Best Restaurants in Burlington Vermont: A Guide

The best restaurants in Burlington Vermont cluster on and around Church Street, the brick pedestrian mall that runs through the center of town. The city is small and walkable, with a lake at the bottom of the hill, a college crowd and a food culture built on local farms. An eastern Mediterranean mezze restaurant is the most-cited name.

Look for places serving Mediterranean small plates, French bistro food and Italian pasta, and many cook with Vermont farm ingredients. The lake is at the bottom of the hill, and a walk down Church Street ends at the water. Summer weekends fill tables early, so book ahead.

What are the best restaurants in Burlington Vermont for a special dinner?

An eastern Mediterranean mezze restaurant on Church Street is a favorite for a special dinner. The menu is built of small plates meant for sharing, so bring two or three people and order widely.

A northern Italian restaurant on Saint Paul Street is set in a historic house and is known for its Italian wine list.

What is Burlington Church Street food like?

Burlington Church Street food ranges from takeout slices to white tablecloth dinners. The street is closed to cars, and restaurants spill onto the brick with sidewalk tables in summer. A French bistro on the street has a patio that is the best people-watching seat in town, and a taproom serves brunch on Church Street.

Walk the whole street before choosing. Menus are posted outside, and the mix changes from block to block.

Where are the Burlington Italian restaurants?

Burlington Italian restaurants include one in a basement location on Church Street, with another a short walk away. Both serve pasta, grilled meats and wine in rooms that suit a long dinner.

If you want pizza instead, a flatbread restaurant serves wood-fired flatbreads, with an in-house brewery and an upper-deck patio. The Salt Lake City pizza guide covers another college-town pizza scene.

Where is Burlington brunch?

Burlington brunch is a weekend ritual. A Church Street taproom serves breakfast and brunch, and a Center Street restaurant one block east of Church is a bohemian bar with a solarium and a romantic dining room.

Expect eggs, pancakes, local maple syrup and sausage on menus. Weekend tables fill by mid-morning, so arrive early. Ask whether the kitchen takes names for a list.

Where can you find Burlington patio dining?

Burlington patio dining is part of the summer. A French bistro's patio on Church Street and the upper deck at a flatbread restaurant are named in guides. Many other restaurants set out tables when the weather allows.

Check the season. Vermont summers are short, and patios close in cold weather. If you plan to sit outside in spring or fall, bring a jacket. Ask the host whether the patio is open before you commit to a table.

What about restaurants off Church Street?

A Cherry Street restaurant, a block or two from Church Street, rewards a short detour. Other places stretch up the hill toward the university and down toward the waterfront.

Expand your walk, and if you are traveling on to the coast, the Maine fried clams guide covers the shacks. A few blocks away from the pedestrian mall, rents are lower and the menus are shorter. The Lexington guide shows how a smaller city can offer the same depth.

How do you plan a Burlington food walk?

Start with coffee and a pastry. Walk Church Street from the top to the lake, stopping to look at menus. Eat lunch at a counter or a cafe, then spend the afternoon on the waterfront. Choose a place for dinner with a reservation if it is a weekend.

Pace yourself, because portions are generous. If you only have a day, pick one special dinner and let the rest be simple. The US guides hub lists more pages about regional food.

What should you know before you go?

Check hours, since some places close on certain weekdays or between lunch and dinner. The guides used here vary in age, so confirm details. Parking in downtown Burlington can be tight, so consider a garage or the walk from your hotel.

The guide to finding good food in a new city has advice on reading lists and asking locals. Ask a server which dish is the kitchen's favorite and order it. Vermont kitchens usually name their farms and cheesemakers on the menu, which makes it easy to taste the state: look for local cheese, maple, apples, lamb and beer, and let the server steer you to whatever came in that week. Many places also post their menus in a window, so you can compare before you commit.

How do you keep track of Burlington restaurants?

Burlington is small enough to cover in a weekend. Keep one list for special dinners and another for casual lunches, rate the dish at each table and add a line on whether the room suited a date, a family or a group.

At the end of the visit, get the Mosey app, rate the plates and patios you liked and build a list of the Burlington tables worth another trip.