Magnolia Bistro

Best breakfast joint in Burlington. We love the pancakes and home fries. The atmosphere is so relaxing as well. I would highly recommend this place to friends/​family (and I’m a picky eater)!

This is possibly my favorite place to eat breakfast in Burlington — the Incredible Mr. Limpett is a dream.

Breakfast and Brunch hidden away off the beaten path in downtown Burlington. It was like a little adventure discovering this gem. I’ve gone twice and we’ve ordered vegetarian fare as well as full blown Eggs Benedict. Perfectly executed, great price, friendly service. I would have gone 4 times but on two occasions they were too full for us to go! Great drinks, attentive service, good price but not super cheap either. I love finding these qualities in Burlington Vermont. You don’t find it everywhere, so when I do there’s a 100% chance I’ll be a repeat customer. Well done!

Went here for lunch with my wife and kids. Very relaxed, food took some time, but we did not mind, we were in no rush. Excellent food, very eclectic. Mostly ordered from the specials menu. Biscuits and gravy was savory, and the portion significant. The crab cake eggs Benedict with lemon hollandaise was also great. Fresh squeezed oj and local bacon were also nice surprises. Highly recommend!
This was our first time at Magnolia. We read the reviews on Unilocal,and decided that this was a place that we wanted to check out. We were not disappointed. We will be back next time we are in Burlington. Good luck!

Our Airbnb hostess recommended Magnolia Bistro. They have a number of vegan and vegetarian options. The ambience is comfortable. Coffee is tasty. I had the Coconut Peanut Scram which was sweet and nutty along with some really crunchy hash browns. Gratefully, they had Earth Balance for my toast, and the homemade raspberry jam was solid.

Ive been here 3 – 4 times now, once a year. The first time I had the best breakfast ever, lemon ricotta pancakes to die for. Last few times it was very good, but the pancakes were not as good as remembered. Today I went and it was disappointing. Im not sure what you guys did to that pancake recipe, but they werent very good. Lemon tasted artificial, lacked sweetness, and were too small and thin and not fluffy like before. Hashbrowns were extremely greasy and again a very small portion. I have no problem paying $ 40 for breakfast for 2, but I expect quality and a decent portion.
Magnolia used to be one of the hilights of my trip to Vermont, I really hope you guys figure it out. And since you guys are closed tue-​thurs, we had the opportunity to try Penny Cluse. Right now THEY are the best breakfast in Burlington in my opinion. Gave 3 stars as an average of all visits — today was a 1, maybe 2 star visit based on food alone.

Good spot for a work lunch. When you come in, you come down the stairs– so keep in mind if you are coming with kids & stroller. The service was very prompt, you get water and could order coffee right away (free refills). The food selection is good, especially if you are vegan but I had a Cuban sandwich which was very good! The cost overall is on the moderate end but well worth it!

My favorite brunch in Burlington ! There is usually a wait on weekends, but host/​hostesses are fairly quick to get you seated (typically within 15 – 20 minutes). Servers are always pleasant and informative. Service is prompt.
Though slightly «crowded» dining area is cozy (with space heaters to keep you extra warm in the winter), and the outdoor seating in the summer is quaint. Not a fan of their house ketchup, but they do supply Heinz upon request.
The menu offers options for vegetarians and vegans, (though I am neither of the two, this is necessary in the Burlington community). Food is always fresh and delicious. I typically order the breakfast burrito or the «huevos del sol» that is always on the specials menu.
Never a negative dining experience. I always bring my visitors here and am looking forward to returning again soon !

Cute place with a great vegetarian and/​or organic selection. Mixed reviews from our group though: the wait was pretty long and the food wasn’t particularly worth it. My own maple sausage, cheddar, and apple omelette was a nice combo but wasn’t anything special, and my dining companions all found their food to be on either the bland or greasy side, which was a bummer especially for the price. Still, I’d give them another shot since I believe in their philosophy (but might not be tempted to wait as long…).

Nice atmosphere, friendly service, and awesome veggie options. I had the incredible mr limpett (mock tuna on rye) with a side lightly steamed kale. Fresh oj is the best here. Also love the homemade banana bread!

Wow, our breakfast at Magnolia Bistro was egg-​scelent! I highly recommend the Banana Bread starter. The cranberry butter was not my favorite, but that’s personal preference, and the bread was worth getting it for. Seriously, get it. You won’t regret it. ;)
Only thing I could see as a downside for some is the wait… there is one… and an awfully large one at that. Magnolia does an awesome job of making this more bearable, though, with an upstairs coffee and snack café for those who are waiting. (The hot chocolate is awesome. The food downstairs is worth saving the room for.$ I have never been someone who minds waiting, so this did not bother me in the slightest, but do take that into consideration.
Overall: Every meal our table got was A+, the location is adorable, and I highly recommend stopping by.

Magnolia Bistro was a delicious stop on our weekend trip to Burlington. It’s tucked away off of St. Paul street in a brick building.
The wait was a bit long – longer than most (we waited an hour), but that didn’t bother us much as soon as we sat down.
The menu has a lot to offer and is vegan/​vegetarian friendly which adds to its appeal. I had the pumpkin bread French toast, which was one of the day’s specials and holy moly it was absolutely delicious. Even long after I was full I still kept trying to eat more because it tasted that good. My boyfriend who doesn’t even like sweets started eating some of it because he was obsessed too. If it’s on the menu when you visit – get it.
Our waitress was extremely friendly and made sure we had everything we needed multiple times. The setting is very cozy and laid-​back with lots of natural light coming through to add to the ambience.
I give it four stars only because it’s a little pricier than usual and the wait was a lot longer than anticipated but these are minor things.
Definitely recommend if you’re ever in Burlington!

