Rogue Rabbit, the Roman-style café and bar that opened at 9 Center Street in Burlington in 2024, now offers provisions. They include a small selection of imported Italian pantry goods and a cooler of fresh meats and cheeses from Waitsfield’s 5th Quarter, plus chicken from Isle La Motte’s Happy Bird Poultry Farm.
Jacob Shane, who co-owns Rogue Rabbit with his wife, Abby Temeles, said the couple decided to end evening hours at the end of 2025 to focus on lunch and try to build business through retail sales.
“Dinner just wasn’t sustainable,” said Shane, 40. “We’re going back to what we know works for the space.”
Key to the couple’s long-term vision is the partnership with 5th Quarter’s butcher-owner, Josh Turka. Rogue Rabbit’s menu of pizza by the slice and sandwiches such as mortadella with arugula has always featured Turka’s locally sourced cured and fresh meats. Now customers can also take home some of the butcher’s products, from meatball mix to hot dogs to expertly cut steaks and chops. Turka, 39, is curating a selection of local and imported cheeses from his Waitsfield retail store, too.
Rogue Rabbit joins a few other Chittenden County specialty and independent grocers that stock 5th Quarter packaged meats. Turka said the café will have a “more robust offering,” though not the full Waitsfield lineup.
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