Speeder and Earl's Coffee

Speeder and Earl's Coffee

412 Pine Street

Burlington, Vermont 05401

Speeder and Earl's has two locations in Burlington. One is on Church Street, but their flagship operation is located on Pine Street in Burlington. I went to their flagship operation early on a Sunday morning after I left work around 9 am. There was a steady number of people constantly coming and going into the store. The shop has a few tables, artwork from local artists on the wall and a lot of natural light. However, the location feels like the kind of place where you wouldn't want to stay for a long period of time as it seems to lack a warm and intimate vibe.

Coffee can be purchased by the pound or to-go style cups. The price is probably the best that I've seen in Burlington as a large (16 oz) cup of coffee is only $2.00. There are 6-7 different coffee dispensers on the counter that feature a wide variety of coffee styles including flavored and decaf. There are also a small number of baked goods on the counter as well.

The coffee isn't bad, in fact it's quite good. I had the Colombian Espresso blend which is a dark roast. The coffee roastery is located in the back of the building and they usually sell a few kinds of coffee that you can't find in stores. I plan on going to the Church Street location within the next few weeks and comparing the two. Also, FUN FACT: in the Vermont building at the Big E they used to exclusively sell Speeder and Earl's Coffee, but I haven't been in a couple of years so it may have changed.

Atmosphere: 4/5

Seating: 4/5

Coffee: 5/5

Food: 4/5

17/20

B

Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters

184 Main Street

Burlington, Vermont 05401

I waited awhile before I chose to review Muddy Waters. This coffee shop has long been considered one of the "kings" of Burlington coffee shops along with Uncommon Grounds on nearby Church Street and Maglianero on Maple Street. 

I decided to head to Muddy Waters around 8 am on a Saturday morning about 30 minutes since they had opened. To my surprise, there was already a line! Another 5-10 people were sitting throughout the shop with either there laptops or cell phones out. Immediately upon entering the space, I had a very "life is good" feeling vibe come over me as the shop seems to breathe positivity. The theme of Muddy Waters is a pseudo jungle/rainforest cafe feeling as there is a bamboo tree protruding from the space with vines overhead and a variety of plants hanging throughout the shop. The ceiling is made of tin and the walls are brick with wooden beams scattered around the space.

It has to be one of the coolest looking coffee shops that I've ever been to. Muddy Waters is a fixture in Burlington. All kinds of people spend time at Muddy Waters over the course of the day and I believe they have live music in the evening on select days. Besides coffee and tea, Muddy Waters has smoothies, fresh juices and beer. Their food selection is also pretty awesome. Besides cookies and cakes, they have soups and sandwiches. They also sell t-shirts, coffee beans and tea. 

I decided to order a double chocolate chip cookie and a cup of Sumatra Vienesse dark roast coffee. Muddy Waters has three coffee options: light, medium and dark roast. They use a coffee dispenser for the coffee and the drip method for their brewing. The dark roast that I had was perfect. Top notch coffee that only cost $2.00 for a 12 oz cup. I believe the largest they sell is 14 oz for $2.25. They even offer discounted refills ($1.00 for a 8 oz cup and $1.25 for a 12 oz cup). The cookie was equally amazing! I sat in a lounge style chair facing the front window and could see all the hustle and bustle on Main Street. There are plenty of seating options available. From tables off to the side that have an intimate feeling, to tables out in the open. 

I couldn't find a single thing wrong with Muddy Waters. Trust me, I looked! Therefore I have to give them the perfect 20/20 as this is the kind of coffee shop that you want to go to again and again.

Atmosphere: 5/5

Seating: 5/5

Coffee: 5/5

Food: 5/5

20/20

A+

Maglianero Cafe

Maglianero Cafe

47 Maple Street

Burlington, Vermont 05401

So quick story before I delve into this review. Maglianero Cafe was the second coffee shop that I visited when I first moved to Burlington back in August. I really enjoy how they mesh coffee with art and the theme of a bicycle bar. I was amazed by that then and the ever changing art gallery is still very cool to this day.

I went to Maglianero again on a Friday morning around 9:00 am. There were a small handful of people already in the cafe, but I was the only person in the order line at the time. The first thing that "pop" out as you enter the space, is how minimalistic it is. The walls are white, high ceiling, minimal furniture and plenty of windows. The coolest part about the cafe is that it operates as an art gallery. In fact, during my time in the cafe, there was an artist who was installing his pieces of art to exhibit at a further date. The cafe has an additional room off to the side that is referred to as a reading room. It's a very small book den. All the books in the room can be purchased at the counter OR you can bring your coffee in the room and spend your entire day lounging around and reading their vast selection of books.

Okay back to the review, Maglianero has a variety of baked goods from local bakeries at the counter which is a plus. Seating is in abundance with a variety of formats including: large tables, small tables, high-chairs, rocking chairs, plush chairs, etc. Depending upon where you sit, there are views of Lake Champlain which is an added bonus. I enjoy how Maglianero changes their coffee selection each and every week. Their website usually lists what coffees they have each week, where the beans come from and the story behind the beans. You can even buy a bag of the beans at the counter and a small display shelf in the front of the store. The coffee comes from Counter Culture Coffee Company out of North Carolina. Counter Culture is known for their high-quality coffee beans. Maglianero Cafe makes all the specialty kinds of coffee that you would expect from a coffee cafe (lattes, cappuccino, espresso, etc.) as well as either drip or pour over coffee.

I chose a coffee of the week called "baka" which is a single origin light roast blend. Maglianero only seems to have light roast coffee which I have seen at a few other coffee places in the area (Onyx, Nomad). I'm sure that it's because of all the subtleties that one can experience with a lighter body versus an earthy, roasted darker body/roast.

