Pioneer Lakeshore Cafe

Locally owned & operated

Family-owned & operated

Such a great find in Burlington! The restaurant has a warm, inviting atmosphere and the Turkish…read morefood was full of flavor. We tried the pide and chicken kebab, and everything tasted fresh and well prepared. The service was friendly and attentive without feeling rushed. Definitely save room for the pistachio baklava! A lovely spot on Church Street for lunch or dinner, and somewhere I'd happily visit again.

Absolutely fantastic. Nice quiet place (quiet when we were there anyway) that's easy to find along…read morethe Marketplace. My wife and I were seated immediately. Got some small apps and shared a Chicken Kabob dinner. Then came dessert. Our waiter said we'd have to get up to look in their refrigerated display. It was wonderful. Everything looked just so good. We got an order of Baklava and some "cake". Both are in my picture. Damn were they good!!! The Baklava was both original flavor and chocolate. Unusual!! The cake came in chocolate, strawberry, mango, and mulberry/black raspberry. I chose the latter. As good as it looks, it tasted even better. Highly recommend heading here. There's nothing wrong and everything right with this restaurant.

See all

Muddy Waters

4.1(242 reviews)

5.3 mi

The scones and iced mocha were amazing! Such a cozy vibe, warm and welcoming. The barista Naomi was…read moreattentive and friendly--wonderful customer service. Highly recommend and will be back!

one person taking orders and making coffee, took 7 minutes to serve a single person who ordered ONE…read morelatte. We had to leave as there were 4 people in front of us and I didn't want to spend an hour in line .... Just terrible !

Teas and coffees menu

See all

Coffee and breakfast spot!

Specs

4.4(16 reviews)

4.7 mi

I've been to specs twice since it opened for cocktails in the evenings. It's a dreamy place for…read morecocktail lovers. They have a binder of cocktails broken down by liquor type. Service: They're very attentive to answering any questions about drinks and always happy to make any accommodations upon request. The have so many different variations of drinks such as six different takes on a martini and so on. The inside is very nice, quaint. An 8 or so person bar and then tables throughout the back and front of the cafe. There's also a fun side grocery room you can shop in while sipping on a cocktail. They're very attentive have individual sodas, drinks, and then larger options like cases of beer, wine, aperitifs, non alcoholic options, and also stuff like ice molds, cocktail shakers and so forth. I highly recommend to anyone looking for a one of kind cocktail place in chittenden county. Oh and drinks are super affordable! $11-$12 for most cocktails on their lists.

What a cute spot! We had just finished brunch at Sneakers and I wanted to grab a coffee for the…read moreroad. Specs is tiny and honestly a bit anxiety-inducing as there's not a lot of room to stand around and wait for your order. The space is eclectic and mismatched, and kind of feels like your grandma's kitchen, in a cute and cozy way. I loved the little attached shop where you can buy coffee, beer, wine, spices, drink mixers, art, etc. I got the silk sheets and Nate got the razzle dazzle - both really delicious lattes, and I love anything black sesame so I knew I'd like the silk sheets. Their menu is large and you can customize your drinks in tons of ways, including with CBD, sprinkles, syrups, milks, etc. The options seem kind of endless. Not a super great place to hang out and work, but I'm glad we were able to stop in!

See all

Cocktail

Radio Bean

3.9(88 reviews)

5.0 mi

The heart and creative soul of Burlington for decades now. It has changed a lot over the years…read morehaving lost the coffeehouse vibe by day, which I miss as it was a critical way to foster connection and community, but I also understand the businesses need to generate money from the bar at night. Either way, a treasure of a place with great vibes and funky people.

A jaded take from a 60 year old…read more It's an okay platform for garage band level aspiring musicians. Enthusiastic bar tenders churning out above average drinks. They offer free foam ear plugs, definitely a good idea to protect those precious drums. Likely a five star experience for regulars who reconnect with friends every weekend.

See all

The Boardroom - Board Game Cafe

4.8(21 reviews)

4.9 mi

Went there for the first time for a puzzle race and enjoyed my time there. The only problem came…read morefrom another customer who made unreasonable demands due to the fact that she felt spinach didn't belong in a spring mix (baffling). The staff did their best to appease them but unfortunately you can't with some people. I recommend this place for the food (reasonably priced) , atmosphere, and staff.

