Mark F 4/5/18 Mark F 4/5/18

How to spend a weekend in Burlington, VT: Food & Breweries

Burlington, VT is a great long weekend destination. Lots of food and breweries in walking distance. Check out my blog post on the best food and drink spots in Burlington, VT.

My first trip to Burlington, VT was a few years ago. I couldn't believe I hadn't made a trip to this great city. There are lots of breweries, food, and outdoor activities. You could walk pretty much everywhere. In the summer, there are farmers markets and food trucks. I really enjoyed my stay but it was short. My girlfriend, Nichole, had never been and I thought it was a great weekend trip idea. Also, I have been wanting to stay at Hotel Vermont and they have a sweet black friday deal. And, it is a perfect location to walk around and Lake Champlain is across the street. Hotel Vermont was only a mile or two from everywhere we went, it was a great central location to stay. If you read the blog, you know we really get after it when we travel to new cities. And, Burlington was no different. We went to as many breweries as possible and ate our faces off. I did all the work for you! Here is a list of the best places to eat and drink in Burlington. If I missed any, please comment. I will be back.

The Food

Farmhouse Tap & Grill was the first meal we had in Burlington. This was the typical fancier local restaurant. It is always super busy. We had to wait over an hour for a table, given it was a Friday night. They have a great beer menu. The food is actually pretty good, especially the burgers. However, it is a bit pricey to me. There is a big farm to table presence in Burlington and that drives the price up.

The Swingin' Pinwheel Café Bakery was the surprise of the weekend. Do not pass up this breakfast when you walk by. The hostess was hilarious and friendly. The menu has so many good options. It is a smaller spot so be mindful. The decor definitely had that western and cowboy feel. They are known for their Wafflini, which is a waffle made with pastry dough and pressed like a panini, and they have multiple types. We had to get one and it was phenomenal. We started with a popover and ate it so fast, I didn't even get a picture!

Red Onion was recommended to me by someone from the area. They told me, the sandwiches sound weird but go with it. It was quite an interesting little spot on Church Street (main area for shops/restaurants). I ordered the Red Onion sandwich, which consisted of turkey, vt cheddar, red onion, granny smith apple slices, and sun-dried tomato mayo on honey oat bread. The bread was like an inch thick! Nichole got the spinach melt. This consisted of a TON of fresh baby spinach, mushrooms, red onions, sharp cheddar, and garlic mayo on honey oat. They were both delicious. If you need a quick bite, I definitely would suggest the Red Onion.

There is surprisingly a fair amount of Mexican dishes and restaurants in Burlington. For that reason we were craving Mexican and chose El Cortijo Taqueria Y Cantina as it was the closest with the best ratings. And, they were a sister company of the Farmhouse Tap & Grill. This is a very small location. Luckily, we got seated right away but the dinner crowd hit and the front of the restaurant was overly crowded and flowed near the tables. It was a bit uncomfortable eating with people on top of you waiting to be called. And, the food was just ok. Nichole enjoyed her margarita but the rest was less memorable.

And you know we hit up Ben & Jerry's for dessert.

Monarch and the Milkweed was another great breakfast find. This was a quaint, trendy shop in the town center that fits maybe 15-20 people. One of the reasons I chose there was because they make donuts, mini but I don't discriminate. The donuts were ehh but the breakfast was awesome. I had the fried chicken sandwich with gruyère cheese, red onions, and some aoli that reminded me of Big Mac sauce. Nichole had the pancake stack and they were really good and cooked perfectly.

Fortunately, on the way home, we made a surprising delicious stop, only 20 minutes outside of Burlington. We mentioned to some people we met along the way, we were going to Fiddlehead Brewing. Every person said you have to go to the pizza place next door, and that was Folino's Wood Fire Pizza. No one has to twist my arm to have some pizza. This place gets really packed from the Fiddlehead crowd. You will be seated by someone but you have to do everything else, get your own plates, order at the cashier, etc. Aside from that tidbit, the pizza was awesome. Maybe the best buffalo chicken pizza I have ever had. Everything just worked. Make this part of your to-do list.

The Breweries

On the way up from CT, our first beer stop was at Burlington Beer Company. This was only 20 minutes or so outside of Burlington. This was in a cool industrial location. The inside was cool and trendy. They had old school video game systems. They offer a lengthy list of beers, including IPAs, Porters, and Stouts. The beer was good. A little hoppier for my taste but I see why they are popular. They fit into the craft beer scene perfectly.

Switchback Brewery was first on the list of our brewery crawl and the furthest, 2 mile walk but it actually wasn't bad. I have been before and really like their beers. Their Connector IPA is my favorite. The inside is pretty nice and feels inviting. And, the world's largest filing cabinet is on the way! Seriously, it exists.

