320 stories, newest first.
In the Vermont Public 2026 Poll, 20% of people surveyed in September said they had been late or come up short on rent or mortgage payments in the past year, and another 12% almost fell behind. Younger Vermonters are hit hardest, with 27% of those 18 to 44 struggling compared with 9% of people ove…
Bowl & Roll opened Thursday at 200 St. Paul Street, the former Magic Chopsticks space, with poke bowls, fire grilled rice bowls, build your own bowls and kati roll style wraps, plus boba tea on the way. Chef Santosh Bhattarai moved from California to open it with his longtime friend Neeraj Tiwari…
Winooski cut the ribbon Wednesday on nearly 4,000 feet of rebuilt Main Street, running from the railroad bridge near Maple Street out to the Colchester line, after more than two years of construction and detours. The $28.3 million project added a bike lane, wider sidewalks, more than 200 plants a…
Mary Richards of Cornwall spent three years looking for someone to replace her leaking slate roof, and on the crew's second day in August, ICE agents detained two roofers from a South Burlington company in less than 10 minutes. Migrant Justice counts at least 30 roofing and construction workers d…
Randolph's brand new Skunkfest was set for Saturday outside The Underground with nine punk and ska bands, a makers' market and a fixer tent, but owner Vincent Freeman says the venue's regular shows go on indefinite hiatus by the end of the year after his insurer dropped him and music licensing co…
Every third Saturday, volunteers at the Old North End Repair Cafe at 12-22 North Street fix one another's broken belongings over bagels, and it is one of the spots listed in ReuseVT, a new state funded directory of repair cafes, repair businesses and lending libraries. Director Susan Alexander sa…
The Bidwell opened in June in the former Stowe Street Café space in Waterbury, and every dish and drink is available all day, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Co-owner Rachael Brown, most recently of Prohibition Pig, wrote a wine list that describes bottles through TV characters from Schitt's Creek, Firefly…
Leaf season is looking healthy. Last year's drought browned trees across more than 64,000 acres, and this year the damage is minimal, according to Josh Halman, whose state team has tracked the same sugar maples since 1991. Their data shows the growing season stretching steadily, running 21 days l…
Zachary's Pizza on Williston Road in South Burlington has a new taproom pouring 16 beers plus wine, opened this summer in a former event space near the front of the restaurant after the arcade heavy family fun center in back closed in the spring. Owner Shawn Farrell says the fun center only made …
The Food Systems Research Station at Nordic Farm officially opened Thursday after two years of prep by UVM and the USDA, which signed a 30 year lease on the site. One early project puts GPS collars on cows to track how they move and which forage they prefer, with research on grazing systems, crop…
Oktoberfest returns tonight at 377 Pine Street, the South End Get Down lot, with more than 25 breweries pouring everything from traditional German beers to non alcoholic options, plus a traditional German band and other live performers. The games run from a stein holding competition and a keg tos…
CVOEO was slated to bring South Burlington's city council a plan on September 8 for a 100 bed low barrier overnight shelter at 1717 Williston Road, next to Barnyard Pizza, and pulled out on September 2 after seeing a memo city leaders had prepared for the council. City Manager Jessie Baker's chie…
The Harborvale opened July 1 inside the renovated hotel of the same name at 25 Cherry Street, the former Courtyard that housed Bleu Northeast Kitchen, and Seven Days food writer Jordan Barry calls it one of the most interesting restaurants to open in Burlington this year. Executive chef Doug Pain…
Switchback says its non-alcoholic beer is now brewed entirely in Burlington, making it the only in-house NA producer in Vermont, and the timing was tight. The company had been making Switchback N.A. with a Canadian partner because the dealcoholization technology was only available there, and its …
The Somali American restaurant at 505 Riverside Avenue has closed, and the little red building is headed for demolition, most likely next year, under a FEMA hazard mitigation buyout after a geotechnical assessment found the slope behind it unstable, with the lot becoming green space. Founder Ahme…
Justin Bunnell moved to Orlando in late August for his wife's job and is selling both the Venetian Cocktail & Soda Lounge and the Venetian Beverages brand, with the lounge for sale by word of mouth and staying open in the meantime. The brand started in the same Soda Plant building in 1917 with hi…
After six editions, the Vermont Almanac is done, its founders announcing in a newsletter that they will not open preorders for a seventh. Dave Mance, Virginia Barlow, Amy Peberdy and Patrick White, all Northern Woodlands alumni, started it on a $15,000 family loan, sold roughly 30,000 to 40,000 b…
The Public Utility Commission approved a 5.5% increase for Green Mountain Power's more than 275,000 Vermont customers, down from the 7.5% the utility asked for, and it takes effect October 1. Regulators approved about $113 million of the $341 million in four year resilience spending GMP requested…
Kingdom Creamery of Vermont, the largest supplier of Vermont made creemee mix, cut production to a limited basis after Border Patrol detained three of its migrant workers in late July, all three were deported, and more employees left out of fear. Stands from Bristol to Montpelier have been scramb…
We ran the closing news last month, and the last day is now here. Ray's Seafood Market & Restaurant closes its Pine Crest Drive location in Essex Junction for good on Saturday at 7 PM after 74 years, so this weekend is the last chance for a lap. Compass Vermont's piece from August explains the pa…
Seven Days reviews Burlington songwriter Lily Seabird's new album Lightspheres on Their Way, out last week on Lame-O Records, and hears a turn toward louder, Crazy Horse style distortion after 2021's Beside Myself and last year's Trash Mountain. The record is only partly on streaming, so the revi…
A standing room only crowd packed City Hall on Friday as downtown businesses told Mayor Emma Mulvaney-Stanak they are losing patience with open drug use, vagrancy and safety issues, with the Friendly Toast's manager describing a recent needle stick and Vermont Pub and Brewery reporting foot traff…
Vermont's game wardens have fielded roughly 1,800 bear calls so far this year, on pace for a record, and one bear in Jamaica ransacked a house and left the stove burner on. The population has more than tripled over 50 years to an estimated 7,500 to 8,900 animals, about double the state's target, …
The flip side of that success story. Four years into legal sales, small growers without retail licenses say the market is squeezing them out, since only retailers can sell to consumers, nearly half of the state's 110 cannabis retailers grow their own product, and the Cannabis Control Board froze …
The latest Stuck in Vermont rides along with Michael "Spike" Hendrickson, who grew up sailing and scuba diving on Lake Champlain and started Burlington Harbor Launch and Tow in 2019 after decades in restaurants and bars, with paramedic work still filling his winters. His five boats, all ladies, B…
Harmony Edosomwan, who owns Harmony's Kitchen in Winooski and cooks traditional Black Southern food there, took home the national crown at this year's Miss Black USA pageant. Along with the title she won a full ride to law school, and she says she wants to use the platform to bring more attention…
Starting today, the bar at the waterfront Skinny Pancake on Lake Street becomes a Lawson's Finest tap takeover that runs through foliage season, every tap pouring the Waitsfield brewery's beer, including the Sip line, with the new nonalcoholic Sip'N IPA in cans. The Quechee location has been runn…
Bar manager Yassen Zech and lead bartender Rachel Mutino designed the menu and the thrifted decor lounge together, with drinks like a clarified Bloody Mary martini and bar bites that nod to Belizean fry jacks. A series of soft openings leads up to the launch, and daytime service stays exactly as …
The scoop shop at 34 Park Street in Essex Junction is run by three brothers, 13-year-old twins Malachi and Messiah and 14-year-old Jaleel, who co-own it with their dad. They handle the scooping, the marketing, and the operations themselves, with ice cream from Woodstock's Mountain Creamery. Open …
Seven Days sat down with the Gazette's longtime restaurant critic, then built a 30-hour Montréal eating itinerary from her tips, from pastries at Rhubarbe to rotisserie chicken at La Lune to dinner at Le Violon. There is also a restaurant-history exhibit she helped instigate at the McCord Stewart…
The Bove family has pulled its permits to replace the old Pearl Street restaurant with a six-story, 25-unit housing building, citing interest rates, construction costs, and the wave of other housing projects underway in Chittenden County. The building has sat vacant since 2015 and ranks among the…
[Blue Paddle Bistro closes its doors after 21 years in the Champlain Islands](https://www.wcax.com/2026/08/14/local-restaurant-closes-its-doors-after-21-years-champlain-islands/)
An April 23 fire closed Green Mountain Habitat for Humanity's Williston store for three months, and it reopens Saturday at 10 a.m. with a ribbon cutting and food, repaired, repainted and reorganized. ReStore revenue pays for Habitat's building work, including three homes going up right now at Har…
Both Kitchen Table spots closed earlier this month, and Mirabelles is taking over the pair, the restaurant in Richmond and the market on Williston Road in South Burlington, with reopenings targeted by the end of September. The Richmond spot will likely become 'Belles on the River, serving casual …
Ray's Seafood in Essex Junction announced this weekend it will close after 74 years, with the last day of service set for September 12. The family business started as a wholesale seafood provider 74 years ago and gave no reason for the decision. There is a month left to get a final basket of frie…
Five weeks in, drivers love how fast the Parkway gets them to the highway, and Pine Street is paying for it with new backups. The top complaint is the missing left turn arrow where the project swapped four-way stops for signals at King and Maple, with waits of up to three light cycles at peak tim…
Community News Service rode along in the kitchen car of the Champlain Valley Dinner Train, where four cooks plated nearly 170 three course dinners on a single evening run. The train now rolls all the way to Middlebury on a three hour round trip from Burlington, with Rutland's Southside Steakhouse…
Micah Tavelli, the James Beard semifinalist behind the stoves at Majestic in the South End, is leaving to run the kitchen at a Danny Meyer group restaurant opening in Boston's Seaport. His last day is this Saturday, so the week ahead is your window for one more Tavelli-era dinner. Dan Schloemer, …
