Essex Junction’s El Gato Cantina has a new seasonal spot at Smugglers’ Notch. Owner Javier Zirko, who bought the Mexican restaurant and its associated food truck biz last summer, said the outpost will operate through April with the potential to set up permanently.
Zirko said El Gato’s food truck had made the trip to Jeffersonville for several events last summer. From there, the resort’s team struck up a conversation about a winter pop-up. Zirko said, “This is the first time Sodexo,” which is contracted to run the various cafeterias and food operations at Smuggs, “has agreed to have someone there alongside [them].”
Located inside the FunZone 2.0 building’s ReFuel Café, El Gato serves lunch and dinner Thursday through Sunday. Takeout is available (call 644-1287), as are drinks from the bar.
“Now, parents can have a margarita and some nice food while their kids are playing at the arcade,” Zirko said.
In Burlington, longtime cocktail bar Drink has closed and is for sale. A social media post on Friday, January 22, said the closure was “effective immediately.”
First opened as Wine Works in 1999, the bar at 135 St. Paul Street rebranded to Drink in 2007. With the change came a popular menu of mojitos and house-infused liquors, including one made with Jolly Rancher candies.
Drink got a fresh look with a renovation in 2020, and it recently hosted weekly entertainment — including trivia, open mics and live music — as well as daily beverage specials such as $5 Long Island iced teas on Friday and Saturday.
“The journey was incredible and the people truly made the place special,” the social media announcement read.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Crumbs: El Gato Cantina Opens at Smugglers’ Notch; Drink Closes in Burlington”
This article appears in Love & Marriage Issue • 2026.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!