Bad experience all around. Service bad, they don't pay attention to their tables, owner rude and no…read morewits about her speaking to a calm customer who communicated very clearly. Didnt even get to play a game because they created so many issues for us. Both myself and my date were more than displeased, I had to split my sandwhich. we came hungry and left hungry with a side of bad taste in our mouth from the owners rude attitude and lack of business ethics. Food bad, basic food that's overly expensive, small portions except for large portions of cheap bad ingredients chips. They don't know the difference between spring mix and sauted spinach or was just very old, slimy, wilted. We regret choosing this place. Ridiculous experience and business owner who certainly does not have any education or experience around food or business. As someone who's worked in both I'm disgusted by this experience, especially coming from the owner. She wouldnt even remake the sandwich or ma a different one which either way would have been cheaper than the one she had to take off the bill and throw away anyway. so they knew we left hungry and continued being rude. The owner said if she remade it then you'd be getting a free one. there was 2 bites taken out of the sandwich and the second was very forced after trying to take out the spinach which was not spring mix. they didn't try to make things right when we let go split my sandwich and both looked upset to even be there. we wanted to leave and honestly should have. I called today and the owner started raising her voice telling me that she said she'd make it when clearly that did not happen. You don't raise your voice when you're talking about an issue you created for someone else and not only didn't fix but continue to keep making more havoc. We just wanted a meal and to play a game. Neither of which happened- Did leave feeling played, but not the right kind haha- Do not give this business your money.

Excellent pickle plate and huge yummy hot pretzel. Perfect for gaming!

Crokinole board set up for doubles

See all

Multiple seating areas available.

The Wallflower Collective

4.6(13 reviews)

5.1 mi

Such a charming and welcoming place! Great atmosphere, friendly service, shoutout to Emerson and…read moreShana. We received wonderful overall experience. Definitely worth a visit when you're in Vermont! Late night pizza (served until 2 AM) is the cherry on the top :)

Bubbling atmosphere where you can play a friendly game of pool or gab over a boutique drink while a…read moreportrait of Anthony bourdain watches over you. I will say, they are lacking the classics-- i asked for a dirty martini and they said they didn't have "the makings" for it. Give the people what they want! Stuffed red pepper olives: https://www.misfitsmarket.com/bono-olives-red-pepper-stuffed-56-oz/p?utm_campaign=21580541890&utm_source=google&utm_medium=performancemax&utm_content=6511196391&adtype=pla&productid=123058&nw=x&utm_term=&kw=&campaignid=21580541890&adgroupid=&adid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=21576862997&gbraid=0AAAAACtavCsUMzixGi3jsAN1_uvnX5ftx&gclid=Cj0KCQjwjvfSBhDpARIsAEiOpSuyzmiXPpXzlC3j6iJWrA9bs3jtGIzoyU8LVOV4D2FTH5bBxiEbek0aAvmSEALw_wcB

See all

Garden Atrium

4.8(8 reviews)

5.3 mi

Great place to have a civilized breakfast. There are not many sit down options in the area…read more Finally, eating-in... they offer a daily baked egg special. The baked egg came with a piece of cornbread and slices of orange as a garnish/finish. Today's baked egg was filled with fresh veggies, and sun dried tomatoes. The cornbread was on the drier side, but still very good and just a touch of sweetness. The staff here are really pleasant, adding to the overall experience.

This is my go to place for breakfast and lunch! Staff are super nice, unlike most hospital food…read moreestablishments, there's a tracker system so you can sit and relax and they bring the food right to you! All foods are made from local items, it's definitely more fancy then regular hospital food, I would even say it's gourmet! They have pumpkin custard which is to die for and a delicious version of grilled cheese with cream cheese, local VT cheddar cheese, onions and mushrooms. Food is almost as cheap as the Harvest Cafe! Don't miss breakfast from 7:30 am to 10 am, the Lost bread or Farmstead Eggs are my recommendations!

Breakfast special -- kale and onion toast with poached eggs and roasted red pepper drizzle

See all

Unexpected for "hospital food"... A photogenic Turkey Club...

The Beacon Bar & Lounge

5.0(1 review)

5.1 mi

Breakfast attached to the hotel. You order and pay at the counter. They have a few different hot…read morebreakfast options. They have other grab and go type breakfast items for purchase as well. My boyfriend and I both ordered the avocado toast. We grabbed our coffees from the counter and found a table. We had a waitress bring out our food. We were also offered water which was brought to our table. Very nice staff. I also liked that they had a VT maple syrup option for my latte!