['Burlington Forward' proposal leads to multiple hours of public comment](https://www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/local-news/burlington-forward-proposal-leads-to-multiple-hours-of-public-comment/)
The council's Democrats passed their Burlington Forward resolution 7 to 5 on party lines late Monday after more than 100 people spoke across three hours, 60 of them against. The measure targets unpermitted services like Food Not Cops' daily meal share in City Hall Park and calls for zoning that w…
Feeding Champlain Valley has taken over gleaning in Chittenden County from the Vermont Foodbank, harvesting surplus produce from farms like Diggers' Mirth in the Intervale and moving it to food shelves, Spectrum, UVM's Rally Cat's Cupboard and the Janet S. Munt Family Room. The timing matters, si…
A gram averages $9.59 here against $3.87 in Massachusetts, and the gap is intentional. Vermont capped grow sizes to keep big multistate operators out and protect small growers, while Massachusetts let large operations flood their market and crash prices. The state has 110 retailers and 322 cultiv…
The Farmhouse Group spent three days in June turning the El Cortijo diner car on Bank Street into Burl’s Downtown Kitchenette, a nod to the space’s run as the Oasis Diner from 1954 to 2007. The 1953 Mountain View car was mostly left alone beyond new tables and booths, the existing staff stayed on…
Susan and Rick Cote opened Wild Meadows in late June at 27 Market Street in the Finney Crossing development, pairing a full bookstore with a café pouring espresso, housemade lemonade, wine and beer, plus pastries from Mirabelles and truffles from Birnn Chocolates. The Cotes have owned the weekly …
Eighteen dogs lined up on the grass at the Winooski Farmers Market on Sunday for the market’s annual show, a $20 per entry fundraiser for the market and For the Love of Dogs Vermont, a rescue that rehomes around 800 dogs a year. Ahki, a three legged husky, took Cutest, Scar and his owner won Look…
Aly Richards and Amanda Janoo have never run for office before, met over coffee at the Williston Gardener’s Supply café in February, and agreed to keep the race positive, a pledge that has held up across a long run of shared forums. A July 21 UNH poll of 558 likely Democratic voters found 52 perc…
[Twisted Halo Returns to Chittenden County With Essex Spot](https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/foodnews/twisted-halo-returns-to-chittenden-county-with-essex-spot/)
Age Well has run this for more than 15 years, and this year it lands at noon on Tuesday, September 1 at the Champlain Valley Exposition, with barbecue at 12:45, the Deuces Wild band and a raffle. An $8 suggested donation covers parking, fair admission, lunch and music, but only 350 tickets exist,…
South Burlington Public Library's Unearth a Story program runs for children, teens and adults until August 8, with sign ups entering you in a prize raffle and bingo cards earning extra tickets. The definition of reading is generously wide, since K through 4 kids color deeper underground toward bu…
With Canadian tariffs set to jump to 50 percent in late August, Queen City Brewery is weighing what another aluminum increase means for can costs, and La Reprise expects imported cheeses to get pricier. The sting is sharper because things had been looking up, with Canadian credit card spending in…
The good news first, since Vermont has recorded no cases tied to the national outbreak and the recalled iceberg lettuce was not distributed here. The parasite rides in on imported produce, so the experts' advice is to wash everything well, seek care if a gastrointestinal bug drags on for weeks, a…
Lee's brioche doughnuts, in flavors like Maple Crunch and local strawberry frosted, outgrew her home kitchen faster than her five year plan anticipated. The bakery is on hiatus while she builds a dedicated doughnut kitchen inside the market and cafe at 21 Essex Way, with fresh frying targeted for…
The Brewers Association tried something clever for the 33rd festival at Waterfront Park in late July, selling tickets to Canadians at par, $60 Canadian instead of the $84.49 the exchange rate would demand. It worked, sort of, with about 190 Canadian tickets sold, more than double last year but a …
File under reasons to love summer here. Adam Rice started selling the ten dollar Vermont Creemee Passport in April and has moved 3,000 of them so far, with 70 shops participating and a free creemee waiting for anyone who returns a fully stamped book. Proceeds are split among three Vermont childre…
Fran Megarry, now 84, went looking for a remote book club during the pandemic and landed on the Lanpher Memorial Library group in Hyde Park, which she initially assumed was the neighborhood in Chicago. Three and a half years of third Tuesday meetings later, the group had mailed her baked goods, k…
The employee-owned South End stalwart is making its hazy non-alcoholic IPA a permanent fixture after it became one of the most talked-about pours at the Beer Garden. Switchback is currently the only brewery producing non-alcoholic beer onsite in Vermont, and the company has quietly become an East…
A hangout spot run by and for young people is set to open later this summer at 4 Langdon Street, the former Bent Nails Bistro space. The idea grew out of a familiar problem, teens getting shuffled from coffee shop to coffee shop downtown with nowhere to simply exist. Montpelier's answer is worth …
The statewide listening tour returns with surveys, community events, and partnerships aimed especially at younger and rural Vermonters. Local news everywhere is fighting for survival, and a nonprofit newsroom driving around asking people what they actually need is a refreshingly direct approach. …
The Main Street institution is bringing back late night hours on Fridays and Saturdays, reopening from 10 PM after its daytime shift, welcome news for anyone whose midnight Shiner cravings survived the pandemic era. Meanwhile Judi's Ice Cream is expanding to South Burlington's City Center, which …
The Church Street mainstay plans a second, 5,300 square foot location this winter at Catamount Run, the UVM-linked housing development on Market Street, and the Burlington original is staying put. With Judi's Ice Cream announced the same week, City Center's food roster is starting to look like a …
After six decades of proposals, lawsuits, and downsizing, the final stretch linking Interstate 189 to Lakeside Avenue is finally open to cars and bikes. The roughly $85 million project, mostly federally funded, aims to pull traffic off Pine Street and ease congestion around the South End while su…
South Hero is layering new businesses on top of its island staples, including a cannabis market selling products direct from Vermont farmers in a building that sat empty for years, plus a fresh crop of restaurants and breweries. Local leaders credit a tourism spike, more housing, and spillover tr…
Billed as the state's first soccer focused bar, the Shelburne spot has become a clubhouse for England supporters this tournament, with ten televisions and a slider menu built for between match grazing. If you would rather watch closer to home, Citizen Cider is screening Saturday's group stage mat…
Montpelier lost its Langdon Street Tavern after nine years, reportedly over a rent dispute, the second nightlife spot to leave that block since last fall. Closer to home, Sweetwaters has revived a pandemic era collaboration so patrons at the Archives, Red Square, and Akes' Place can scan a QR cod…
The city's celebration runs Saturday from 1 to 9 p.m. across City Hall Park and Church Street Marketplace, with food vendors, live performances, and family activities under this year's theme of freedom as both legacy and ongoing work. Organizers told [NBC5](https://www.mynbc5.com/article/vermont-…
With the tournament rolling, the piece maps where fans can gather, from City Hall Park's outdoor screen to bars and breweries like RiRa, Switchback, and Zero Gravity. Organizers tie the enthusiasm to a genuine local surge built around UVM, Vermont Green FC, and youth programs. Several of those wa…
The Vermont Rural Learning Collective, based at Vermont State University, runs AmeriCorps members through a $386,780 SerVermont grant to chip away at food insecurity and education gaps across the Northeast Kingdom and other rural counties. Members work at host sites like Green Mountain Farm-to-Sc…
A Stowe officer shot and killed a black bear early this month after it repeatedly broke into the Matterhorn's outdoor cooler, following Fish & Wildlife protocol that calls for lethal action once a bear keeps entering a building. The restaurant's owner says he is horrified and now faces boycott th…
Gondolas, the smash burger and stacked creemee operation that took over the old Mountain View spot, is now running two locations five miles apart heading into its third summer. The downtown Morrisville shop opened in December for year round takeout, while the Route 15 snack bar handles the creeme…
The Burlington semipro club, barely five years old and largely made up of college players, drew Canada as one of the national side's final tuneups before the tournament kicked off. Vermont Green keeps building Canadian ties, fielding six players from the country in recent seasons and racking up a…
Strong winter snowpack and steady spring temperatures gave sugarmakers a more consistent run than recent years, with 8.2 million taps deployed statewide. The economic side is just as notable, with 2025 production valued at roughly $102 million and retail prices averaging $51.40 a gallon. Vermont …
The Riverside Avenue shop, open since 2018, earned a devoted following for its wood-fired pies and equal notoriety for $45 starting prices and Pizzutillo's combative online presence. Few Burlington restaurants have inspired as many Reddit threads or parody accounts, so this exit closes a genuinel…
The roundup gathers picks from chefs across the state, ranging from clam rolls and corn dogs to fried alligator bites. Burlington readers get a few close-to-home nods, including Beansie's Bus at Battery Park and Al's French Frys in South Burlington. Think of it as a pre-vetted summer to-do list f…
Now in its 15th year, the festival lands at Hula Lakeside with more than 75 exhibitors across two tasting sessions, plus seminars and live jazz. All-inclusive tickets run $80, and organizers are nudging people to buy ahead. Downtown has leaned heavily on events to draw crowds this season, and add…
Public Service VT, from the team behind Charlotte's beloved Old Brick Store, will take over the Maple Street café space this fall, while Kestrel Coffee Roasters closes that downtown location after seven years. It continues a season of churn for Kestrel, whose Pine Street spot already closed in Ap…
