What’s Good 2018
From Burlington With Love: Insider intel on What’s Good From Seven Days
Seven Burlington-Area Restaurants Serving Authentic World Cuisine
Honey Road 156 Church St., Burlington, honeyroadrestaurant.com Chef Cara Chigazola-Tobin’s masterful Mediterranean mezze garnered this restaurant two James Beard Award nominations in its very first year. Plates include baba ghanoush, braised lamb and grilled octopus. On warm evenings, thirsty diners hang with the pink flamingos that decorate the restaurant’s busy Church Street patio, downing harissa-glazed…
Vermont Adventures to Add to Your Bucket List
Here’s something every Vermont road tripper can aspire to: membership in the 251 Club. In the Summer 1954 issue of Vermont Life magazine, Dr. Arthur W. Peach proposed a club “to be made up of Vermonters and others who can show that they have visited, not merely driven through, the 251 towns in the state.”…
Roll With It: Two-wheeling in Burlington
With its steep hills and deep winter snowdrifts, Burlington may not, at first, seem like a cyclist’s paradise. But bikes, trikes and the even occasional unicycle (because hipsters) can be found on blacktops all over the Queen City and beyond. And not just in warmer months: A sizable number of crazy people — er, enthusiasts…
Secret Agent: Arielle Thomas
Age: 28 Occupation: Photographer Town: Burlington Arielle Thomas has slept under bridges, worked on the bungee trampoline ride for a traveling Renaissance festival, and lived with “a grave robber and a kid named Squirrel.” But perhaps her most epic adventure yet was the 52-day road trip that ended with her “accidentally” moving to Vermont. Thomas…
Off Beat: Beyond Live Music at Burlington Nightclubs
Don’t get us wrong: We love a good, loud rock show. And Burlington is a great place to be for live music of all sonic stripes. But sometimes you crave a band-free alternative. Read on to discover another equally entertaining side of Queen City nightlife — one that’ll make you laugh, think, sing and come…
It’s Date Night. Where Do We Go for Dinner in Burlington?
Bistro de Margot 126 College St., Burlington, bistrodemargot.com Setting the scene for an after-dinner kiss? Go French — cuisine-wise, that is. Bistro de Margot’s elegant white-tablecloth vibe has wow factor, as do the plates coming out of the kitchen. A fresh, cherry-rich glass of Burgundy pinot noir plays nicely with the twice-breaded oxtail croustillant —…
Where to Drink with Burlington Locals
The Other Place 4 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington, 863-5803 The Other Place — or the OP, if you’re a regular — opened in 1980, but people have been boozing in its building for generations. It was once a bar known as Sullivan’s and, before that, one named for America’s 13th president, Millard Fillmore. Whatever you call…
Shopping Recommendations on Burlington’s Church Street Marketplace
Warner Supply 96 Church St., Burlington, facebook.com/warnersupplyvt A hip boutique for casual menswear, Warner Supply carries everything from monochromatic T-shirts and outerwear to funky collared shirts boasting prints of, say, martinis and swordfish. It also carries a small selection of boots, travel mugs, and flavored honey and syrups. (Even your coffee mug needs an accessory…
Where to Catch a Movie Near Burlington
Merrill’s Roxy Cinemas 222 College St., Burlington, merrilltheatres.net This family-owned downtown theater is the closest thing Burlington has to an art-house cinema. Hard-core film buffs will appreciate the curated selection of indie films and documentaries often shown here and nowhere else in the state. But those itching for the next installment of the Star Wars…
Good Look: Seven Local Artists to Watch
Burlington has a bustling arts scene, something you’ll notice on a single stroll through South End artist studios or the weekly downtown Artist Market. Thanks to the city’s supportive creative atmosphere, a wide range of artistic practices thrive here, from multimedia performance art to indie comics and just about everything in between. Find our guide…
Where to Get a Good Cup of Coffee in Burlington
Leunig’s Petit Bijou Corner of Church St. and College St., Burlington, leunigsbistro.com Caffeinate like a Parisian at this cozy Church Street Marketplace kiosk, run by nearby Leunig’s Bistro & Café. In addition to fresh-brewed coffees and espresso con panna, there are homemade apple tarts, French macarons and pâte de fruit. For to-go lunch, the duck-confit…
The Set List: Seven Bands to Know in BTV
Psst! Want to know a secret? You’ve just arrived in one of the best places in the region to see live music. Not only can you catch singer-songwriters, bands and DJs seven nights a week, you can do so in all manner of styles — jazz, indie rock, blues, hip-hop, house and funk, to name a…
Grab a Cold One at Some Badass Breweries in the Burlington Area
Queen City Brewery 703 Pine St., Burlington, queencitybrewery.net Five friends — all with an affinity for old-school European beers — opened this Pine Street brewery in 2014 on a hunch that locals would embrace delicate, balanced beers as a break from IPA mania. Today, folks crowd into the airy warehouse-style bar for glasses of copper-toned Landlady…
Candid Cameras: Seven of Our Favorite Local Instagrammers
