We went there by chance - on our way back from Tremblant to Brookline - what a hidden treasure. Now we would make a trip to Burlington simply to eat here!! We started off by odering two dishes and soon expanded it to six! EVERY dish was an ode to one's taste sensiblities - simply phenomenal quality! Our server Nina M was ever so nice! read more

Always reliable for a tasty brunch. Not always happy with portions. Eggplant sabich had very little fried eggplant and so heavily breaded I think I got a total of one small slice of a very small eggplant. Could not taste it. Food can be tasty but always disappointed in portions considering price. Good and interesting pastries. A bit on the heavy side. Service pleasant and the place squeezes in a lot of people in an odd shaped small space. read more

We ordered take out from The Grey Jay since we wanted to try their food but had to leave Burlington early. The reviews for this establishment were high and who doesn't love fusion middle eastern/ Mediterranean food?! We ordered: -chicken shawarma wrap -greek yogurt with maple rose granola and house made jam (5 stars!!) -single halloumi biscuit with harissa butter Everything tasted good but perhaps the greek yogurt was only worth mentioning. The chicken shawarma was good but I have had way better elsewhere since this is a favorite dish of mine. The halloumi biscuit was underwhelming on its own and overwhelming with the harissa butter adding way too much flavor as well as salt. But, the geeek yogurt parfait was sublime. The greek yogurt was whipped to perfection! The granola was not too sweet and added the perfect compliment to the thick fatty airy yogurt. And the house jam - oh my goodness, how sexy! The jam had chunks of berries and candied ginger. The bill was reasonable and staff during pick up was very pleasant. read more

The Grey Jay - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

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Swung by on a Saturday around 12:45pm - about 30 min wait. They use a text messaging system to alert you when your table is ready. Our group of 4 got chicken shawarmas ($16) and one shakshuka ($16). Food wasn't bad - chicken shawarma had good amount of chicken wrapped in a thin and crispy flatbread; and shakshuka was flavorful but eggs were definitely overcooked with hard yolks. Main grip was the portion sizes were very small. They had a variety of baked goods and a large selection of drinks (more than the food options.) Not sure if it was the limited selection ordered, but we weren't impressed by the portion sizes. Attentive staff (our waters were always filled) in a low-key but trendy spot. Overall, not bad for a Mediterranean-inspired place, but I prefer other spots in town for a better value. read more

Came here on a Sunday after getting in town for brunch. For two of us, we had a short 20 minute wait. The space is small but seems like staff quickly turn over tables. They were on top of filling up waters and making sure we had what we needed! I had the shashuka--it was so flavorful, filled with fresh tomatoes, onions and peppers. Plus that bread my partner had the chicken schwarma. So perfectly seasoned and crispy! We were entirely impressed! read more

The Grey Jay - Chicken schwarma - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

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You definitely need a reservation here unless you're willing to do as we did, which actually worked out nicely: we put our name on the waiting list, grabbed a couple donuts, and walked over by the water until we got a text that our table was ready. Wait for 2 was about 45 minutes. I like that they have the option to order limited menu items to go at the counter for this purpose. Friendly and fast service all-around. Skip: pear fritter - too sweet and one-note, dense coffee with cinnamon whipped cream (? - can't remember the name) - weird balance of spices that made it hard to drink. To clarify, the spices themselves are not what I'm describing as weird, but the way they worked together (or didn't) pickles - some guy next to us was proclaiming these the best pickles he'd ever eaten, but I just wasn't getting it. I love a sour pickle, and these definitely delivered in that regard, but it felt like there was no depth of flavor behind the punch of vinegar. I only had a couple on the side, but I believe there are some mezze platters you can order with a bunch of these guys and I just don't think it would be worth it. Would Get Again: egg sandwich - SO good! The crispy cheese skirt and soufflé egg texture were perfection. It would have been great with some greens on the sandwich to balance out the richness falafel Benedict - outstanding. Killer falafel with a nice hollandaise that was beautifully balanced with lemon and dill. plum cardamom cheesecake donut - very good, and leagues better than the pear fritter, but you can tell that they haven't perfected their sweet stuff in terms of textures and flavors. Maybe the non-donut bakery items are more on par with their savory specialities. read more

The Grey Jay - egg and cheese, falafel Benedict with salmon, unfinished spiced coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