Colchester animal control officer Stephanie Gingras turned a recurring question, whether owners had enough food for their pets, into a nonprofit that now makes seven stops from Burlington to St. Albans. Everything is free with no income requirement, from dog and cat food to hay, birdseed, and fle…
Two families across a dirt road from each other now co own Maple, a shepherd dachshund mix who splits her weeks and her loyalties evenly between both homes. With pet ownership costs climbing, the arrangement, which a company called CoPuppy now helps arrange in cities worldwide, is catching on, ev…
The Arteaga-Pineda family, originally from Ecuador, opened in March at 1834 Shelburne Road, the South Burlington spot where Pauline's Café operated for almost fifty years before closing abruptly in 2024. The menu reaches beyond Ecuadorian staples like cheese stuffed potato pancakes to include Per…
The counter service barbecue spot opened May 20 next to his taco place Caja Taqueria, taking over the space that had been his short lived ax throwing venue, which closed in part over high insurance costs. Opening week seemed to confirm his hunch about local demand, with close to 100 people showin…
The restaurant has been at the Five Corners since 2014 but plans to relocate somewhere in the Essex area, with the new spot to be announced July 1. Its locations in Jeffersonville and at Smugglers' Notch stay open, as does the food truck, though the Burlington location closed back in 2023. Seven …
After five years, Aisha and Danny Bassett are closing the dairy free creemee business that began at Winooski's Myers Memorial Pool in 2021 and most recently shared space inside Uncommon Coffee in Essex. Rising costs and the arrival of their daughter over the winter both factored into the decision…
This is the first food product to carry the Milk With Dignity logo on its label, the program that sets wage, housing, and safety standards for dairy workers. Made by Middlebury's Champlain Valley Creamery, the farmer cheese sold its first run fast and is already on shelves at both City Market loc…
The beloved pie maker outgrew its Underhill shop and opened a second spot in Cambridge on March 20, this one with sit down dining, espresso, and a menu that ranges well past pie into salads, sandwiches, and doughnuts. The kitchen is led by a former Bleu Northeast chef, and the front of house is r…
The piece paints a sobering picture of how deeply tick populations have reshaped daily life for Vermonters, from families limiting where their kids play to longtime outdoor enthusiasts abandoning hobbies entirely. Slightly more than half of adult black-legged ticks tested in the state now carry t…
The former Hired Hand Brewing taproom at 35 Green Street in Vergennes, which has sat empty since Antidote closed in 2024, is getting new life as a café, bar, and coworking space. Lawrence plans morning hours with coffee and house-baked biscuit sandwiches, plus Friday and Saturday evening service …
After 15 years of tacos and margaritas in that iconic Bank Street diner car, the Farmhouse Group is pivoting to an all day concept with serious Southern flair. The shift reflects a downtown nightlife that has simply changed, with Davis noting that El Cortijo was always as much a bar as a restaura…
Seven Days' summer preview is a useful planning document for anyone trying to map out the months ahead. Highlights include the inaugural season of Vermont Green FC Women at UVM's Virtue Field, The Sound of Music performed by Lyric Theatre at the von Trapp Family Lodge with the Vermont Symphony Or…
Mayor Mulvaney-Stanak's administration is going after nearly 40 properties where owners owe at least $1,500 in taxes for more than a year, part of a broader push to collect roughly $1 million in overdue revenue including unpaid parking tickets and gross receipts taxes from restaurants and bars. T…
The Shelburne farmers market is now operating under the town and its affiliated nonprofit Experience Shelburne after nearly 20 years with the Shelburne Business and Professional Association. The transition has brought more structural support, tighter financial management, and room for 101 booths …
Since 2023, the Mobile Pet Food Shelf has been setting up at motels, churches, and community centers across Chittenden County at least once a week, offering free pet food, treats, and supplies funded entirely by donations. Beyond the food itself, Gingras connects people to low cost veterinary res…
[Shelburne Student Competes at National Neuroscience Competition](https://www.vtcng.com/shelburnenews/community/school_news/shelburne-student-competes-at-national-neuroscience-competition/article_462e422a-5a8f-4ed8-b5f6-f39c436c0883.html)
Avery Buck, the 2025 James Beard Award finalist (Best Chef, Northeast) who put May Day on the national map, is moving to Farmers & Foragers as executive chef. His last day at May Day was Sunday, and sous chef Sloan Miller (formerly of Hen of the Wood and Paradiso Hi-Fi) will step up to run that k…
The Humane Society of Chittenden County, which started in 1901 when 20 people gathered in a Burlington garage after a horse cruelty case in St. Albans, facilitated 965 adoptions and rescued 210 animals from cruelty or neglect in 2025 alone. Beyond adoptions, the organization runs a free food pant…
[Chicken Charlie's in South Burlington Takes a Pause](https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/foodnews/chicken-charlies-in-south-burlington-takes-a-pause/)
[Citizen Cider to Move Pub, Consolidate Operations](https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/citizen-cider-to-move-pub-consolidate-operations-43168257/)
[Local Builders and Designers Nab Construction Awards](https://www.vtcng.com/otherpapersbvt/community/noteworthy/local-builders-designers-nab-construction-awards/article_9aef4921-8399-45c6-9279-24ad2f20fe42.html)
Anisa Mohamed, Omar's widow, sold the Somali American restaurant at 505 Riverside Avenue to Abbas Mohamed and his wife Mashaer Ebaid, who plan to keep the existing menu while adding Sudanese dishes like eggplant salad and okra with greens. The couple also owns Sudanese Halal Market in Winooski. A…
The Connecticut-founded chain will open its first Vermont outpost at 42 Church Street, though no date has been announced yet. PopUp focuses on bagels with creative cream cheese and butter spreads rather than traditional breakfast sandwiches, and they already have locations in 13 states. Church St…
Palmer Lane Maple's creemees have been voted Chittenden County's best every year since 2022, and that reputation has turned the residential street outside the stand into what neighbors call "Coneville," named for the orange traffic cones guarding driveways and lawns. New owners Dan and Jessica Ph…
Khudaier's family moved to Vermont in 2014 as refugees from the Iraq War, and his mother Sabah Abbas started a small catering business in 2019 with pop-ups at the Old North End Farmers Market. The Church Street Marketplace awarded the family a three-year lease on the 135-square-foot kiosk at the …
[Dumpling Café to Replace Asiana House in Burlington](https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/foodnews/dumpling-cafe-to-replace-asiana-house-in-burlington/)
[Burlington Ramps Up Tickets for Street Sweep Scofflaws](https://www.wcax.com/2026/05/07/burlington-ramps-up-tickets-street-sweep-scofflaws/)
Brothers Allan and Travis Walker-Hodkin moved to Burlington from New York City during the pandemic and quickly turned their 198 Main Street breakfast spot into a local institution, earning a nod from Bon Appétit in 2023 for their now famous #8 sandwich. While they've been vocal about the toll tha…
Senate President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth is pushing a statewide ban on firearms in bars and restaurants after Burlington's own charter change, which city voters approved by a large margin in 2025, has repeatedly stalled in the House. The new bill, S.329, sidesteps the patchwork concern that Gover…
Employees across Healthy Living's three locations in South Burlington, Williston, and Saratoga Springs voted 105 to 69 to join Workers United, citing concerns about wages and a lack of communication from management around major business decisions. The roughly 300 person workforce is now assemblin…
[Ethan Allen Tower Set to Open May 10](https://www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/local-news/ethan-allen-tower-set-to-open-may-10/)
Alimentari opened April 1 at 196 St. Paul Street, filling the former Café Saint Paul space with housemade mozzarella, espresso, pastries, and an all day sandwich menu alongside pantry goods from Italy and beyond. Wells, a James Beard Outstanding Restaurateur semifinalist who also co-owns Pizzeria…
Pizzeria Corinna opened in February at Essex Towne Marketplace with a compact menu of seven pizzas, salads, and Italian subs named after Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters. Owner Shane Corbett modeled the shop on the neighborhood pizzerias of the late '80s and early '90s, and baker Olivia Cl…
The grant comes through Hannaford's "Fuel Kids at School" initiative, which has funded food pantries at over 200 schools across New England and New York but had never been tapped by a Vermont institution until Hayden applied. Four of VTSU's five campuses sit in areas with limited access to afford…
A new statewide study found that Vermont's 68 golf courses support 5,376 jobs and $212.1 million in wages, generating more total economic impact than maple syrup production or craft brewing. The industry drove more than 190,000 golf related trips and $121.9 million in direct visitor spending, whi…
[DoubleTree by Hilton Burlington Wins Global Award of Excellence](https://www.vtcng.com/otherpapersbvt/community/noteworthy/doubletree-awarded-for-quality-stay-experiences/article_99796bbf-a3c3-4e62-aa63-f206da2d3c0a.html)
Seven Days' music column gives the full rundown on Foam Brewers' decade in business, tracing the Lake Street brewery's evolution from a cool little beer spot into one of the most important music venues in Burlington. The anniversary weekend runs Friday through Sunday with free live music, food tr…
The Flynn has unveiled the free Around Town lineup for this year's Burlington Discover Jazz Festival, running June 3 through 7. The programming spreads across Church Street's Top Block Stage, City Hall Park, College Street, and independent venues including Venetian Soda Lounge, Zero Gravity, Luck…
The pioneering farm-to-table nonprofit Vermont Fresh Network has quietly gone dark just short of its 30th anniversary, unable to fund a new executive director after membership slid from 305 in 2019 to 224 by late 2023. Board chair and Honey Road chef Cara Chigazola Tobin said the organization nev…
[Vermont Brewers Festival Returning to Burlington Waterfront](https://www.mychamplainvalley.com/news/local-news/vermont-brewers-festival-returning-to-burlington-waterfront/)
[520 BBQ and Grill Brings Southern-Style Smoked Meat to Essex](https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/520-bbq-and-grill-brings-southern-style-smoked-meat-to-essex/)
