05401
Scout's flagship at 237 North Ave is where the ice cream is made and pastries are baked in the Pine Street kitchen. Coffee from BIPOC and Queer roasters.
August First Bakery ★ 4.6
downtown · 149 S Champlain St, Burlington, VT 05401
Phil Merrick and Jodi Whalen's downtown bakery in a renovated garage on South Champlain. Maple biscuits have taken home Best of Vermont multiple years;
Vivid Coffee Roasters ★ 4.6
church-street-marketplace · 150 Cherry St, Burlington, VT 05401
Founded in Winooski 2015 by Ian Bailey; the Burlington roastery and cafe at 150 Cherry Street is the flagship. Loft layout with armchairs and a long table.
Kestrel Coffee Roasters Maple Street ★ 4.6
downtown · 47 Maple St, Burlington, VT 05401
Kestrel took over the historic Maglianero space at 47 Maple Street in 2019 inside the Karma Bird House. Ethically sourced single-origins; gallery seating.
Folino's Pizza Shelburne ★ 4.6
shelburne · 6305 Shelburne Rd, Shelburne, VT 05482
A pizza plus a Fiddlehead 4-pack from next door is the canonical Vermont-pizza-and-beer Friday for under $30 a head. BYOB across the hall from Fiddlehead.
Mirabelles Bakery ★ 4.5
south-burlington · 3060 Williston Rd, South Burlington, VT 05403
Founded by Alison Lane and Andrew Silva (NECI alumni) in 1990; moved to South Burlington in 2020 and sold to Jake and Alexandria Kent in 2024.
Klinger's Bread Company ★ 4.5
south-burlington · 10 Farrell St, South Burlington, VT 05403
The Klingebiel family has run Klinger's since 1993, licensing recipes from Michael and Wendy London; Bosnian head bakers anchor weekly production.
Scout & Co. Pine Street Bakery ★ 4.5
south-end · 696 Pine St, Burlington, VT 05401
Scout's Pine Street kitchen at 696 Pine bakes the pastries that stock the Old North End and Winooski cafes. Sourdough sandwiches and grab-and-go.
Zabby & Elf's Stone Soup ★ 4.5
church-street-marketplace · 211 College St, Burlington, VT 05401
Established 1997 and rooted in New York Jewish cooking plus off-the-grid vegetarian. Self-serve hot-and-cold bar sold by weight; fresh challah and chicken.
Beansie's Bus ★ 4.5
old-north-end · 1 Sherman St, Burlington, VT 05401
Retrofitted yellow school bus parked at the edge of Battery Park in the Old North End since 1944. Michigan hot dogs (meaty chili over the dog), fries,
Burlington Farmers Market vendors ★ 4.5
south-end · 345 Pine St, Burlington, VT 05401
The Saturday market in the South End brings 80-plus vendors including a rotating roster of prepared-food stalls. Empanadas, momos, breakfast tacos in summer.
Beansie's Bus ★ 4.5
old-north-end · 1 Sherman St, Burlington, VT 05401
An $8 chili-dog-and-fries combo at Battery Park with a Lake Champlain view is cheaper than any sit-down room downtown. Seasonal April-September only;
Zabby & Elf's Stone Soup ★ 4.5
church-street-marketplace · 211 College St, Burlington, VT 05401
Pay-by-weight buffet of salads, casseroles and stews; vegan and vegetarian heavy. A $12 plate is a full lunch with soup of the day included in combos.
Pho Hong ★ 4.5
old-north-end · 325 N Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT 05401
A bowl of pho tai is the best $15 meal in Burlington; BYO beer (the room is BYOB) and a full dinner runs under $20. Cash and card both; closed Sun and Mon.
Pingala Cafe ★ 4.5
old-north-end · 1 Mill St, Burlington, VT 05401
Crunch Wrap, juice and coffee for $14 by the Winooski River; plant-based meals under $15 from Burlington's vegan flagship in the Chace Mill since 2014.
August First Bakery and Cafe ★ 4.4
downtown · 149 S Champlain St, Burlington, VT 05401
Phil Merrick and Jodi Whalen's bright renovated-garage cafe in downtown Burlington. Famous for award-winning maple biscuits and the Vermonter sandwich;
Maharaja Spice ★ 4.4
south-end · 160 Flynn Ave, Burlington, VT 05401
Indian food truck parked in front of Switchback Brewing on Flynn Avenue. Curries, samosas and biryani; pairs with a Switchback Ale next door.
The Skinny Pancake ★ 4.3
waterfront · 60 Lake St, Burlington, VT 05401
Burlington's waterfront creperie on the corner of Lake and College streets on Lake Champlain. Member of the Vermont Fresh Network sourcing local producers.
Tip: Lake patio in summer and expect a 20-30 minute wait on weekend brunch; the Choco Monkey crepe goes to nearly every table.
Pingala Cafe and Eatery ★ 4.3
old-north-end · 1 Mill St, Burlington, VT 05401
100 percent plant-based cafe in the Chace Mill on the Winooski River; gluten-free options, fresh juice, smoothies and the Crunch Wrap signature.
The Skinny Pancake (waterfront) ★ 4.3
waterfront · 60 Lake St, Burlington, VT 05401
The first Skinny Pancake opened June 4, 2003; the waterfront location on the corner of Lake and College is the canonical lake-side counter for crepes,
The Skinny Pancake (waterfront) ★ 4.3
waterfront · 60 Lake St, Burlington, VT 05401
A $12 crepe with lake views from the Lake Street corner; weekend brunch is one of the better cheap meals on the waterfront. Local Vermont Fresh Network.
Handy's Lunch ★ 4.3
downtown · 74 Maple St, Burlington, VT 05401
An $8 Big Daddy (2 eggs, 2 pancakes, bacon, sausage, hash, toast) is the best breakfast value in Burlington. Corner diner since 1945; kitchen closes by 13:30.
City Market Bakery ★ 4.2
downtown · 82 S Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT 05401
Onion River Co-op's downtown supermarket has a serious working bakery; daily breads, pastries, cakes and cookies baked in-house alongside the deli case.
Brio Coffeeworks Cafe ★ 4.2
south-end · 266 Pine St, Burlington, VT 05401
Woman-owned specialty roastery and cafe inside the Soda Plant building on Pine Street. Nate and Magda Van Dusen launched in 2014; specialty lightly-roasted.
Dobra Tea ★ 4.2
downtown · 125 S Winooski Ave, Burlington, VT 05401
Bohemian tea room with roots in communist Prague; Vermont was Dobra's first US location. Loose-leaf, gluten-free and vegan sweets, hand-crafted teaware.
Speeder & Earl's Coffee Pine Street ★ 4.1
south-end · 412 Pine St, Burlington, VT 05401
Family-owned Vermont roastery and cafe since 1993. The Pine Street cafe in the South End Arts District is the more relaxed of the two outlets,
Healthy Living Market and Cafe ★ 4.0
south-burlington · 222 Dorset St, South Burlington, VT 05403
The biggest natural-foods supermarket in Vermont has a sit-down cafe with a hot buffet, salad bar, smoothie and juice bar, and a full coffee program.
Mr. Mike's Pizza ★ 4.0
hill-section · 206 Main St, Burlington, VT 05401
Two slices and a Switchback for $12 is the canonical UVM late-night plate. Kitchen runs till 01:00 weekdays and 02:30 Fri-Sat; arcade and pool in the back.
Mr. Mike's Pizza ★ 3.8
hill-section · 206 Main St, Burlington, VT 05401
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.
Tip: Open till 02:30 Friday and Saturday; the most reliable late-night slice in Burlington.