Okay now here's the kicker: the PRICE!! Maglianero's prices for a cup of coffee are borderline outrageous. For example, my 12 oz cup of pour over coffee cost me $4.85!! Yes, that's not a typo. For a 8 oz cup of drip coffee it costs $2.00, 12 oz is $2.75 and 16 oz is $3.25. I feel like the price of the coffee and the fact that i'm a dark roast coffee snob will hold me back from going to Maglianero again. I know that Maglianero is often described as one of the "kings" of the local coffee scene and I can see how one would view them in such a high regard, but the price is a serious detractor for me. Perhaps it's the lake views that makes Maglianero so special or the ability to view high quality art while sipping on coffee.

Atmosphere: 5/5

Seating: 5/5

Coffee: 4/5 (light roast only and a high price point)

Food: 5/5 (great selection of baked goods)

19/20

A

Gold Ladder Coffee

Gold Ladder Coffee

30 Susie Wilson Road

Essex Junction, Vermont 05452

I was skimming the Burlington Free Press when I discovered an article about a new coffee shop in the area that was serving nitro coffee on tap. I immediately added this shop to my list of coffee spots that I needed to go to. I present you with: Gold Ladder Coffee! 

So the story behind this place is really cool. The coffee shop is located in a former laundry cleaner location and is next to a bagel shop. The owner of Gold Ladder used to work in the bagel shop and roasted coffee beans there. The bagel shop is in fact his father's business.

I decided to make the drive to Essex on a Tuesday morning after I left work. I really like the location and there is a lot of parking which adds to its charm. All of the coffee that they sell is roasted in the shop as the roastery is in the back of the building and can be seen as you enter the front door. The aroma of freshly ground coffee fills the room and it's rather heavenly. There are plenty of seating options as can be seen in the image below.

Another really neat thing about this shop is that all of the artwork is made by the owner. I was fortunate enough to talk with him as he greeted me to his shop. The pastries come from local bakeries and the coffee is either drip or pour over. There are a variety of specialty coffees that they serve besides a regular cup of joe. A large coffee (16 oz.) is $2.70 and a medium (12 oz.) is $2.50 and there are three blends offered each day. I ordered a fair trade Nicaraguan blend and they used the pour over method. The barista made it right in front of me as I picked up a 1 pound bag of their "San Francisco" blend which is a dark roast and a cinnamon roll to go. There are only a few choices in regards to their food items which is the only negative.

I really like the space. Natural sunlight pours in as there are plenty of windows, several seating options, all of the coffee is roasted by the owner who has been in the roasting business for nearly two decades and the coffee is GOOD, very good. This place ranks right up there with some of the heavyweights of Burlington. Good job Gold Ladder!

Atmosphere: 5/5

Seating: 5/5

Coffee: 5/5

Food: 4/5 

19/20

A

Barrio Bakery

Barrio Bakery

197 North Winooski Ave.

Burlington, Vermont 05401

On a snowy Monday morning I trekked from work to the lovely and unique Barrio Bakery. The bakery is located in a multi-colored building on the main floor and features a main dining area on one side, and the bakery kitchen on the other. During evening and night time hours, it becomes a pizza shop called, Pizza Barrio.

Upon arriving, I immediately get a very "Portlandia" TV show vibe about the space. The shop is a mix of regulars waiting for their early morning croissants and espresso's and newcomers like myself who are trying to capture the aura of the space. There is free wifi and plenty of seating options. Music from pandora plays in the background as they seem to feature indie/world music. There is a display case of baked goods that they are selling and above that is a chalkboard featuring the variety of specialty coffee that they are offering, panini's and specials of the month. For a large (16 oz.) coffee it costs $2.50 and comes from Vermont Artisan Coffee from Waterbury, Vermont. It is regular drip styled coffee, but unlike most drip coffees, it isn't acidic or bitter. Rather remarkable if you ask me.

Barrio Bakery has a very rustic look inside mixed with modern comforts and makes you want to grab a book and stay awhile. Really liked this place and will definitely be back!

Atmosphere: 5/5

Seating: 5/5

Coffee: 4/5 (only one roast of coffee)

Food: 5/5

19/20

A

Leunig's Petit Bijou

Leunig's Petit Bijou

Corner of Church and College Street

Burlington, Vermont 05401

On a particularly cold and snowy Thursday morning I had the pleasure of walking to Leunig's Petit Bijou, a French styled coffee and sandwich kiosk in the downtown district of the city. Petit Bijou, meaning "little gem" in French is situated across the street from its' larger restaurant, Leunig's. 

I decided to order a mocha latte and two chocolate chunk cookies. It was a bit pricey as the latte was $4.50 and the cookies were $2.50 a piece. I believe a large coffee is $3.25 (16 oz) if I read the sign correctly. I really liked the shop's set up as baked goods are all on one side of the kiosk and can be seen in the image above. On the front facing side, is the menu which features specialty coffee items and sandwiches and salads which appeared to be decently priced at around $10.00. 

Since Church Street was covered in snow, there weren't any places to sit and enjoy the old-fashioned sport of people watching. I quickly walked back to my apartment as my face nearly froze entirely. Luckily, I had a nice cup of hot coffee to warm up my hands. The location is ideal in the warmer months as there is plenty of benches on or around Church Street and it's a relatively quick walk to the picturesque waterfront. 

Atmosphere: 5/5 (It's on Church Street!)

Seating: 3/5 (depending upon season)

Coffee: 4/5 (only one roast of coffee)

Food: 5/5 ( great selection of food items for such a small place)

17/20

B