For the second year running, Vermont Fiber Fans joined the nationwide Knit for Food knit-a-thon, gathering at the Makery in Burlington for six hours of knitting, crocheting, sewing, and weaving. The group raised $2,655, part of a national haul of nearly $560,000 split between Feeding America, Wor…
[Vermont Overdose Deaths Drop 25% in Dramatic Decline](https://www.wcax.com/2026/04/24/vermont-overdose-deaths-drop-25-dramatic-decline/)
The episode traces the decades long history of Vermonters fighting to keep chains out, most memorably in Manchester, where a McDonald's battle in the late 1970s became a proxy war over the town's identity. (McDonald's eventually won, but only after agreeing to a toned down design with a wood shin…
The 59th Annual Vermont Maple Festival kicked off today in St. Albans and runs through Sunday. The weekend lineup includes vendors and live music on Main Street, sugarhouse tours, a craft and food show on Saturday, and Sunday's 8.5 mile Sap Run from Swanton to St. Albans plus a parade. There's al…
Evans moved from Rutland to Chittenden County and has set up shop in the University Mall parking lot near Dorset Street, serving Texas and Kansas City style smoked meats. The menu features chopped brisket, pulled pork, and pickle marinated fried chicken sandwiches, all smoked over pecan wood with…
Vermont is very much a buyer's market for cannabis right now. Burlington alone has 11 dispensaries, and Morrisville (population 2,000) somehow has five. Seven Days takes a look at how retailers are differentiating themselves amid tight competition and strict Cannabis Control Board rules that ban …
After four years away, the Church Street staple reopened Thursday at its original location. If you lost track of the shuffle: when Sweetwaters closed, Pascolo Ristorante moved into its space from a block up the street. Now both restaurants have returned to their original spots. Head chef Jessee L…
Raj Bhakta, the WhistlePig Whiskey founder and former "Apprentice" contestant, bought the shuttered Green Mountain College campus in Poultney for $4.5 million in 2020 with grand promises of luxury hotels, restaurants, condos, and a world class distillery school. Six years and a claimed $15 millio…
Vermont's sugaring season is wrapping up with an estimated 3 million gallons of syrup produced, more than half the country's total output and in line with recent years. Some sugarmakers saw record breaking single day sap flows thanks to textbook conditions of mid 40s days following nights in the …
The Hernandez-Martinez family is launching a weekday takeout operation out of the Doma Bar kitchen at 388 Pine Street, serving regional Mexican dishes like Michoacán carnitas, enchiladas verdes, and housemade sopes. The menu changes daily, Monday through Friday from 10 to 2:30, with orders availa…
South Burlington is launching a biweekly Friday farmers market this summer, its first department led initiative of this kind. The city received more than 70 vendor applications after putting out a call in January, helped by the fact that there's no vendor fee in the inaugural year (for comparison…
The post resurfaced during the heated Ward 8 city council race between Jeff Nick's son Ryan and incumbent Marek Broderick. Food Not Cops had served daily lunches at the Marketplace Garage for five years before community pressure, including an open letter from over 180 business owners, led to a re…
The city has identified 32 "problem properties," vacant or deteriorating buildings that are dragging down neighborhoods and sitting empty during a housing crisis. The mayor's office has directed the permitting department to ramp up enforcement of the vacant building ordinance, which gives owners …
A new UVM study published in the journal Trees, Forests and People found that Vermont maple producers who adopt biodiversity friendly practices, things like leaving standing dead trees, removing invasive species, or participating in Audubon Vermont's Bird-Friendly Maple project, see no increase i…
This is happening today: the inaugural Vermont Art Book Fair runs tonight (5 to 8 PM) and tomorrow (noon to 8 PM) at Karma Bird House on Maple Street. Over 30 independent vendors and artists will set up across two levels of the historic warehouse, with demos, talks, workshops, live music from the…
If you've been watching the Champlain Parkway sit there looking basically finished and wondering when it would actually open, there's finally a timeline. Construction restarted last week, and Spencer says the parkway should be open by June or July. What's left is mostly finishing work: overhead s…
Trombly, chef and owner at Fancy's in the Old North End, is now a finalist for Best Chef: Northeast, heading to the ceremony in Chicago on June 15. He'll compete against chefs from Connecticut, New Hampshire, Maine and Rhode Island. Tunbridge native Ivy Mix, co-owner of Brooklyn bar Whoopsie Dais…
The popular Jamaican restaurant is leaving its South Burlington location and heading to 152 Cherry Street, taking over the former Sushi Maeda space with a target opening in May. The new spot is three times larger and will feature a 20 plus seat bar area, a café style workspace, and a full service…
Local entrepreneur Blaine Paxton and a group of activists organized a satirical bus tour of federal immigration facilities in Chittenden County, complete with actors playing tour guides, scripts, and branded buses. The five stop route included the Chittenden Regional Correctional Facility, where …
[New food coming to Church Street Marketplace, along with craft shops](https://www.burlingtonfreepress.com/story/marketplace/real-estate/burlington/2026/04/02/church-street-marketplace-vendors-peruvian-food-african-crafts-burlington-vermont/89417726007/)
[Eye on the Scene: Experimental Music at Burlington's RIVEN](https://www.sevendaysvt.com/music/eye-on-the-scene/eye-on-the-scene-experimental-music-at-burlingtons/)
The "Buy Nothing South Burlington, VT" Facebook group has grown from a handful of members to nearly 2,000 since 2021, part of an 8,000-page national network focused on reducing waste while connecting neighbors. Members exchange everything from clothes and furniture to food and practical help. Whe…
Two Vermont-connected names are heading to the James Beard Awards ceremony in Chicago on June 15. Paul Trombly of Fancy's in Burlington's Old North End is a finalist for Best Chef: Northeast, and Tunbridge native Ivy Mix, co-owner of Brooklyn bar Whoopsie Daisy, is up for Outstanding Professional…
Using two decades of receipts from a colleague's archive, the piece tracks how menu prices at Vermont restaurants that are still around have climbed well beyond what inflation alone would explain. The pandemic's impact on wages, insurance, and ingredient costs is the main driver, and those costs …
Gold Restaurant on North Winooski Ave has sold over 38,000 oysters since opening in July 2024, with more than 80% of those going for a dollar each during their daily 4:30 to 6 PM special. Yes, they lose money on most of them (wholesale runs about 92 cents to $1.10 per oyster), but the strategy wo…
I want it to feel like a homepage for Burlington living: a place you can come back to daily, not just once. I’m still building it out, especially the food section, and I’d genuinely love your feedback. If there’s a local site, page, account, or resource you visit all the time and think should be …
UVM students have logged over 7,000 hours of service work since August, and The Princeton Review ranked UVM the top public university for making an impact for the second year running. The piece profiles students running the 24/7 volunteer ambulance service, volunteering at food pantries, and deli…
The Courtyard by Marriott at 25 Cherry Street is getting a full rebrand as the Harborvale, and the restaurant replacing Bleu Northeast Kitchen sounds ambitious. Executive chef Doug Paine is planning seven day a week service spanning breakfast through a late night bar, with a menu focused on Lake …
After a pilot year in Windham County that saw 54 residents share meals, the initiative has expanded statewide with chambers of commerce and economic development groups from Addison County to the Northeast Kingdom getting involved. Hosts who invite a newcomer to a meal can access restaurant deals …
More than 90 sugar houses across the state opened their doors for Maple Open House Weekend, including Bragg Farm in East Montpelier, which has been boiling since 1991. Last Saturday drew big crowds and cooperative weather; And last Sunday's rain slowed things down. If you missed it, Palmer's Suga…
What I’m trying to build with The Btown Hub is simple: one place to start your Burlington internet day. Instead of bouncing between apps and typing the same things over and over, like Reddit, local Facebook groups, Instagram pages, newsletters, food deals, event calendars, and city updates, my go…
Stockbridge native Kevin Chap is the creator and host of "Wild Foods," a new PBS series premiering in April that blends documentary storytelling with environmental stewardship and food culture. The show argues for "rewilding" the American food system by visiting farmers, ranchers, fishers and che…
As Vermont's maple syrup output has doubled over the past decade, producers are increasingly turning to the H-2A visa program and other channels to bring in seasonal foreign workers. This season, eight maple producers requested 46 workers through H-2A, and others are hiring through out-of-state l…
Attorney General Charity Clark has joined 20 other state attorneys general in suing the Trump administration over new USDA grant conditions that tie federal food program funding to compliance with immigration, DEI and gender identity policies. The lawsuit, Clark's 46th against the administration,…
[Battle of the Bands Finale at Higher Ground](https://vtcynic.com/multimedia/battle-of-the-bands/)
Full list of [restaurant reviews here.](https://btownbrief.beehiiv.com/restaurant-reviews)
[Rock Point School Annual Arts Festival Friday, March 27th & Saturday, March 28th](https://www.rockpointschool.org/)
The Community Resource Center on North Winooski Avenue, which shares space with Feeding Champlain Valley's food shelf, faces a $650,000 shortfall after Gov. Scott proposed cutting state funding. The center serves up to 150 people daily with hot meals, social workers, and housing coordinators, and…
The co-op has now been in the red for eight consecutive years, losing $1.2 million in fiscal year 2025 alone, more than double the previous year's losses. The two stores are heading in opposite directions: the South End location saw a 9 percent sales increase while downtown dropped 7 percent, pla…
Vermont's bear population has roughly doubled its target range, now estimated at 6,500 to 8,000 animals. And they're waking up about two weeks earlier than they did 15 years ago, likely driven by shorter, milder winters. The practical takeaway: it's time now to pull bird feeders, secure trash and…
Shane Corbett has opened a nostalgia driven pizza shop at 1 Market Place in Essex, modeled on the pizza joints of the late '80s and early '90s. The menu features six pies, including a hot honey with arugula, and Italian subs named after Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles characters, all served on seede…
