Firebird Cafe

This place was great! Tried it bc we saw great reviews on Unilocal for it. Food was AMAZING! my only complaint is that the place lacked adequate seating so we had to wait a bit to sit down and the food did take a while to get to us. It was a Sunday morning tho so this was understandable. And when we did get the food, it was so delicious that we didn’t care!

We’ve been coming to the Burlington area on ski vacations for something like 15 years, and now we live in Essex Junction. Sometime early on we found the Firebird and were completely blown away. The place is a modest older house — more like a cottage, really — that only serves breakfast and lunch. I can’t remember why we stopped the first time, but it became one of the places we visited at least once on every subsequent visit. The food is simple, but just superbly well done. Personally, I go for the omelettes: the best I’ve ever had. The cooking is heavily influenced by Southwest cuisine (the owner idolizes Rick Bayless of Chicago’s Topolobampo) with a strong current of Vermont locavore. The Burlington area has more great restaurants per square inch than anywhere I’ve ever lived or visited, and the Firebird is right up there in the first rank.

Excellent quality food with friendly service. The Cuban and Firebird Cheese Steak is SOOO good and my vegan friend liked the veggie burrito! It’s nice to have a solid brunch option for vegetations in town! Sometimes there is a wait but that’s because everything is prepared fresh; so definitely worth it. This is a real gem in Essex and I will continue to be a customer for as long as they keep making delicious food :) also, I would love to see establishment become a franchise.

Best fish tacos I have ever eaten, and I order them everywhere! Jake and his team strive for clean, flavorful beautiful food served in s simple, cozy environment.

Fantastic food, great service, cozy, art on the walls, and bottomless (delicious) coffee. What more could you ask for!

Puzzled by the raving reviews. I felt I had a super long wait. They assigned a number to my table. The waitress passed me several times. My food looked messy and was cold. And I was shocked that they were no side dishes to my meal. I felt it was kind of a rip off. Just my two cents.

What a fantastic find! Mexican food and breakfast pair so well together, and this café does it so well. It caters to those that might want to sit in and eat, but those who want take out as well.
I ordered the chorizo benedict with homefries (which were extra — but it was not that much more, and well worth it). Very tasty and exactly what I wanted on a cold fall morning.
Staff was friendly, and as I sat there and ate, they know their regulars well. I like when a place talks to their customers and created that relationship.
Small perk for those of us that travel for work — they have their POS set up so you can email your receipt. I am old and boring that I find this exciting, but I did!

This place is a nice little café. Breakfast items are plentiful and there is good variety. We each got a Benedict, me the chorizo and she the Florentine. Service was fast and the food was hot, fresh, and picturesque.
Décor and layout is nice. A little cramped in some places but good enough. Parking is also good.

Happened to find this jem by chance. We were in town for training. I ordered the pork burrito and it was delicious. It was so moist and flavorful. Possibly the best food I’ve ever had. I highly recommend this place.

Absolutely delicious! Been trying to stop here for awhile and finally did today. I got the carnitas omelette and they made it celiac friendly and dairy free no problem — my boyfriend got the supremo burrito and was completely satisfied. The staff was also super friendly and welcoming. Now we’re both wondering why we didn’t get food here until now… can’t wait to go back!

I make a point of visiting Firebird every time I’m in Essex Junction, which is multiple times a year. No matter what, I regret what I ordered because I just want EVERYTHING (could that be a menu option?). The hot sauce and chorizo are homemade and spicy, but with a well-​rounded chili flavor what is not overwhelmed by spiciness. The burritos are sensational. For breakfast I’ve had the pork omelette, poblano omelette. and chorizo benedict (which is my favorite). The home fries are crispy and nicely spiced. I haven’t tried any of the sweet breakfasts, but honestly don’t plan to because eggs/​beans/​salsa/​chorizo are all I want in life (but they’re there if you want them). The coffee is excellent, and you get a mug to refill on your own. The place isn’t huge so don’t come with a group. Come alone, and order everything.

I’ve lived in Essex Junction for 3 years… how did I ever miss this place?! Ahhhmazing breakfast, it’s now my go-​to spot. The owner is super helpful, and makes delicious sauces, comparable to those I’ve tasted in Baja Mexico. Pancakes and French toast come with REAL maple syrup. Vermont Coffee Company freshly-​brewed is the icing on the cake.

