Several new restaurants highlight downtown Burlington’s changing food scene
BURLINGTON, Vt. —
As Burlington heads into its busiest season, the city’s food scene is heating up right along with it.
“Winter hits hard; summertime pays off for all those months,” said Mustafa Khudaier, owner of Sabah’s House. You may recognize Khudaier, who can commonly be seen on Church Street serving up shawarma from his food truck.
However, soon you’ll find him in a more permanent location: the former Leunig’s kiosk on Church Street.
“I feel like this is going to be a good next step for me,” he said.
Khudaier said he plans to open the new spot in June, with some new items on his menu.
“We’re going to have Middle Eastern pastries, coffees, we’re also going to have our shawarma of course,” he said.
Meanwhile, just up Church Street, a date hasn’t formally been announced, but signs are already up signaling the nearby opening of PopUp Bagels, known for freshly made bagels and creative schmeers.
Then, just a block away, Things From Yaad began filling the air on Cherry Street with the smoky, spicy scent of freshly made Jamaican cuisine on Friday. The restaurant will be open seven days a week from noon to 9 p.m.
“Everything’s made to order. We really want to have the authentic flavor of Jamaica in Burlington,” said T’Yana Cheney, the restaurant’s general manager.
Cheney said all these changes come at the best time for businesses in the area.
“People are coming in from out of town. You know, there’s all the live music going on downtown, there’s all the art shows like Jazz Fest, Art Hop,” Cheney said.
So, as the warmer weather sets in and these new businesses open their doors, they’re excited to welcome more people downtown and encourage you to come hungry.
“I’m excited to meet new people. So, don’t be afraid to come in and say ‘hey,'” Cheney said.
Dining and Cooking