Colchester's Development Review Board approved plans for "The H on Malletts Bay," a 20 room hotel with a 40 seat restaurant and 60 person event space on a 2 acre lakefront slope owned by the Hazelett Strip-Casting Corp., now part of Austria's EBNER Group. Opponents, organized as Save Malletts Bay…
This first installment of a two part series from UVM's student paper examines the estimated 1,200 to 1,500 migrant workers sustaining Vermont's $5.4 billion dairy industry, with roughly 70 to 90% of farms relying on their labor. Because dairy operates year round, many workers can't access the fed…
The 135 square foot city-owned kiosk at the corner of Church and College streets needs a new tenant after Leunig's Petit Bijou decided not to renew its lease. Applications are due today (Friday, Feb. 27) at 4 PM. The new lease requires at least six hours a day, six days a week, year round, a nota…
Warmer winters and midseason thaws are disrupting the delicate freeze/thaw cycle that sugar maples depend on, pushing prime sugaring season earlier into February and March. Producers are turning to reverse osmosis machines and modern tubing systems to offset erratic conditions, but those investme…
The most interesting detail buried in the numbers is the spending on town committees, which is set to more than double to $328,600, with nearly two thirds of that going to the newly established Community and Economic Development Committee. That committee's budget funds everything from business re…
If you've been curious about fermentation but intimidated by the prospect of accidentally growing the wrong kind of mold, this club is your entry point. Founded by Cheyanne Rico, the free monthly meetups at Queen City Brewery feature tasting potlucks where members bring everything from first atte…
The new all day café and bar occupies the ground floor corner of Burlington Square, the building that rose from what everyone called "the Pit." With 75 plus seats, a full bar, a panini and breakfast menu, and a just launched espresso martini program, Jitters is positioning itself as downtown's ne…
[Downtown City Market Closed After Shoplifting Incident](https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/foodnews/downtown-city-market-closed-for-the-day-after-shoplifting-incident/)
The Scott Administration has sought federal approval to restrict what Vermonters can buy with 3SquaresVT (the state's SNAP program), following a Trump administration initiative encouraging states to limit benefits to "healthy" foods. About 67,000 Vermonters rely on the program. Pieciak pushed bac…
The spot at 36 Thorsen Way, tucked behind the Church Street Marketplace, is back in business as Thai in the Alley, replacing BKK in the Alley which closed last fall. Henson, who also owns Stowe Thai Cuisine, teamed up with chef Tokyo Asissara, whose menu spans regions of Thailand and includes cre…
Chef and owner Celine Eid opened La Di Da at 294 North Winooski Avenue last September in the former Despacito space, and it's quickly become a go to spot in the Old North End. Slices run $3.50 to $5.50 and whole 18 inch pies go for $26 to $36, with standouts like the chimichurri and the spicy Gem…
Longtime downtown barista Cole Thornton is heading back behind the espresso machine. After a decade at the Cosmic Grind on Church Street, Thornton and business partner Dante Seguino are opening Café Napoli at 163 Cherry Street, the cozy space that previously housed cannabis dispensary Lucky You a…
Seven Days' weekly event picks for February 11 through 18 lead with Nella performing tonight at the UVM Recital Hall through the Lane Series. The list also highlights comedian Stavros Halkias at the Flynn (that was Thursday, and it was sold out too!), the Junction Dance Festival's Midwinter Motio…
Seven Days' latest restaurant feature highlights three local spots worth booking for date night, Valentine's or otherwise. Salt & Bubbles in Essex has quietly leveled up under executive chef Jordan Atwood and beverage director Logan Patnaude, turning out dishes like a caramelized cabbage plate wi…
Gov. Scott has directed the Agency of Human Services to seek a federal waiver that would restrict certain food purchases under Vermont's 3SquaresVT program, joining roughly a dozen other states considering similar moves under the Trump administration's Make America Healthy Again campaign. The spe…
H.713 would bump the minimum wage for fast food workers at chains with more than 60 locations nationwide to $20 an hour, modeled after a similar California law. The bill's sponsors frame it as leveling the playing field, but local restaurant workers are raising the counterpoint that it could actu…
After nearly three years running a 120 seat, full menu Italian restaurant in Montpelier, the Penzo family has scaled back and returned to Essex Junction, where they originally launched as a food truck in 2021. The new spot at 3 Maple Street (formerly Nomad Coffee) is a 20 seat counter service ope…
[Burlington Telecom Raises $10,000 for Food Shelves](https://www.vtcng.com/otherpapersbvt/community/noteworthy/phoenix-books-hosts-vermont-poet-laureate/article_be402569-5f0d-49d0-8ff3-13f4cd1e3393.html)
[Vermont Green FC License Plate Proposal in the Works](https://www.mynbc5.com/article/vermont-green-fc-license-plate/70261078)
Activists are targeting two Williston locations that house ICE operations, with the White Cap Business Park becoming a particular flashpoint. A four hour sit in there last week drew backlash from tenants, including a café owner forced to close early. The property manager called police and demande…
Businesses across Vermont are navigating today's nationwide general strike in response to the Trump administration's immigration crackdown and ICE's aggressive enforcement, particularly in Minneapolis. While Santiago's closed entirely after a staff vote, most local businesses are finding middle g…
Vermont's chronic absenteeism rate dropped to 25 percent last school year, the lowest since 2021-22 but still well above the pre pandemic rate of 18 percent. The Agency of Education is now proposing statutory changes that would overhaul truancy policies largely unchanged since the 1960s, moving a…
With 28 percent of South Burlington students qualifying for free or reduced lunch, seniors Ally Leduc and Katie Williamson launched the high school's first in house food pantry just before winter break. The unlocked room in the administrative offices allows students to discreetly fill backpacks w…
South Burlington Recreation and Parks announced plans for a new farmer's market on the recreation path across from Burlington International Airport, running every other Friday evening from June 12 through September 18. Unlike the nearby Burlington Farmers Market, which charges over $1,000 for a s…
Head brewer Destiny Saxon and cofounder Paul Sayler separated the brewpub at 115 St. Paul Street from Zero Gravity back in 2022, though the two still collaborate in limited fashion. Mothership works more closely now with Stowe's Idletyme Brewing, and its rotating tap list is only available at Ame…
Senate Bill 278 would eliminate THC concentration limits for flower, raise the cap for concentrates to 70%, and double the retail purchase limit to two ounces. It would also authorize cannabis events, delivery services, and on premises consumption alongside food service. Perhaps most notably for …
David Melincoff, who owned the downtown fixture for half of its 41 year run, is working with investors and former executive chef Jessee Lawyer to reopen the 120 Church Street restaurant by late April. Sweetwaters closed in 2022 to make way for Pascolo Ristorante, which recently moved back to its …
[Gov. Scott Joins Growing Number of Lawmakers Criticizing ICE-Related Shootings](https://www.wcax.com/2026/01/26/gov-scott-joins-growing-number-lawmakers-criticizing-ice-related-shootings/)
Drink, the cocktail bar on Saint Paul Street across from City Hall Park, announced its closure Thursday evening. The spot was known for live music, comedy nights, and trivia. Originally founded in 1999 as Wine Works, it had rebranded several times over the years. Still, quite impressive being the…
[One Dead, One Injured in Burlington Apartment Fire](https://www.mynbc5.com/article/one-dead-one-injured-in-burlington-apartment-fire/70099877)
More than 30 community members packed the final public hearing for Hazelett Strip Casting Corp.'s proposed 20 room inn and restaurant on Malletts Bay lakefront property. Residents spoke almost unanimously in opposition, citing concerns about environmental impact, property values, and what this de…
Senator Peter Welch has joined Rep. Gwen Moore in reintroducing the COLAs Don't Count Act, which would prevent Social Security cost of living adjustments from counting as income when calculating SNAP eligibility. Currently, when a household's income rises due to a COLA, beneficiaries can see thei…
The brewery will take over Simple Roots' former space at 1127 North Avenue in the Ethan Allen Shopping Center, with a taproom opening targeted for February. Upper Pass has also signed a lease on an adjacent storefront that will double their production space, allowing them to bring back small batc…
After months of distributing free food on Church Street following changes to SNAP benefits in November, Howley has partnered with King Street Laundry to expand her community support program. The laundromat already runs a free laundry day from 1 to 3 PM every Wednesday, and now free lunches will b…
Burlington punched well above its weight in this year's roundup. Wilder Wines on College Street earned a nod for its lambrusco spritz (the lower alcohol summer sipper with Castelvetrano olives over pebble ice), while La Reprise on Pine Street drew praise for its perfectly executed pastas and that…
Major Jackson, who taught at UVM from 2002 to 2020 and now splits time between Rochester, Vermont and Nashville, has a new anthology coming next fall from Storey Publishing: "A Bowl of Goodness: Nourishing Poems With a Side of Soup." The book pairs 65 poems with 24 recipes and reflections from wr…
The Scale (poke bowls), Bliss Bee (healthy fast food), and soon Folino's pizza and Bijou Blu spa are all setting up shop on Market Street. Nearly 56,000 square feet of commercial space has been added to the densest parts of City Center in the last decade. New zoning amendments extend requirements…
[GMP earns top spot in JD Power residential customer satisfaction survey](https://vermontbiz.com/news/2025/december/18/gmp-earns-top-spot-customers-jd-power-residential-customer-satisfaction)
[May Day Adds Sandwich Saturday Lunches in Burlington](https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/foodnews/may-day-adds-sandwich-saturday-lunches-in-burlington/)
Over 140 noncitizen households in Vermont lost or saw reduced nutrition benefits following changes from July's federal budget law. New USDA guidance this week means refugees and asylees with green cards, plus Afghan Special Immigrant Visa holders, should start receiving benefits again as early as…