Wow. Come for the location, stay for the food and come back for the location, food and service.
This place nailed it. In the basement, fresh coffee, and incredible food. Reservations highly recommended if available.

SLOW service but I’m used to the pace in Manhattan so I gave it the benefit of the doubt
If you’re a caffeine drinker it’s $ 2 per person for unlimited hot coffee refills
–Free coffee cake sample with swarm check in: not all that moist though
–Smoked salmon and hash browns over a bed of greens: solid hash browns but the smoked salmon was WAY too salty
–sesame tofu scramble: bland
NOTE: there’s a bar in the front to get a drink while you wait for a table!

This was the first place I ate on my 3 day trip to Vermont, and It was a perfect start to the trip! Right after sitting down, I was browsing the menu, (while my boyfriend was looking for somewhere to park), and the server filled up my coffee mug right away. She was really nice, and made my first interaction with a Vermonter a pleasant one! It just felt like a place I could sit and stay a while if I had wanted to do so, since it was so cozy and welcoming!
I had the Magnolia’s Eggs Benedict, and added the smoked salmon on top, my boyfriend chose the Vermont Omelette, and we shared the lemon ricotta pancakes and the banana bread. The Egg’s Benedict was the best I’ve ever had in my LIFE! I go out for breakfast 1 – 2 times per week, and have been to a lot of different cities and restaurants, but this one was the best ever! The lemon cayenne hollandaise was amazing, every drop was magical. The house cured citrus smoked salmon was incredible, and the hash browns were thin and crispy and perfect! I loved the sourdough bread it was served on.
My boyfriend enjoyed the Vermont Omelette, and we both liked the Lemon Ricotta «Pancakes» but agreed they tasted more «crêpe-​like» like it is listed in the description. I also thought maybe it could have used a small amount of lemon curd to make the color pop more, but still enjoyed it nonetheless! The banana bread with the cranberry cream cheese was perfect and I’m so glad we decided to order it! It was the perfect end to an amazing breakfast. :D

Just finished a great brunch at Magnolia’s! Menu has nice variety and it was so hard to decide on a dish because it all looked so good! Before our meal, we tried the seasonal bread which was blueberry peach … It was served warm and hit the spot! For my meal I had the pulled pork and avocado eggs Benedict. The pulled pork was a little more sweet than I was expecting, but was still a very good dish! The hashbrowns that my meal came with paired perfectly with the homemade ketchup. Our waiter was great too!
… Oh and try the hot sauce on the table. Made from ghost peppers, it’s pretty darn awesome.

impressive from the very first step into the alleyway where Magnolias is located. The restaurant is located in a beautiful old building in downtown burlington. The inner décor is lovely and charming. We came on a Monday morning and had no wait but I have heard that you should often expect a wait to get a table. (Worth it)
We started with mimosas. $ 25 for a bottle of champagne and fresh squeezed orange juice or fresh squeezed grapefruit juice. We found this to be a great deal compared to the $ 6 single price.
The homemade banana bread was delicious. Served warm with cream cheese; can’t beat it! You can either order it as a starter ($ 5) or get it as your bread with an omelet. Our table tried the crab cake Benedict (pictured), the lime waffle, the seasonal strawberry rhubarb French toast, and an omelet. I would highly recommend the strawberry rhubarb French toast!
As a ketchup lover, I was disappointed by the homemade ketchup that I was excited for. Weirdly enough, I hate tomatoes and was given the tomatoes I asked for them to leave off of my Benedict. Not a huge deal.
Overall, very impressed and would definitely return.

Fist of all the only reason why I am taking a star is the price.
If you are on no kind of budget this place is AMAZING.
Fresh, organic, local food.
Hashbrowns: Heaven
Homemade ketchup and jam.
Pancakes: Fantasic
Everything is so good. Just a little bit too expensive for a breakfast..

Seriously the best breakfast I’ve had! We have been here a few years ago for the first time and it was so good. It’s a place that you remember and bring up every once in a while. We planned our trip knowing this place was definitely on the agenda! Vermont omelet is the best of Vermont in a delicious, flavorful breakfast omelet. The combo of cheese, apple and maple sausage explodes in your mouth. Yes, I really put it that way. And let not forget their homemade jams… addicting! On this visit we also ordered their carrot cake bread and it was amazing. Wished we didnt share it, because i really wanted the while order to myself. This is a must go to place. Can’t wait for our next trip here.

Our waiter was very nice. We needed a table for 3 and were seated after waiting for a little. Just a tip, you can’t park in the parking lot right outside of Magnolia. It’s a private parking space so you’ll need to find street parking. This is my second time here and the experience is similar to the first. The staff are very friendly and helpful, but the wait to get food is awhile. It took them 1 hour ish to bring food for our table of 3. Otherwise they would have 5 stars from me.
I had the Magnolia Eggs Benedict, which was delicious. It comes with their homemade hash browns which are delicious and not greasy at all. I also had smoked salmon, which was cooked by the time they put it in the eggs benedict and warm so I’d recommend getting something else on the side. The sauce was very citrusy so it tasted like too much lemon juice was added so if you don’t like that, then tell them.
I also love the interior of this place. Most of it is wood and there are numerous beautiful little paintings on the walls. It feels very homey, spacious, and «Vermonty.»
If it weren’t for the wait and extra citrus from the eggs benedict, this place would be 5 stars for me! Be sure to make time for this place and get something on the specialty plates menu. You won’t regret it!