Delicious food and so happy not too many people know about this place! Great sandwiches and wraps… never had a bad experience.

Super good food at a reasonable price. Most items run around the $ 9 mark. This is my favorite place to eat in Chittenden County besides maybe Penny Cluse downtown. I’ve honestly never had anything bad here. Good coffee too. It can get really busy around lunch time and seating is limited but you can always order to go. Just understand you may wait up to 30 mins for your items. But honestly the best place to go for breakfast and lunch in the area.

I should have known better… breakfast, brunch, and Mexican. And what did I do… I went for the Mexican. I had a chicken burrito at lunch. I would have been better off at Wendy’s or the frozen food aisle. The chicken tasted real and it came with a side of tomatoes, which I think was suppose to be pico de gallo. Um. Ok. The burrito wasn’t terrible but nothing about it was good. Inside the burrito with Chicken beans and I believe sour cream and that’s it. It was a decent portion size, but that’s coming from a city slicker use to tiny portions and cute décor. A burrito and a drink was about $ 12. The staff was nice, the restaurant is an old house, and the restroom was clean. Stick with the breakfast and brunch items. Good luck.

Major winner here, top marks on the food, charm, and service. We showed up 15 min after it opened on a Sunday and there was only one other couple there. But by the time we left, the place was packed. Secret is out that this place is amazing.
We ordered the pork carnitas omelette and the French toast.
The pork carnitas were juicy, flavorful and not too salty. It was complemented nicely by the fresh tomato salsa and the sour cream. The home fries were also excellent.
I chose the croissant bread for the French toast and added grilled banana and blueberries. It was light, airy and crispy around the edges.
In addition to coffee they have a large selection of drinks including Boylan sodas and Diet Dr. Pepper so for me that pretty much earns them another star, but not like they needed it because it’s a 5 star place.
Service was great. Style is order at the counter then pick your seat and they bring it to you. They were friendly, pleasant and made just enough small talk to win me over. The inside is very quaint and charming. Spoiler alert… if you love kitschy chicken décor, you’re going to love this place.

Close your eyes and point to something on the menu; you just can’t go wrong here.
…Unless of course your planning anything other than a nap later, then you may want to stick to the sandwiches.

This is not ordinary food, the plating, the portions, the flavors, its balanced and perfect combinations make this food an absolute treat for your senses and your palate. I had the huevos rancheros and the pancakes and i tried the pork carnitas omelette and it was enough to realize that i was in front of a hidden treasure when it comes to food, everything was delicious! You most visit this place even if you’re far away because it’ll be more than worth it! You most think I’m a friend or family member of the owner, but we are Jersey friends that happened to come to the Essex Junction once a year cuz we love it and now more since we found this place!

Sitting in the warm sun room, sipping delicious local brew coffee and having one of my favorite breakfasts– Chorizo Benedict!
Today they have homemade Thai Chicken soup too that was AMAZING! :D
Love this place.

The best burrito I’ve ever had. You don’t get to pick the fillings, this isn’t Chipotle. I think over the years I’ve had all the burritos on the menu, but the carnitas is my favorite. In addition to the fall apart pork, you get brown rice, black beans, Monterey Jack, avocado, and the whole thing is topped with a spectacular tomatillo sauce. If you come for breakfast, you can always get a breakfast burrito, but I recommend the carnitas omelette. You get the same tasty pork, cheddar, mushrooms, avocado, and the world class tomatillo sauce with a side of sour cream and well seasoned home fries.
There are also pretty solid paninis and other breakfast options (huevos rancheros, benedicts, etc). Firebird makes its own hot sauce, which is ridiculously flavorful (and not super hot). The coffee is from VT coffee roasters and although you pour it out of a thermos, it is top notch stuff. If you order a mug, it’s bottomless.
Basically, I love this place and try to come here whenever I’m visiting the family. It doesn’t hurt that it’s right around the corner. The dining room is maybe ²⁄₃ of the first floor of a small house and there are nice intimate seating areas in the bits tucked away from the counter. Firebird is almost always busy, but people get in and out quickly, so by the time your food is ready there is probably a table for you. If you’re in Essex Junction, this is an obvious must-​visit, but is also worth the drive from Burlington.