Head pastry chef Sam La Croix and executive chef Craig Anthony have opened Kitchen Table Market & Café on Williston Road, sharing space with Chicken Charlie's. The menu pulls from both the Richmond restaurant and the chicken spot, with cross pollination like the Shorty Mac panini featuring braise…
A new Food Not Bombs initiative has been setting up on Market Street in South Burlington for three weeks running, offering free soup, canned goods, and winter clothes. Organizer Rae Beecher, who was homeless for two and a half years before relocating to Vermont, started the effort after noticing …
[Vermont Tourism Hits Record $4.2 Billion in Visitor Spending](https://www.wcax.com/2025/12/11/vermont-tourism-hits-record-42-billion-visitor-spending/)
[Vermont Prevails in Suit Over Canceled Federal Disaster Funding](https://www.sevendaysvt.com/news/vermont-prevails-in-suit-over-canceled-federal-disaster-funding/)
[New Scale Poké Bar; Burlington Black Cap Closed](https://www.sevendaysvt.com/food-drink/foodnews/new-scale-poke-bar-burlington-black-cap-closed/)
Owner Laura Vilalta's statement comes after workers at the Church Street location walked out Saturday, protesting what they call unfair labor practices. Workers say the closure, set for the end of December, conveniently comes right before they're due to receive their annual raise and after nine m…
Belleville Bakery owner Shelley MacDonald started selling nine dollar banana cakes that require customers to share what they're proud of, and the response has been extraordinary. One story about a woman who planned to buy the cake after finishing cancer treatment went viral, prompting donations f…
Seven Days profiles seven Vermonters and organizations pushing back against the Trump administration. The Vermont Asylum Assistance Project has emerged as a particularly effective check, winning multiple habeas corpus cases to free detained immigrants despite having no previous federal court expe…
A delightful piece of Burlington culinary history. Those beloved wings at Zabby & Elf's Stone Soup? They're actually a recipe Tim Elliott secretly copied from Jerry Weinberg's Five Spice Café back in the 1990s, despite Weinberg's heavy threats about recipe theft. The Indonesian sauce sat unused i…
Eight years after launching from the Radio Bean stage, the eight piece groove and soul outfit finally has an album. "For the World" is a hybrid of studio tracks and live recordings cut at Tank Recording Studio with a small audience wearing headphones. Saxophonist Jacob Deva Racusin says the band …
Starting Wednesday, the café at City Market's South Winooski Avenue location will shutter for the winter, the second year in a row safety concerns have forced the closure. The public restroom will also close, partly for a plumbing upgrade. When the café reopened last winter after a January closur…
The former Paradiso Hi-Fi space on Pine Street has reopened as Doma Bar, a cocktails and vinyl lounge with a more relaxed vibe than its predecessor. Owner Sadie Williams kept the high fidelity sound system and several hundred albums but added a sparkly disco ball and dialed back the serious liste…
For the fourth consecutive year, Farmhouse Group chefs are preparing turkey dinners for roughly 1,500 people, with meals distributed through various Burlington nonprofits on Wednesday and Thursday. King Street Laundry is also stepping up with free takeout meals donated by Waterworks Food + Drink …
Louis Godin's Neighbors Helping Neighbors Project is now in its 11th year, collecting food along with paper goods and hygiene products from his garage at 31 McIntosh Ave every Saturday through December 31 from 8 AM to noon. The initiative has collected roughly 14,000 pounds of food over the past …
Teams are deploying Lindgren funnel traps at six Vermont forest sites, targeting campgrounds and areas with recycled wood or shipping pallets where the pest might arrive via infested firewood. The stakes are serious: in Worcester, Massachusetts, 30,000 trees have been removed since 2008 to contai…
After weeks of uncertainty during the federal government shutdown, USDA confirmed Thursday that full SNAP benefits will arrive Friday for over 63,000 Vermonters who rely on 3SquaresVT. The state's Emergency Board had approved $6.3 million in stopgap funding to cover 15 days of benefits during the…
Small Vermont farms are using new agritech tools to ease labor shortages and climate impacts, with Rutland maple producer Brian Kussel praising the "peace of mind" from an app-based monitor called Farmblox. The system, which he installed with a state grant, alerts him to equipment issues like fro…
The 40-year resident has volunteered for over a decade, transforming the operation from a tiny church corner to a full first-floor operation adapting to cultural diversity by stocking halal options and lentils for refugee families. COVID drove numbers through the roof, forcing outdoor operations …
Vermont issued $6 million in state-funded food aid to 36,000 households on Friday after the five-week federal government shutdown paused 3SquaresVT (SNAP) payments, VTDigger reports. Vermont is one of only a few states, including New Mexico and Virginia, to provide direct replacement benefits rat…
Troopers can sign up for voluntary overtime shifts Monday through Sunday from noon to 4 PM or 4 PM to 8 PM, working alongside Burlington police to free up city officers for other calls. This is one of 14 points in Governor Phil Scott's short-term action plan for the city. Local businesses welcome…
At Majestic, new chef Micah Tavelli (2024 James Beard semifinalist) has brought more formally plated entrées despite owner Sam Tolstoi's initial "no tweezers" decree, with standouts including lobster spaghetti and brandy-peppercorn pork loin. Mr. Creemee opened its sherbet-colored Pine Street par…
Vermont joined 24 other states suing to block the suspension of SNAP benefits that would have begun this weekend. The state had already moved to temporarily cover $6 million for 38,000 households through mid-November. Judge McConnell in Rhode Island ordered use of emergency reserves "as soon as p…
The nonprofit distributed $90,000 in gift cards Friday to 600 families, 85% of whom depend on SNAP benefits threatened by the shutdown. The club increased dinner portions with more protein while families wait until November 7 for state emergency funding to kick in. Benosky says kids still arrive …
State leaders voted Wednesday to spend $6 million ensuring 65,000 low-income Vermonters keep receiving food benefits for November's first two weeks despite the federal shutdown. The Emergency Board initially debated whether to fund half or full benefits, but Democrats successfully argued that wit…
Attorney General Charity Clark joined 24 states suing the federal government to prevent suspension of food benefits, marking her 32nd lawsuit against the Trump administration. The suit argues Congress has already set aside $6 billion in reserves for SNAP that USDA is illegally refusing to release…
Brett Yates and Michelle Sagalchik are transforming a former College Street yoga studio into Partizanfilm, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit micro-cinema with two screening rooms seating 19 and 31 people. The theater aims to fill Burlington's cinema void with curated programming and a cafe-hangout lobby spac…
The USDA has directed Vermont to pause November food stamp distribution due to the federal shutdown, affecting the $12 million monthly 3SquaresVT program that serves thousands of vulnerable Vermonters. State lawmakers are scrambling to implement stopgap measures using Vermont's $100 million feder…
Three UVM students launched GiftDrive in September, a platform that lets nonprofits list specific items they need for donors to purchase with just clicks, with goods delivered directly to organizations. Eight Vermont nonprofits have already joined, with Colchester Community Food Shelf receiving 1…
Hammond, the longest-serving director in Generator's 11-year history, just unveiled an upgraded Electronics Lab supporting Vermont's GaN semiconductor initiative while expanding teacher training programs. The Montpelier resident brings experience from founding Langdon Street Café and fundraising …
After eight months of takeout only service, chef Elliot Sion and co owner Becca Christie opened their 25 seat Middle Eastern restaurant for dine in service. The renovated space at 260 North Street features counter service, a full bar with cocktails and two large TV screens, with the core menu of …
Citizen Cider's Press House Pub finally opened Saturday at 180 Flynn Avenue after permitting delays pushed the reopening back several months from its targeted June date following April's Pine Street closure. The new location consolidates operations under one roof and features an indoor food truck…
Only half of the 53 maple syrup samples tested by the state last season met Vermont's strict grading standards, with color being the biggest issue as products tested too dark for their grade. The new facility, funded by a Leahy Institute grant, offers high-tech testing equipment to help producers…
The shelf expects to serve over 4,000 customers this year, triple its 2019-2020 numbers, with 75% being full-time employed workers struggling with grocery costs Carmolli calls "gouging." Federal SNAP cuts affecting 1,600 asylum seekers and refugees as of October 1, plus Vermont assuming $8.4 mill…
After his head chef decided to retire and Fong couldn't find a qualified replacement, he made the difficult decision to close the seven-year-old restaurant. The closure marks the end of nearly four decades of Fong family Chinese restaurants in Chittenden County, from the original Mandarin on Chur…
Apple Island Marina worker Jeff Woods reports they've replaced six boat propellers this season after boaters ignored warnings about record-low water levels. Despite having to move docks deeper and remove some boats early, both the marina and The Rest Stop food truck report strong summer business.…
The Gryphon's September closure wasn't just about downtown construction woes, though owner Tom Chadwick blamed Burlington's "dystopian cesspool" for killing his business. Court records reveal Chadwick owes nearly $10 million in restitution for mishandling elderly clients' investments, including a…
The first phase of Burlington Square (formerly "the pit") is finally open with a 161-room AC Hotel, 53 apartments, a restaurant and cafe. Apartment rents range from $1,650 for a studio to $6,800 for a top floor two-bedroom. The developers are seeking an extension on their requirement to include a…
The Burlington brewery has evolved from problematic acoustics to become a vital music venue as Nectar's, ArtsRiot and Despacito closed this year. Under talent buyer Greg Rothwell's direction, Foam maintains free shows for original music across genres, from punk to EDM, creating what he calls a "m…
The Catamounts celebrated their 2024 championship with rings at Halverson's Upstreet Cafe Sunday night, while launching a new "Cats Pride" subscription service for fans seeking special perks and team access.