Deviled Eggs Very mustard forward, which overpower the entire egg. It was just very odd in the flavor mixture not my cup of tea. Raspberry cheesecake doughnut Once I scraped all the sugar off, it was great. I prefer donuts that are not sugarcoated donut. The raspberry jam filling was perfect. I like the hint of lemon in that palette afterwards. Perfect cream, cheese consistency all in all a pretty good donut. Pistachio glaze donut A little chewy, the pistachio glaze was earthy. Pretty good. read more

The Grey Jay - Deviled Eggs - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

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The reviews of this place do not lie. The food, the service, the look of the restaurant are all phenomenal. We got there are 9:45 on a Sunday morning. The restaurant didn't have availability for about 45 minutes which we said was fine by us. We killed time while walking over on Church St and got back right in time to eat. We sat down and were immediately met by our server who helped give us advice and let us ask questions. We ordered the halloumi biscuits and the mezze platter. The halloumi biscuits were out of this world. We ordered two donuts to go and had the biscuits and mezze platter at the restaurant. Overall, the mezze platter was phenomenal. The pickles were a little too acidic for us, but the rest was amazing. The goat cheese stuffed dates, bread, and deviled eggs were especially delicious. Seating is tight at the restaurant, but it wasn't a problem. Everything was clean and people were so kind. I would 100% come back next time I'm in the area. read more

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Best place to get breakfast in Burlington. It may be kind of cramped inside, so maybe get a reservation for a big group. The Grey Jay has plenty of options for any taste. Lots of meaty or plant based choices. Prices are pretty good it seems. At breakfast it had just opened and it was already crowded. It's one of the few places in town open early in the morning. There's lots of traditional breakfast items, and hipster takes on these. It's $4 for a cup of the Turkish coffee. What makes this different is the grounds are in the cup, but this didn't taste bad though. Kind of was like a sludge, but good flavor. There's also a choice of getting it spiced. Also there's a few plant based food options. It's about $14 for one of these. At least it's good portions. I got the Tahini French Toast. A pretty good version of the breakfast classic. This had halva, orange blossom, and tahini butter, which all went good together. For sure we could go here again. It's pretty popular as it's always crowded. There's plenty of choices for vegans and vegetarians. read more

The Grey Jay - Turkish Coffee And Tahini French Toast - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

Incredible food -- every single thing I've ordered over multiple visits has been delicious. Best brunch in Burlington! read more

The Grey Jay - Shakshuka - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

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Fun and tasty brunch experience! Our group had a variety of dishes that we shared cause each dish was delicious. I personally had the kale salad. It was so good! The dressing was unique and it was filling. Place was small so it gets packed pretty quickly. read more

The Grey Jay - Kale salad - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

Our favorite meal in Burlington was brunch at The Grey Jay, an airy, light filled Mediterranean cafe focused on breakfast/brunch that's only open until 2pm everyday. They also serve Vivid Coffee, our fave coffee in Burlington! The biscuits are a must try!! The honey harissa butter is one of the best things I've tried in recent memory, and I was thinking about it all day after brunch. I got the Eggs Benedict as my main, which are served on falafel instead of bread. The eggs, spinach and hollandaise were amazing, but I don't generally love falafel, so in hindsight, I should have ordered something else. If you're a falafel fan, this is the dish for you! There were tons of veggie items on the menu, and everything looked amazing. I wish we had discovered it earlier in the weekend so we could have gone back to try more dishes. read more

The Grey Jay - Biscuits - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

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So delicious! Great service, and delicious and creative options for food. We got the breakfast sandwich with sausage and split 2 donuts. Everything was amazing! read more

Hands down the best breakfast spot in the Burlington area, cannot recommend this enough. Staff is always so delightful. I've tried many things here and I've yet to be even a bit let down. Great restaurant to get a bunch of things and try them. Also a great restaurant to take parents to! They have housemade donuts that are divine. The restaurant itself is so beautiful, and they have a sister restaurant called Honey Road for dinner. read more

The Grey Jay - Eggs Benedict on falafel - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