World's Largest Filing Cabinet Burlington VT

Queen City Brewery was our favorite brewery. I don't recall seeing it last time I was here. It was tucked away behind a local printing business. It is close to Zero Gravity. They had a big wall of beers and there was an old truck on the the very top of the bar once inside. They had 13 beers to choose from and I liked most of them. My favorite was a tripel Belgian named Monk of Underhill. This isn't a place if you want hoppy beers. They had mostly porters, stouts, and lagers. I am not even a porter guy and I enjoyed their version of that. The bartender was really nice and it was just a good atmosphere.

This isn't a brewery but a cidery counts. Citizen Cider is one of my favorite ciders. Last time I came here, I had a blast. They had quite a bit of options as usual to try out. I really like what they do with their ciders. They aren' t just sweet and one taste. Definitely a staple to visit when in Burlington.

Ah, the new popular guy. Foam Brewery wasn't opened last time I was here. Since then, I have heard a lot about this brewery from friends. We made our way there as the last stop and the location is great. It is right off the water. In warmer weather, it must be even more busy than it was. However, they do not have flights of beers as an option and the beer was pricier than other breweries. And, the beer was super hoppy...almost too much. Again, that is not for me. I preferred other breweries.

The weekend of breweries was not quite over yet. The last stop on the ride home was Fiddlehead Brewery. I had their beers before and really enjoyed them. I had to stop in and check it out. At this location in Shelburne, VT, you can only buy beer that is canned, sample what they have available that day and get growlers. It is very small and can get crowded quick. We went as it opened and the lot quickly filled up and cars were coming and going. I liked what they had on tap and I ended up getting a growler and buying cans. We did make a few other stops for beverages.

Vermont Pub & Brewery was pretty average. It is really big and they have basic food options to please the generic eater. Seems like the place all tourists go when other places are busy. And, the beer wasn't great. They are a bit behind the other breweries in the beer department. The other bar we did go to was Archives. This was a bar filled with arcade games and a pretty good beer, cocktails, and wine menu. If you are into old video games like pacman, street fighter, pin ball, and other oldies, this is the spot for you.

Bonus: A Winery?

Not only did Fiddlehead Brewery have an awesome pizza spot next door but there was also a Winery across the street! By far, the happiest Nichole was all weekend as she likes wine way more than beer. Of course, we kept the ball rollin' at Shelburne Winery and did a tasting. This consisted of 10 wines and they were not shy with the pours. I also liked they gave a list of the wine with a marker so you could keep track of what you liked and they had a funny comment & description about each wine. I do not like wine that much but I did like a few of the white wines and a red that had chocolate in it. Nichole ended up buying two bottles. This was a great way to the end the trip. Beer, wine, & pizza. We accomplished a lot and I think we did a good job finding some good go to spots. I hope you enjoyed reading and will try out some of my suggestions. Cheers to beers & delicious food!

HIKING FOR DONUTS

A blog for the outdoors foodie enthusiast

Hi, I’m Mark. I live in Connecticut. I take new trips every chance I get. A good trip has a great hike, great food, and something fun to do. My goal is to search out new trips and share them to inspire others to try something new and exciting.

If you are looking for posts in a particular place, search by city or state here.

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First Trip to the Adirondacks: Hiking in Upstate New York

My first trip hiking in the Adirondacks in Upstate New York. Adirondacks Travel Guide. I was able to wake up to Paradox Lake each day, hike Mount Severance, and check out Paradox Brewery. Moderate hike, amazing views along the way!

Trail Description: Planning your first trip to the Adirondacks? Discover beginner-friendly hikes, breathtaking views, and tips for exploring New York's stunning wilderness.

Trail Info:

Where: Schroon Lake, NY Click here for directions. Distance: 2.4 miles Difficulty: Moderate Trail Type: Out and Back Trail Features: Picturesque views of Schroon Lake and Pharaoah Lake Wilderness

How to get there:

The parking lot for the hike was easy to find. It is right off State Route 9. However, my gps got confused and made us go out of the way. Once parked, the trailhead is right in front of you through the tunnels under the I-87.

Hiking Tips:

Put your name in the Sign In chart once you arrive.
This hike could easily been done in normal gym shoes.

Adirondacks Weekend Travel Guide Recommendation: Mount Severance Hike and Paradox Brewery

The warm weather is finally here to stay in the northeast. Summer of 2017 looks pretty darn good. I have been planning as many trips as my wallet can handle. My weekends are booked up through almost October. There will be many adventures and lots of food. The first real travel this summer was thanks to friends of mine. They have a friend who owns a house on Paradox Lake. It was a good opportunity to check out some hiking in upstate New York. It was my first trip to the Adirondacks. The house was legit right on the lake. We had our own little beach area and dock. The house was pretty remote so there was no internet connection. It is good sometimes to go without the need of checking your phone on social media and enjoy where you are and who you are with. However, the second I had internet it was game on! It was absolutely, awesome views to see the sun rise and see the sun set. I tried to get good pictures, but I always get distracted by food. I couldn’t help it. My friend’s family always goes all out. It was a weekend of relaxing, filet mignons and tasty ribs.