The $199,942 Leahy Institute grant establishes quality testing at UVM's Proctor Maple Research Center, addressing concerns that some retail syrup doesn't meet Vermont Grade A standards.
Comedy Central's "The Daily Show" featured Burlington this week in a five minute segment examining the city's efforts to woo Canadian tourists back after pandemic disruptions. Correspondent Jordan Klepper visited during the Vermont Brewers Festival, interviewing local business leaders about initi…
Eric Kelley of Williston Coffee Shop has purchased Nomad Coffee on Flynn Avenue, bringing stability to a beloved South End spot that faced uncertainty after baker-owner Chris Johnson's unexpected death in March. Kelley's team has already been supplying pastries to keep Nomad running, and he plans…
The Gryphon's weekend closure announcement adds another name to Burlington's growing list of shuttered businesses, following Nectar's recent bombshell closure after nearly 50 years just up the street. Both establishments cited similar struggles with public safety concerns and construction-related…
New York native Celine Eid will bring authentic NYC-style pizza to 294 North Winooski Avenue in mid-September, taking over the former Despacito space with seasonal pies featuring locally sourced toppings. After running a successful weekly pizza pop-up in New York City through 2023 and 2024 where …
The Old North End sandwich shop at 88 Oak Street scored $50,000 from American Express and the National Trust for Historic Preservation to renovate its century-old former corner market building. Owner Abby Portman, who opened Poppy in November 2020 as part of the Oak Street Cooperative that purcha…
Saturday's Vermont Reggae Festival brought music back to Burlington streets for the first time since the early 2000s, with Switchback Brewing hosting multiple bands and a dancing crowd. Bobby Hackney, co-founder of the original 1986 fest, emphasized reggae's community-building power and hopes thi…
Friday's noon opening of the 103rd Champlain Valley Fair drew crowds eager for new rides, vendors, and a revamped midway layout alongside classics like pig racing and fair food. The schedule includes comedian Gabriel Iglesias and Lil Jon performances later this week, with themed days offering dea…
The national champion Catamounts returned to Virtue Field Thursday night for a sold-out opener against Sacred Heart. The transformation in fan enthusiasm is staggering: season ticket sales rocketed from under 100 to almost 1,400 following their championship run. Beer sales, expanded merchandise, …
Governor Phil Scott responded to Burlington's cry for help, though tensions are evident between state and city leadership. WCAX's data analysis shows Burlington's retail, restaurant and bar tax revenues have been declining when adjusted for inflation, suggesting the Queen City is losing business …
The People's Kitchen has joined Food Not Cops in providing free meals at City Hall Park, now serving hot dinners three nights a week. Organizer FaReid Munarsyah launched the effort after 150 businesses complained about Food Not Cops' impact on downtown. Recent Tuesday dinners have served 120 to 1…
The Connecticut-based tavern-style pizza chain lasted less than eight months at 83 Church Street, closing Sunday after opening with fanfare in late January. The 5,000-square-foot space that once housed Pascolo Ristorante now sits empty again, another casualty in Church Street's ongoing retail shu…
After 54 years in a St. Paul Street basement, college bar institution What Ales You is moving around the corner to the former Manhattan Pizza & Pub space at Church and Main. Owner Syd Eren cited soaring insurance costs and dropping alcohol revenue as forcing the move to a location with a kitchen,…
Andy O'Brien's Charlotte Sailing Center got the boot after 20 years when Lake Champlain Transportation declined to renew his lease at the end of July. The ferry company has given boat owners until September 1 to remove land-stored vessels and October 1 to vacate moorings. While the Pecor family, …
Drivers take note: the Maple and Pine intersection will be completely shut down 24/7 this week for traffic signal installation as part of the Champlain Parkway project. Pine Street access will be limited to local traffic only, with sections accessible from either north or south depending on your …
After 14 years building her Mexican restaurant empire from lower Church Street to Essex Junction, Tree Bertram passed the torch to employee Javier Zirko on July 1. While Bertram heads into semi-retirement and more pickleball, Zirko is spicing things up with a "Gato 2.0" menu featuring more authen…
Seven Days celebrates its 30th anniversary with a zodiac-themed readers' choice awards recognizing 241 winners and 946 finalists across Vermont. From favorite folk bands to creemee stands, the Daysies highlight what makes the Green Mountain State special at a time when downtowns are struggling an…
Burlington City Arts' Festival of Fools will happen after all this weekend, though scaled down to a two-day block party after funding cuts initially forced its cancellation. The grassroots rescue effort began when Café HOT. owners Travis and Allan Walker-Hodkin rallied fellow business owners to d…
Comedy Central's Jordan Klepper hit Burlington over the weekend to film a segment about U.S. Canada relations, interviewing locals at the Vermont Brewers Festival and along the newly christened "Rue Canada" (formerly Church Street). The correspondent's visit was sparked by Burlington's efforts to…
Burlington Square's south tower opens in August, finally transforming the former mall site downtown after years as an eyesore nicknamed "the Pit." The $300 million two tower project features Vermont's first AC Hotel by Marriott occupying floors 2-7 with 161 rooms, while floors 8-11 house 53 apart…
The Vermont Foodbank has laid off seven employees, nearly 9% of staff, as federal COVID funding dries up and USDA food allocations drop by 20%. CEO John Sayles assures that food distribution won't be affected, but these cuts highlight how fragile our safety net remains. The silver lining: the sta…
Just when you thought North Beach couldn't get better, Kona Beachside Tiki Bar & Grill drops a slice of Polynesia on Lake Champlain. Owner Sandi Pasagic has created what sounds like the perfect Vermont summer spot: tropical drinks and island-inspired food with waterfront views, open daily from no…
This story gets to the heart of a major vulnerability for the small, diversified farms that are the backbone of Vermont's food identity. While large, single crop farms can get useful federal insurance, about 70% of Vermont farms go without, finding the available programs ill suited and the payout…
If you've tried driving through Winooski lately, you know the Main Street project is a major undertaking. For the small businesses in the Onion City, it's been devastating, with some reporting revenue drops as high as 75%. In response, the city is urging residents to buy gift cards directly from …
Dorset Street is getting a couple of new options this weekend, with the return of Wings Over and the grand opening of Playa Bowls this Saturday. This new energy comes with some bittersweet news, as the beloved local ferment company Sobremesa announced it's ceasing wholesale distribution. Their mo…
Vermont Rep. Balint is essentially translating the fine print of the new federal budget, arguing that its tax cuts are funded by gutting programs essential to Vermonters. The core issue is that new federal rules, like proof-of-work requirements for Medicaid, are viewed by local officials not as a…
The situation with the Food Not Cops meal service remains complicated. After pressure from businesses, the group relocated from the downtown garage but their new, self selected spot in City Hall Park was chosen without city input. This unilateral move has frustrated the Burlington Business Associ…
This is welcome news for many in the Old North End and beyond who rely on these crucial services. The temporary move to Winooski, while necessary for renovations, added a layer of difficulty for those with limited transportation. Its return to the North Winooski Avenue space on July 15 marks a re…
The Burlington School District is expanding its summer food program to offer these substantial meal boxes, available to any child under 18 regardless of their town or state. This initiative provides a significant resource for families, ensuring kids have consistent access to meals throughout the …
In a heartening story of grassroots action, a group of five residents is bringing cinema back to downtown. By choosing a nonprofit, member-operated model, Partizanfilm is not only filling the void left by the Roxy; but also testing a more community-centric approach to keeping cultural venues aliv…
When institutional funding fell through, local businesses stepped in to save a beloved summer tradition. Spearheaded by the brothers who own Cafe HOT., the effort has resurrected the event as the "Fools Block Party" for August 1 and 2. It’s a testament to the business community's commitment to pr…
This is a perfect example of a smart, symbiotic local business partnership. The well established team from the Daily Planet is bringing a permanent food option to a popular South Burlington brewery. It’s a win-win, giving Weird Window’s customers a reason to stick around and offering a new ventur…
Drivers in the South End are navigating another round of closures this week as work on the Champlain Parkway continues. The intersection of King and Pine is currently temp closed, with more construction affecting Maple, Kilburn, and Howard streets. It's a tangible, if inconvenient, sign of progre…
This piece from VTDigger highlights the journey of Burlington Beer Company founder Joe Lemnah. It tells a familiar Vermont story of passion turned into a successful enterprise, but also sheds light on the crucial role of financing organizations like the Vermont Economic Development Authority (VED…
In news that will surprise absolutely no one, Vermont remains the king of maple syrup. Despite a season described as a "wild ride" with inconsistent sap runs, producers managed to pull through and deliver a massive haul. The report also noted a significant jump in the economic value of last year'…