Back again for brunch! This time we opted to wait, & were pleasantly surprised when the initial 50-min quote ended up being only about 20 mins. For a peak Sunday, that's the perfect walk Church Street once & back kindof wait! As we anticipated, everything was EXCELLENT. A punchy-strong cup of coffee started us off, & then our order trickled out at a nice pace: Passionfruit Macaroon & Orange Blossom Tahini Old Fashioned donut (daily specials) were yummy & special, & just a bit sweet for us. But we were glad we tried them. Deviled Eggs - we had tried the sweets when these came out, so the savory protein next up was good timing. These are GREAT - texturally & taste-wise w/a smooth yolky center, capers & some crunchies on top. Roasted potatoes - super hot, coated in a beautiful seasoning, potato wedges with a yogurty dip - very good Shakshuka - a beauty, served with a chunk of bread, wholesome & tomatoey & just right cheesy Lamb Fateh - one of my favorites - an impressive looking 2-gooey-egg topped pile of shredded lamb, tahini sauced, chilaquiles-looking dish. But instead of heavy chips, the base was made of these extra-crispy, impossibly light slabs of chippy things! Hearty yet not heavy somehow. French Toast - served w/orange blossom maple syrup that wasn't really needed imo bc the tahini-soaked, halvah crumbles/citrus supremes/mint chiffonade topped custardy french toast was perfection on its own. Another one of my favorite dishes! Lessons learned between last visit & this: the lamb dishes are to die for; order more dishes to taste & plan to take home leftovers. Order the chicken shawarma & lamb burger to go for later or you'll kick yourself come linnertime! read more

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Great foods, tasty coffees, friendly staff, and their green light fixtures are extremely beautiful.

Great unique food and the friendliest customer service I've received in years. The lady helped me locate parking - ran out when we forgot our leftovers and the waiter was actually friendly and answered all our questions (there were a lot). Crispy potatoes were to die for and my entire family loved our breakfast. read more

I already reviewed The Grey Jay recently, but I just spent a weekend in Burlington and I went back and it was such a positive experience that I felt compelled to review it again. I showed up on a Friday and I ordered ahead online for takeout. I ordered the Chicken Shawarma. Man, was it good. It's basically a perfect shawarma. I sent the picture to a friend and she said her mouth started watering as she was looking at it. And it tasted that good, too. Aside from the food being delicious, I was delighted when the host working the door gave me a free doughnut because he was "sorry for the wait". The thing is...I only had to wait maybe 3-4 for my order. I had ordered during what looked like a really busy lunch rush, so it wasn't a big deal at all, I think I may have even shown up slightly early! So, that was a really, really thoughtful gesture that had a big impact on me and since it was close to closing time, I'm sure the doughnut probably wasn't going to be sold at that point, so it took very little effort on their end, so I think it was an easy win-win. It had such a positive impact on me, I actually decided to go back the next day, too. I just picked up a sticky bun and doughnut holes this time, but they were also spectacular. I was delighted to see the turkish coffee on the menu, so i tried the spiced version of that, too. The host again came through in the clutch by asking if I wanted the turkish coffee in a large to go cup. It's a small portion of coffee (that's how it's supposed to be served) so it's usually served in a small cup that would have been hard to handle on the go. I can't recommend this place enough if you're in Burlington. Word to the wise- It seems the word is out because both days I went, the place was packed! Takeout process is easy, though! Try it. read more

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The food was very tasty, I loved the Moroccan coffee. This was a great spot for lunch.

The best brunch I have ever had! The shakshuka with sausage patties was the best meal I've had this year as I keep trying new places. The dining room is small but I got there early and was seated at a nice window table immediately. My server, Reagan, was extremely polite and explained several things on the menu. She was also attentive to the dietary needs of the table next to me. Cannot recommend The Grey Jay enough! read more

The Grey Jay - Turkish Coffee - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

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As other yelpers have said, superb flavors to the foods here! Everything was fabulous! It is a quaint stop and was very busy when we stopped for lunch. We did an order to go and took it down the block to the waterfront. The chicken Shwarma wrap was full of flavor, but those crispy potatoes were even better! My husband lives crullers, so I had to buy one of the lavender crullers and also picked a plum cream donut - both were so, so good! Definitely top three donut list of my lifetime! It was a pretty spendy lunch, but no regrets! read more

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We had a wonderful takeout lunch here! The grilled-chicken shawarma wrap was delicious, and the service was super fast and nice. They packed it well to be eaten on a bench on church street on a beautiful morning. Highly recommend! read more

The Grey Jay - Grilled Chicken Shawarma wrap - delicious! - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

A cozy little restaurant just off of church street. The menu is very unique with what seemed to be a Mediterranean focused or fusion themed, and they nailed every dish and drink. The restaurant is small, so I would recommend calling ahead of you an to go with a larger party. read more

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Same experience as others-service wasn't very good. Please don't treat smaller parties different than larger ones. Server came over after a long wait, stood there for a minute and finally said how are you? After exchanging pleasantries, another pause until I said, "I'm ready to order." This in contrast to her promptly greeting the table next to me, asking if they have ever been there, providing background on the food, and highlighting items. She checked back on them multiple times. Only time I saw her was to give me my bill. Luckily, I was eventually able to get water from another member of the staff. Got the French toast-nothing spectacular but the fruit was delightful on it. Moroccan coffee is not worth getting. The whipped cream with cinnamon is delightful but it melts and then you're left with a not so great version of coffee. read more