Avocado Toast

Avocado Toast and Lattes

See all

Latte

The Cosmic Grind

4.4(46 reviews)

5.2 mi

I went to The Cosmic Grind with a few friends as we wanted to have a different coffee experience. I…read morelove iced mocha lattes. The Cosmic Grind has a binder filled with different latte combinations/orders and I got the Cookies and Cream flavour. It was definitely a balanced, delicious latte and I'm really happy I went. There was one barista working both the register and espresso machine. It was a little bit of a wait because it was one person taking true care in making this iced latte. The ambiance of The Cosmic Grind is definitely filled with paintings and colours to make you feel like you're in space. It is a small space and so on a busier day it might be cramped. This is a place to try if you love iced mochas or different kinds of lattes. It's not where you go to rush in and out with your coffee. I recommend trying it out!

Awesome little coffee shop in the heart of church st. I loved the cosmic theme and the local art on…read morethe walls. The coffee was spot on and the perfect pick me up needed for an afternoon of window shopping with the girls.

The narrow walkway behind the register

See all

Vermont Bagel Company

4.5(72 reviews)

4.1 mi

We were in the area & starving, so we popped in not realizing it was closing time. They were…read morereally kind to make our order anyway. And then we were blown away by how delicious the sammiches on their fresh chewy bagels were: The Melted Maple The Farm Stand They only had a few bagels left to choose from, so we got them both on Asiago & they were perfect! After we ate them, we read the glowing Yelps & realized how fortuitous it was for us that we stumbled in. Next time we won't come so late in the day. Highly recommend!!

Not bad, it was a solid bagel. Not much to say other than that. I wasn't blown away, didn't hate it…read moreeither. Ok, if you're going to name yourself Vermont Bagel company it should blow you away. I was excited to try, I love bagels. Blah blah blah, I'll leave this one up to you.

This is the Taylor Ham!

The Champlain

See all

Kale cheddar bagel with Cabot cheddar and hash brown & bacon

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

7 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Kelly H.

0

1

0

5 years ago

I am not really a review writer. I decided to give a shout out to Jean-Luc and Lindsay for the terrific atmosphere and quality food they served us. I would not expect anything less after a quick google search of the owner. I recognized his name but could not place how. Jean-Luc has worked at many high-end establishments, so quality ingredients, great flavors and a clean environment is anticipated. The vibe is comfortable & inviting with simple, tasteful décor. Music is lively but not overpowering. We ordered breakfast items & will return for lunch. The coffee was outstanding, which is one of the important things in my life (A locally roasted product)! This place is filling a niche for this community. Let's continue to support them! read more

Brian J.

0

3

0

2 months ago

The best fish sandwich ever. Period. I'm 79 and a new englander raised on wonderful seafood and the Pioneer sandwich is so delicious. Soft freah roll, thin not greasy deep fry on the freah haddock. Gotta get there early because they use only fresh fish every day and run out fairly quickly. Their fries are fantastic. And the chicken sandwich. Everything. We have fallen in love with the place. Not expensive. And the service and servers are warm, gracious, and attentive. It's our new go-to. A must. read more

Lynn M.

0

4

0

7 days ago

I went to Chat GPT looking for recommendations for local eateries. This place topped the list and the great reviews were spot on! Friendly staff, delicious food and a line out the door! Dine in or take away, you won't be disappointed!! read more

Billy B.

24

3

0

5 years ago

A Fantastic spot in the heart of beautiful Mallets Bay,Vermont. Always greeted by a smile, you'll never leave hungry and may I recommend the lobster roll. In my opinion, the best in The Burlington,Vt area. Don't delay, try today ! read more

Aunt K.

0

11

0

3 months ago

My family has come here multiple times now. I've always enjoyed the food, and the staff is great. I often get the chicken sandwich, as it's excellent. read more

Autumn C.

0

1

0

3 months ago

I have never wrote a review but I had to shoutout this place, amazing food, lovely staff, absolutely a hidden gem, excited to come back :)

Bridget C.

0

5

0

5 years ago

Awesome place! Amazing food. Breakfast sandwich was the best I have ever had! Owners are so kind!