Searching for a woodsy spot to go exploring? Want to view the lake from a perspective you’ve never seen? Vermont’s Instagram community is a great resource for uncovering all the secrets your new home turf has to offer. To get you started, here are some of our favorite local Insta accounts. Now go and fill…
Figure it Out: Burlington (and Vermont) by the Numbers
802 The state’s lone area code. It’s also slang for Vermont, as in, “Welcome to the 802.” 2 How many hours you can initially park for free in all city-owned garages in downtown Burlington. 40 The number of gallons of sap it takes to produce a single gallon of maple syrup. 5 million The number…
Secret Agent: Urian Hackney
Age: 26 Occupation: Recording engineer; drummer, Rough Francis Town: Burlington Locals might know Urian Hackney best as the drummer of fan-favorite Burlington rock band Rough Francis. But the Vermont native’s musical chops extend far beyond the realm of pounding the skins. A studio engineer, record producer and mastering professional, Hackney works his sonic magic out…
Secret Agent: Jack Mitrani
Age: 29 Occupation: Action sports TV commentator; cofounder, the Frendly Gathering Town: Burlington Jack Mitrani has shredded slopes the world over. But for this globe-trotting pro snowboarder, there’s still no place like home. “I grew up riding in Vermont and have a ton of pride for riding here,” he says. Green Mountain pride is one…
Just Do It: The Main Events You Don’t Want to Miss
New in town and looking for the local clam bakes? Take this quiz, and we’ll help you fill your Google Calendar in no time. For a weekly rundown of can’t-miss happenings in Burlington and beyond, check the Seven Days event listings and sign up for the Notes on the Weekend newsletter. Take the Quiz! 1.…
Spaced Out: A Guide to Burlington Art Galleries
Burlington’s arts scene is as kooky, warm and independent-minded as the city itself. There’s a little bit of everything, from academically slanted university exhibitions to raw, down-and-dirty local group shows. And that’s to say nothing of the eclectic pop-ups that, well, pop up unexpectedly throughout town. Here’s a sampling of galleries we think are required…
Secret Agent: Diane Jean
Age: 26 Occupation: Owner, Billie Jean Vintage; manager, vocals and guitar, Clever Girls Town: South Burlington Diane Jean describes her personal style as “if a kindergarten teacher and Patti Smith had a baby.” And while her look certainly stands out, she’s a hard woman to track down. When she’s not picking and prepping old duds…
Secret Agent: Sarah Fidler
Age: 30 Occupation: Flavor guru, Ben & Jerry’s Town: Burlington Since its founding 40 years ago, Ben & Jerry’s has produced more than 1,000 flavors of ice cream. Sarah Fidler and her fellow “flavor gurus” at the company’s South Burlington headquarters are busy dreaming up even more. “The most important thing when we [create] a…
From Burlington With Love: An Introduction to the Queen City
Agent 802, we see you’ve arrived at the rendezvous point: Burlington, Vt. Well done. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to infiltrate the community and become indistinguishable from a local. In the enclosed top-secret file — inspired by the James Bond canon, some of which Sir Ian Fleming wrote in Vermont — you’ll…
Outdoor Destinations for Vermont Summer Fun
Burlington Surf Club 32 Lakeside Ave., Burlington, burlingtonsurfclub.com Newly opened in 2018, the Burlington Surf Club is a semiprivate beach club offering a variety of active water sports — think standup paddleboarding, windsurfing and Hobie Cat sailing. In addition to discounts on equipment rentals, membership includes access to the club’s serene lakeside spread and the…
See for Yourself: A Playlist That Will Make You Want to Be ‘Stuck in Vermont’
Each week, Seven Days video journalist Eva Sollberger ventures out into the Green Mountain State to film an episode of her award-winning video series, “Stuck in Vermont.” Whether taking a winter stroll with Vermont’s poet laureate, touring the state’s yummiest creemee stands or crashing the Demolition Derby at the Champlain Valley Fair, the endlessly curious…
Secret Agent: Dana Kaplan
Age: 40 Occupation: Executive director, Outright Vermont; multi-instrumentalist and vocalist, the Smittens Town: Burlington Dana Kaplan has traveled the globe with his internationally acclaimed indie band the Smittens. The twee pop group has a knack for light, sunny melodies that sometimes obscure heavier ruminations on love, loss and identity. The sextet has been a scene…
Our Picks for Burlington-Area Breakfast Restaurants
Bleu Northeast Seafood 25 Cherry St., Burlington, bleuvt.com Seafood is in the name, and meals at Bleu do feel a bit like diving into the deep blue sea. (The chic restaurant’s west-facing windows, which frame Lake Champlain, certainly don’t hurt this simile.) At daily breakfast and Sunday brunch, diners drop anchor for buttermilk pancakes, lobster…
Owning It: Burlington Store Owners on Where They Shop
Shopping in Burlington means thinking outside the box. The big-box, that is. Sure, we’ve got chain stores, but not many — and isn’t it all about supporting the little guy, anyway? “Putting money into your local economy can have a really huge ripple effect,” explains Nicole Carey, owner of Winooski’s Birdfolk Collective. “If you’re supporting…
The Legal Has Landed: Answers to Seven Burning Questions About Vermont’s Cannabis Laws