Just when you thought the downtown construction was headache enough, one of Church Street's favorite restaurants, Honey Road, had to shut down because of a burst pipe. They're hoping to reopen by Friday, which is welcome news. The article also touches on the resilience of Nomad Coffee in the Sout…
Winooski is getting a fantastic new food option just in time for summer. Elom Essiba is turning her catering business, Le Bon GoûT, into a daily takeout spot at the Myers Memorial Pool, offering authentic African dishes like jollof rice and fufu. After building a following at local farmers market…
The upstairs bar on Church Street has carved out a new, more intimate space for those craving something beyond a beer. By converting a pool room into a cozy lounge with creative drinks like a Froot Loops cereal milk punch, Fizzicks is adding a new flavor to the downtown scene. It's a nice evoluti…
It's a mixed bag of news for the local food scene. The highly anticipated reopening of Philo Ridge Farm's restaurant and market is set for June and July, a big win for fans of their farm to table dining. However, we've also seen the closure of several spots, including Café St. Paul, Sushi Maeda, …
The discussion around downtown vibrancy and safety has taken a contentious turn. Following a letter from business owners expressing concerns and a subsequent City Council resolution to relocate the Food Not Bombs free lunch program, fraudulent letters misrepresenting business owners' views began …
This news will surely hit the South End arts. ArtsRiot, and its successor The District VT, carved out a unique space for live music, events, and food over the years. Its closure marks the end of an era for many local artists and patrons, leaving a palpable void in Burlington's cultural fabric and…
The debate over the Food Not Cops meal service, particularly its presence near the Marketplace Garage, has a new development with the Mayor asking the City Council to reconsider a resolution to move the program. This situation brings familiar Burlington tensions to the forefront: how to support d…
Here’s some unequivocally good news. Governor Scott has approved state assistance for the Vermonters Feeding Vermonters grant program. This initiative, run through the Vermont Food Bank, does double duty by purchasing food from local farmers and distributing it to those in need. It’s a practical …
It's always a shame to see a local spot close its doors, especially one like Despacito that brought a unique vegan, Puerto Rican influenced menu to the Old North End. This news highlights the challenging environment for restaurants but also signals an opportunity for a new culinary concept to tak…
Plant shopping and taco feasting can now go hand in hand in Shelburne. The Mad Taco has rolled out its food truck at the new Gardener's Supply, offering their well loved menu of tacos, burritos, and quesadillas. They'll be serving Thursday through Sunday, making your weekend errands potentially m…
Despite a damp welcome this past Saturday, the Burlington Farmers Market still drew a respectable crowd. It’s a testament to Burlington’s hardy spirit and love for local goods that even a bit of rain couldn't entirely wash out opening day. Here’s to sunnier market Saturdays ahead for the rest of …
Foam Brewers is at it again, mixing creativity with community support. Their new mimosa inspired beer, "You Are a Light," sounds intriguing, and it is even better that proceeds will help the Make A Wish Foundation. You can also find it at the Delta Marriott's Mother’s Day Brunch fundraiser.
The beloved Saturday market returns for its 45th year with over 75 vendors each week, a full music schedule, and new kids’ activities. The market’s also laying the groundwork for something more permanent—a foundation was just launched to help secure a long-term home. Whether you’re braving mornin…
Advocates say the bill would pull the rug out from under low-income families and small grocers alike. With the state potentially on the hook for $140 million over the next decade, local food security groups are urging residents to speak up before the vote moves forward.
Maple-glazed tofu might sound boutique, yet the project’s bigger aim is locking in 25 percent local sourcing by 2030. If it sticks, campus dining could become one of the state’s stealth stimulus programs for small farms.
The temporary move to the O’Brien Center hasn’t slowed demand—staff still serve about 100 neighbors daily. Renovations on the North Winooski site wrap later this summer; until then, the Good Food truck brings meals back to Pearl Street every Wednesday.
Reminder: water and sizzling oil are not friends. One resident was treated for smoke inhalation, and the building’s cabinets took the worst of it. Check those fire extinguishers, neighbors—cheap insurance against charred brunch.
Local markets are always a bright spot, especially when they chase those winter doldrums away. This expo is your chance to snag that perfect gift or tasty treat without resorting to mass-produced imports. Show up hungry and ready to discover a new local favorite.
Nothing like some stats to remind us that people here really do show up for each other (and aren’t afraid to chat politics over coffee). Let’s keep building on that. Next time you see a local forum or a chance to volunteer, consider hopping in—you might even meet your new best neighbor.
These nods to Burlington’s culinary talent are a big deal for our cozy city and a sign that our bustling food scene continues to bring serious flavor. If you are into cheering on hometown heroes, keep these names on your to-dine list. It is always good to see Vermont’s eateries shine on the natio…
Your morning coffee run might come with a side of flaggers and frustration as Champlain Parkway construction ramps back up. Work is active weekdays from 7 to 7, and Pine Street is a patchwork of cones, crews, and shifting lanes—especially between Kilburn and Main. The south end is now permanently…
Essex High School students are gearing up to face off at the 17th Annual Junior Iron Chef VT competition, and it seems half the fun is just rolling up their sleeves and trying out new dishes. It’s refreshing to see so many young folks diving into local food culture—although we’ll see which kitche…
Chris Johnson’s untimely passing has left a big hole in Burlington’s coffee and pastry scene. Locals who adored his artisan croissants and warm sense of humor will feel that absence each morning. If you were lucky enough to snag a treat from Nomad, you know just how special his baked goods were. …
These high school engineers sure know how to keep it interesting. In just six weeks, local teams whipped up competition-ready robots and bagged awards across New England. We’ll soon be looking for them on the world stage, showing that Vermont is more than maple syrup and mountain hikes.
Longtime patrons can still pop into the Pine Street taproom through late April before it goes dark for a couple of months. The new home near Switchback and Burlington Beer Co. should make quite the craft-beverage hotspot when it reopens. Consider this a sign that Burlington’s South End really is …
Despite road closures, rising costs, and a good dose of cold weather, restaurants are still hustling. If you can, consider popping in for a meal this weekend — that local lunch might just help keep some of your favorite cafés going.
Prices for a carton may still be shocking, so folks are jumping on the backyard-chicken bandwagon. Maybe we’ll see Burlington’s neighborhoods clucking right along with the early spring birds. Just keep your new coop on good terms with the neighbors.
Governor Scott signaled the unofficial start of spring’s sweetest tradition. Producers say the below-freezing nights and milder days are the perfect recipe for sap flow. Watch out for steam rising from local sugarhouses as the first batches start boiling.
Longtime patrons hope that these hurdles can be cleared soon. Until then, the downtown spot that once buzzed with late-night slices is dark while owners work toward compliance.
Although remote work empties some local offices—and hits downtown eateries—leaders say it also helps fill state job openings. If you’re missing that midday café bustle, new housing conversions might be on the horizon for vacant office space.
A rundown Pizza Hut and gas station on Shelburne Road are finally coming down. After years of graffiti and boarded-up windows, South Burlington officials say the plan is for commercial space plus 30 new housing units—some of which will be affordable. Here’s hoping that corner of Shelburne Road ge…
This means someone up north is suddenly feeling luckier. Double-check your pockets, because missing out on a million bucks would be quite a bummer.
Expect a boutique women’s clothing store, an independent bookstore and café, plus a casual Italian-American eatery among the new arrivals. Each locally owned shop hopes to enhance Williston’s bustling retail scene.
Food lovers can add a new stop to their rotation. If you’re in the area, try a sub and know that a portion of each purchase supports public safety groups.
This new certificate promises real-world training for folks eyeing a career in hotels, resorts, and restaurants—great news for anyone looking to jump into Vermont’s bustling tourism scene (and hopefully snag some sweet industry perks).
Expect a piping-hot array of Turkish flatbreads, chicken doner wraps, and other street-food favorites. If you need a reason to stroll Church Street when the weather’s brisk, this might be it.
This is not just an upgrade in square footage; it is a hearty serving of community spirit with fresh flavors and nostalgic recipes making a comeback.
Looks like the neighborhood might finally get a glow-up after years of graffiti and tumbleweeds. Fingers crossed for a new pizza spot that doesn’t vanish before we even get a slice.
Give these kids extra applause—and maybe some celebratory maple creemees. They’re set to show off their engineering talents in Houston and Florida, so root for them while quietly envying their winter escapes.
Move over, maple swirl—Bogues might be our new local hero. The Cats are clawing their way up the standings, so let’s hope they keep draining those buzzer-beaters.