The Grey Jay is a terrific brunch spot with excellent service and a relaxed atmosphere. Favorites like the chicken shawarma, egg sandwich, deviled eggs, and potatoes top the list. Staff are friendly and attentive. Highly recommend! read more

Everything was delicious, we got there early on a very cold morning so we didn't have to wait. It's a super cute little spot very warm and inviting. read more

Wow. It's very hard to get a seat here at lunchtime but today I finally succeeded. Loved the kale salad!

Excellent food in a cute tiny restaurant. Be prepared to have your taste buds tantalized. The potatoes and biscuits are a must. All of my dishes could have used a pinch of sea salt to make the flavors pop, hence the 4 rating. A/C was not strong enough to keep the place cool on a sweltering day. read more

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Great place! Breakfast was delicious. It's worth stopping in and enjoying everything! Service is great, the vibe and atmosphere and ambiance is really cool. Nestled in Burlington, it's awesome. read more

This place was recommended by dear friends. And boy did it deliver! Celebrated a friend's birthday breakfast here today- with amazing shakshuka (one with lamb sausage patties) and za'atar focaccia as dipping bread...and generally I'm not a donut girl, but the cranberry and orange blossom cheesecake filled donut was seriously amazing!! The Moroccan coffee was beautiful and spiced. The service was also stellar! Love this place and will be ba read more

Really out of this world good food. Super sweet attentive server. Unpretentious, clean, casual ambiance. Don't miss the opportunity to try this very special breakfast / brunch spot. But, come early or expect to wait a bit. It is just too good for its size. Lots of plant based options. read more

Rave reviews, I think, show how desperate we all are here in Burlington for a good brunch place. It was fine. Pastry was not special and didn't taste of the flavors they claimed were in the recipe. (To be a bit snarky Flour does perfect pastries in Boston - and has a cookbook.) Poached eggs were perfect. Nice atmosphere. Fine. I'd come back but not impressed after the hype and long lines. read more

Had a GREAT breakfast at The Grey Jay! I ordered the tahini iced coffee, a pistachio halva doughnut, and the eggs Benedict on falafel with salmon. All, so delicious. The eggs Benedict did not make the falafel soggy at all, and it had an excellent crunch and flavor that did not overpower the salmon+hollandaise, but rather complemented it perfectly. The tahini coffee combo I had not previously heard of, but it was delicious, and I need to know how to make this at home! The doughnut was also so tasty, and was a great sweet treat with some unique flavor that I certainly enjoyed with my savory meal. Overall, would totally recommend to a friend, and will be going back to try out some more of the menu! Our server was super friendly and helpful, and the vibes in the restaurant were perfect. read more

The Grey Jay - Eggs Benedict on falafel - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

Great location just around the corner from church street. We only ordered the mezza platter which had a good selection of their vegetarian appetizers. The presentation and taste was great. Great stop in busy day. read more

The Grey Jay - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

Omg the lamb fatteh was amazing - place is cozy and busy but totally worth the wait Love our meals read more

The Grey Jay - Lamb fatteh - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

Don't you love it when a restaurant lives up to its hype? Grey Jay is that place, except, in our case, it was a lucky guess!!! And that makes it an even better find. Do not be put off by the wait (I heard an hour and 15 min at one point). Walk around, climb hills, do your military calisthenics, so you're ready for the meal. Everything is superb! And save room for a pastry (Oh, my g-d!). I highly recommend Grey Jay. Worth the wait. read more

Best meal in Burly. Amazing food and service. We shared the Tunisian deviled eggs, halloumi biscuits, chicken shawarma, Shakshuka eggs.

Benedict was delicious. Portions were a little smaller than I prefer (I guess I expected a side of homefries or something). Donut a little dry and not worth it. read more

really good grey jay good service. the food was just amazing i loved it it was cooked right just deliciouse read more

The Grey Jay - dragons - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont

i tend to go out to new restaurants on my own. Seating is sometimes easier this way, since i usually have no problem just getting a seat at the bar. i stopped in out of curiosity. I had never tried shakshuka before, so I ordered the dish. It was absolutely delicious. I finished the plate clean. Excited to try more of what they have on the menu :) read more

The Grey Jay - Breakfast & Brunch Near Me - Burlington, Vermont