Pioneer Lakeshore Cafe - coffee - Updated September 2026

People who viewed Pioneer Lakeshore Cafe also viewed

Cook Sisters Cafe & Catering

4.8

(22 reviews)

This is a hidden gem that we totally would have missed if not for our Airbnb hosts' excellent…read morerecommendation. We never expected such gourmet food to come out of what is essentially a dressed-up after-hours bagel shop. We called ahead to make a reservation (they highly encourage this) and were promptly greeted and seated by one of the sisters, Patty, as soon as we arrived. Their menu is small, but we didn't mind it, both of us finding a couple of things each that sounded delicious. I was a little bummed that they were both out of crab cakes and weren't serving the sweet pea and basil soup that they had advertised on Facebook as a weekend special, but we rallied and split the picnic plate instead as an app. It was so special--featuring homemade pickled veggies (the pickling brine was so delicious), some fantastic homemade country pate, cheese, cherries, olives and plenty of bread. We enjoyed every last bite. For our mains, I got the scallops Pernod, which were perfectly cooked and so sweet. The accompanying spinach and farro were simple but complemented it well. My husband got the seared tuna, which was a beautiful rare in the center and came with a wasabi sauce that really made the dish. For dessert, we split a slice of carrot cake, which looked and tasted very homemade (I saw Patty cutting it from a cake carrier), and it was the best carrot cake I've had in a long time. Moist, just sweet enough, and dangerously scarfable. I found myself wishing we had each gotten our own slice. Everything we ate was made with care and love, and the dining experience felt intimate and cozy, like we were being served a very nice meal at a friend's house. It's a three-person operation, with one sister (the very sweet Patty) running front-of-house, one sister running the kitchen, and a busboy, so be prepared to wait a little bit at times. We didn't mind though given how relaxing the atmosphere was. This ended up being my favorite dinner during our anniversary weekend in Burlington, and this is after Honey Road and Hen of the Wood. We look forward to coming back.

Can't believe I almost forgot to review this place! Chillest vibes, trillest staff, orchestra of…read moreflavor food. Out. Of. This. World. I had the absolute best tuna steak sandwich I have ever eaten in my whole life here. It was seasoned just right. Cooked perfectly. And tasted so fresh you'd think there was tuna swimming in Lake Champlain! We sat on the back patio under the summer Vermont sun soaking in the detail oriented surroundings. I don't know who these sisters are, but they are hitting home runs with food. If you're ever on the isle, MAKE THIS A DESTINATION!!

Le Marche Cafe

3.8

(20 reviews)

Absolutely amazing experience from start to finish. We ordered a carrot cake for my parents'…read moreanniversary since carrot cake was their wedding cake flavor, and they were completely blown away (and they are carrot cake experts). The cake was beautiful, incredibly moist and flavorful, and honestly one of the best carrot cakes we've ever had. Even people who don't usually like carrot cake loved it! The customer service was just as wonderful as the cake itself. Everyone was so kind, helpful, and genuinely cared about making the order special for us. You can tell this bakery puts so much heart into what they do. Thank you for helping make my parents' anniversary so memorable!

This was a stop on the way out of Burlington. We wanted some breakfast and coffee and oh my did…read morethis for the bill. Now, some of the pastries did not look like they were made the same day fresh but most was. The breakfast sandwich was huge. The coffee was not bad but also not the best however I would visit again for the food.

Cafe Mediterano

4.4

(70 reviews)

Authentic Bosnian foods, Medditeranian, service good, also a store inside to stock up on favorite…read morefrom Balkans, candy, meets, cheese, teas, much more

Cute spot. Super nice people. The chicken was fantastic. Rice tasty. The falafel was overcooked…read moresuper crunchy, and and I couldn't eat all of it. It was just too dry.

Milton Diner

3.6

(52 reviews)

Ate there had a hot turkey sandwich, it came with brown gravy and the turkey was slimy , when I…read moreasked for turkey gravy the waitress said they where all out , I said the turkey was slimy so I sent it all back ,

Really amazing food and genuine service from the locals. You know it is a local diner when you see…read morePolaroid photos of the regulars framed on the walls. The eggs Benedict's were legit. Even the crab cakes on my wife's Benedict were awesome! As a Marylander, I am snooty about crab cakes. I had the corned beef hash Benedict and the portion was huge, the eggs had golden and thick yolks, and we ordered one blueberry pancake as a side. It was bigger than the platter it came on, was malty with crunchy edges, and for $0.65, it was literally stuffed with blueberries! I hope we stop here on our way back to the airport in Burlington, Vermont!