Welcome to the land of legal weed! On July 1, Vermont became the ninth state, along with the District of Columbia, to legalize the cultivation, possession and consumption of cannabis (i.e., marijuana) by adults 21 years and older. (Medical marijuana has been legal in Vermont since 2004.) While you may have visited or lived in…
Meal Deals: A Food Pyramid for Penny-Pinchers
A true foodie town, Burlington boasts more than 150 bars and restaurants within its city limits. As tempting as it may be to take a bite out of all of them, doing so would likely break the bank. Not to worry: We’ve scoped out five dining destinations in and around BTV where you and a…
Finding Your Routes: A Burlington Cabbie on Road Trips Worth the Drive
Want to take an epic road trip? Easy. “Here’s how to get to a beautiful patch of Vermont: Take the highway; get off at Exit whatever; make a couple of random rights and lefts; and there you are,” instructs Burlington cabdriver Jernigan Pontiac (and, yes, that’s a pseudonym). “What I’m saying is, if there exists…
Shake It Up: The Buzz on Burlington’s Most Entertaining Bars
If you’re reading this, there’s a good chance you enjoy an adult beverage every now and again. And while a good cocktail is often interesting on its own — particularly in a state where small craft distillers are forever pumping out new and exciting spirits — sometimes you want more than just alcohol to entertain you. Whether…
Where to Dine Outdoors in the Burlington Area
Vermont Pub & Brewery 144 College St., Burlington, vermontbrewery.com Burlington’s original brewpub has been serving suds to the downtown masses since 1988. Back then, believe it or not, it was one of just 11 brewpubs in the nation. Fast-forward 30 years, and VPB is still a go-to spot for ever-changing beers, big burgers and good…
Burlington-Area Clubs That Rock for Live Music
Nectar’s/Club Metronome 188 Main St., Burlington, liveatnectars.com Along with its locally iconic gravy fries, BTV hot spot Nectar’s serves live music seven nights per week. The downtown landmark is noted for launching the careers of some of Vermont’s biggest acts — Phish and Grace Potter, to name two. So there’s a decent chance you might…
Burlington’s ‘Boroughs’: Where Locals Live, Learn and Play
The Church Street Marketplace isn’t the only street to see in Burlington. The city has several distinct neighborhoods with their own unique characters. There’s the hip South End, the posh Hill Section and, of course, the Student Slums — just kidding. Kinda. Here’s a dossier on some districts outside the downtown core that you might enjoy…
Scarlett Letters: Answers to Your Questions on Love and Lust in Burlington
I’m new in town, single and ready to mingle! But I’m not into the bar scene. Where else do people hang out around here? — Singleton in Town What, beers and bad karaoke aren’t your idea of romantic? No worries! Hang out at whatever “scene” you happen to be into — the people you see there…
Offbeat Destinations for Fun With Friends Near Burlington
Get Air Vermont 25 Omega Dr., Williston, getairvermont.com Everybody had that one friend with a trampoline when they were a kid, right? Well, this Williston amusement center is what happens when that friend grows up, buys a warehouse and fills it with thousands of square feet of trampolines. You can bounce for hours. But why…
Used, Vintage and Antique: Thrifting in Burlington
Anjou & the Little Pear 53 Main St., Burlington, anjouvt.com Vermonters recycle pretty much everything: bottles, altweekly newspapers, significant others. Home furnishings are no exception. Anjou & the Little Pear goes big on vintage home goods, from rugs to rugged workbenches. Spiffing up your new digs? Peruse the swanky stacked end tables, 1960s lounge chairs,…
Keeping Cool at Vermont’s Winter Destinations
Stowe Mountain Resort 5781 Mountain Rd., Stowe, stowe.com “Aspen of the East” boasts unrelenting verticals, a fully stocked terrain park, a fancy lodge and a first-rate performing arts center. It’s also located in Stowe, regarded as one of the top ski towns in New England, thanks to its lively nightlife, thriving restaurant scene and postcard-worthy…
Our Favorite Burlington-Area Parks
North Beach 60 Institute Rd., Burlington, enjoyburlington.com As soon as the mercury creeps past 50, people begin flocking to this lakeside hot spot. It’s Burlington’s largest and liveliest beach — not to mention the only one staffed by lifeguards. Grab a bite at the concession stand or rent a canoe, kayak or paddleboard at the…
Where to Gear Up for the Outdoors Near Burlington
Outdoor Gear Exchange 37 Church St., Burlington, gearx.com For two decades, OGE has been the go-to shop for local kayakers, hikers, skiers, climbers and camping enthusiasts. And with good reason: The staff is friendly and knowledgeable, and the selection is tough to beat. Check the downstairs consignment area for the real scores. Oh, and you…
Hidden Gems for Shopping Off Burlington’s Church Street
Old Gold 180 Main St., Burlington, oldgoldvermont.com Old Gold has been a Burlington fashionista’s staple since it opened in 1973. The vintage-forward shop is a destination for everything from prom gowns to pasties to pinstripe suits. Much of the inventory trends toward party wear — think new, hand-beaded 1920s reproduction dresses and velvet smoking jackets…
