August First

August First Bakery

149 South Champlain Street

Burlington, Vermont 05401

August First is a neat cafe/deli/bakery located in downtown Burlington, Vermont. Parking is a bit difficult as it is metered street parking and spaces can be limited depending upon the time of the day. The assortment of homemade baked goods is astounding and there is both a breakfast and a lunch menu. 

Coffee selection is limited compared to other shops in Burlington as there is only one type of drip coffee; however the coffee that I did have was extremely tasty. August First is entirely laptop and wifi free which encourages people to be mindful of others. 

The space is very open as it was a former garage at one time. The exposed brick and bookcases create a cozy vibe. There are a lot of seating options as well both indoors and outdoors. It's a really quiet spot to read a book and enjoy a tasty pastry or sandwich. 

Atmosphere: 5/5

Seating: 5/5

Coffee: 3/5

Food: 5/5

18/20

A-

Scout and Co. (Victory Circle)

Scout and Co. (Winooski)

1 East Allen Street

Winooski, Vermont 05404

Last year, I reviewed a Scout and Co. location in Burlington's South End. This year, I am reviewing another one of their locations located in Winooski at the top of the traffic circle There are currently three Scout and Co. locations in the Greater Burlington area, each shop with its own unique spin. 

This location makes its own ice cream and there is a coffee roaster that also shares the space (Vivid Coffee Roasters). The space is full of bright, natural light and has several cozy areas to relax and enjoy your java. The aroma of coffee is quite heavenly as you first enter the shop and the ice cream selections add to the excitement! The ice cream flavors tend to be unique, but tasty (avocado, bacon etc). The coffee is freshly roasted and there are several specialty options. Besides ice cream, there is an assortment of baked goods. 

Atmosphere: 5/5

Seating: 5/5

Coffee: 5/5

Food: 4.5/5

19.5/20

A+

The Cosmic Grind

The Cosmic Grind

104 Church Street

Burlington, Vermont 05401

When you're walking down Church Street, you may discover the tightly squeezed location of one of Burlington's newest coffee shops, The Cosmic Grind. There used to be a Speeder and Earl's location that called this very spot home. The Cosmic Grind features incredible galactic artwork painted on the walls and has a tin ceiling that provides extra charm.

Seating is limited as there is only enough room for a handful of people; however there is outdoor seating (weather permitting). The coffee menu is expansive and perhaps has the largest selection of specialty coffee drinks in all of Burlington. The Cosmic Grind carries coffee from Big Jay Roasting Company (Montgomery, Vermont) and provides several different roasting options. The baked goods tend to be in short supply, but provide a tasty option to go with your java. Recently, The Cosmic Grind has started to make CBD infused coffee drinks.

Atmosphere: 5/5

Seating: 3/5

Coffee: 5/5

Food: 3/5

Bonus: 1/1 (Extremely good customer service)

17/20

B

Nomad Coffee: South End (Burlington)

Nomad Coffee 

208 Flynn Avenue

Burlington, Vermont 05401

You may recall one of my first postings on this blog regarding Nomad's mobile coffee stand. A few months ago, Nomad branched out and established their first brick and mortar location in Burlington's South End. Nomad: South End is located in a brick building in which Howard Center's headquarters are located. It is a little tricky finding Nomad as there is no sign outside of their door.

Once inside, I'm immediately hit with that absolutely to die for roasted coffee aroma. The space is open, bright and has a few seating options. The exposed brick and pipes gives way for an industrial vibe which I really like. The chalk board above the kitchen is easy to read and is split in two as one side is for drinks and the other is food related.

By the way, Nomad: South End has FOOD! and really, really good food at that. Nomad has a lunch menu that provides the customer with three options: Beef, Chicken and Vegetarian. I paid $12 and received one of the best meals I've ever had in Burlington (pictured below). A quick heads up for you foodies: Nomad is a stones throw away from City Market: Flynn Avenue. City Market is known for its lunchtime treats, I'd dare to say that Nomad is a hidden culinary secret!

Pictured: (chicken and gravy w/ brown rice, roasted vegetables and toasted walnuts w/ a side salad = YUM)

The coffee is roasted by Burlington's own BRIO Coffeeworks which is also located in the South End. I had the New World Mokka Java Blend and it was fantastic. Nomad's space was quiet as I was the only one in the dining portion of the room.The extended coffee menu is the same as their mobile coffee stand in Essex Center and both locations have an ample supply of baked goods. 

Atmosphere: 5/5

Seating: 4/5

Coffee: 5/5

Food: 6/5 

20/20

A+ (This is my new favorite lunch spot!)