top spots: part 2

I’m back with the second post of “top spots” around Burlington! (See the first post here).

To kick things off, MLC Bakeshop in Winooski is my new go-to for coffee and a quick breakfast to-go on my way to the WellWed office for my internship. This week I grabbed a ham & cheese croissant with my typical large cup of coffee (pictured below), and it was perfection. If you haven’t been, or are just looking for a new cafe/bakeshop to frequent, I would definitely recommend it!

This past Friday night, I went into town with my housemates Cara, Emma and Galya (below) for the opening of a new gallery exhibit at Burlington City Arts (right on Church Street)! This is a great option for getting downtown and doing something a little different (aside from the usual shopping and dinner routine)…

However, there’s always a need to grab great food while we’re in town! Radio Bean/Duino Duende (they’re connected) is my absolute favorite spot around. Duino Duende features a menu of international street food (my favorite is the Cubano sandwich), while the connected Radio Bean (pictured below) is a small, live music venue with local drinks (21+!) and a really cool, eccentric vibe. Check it out next time you’re in town – you’ll probably see me there! 🙂

I definitely mentioned Our House Bistro in my last “top spots” post, but it’s completely worth another mention. I mean, let’s talk about this chicken parm mac + cheese (pictured below)…

Unreal.

Cara and I topped off this past weekend with an afternoon of skating at Cairns (where the hockey teams play). This public skating was completely paid for by St. Mike’s – such a great extra little opportunity to get off campus, AND this crosses figure skating again off my 2015 bucket list! Even if you don’t really skate, it’s a must-do winter weekend activity.

Enjoy!

Two top spots – on & off campus

The following two spots are definitely my top go-to’s; if you like coffee & fantastic gourmet food, this is for you!

First I’ll admit, I’m a coffee fanatic (and my friends might even say that’s putting it lightly). Burlington boasts some awesome local coffee shops, my favorite being Speeder & Earl’s. They have their main location down on Pine Street, a smaller shop (pictured below) on Church Street & we even have Speeder & Earl’s coffee at Cafe Cheray right on campus!

For those 21+, Magic Hat released its (limited time) Hop Drip IPA this fall, made with Speeder & Earl’s coffee beans! Perfect for coffee + craft beer lovers.

Second on the top two, Our House Bistro in the Winooski Circle. Located only about 5 minutes from campus (if that), Our House has a mouth-watering menu of gourmet comfort food-inspired eats, which they call “twisted comfort food.” There was even a “The Bite” column in the last issue of The Defender featuring Our House! One of my new all-time favorites was what I ordered this past Sunday, their chicken pot pie mac + cheese (pictured below). Everything that makes up a pot pie PLUS creamy mac – so good. I’d definitely recommend it!

One of the many reasons I love Burlington so much – there are so many awesome places around the area to eat & get that coffee fix – check back soon for more of my favorites & suggestions!

-Juliana