I have never ventured to this part of New York. The Adirondacks has been on my list of areas to see for a while. When I saw the house was nestled in the Adirondacks Park, I quickly said, “I’m in!”. The first night we hung out at the house and settled in. The next day we did some swimming and soaking in the beauty of the lake. The weather was exceptional. Sun was out with a cool breeze. In the afternoon we headed into the town of Schroon Lake, which was about a 10 minute ride. It was a nice little town area full of small businesses such as ice cream shops, restaurants, and stores. Our mission on this afternoon was beer. We researched a local brewery prior to our stay and it turned out pretty good. It was called Paradox Brewery. All of the seating and bar taps were located outside. There was a food truck and corn hole boards. More importantly, the beer was good. They had a selection of 7 different beers consisting of IPAs, Pilsner, Rye Ale, Saisons, Sour and Stout options. They had one cider from another brewery, Awestruck, which was extremely delish. My favorite beers were the Double IPA and surprisingly the Sour. Sours aren't usually my thing but this one was so good I got a growler. The tartness I did taste was the mix of melons, limes, and citrus. It is a kettle sour aptly named "Oats and Gose". The brewery was a good find to have beers and hang out. I would give it a shot if you are in the area.

The last day I was there, I had to get a hike in. There were a handful of hikes within 30 minutes or so of our location. The one that caught my eye was Mount Severance in Schroon Lake, NY. It was only about 10 minutes from the house rental. The parking lot for the hike was easy to find. It is right off State Route 9. However, my gps got confused and made us go out of the way since the beginning of the hike starts under I-87. Once you were parked, the trailhead is right in front of you through the tunnels under the I-87. One thing that stood out to me, there was a sign-in chart for hikers. I have never seen that before and I thought that was a great idea if people were to get lost or injured. For a longer or more strenuous hikes, I would like to see more of these. For this hike, it was very well marked and and a quick trip to the summit. I can see why this is a popular hike. It was roughly 2 .4 miles round trip and the summit offers picturesque views of Schroon Lake and Pharaoah Lake Wilderness. The terrain wasn’t bad although we got caught in a little rain storm. There were some steep inclines and rocky areas but I would consider this a moderate hike. This hike could easily been done in normal gym shoes. I really enjoyed it. Everything you want in a hike – good photo opportunities, optimal summit location, and fun. I would hike this again given the chance.

HIKING FOR DONUTS

A blog for the outdoors foodie enthusiast

If you are looking for posts in a particular place, search by city or state here.

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Taking the plunge!

Welcome to my blog! It is time to share my travels, hikes, foodie problems, and everything else awesome. Enjoy!

My name is Mark. I love traveling and exploring. Nothing gets me excited like a new adventure. I have been fortunate enough to travel to 27 States and 5 Countries. I have traveled through Canada, hiked all over Iceland (before it was popular and cool), and backpacked in Switzerland. And, I am a huge foodie. ..BIG TIME! I love all types of foods, especially donuts! I enjoy seeking out new and interesting places to eat locally and wherever I travel. I am generally the food guy of the group. That is my one true job. Find the most dynamite place to eat. So far, I have only really failed once and that was in Missoula, Montana. I deserve a pass on that one.

I can’t count how many times I have been asked about a city, hike, or restaurant and I say, “Haven’t been there. I hear it’s nice.” Or…”I think I have been there, but can’t remember.” And, one of my friends or my girlfriend will chime in, “Yeah, we did that.” I guess it’s a good problem that I have been to so many cool places. I just have a hard time keeping up! That leads to me to the blog. I have been thinking about a blog for years now. I figured what better way to look back at my memories than to start a blog, all while describing my trips, adding some food insights, and showing the pictures I take along the way. You may see any other awesome explorations whether it be a craft brewery on the weekend or trip to a new baseball stadium.

My other main purpose for this blog is to help others find new places to eat, travel, and explore. There are places I never anticipated to travel but wanted to learn more. I hope this blog helps increase reader’s curiosity of exploration. I spend hours and hours and days researching trips, food, and hikes. I want to be able to enhance that research for others, offering my experiences and thoughts. I hope this will spark interest in others to enjoy new unexpected experiences with their eyes and bellies. If you don’t mind my interesting way of conversing and not the best grammar, please follow along and enjoy.

HIKING FOR DONUTS

A blog for the outdoors foodie enthusiast

Hi, I’m Mark. I live in Connecticut. I take new trips Every chance I get. A good trip has a great hike, great food, and something fun to do. My goal is to search out new trips and Share them to inspire others to try something new and exciting.

If you are looking for posts in a particular place, search by City Or State Here.

EXPLORE OTHER POSTS IN THE ARCHIVE

CLICK HERE FOR POST INDEX