Garden of Eatin' Cafe

3.2

(16 reviews)

Terrible service considering the place was empty. I ordered at the register and was told to sit in…read morethe dining room and it would be brought to me. 3 people working yet the wait was going on 20 minutes when I went back up to the register. The cashier and the 'cook' were putting the sandwich on a plate when they saw me. They both glared at me for daring to do this. Instead of bringing the sandwich to me the cashier wanted to know what I wanted. I should have said 'my sandwich.' i Just asked if it was ready. She then asked if I wanted something else, like I had no business there. I said no and took the sandwich. I ordered a BLT, which was barely toasted, and it tasted like a lettuce and tomato sandwich. When I opened it I found what amounted to 2 strips of the thinnest, dry, broken up slices of bacon imaginable. The cup of cheddar soup was tiny. I was still hungry 30 minutes after I left and got some fast food. They probably ate most of what was supposed to go in the sandwich. Disgusted by the nasty attitude and RIP OFF of $15.00. I could have gotten a nice meal for that amount at the nearby Texas Roadhouse. A couple days later I called to complain and the Gardeners Supply manager wanted to field the call even though they don't manage the cafe, saying the manager was a 'close friend' of hers and she would relay my complaint. When I explained what happened her response was she would let him know. I asked if that was it and she said yes. It wasn't until I challenged that did she take my name and number. Both places will be sunk before too long, especially now that Gardens Alive bought out Gardeners. The buyer for GS must have changed because it's all mediocre goods now. Don't waste your time and money.

Dude, update the online hours of operation. Wasted an hour of our time driving here just to have…read moresome lazy employee tell us "sorry, I need to update the website". Do your job.

Alimentari Cafe & Provisions

4.8

(5 reviews)

What a hidden gem! Looks assuming from the outside and granted, the menu is not extensive but oh my…read moregosh is the food excellent and fresh! Highly recommend for light but satisfying lunch. Everything is hand crafted so be patient with your order - it's worth it l! We had the pesto and sliced tomatoes on ciabatta but added aged prosciutto which was hand sliced tomatoes order. Fantastic! The kind of thing you'll crave for again. I kinda wish there was a bit more offerings but Just go, you'll be happy trying its food.

Food was amazing. Prices very reasonable! Friendly staff. What a great addition to the downtown…read morelunch scene! I'm so excited to go back. Seating is minimal inside, but outside there are a few tables. I highly recommend giving them a try!

August First

4.4

(542 reviews)

A fantastic local spot right in the heart of Burlington! August First has a warm, authentic local…read moreatmosphere that really captures the spirit of the city. The menu is varied, everything we tried was delicious, and the quality of the food was excellent. The space has a great character and feels like a true Burlington favorite rather than a typical tourist restaurant. Definitely a place I would recommend to anyone visiting Burlington. Great food, great atmosphere, and a wonderful local experience!

Such a cute firehouse turned cafe and bakery. The sandwiches were yummy but the brioche could have…read morebeen a little softer/moist. Taste the east sando was nice but I wish the yolk was runner and the sauce a tad less sweet. The highlight of the sandwich was the arugula, very flavorful and not bitter. The best item on the menu was the Maple biscuit. It is a revelation. The crispy, buttery biscuit with maple butter and jam on top was so satisfying. The jam was so delicious. Even after we finished the biscuit, I packed the butter and the jam to go because I couldn't bear to waste any of it. Last but not least, the coffee tastes quite delicious black, and you can tell a lot about an establishment by their high-quality coffee. A great place to wake up to in the morning.

Harvest Café

3.8

(12 reviews)

Staff was always awesome. But, over the years more and more was taken away from the menu about as…read morefast as the quality. I am saddened that when people who come to the hospital are not usually in a good place. And to give them food my dogs won't eat, despicable. I went to Dartmouth recently, and their food is much better there. And there is alot more to choose from.

Working the holiday and the only thing open is the Harvest Cafe. The garden atrium is where it's at…read morebut it's closed. I definitely didn't get enough mango salsa. Despite this, it was pretty good. Bean salad was great as well. Giving 3 stars. Would be 4 if served with a smile and with more mango salsa next time.

Barrio Bakery & Cafe

4.2

(86 reviews)