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After leaving Montpelier we decided to start looking for a place to have lunch as we approached Burlington. We exited just before Burlington, but couldn’t find any restaurants close to I-89. Since we had our Garmin GPS to get back on track, we continued about five miles down the road until we came to Essex Junction and saw the Firebird Café on the left-hand side. Since this was obviously a local place and not a fast-food chain, we decided to stop and check it out.
One of the great joys of travel is to find these small out of the way places that are unique. Of course travelling with a dog sometimes requires the sacrifice of cuisine for lunch and going through a drive through window, fortunately is was not to be on this Saturday in June!
Not only did this local café turn out to be a very good choice for food, but it also was a pet-friendly restaurant. Thus we are rating both pet-friendliness as well as the food.
The owner came out to speak with me and gave me a takeout menu to carry with me. Jake Tran, the owner, is originally from California, so he brought some of the cuisine from the West Coast with him to Vermont. The restaurant is only open for breakfast and lunch, and specializes in breakfast 7 days a week for the time it is open.
The menu features a wide selection of breakfast options that includes eggs, pancakes, omelets, French toast, and even such dishes as Eggs Benedict Florentine. Also on the menu is a good selection of burritos, tacos, wraps, sandwiches, and salads.
I opted for a chicken burrito that was one of the best I have had anywhere I have travelled.
There is a big water bowl outside for dogs as well as a number of picnic tables for pet owners to have their companions with them. The only improvement I would suggest to Jake would be to put up some umbrellas to shield outside diners from the elements a bit. There were also pictures of dogs on the walls in the restaurant itself.
If you are travelling through Northwest Vermont at breakfast or lunch time, I highly recommend stopping and visiting the Firebird Café. Tell them that Susie at the Boomer Travel Patrol, Pet Patrol sent you!
Location: 163 Pearl Street, Essex Junction, VT
(802) 316-4265
Hours: 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. 7 days a week
Website: http://www.thefirebirdcafe.com
Rating(Pet Friendliness): 
Rating(Food): 
July 12, 2023
