Vermont’s food scene never takes a vacation, even over a holiday weekend.
Last week, two multistate chains announced the grand opening — or reopening — of their South Burlington locations. On Friday, July 11, Wings Over Burlington will officially return to 150 Dorset Street, now under corporate ownership. The sole Vermont outpost of the nine-state chicken wing biz had been operated by local franchise owners in the Blue Mall from 2007 until its closure on March 12.
The Vermont Secretary of State now lists Kevin Mok — one of a group of Cornell University friends who bought the national Wings Over brand in 2017 — as the South Burlington location’s “organizer.”
Across the street at 225 Dorset Street, Playa Bowls will open on Saturday, July 12. Local franchise owner Theresa Fletcher is the first to bring the New Jersey-founded açai-bowl chain to Vermont, joining more than 300 locations around the country. Fletcher, who lives in Essex and spent 10 years as human resources director for Dunkin’, has “loved juice and smoothies forever and can’t wait to share with my community,” she told Seven Days via email.
The mostly plant-based menu features a variety of açai, coconut and mango bowls, as well as smoothies, juices and cold-brew coffee. Follow @playabowlsburlingtonvt on Instagram for more information.
In Manchester, a local market and tasting room is now open among the outlet shops. Burlington’s Local Maverick and Middlebury’s Split Spirits have teamed up to launch the business at 96 Depot Street, highlighting Vermont-made food, beverages, craft, art and wellness products.
In addition to Split Spirits’ lineup of “climate-neutral” gin, whiskey, agave and other spirits, the tasting room offers products from Barr Hill, Mount Holly Beer, Brattleboro’s Vermont Vermouth and Shaftsbury’s Watson Wheeler Cider. The space will host demos, sip-and-shop events, and pop-up dinners, making it “more than a storefront,” Local Maverick founder Ryan Nakhleh said in a press release.
Finally, Sobremesa owners Caitlin Rodriguez Elberson and Jason Elberson announced on social media on July 3 that they will cease wholesale distribution of their popular kimchi, kraut and other products — all made with local, organic produce. “It’s the end of an era, but not the end of Sobremesa,” the post read.
The Charlotte couple started their fermented-product biz in Marshfield in 2014 and grew to supply farm stores and co-ops throughout central and northern Vermont. Moving forward, they’ll produce “just a few batches” of signature ferments each fall, which will be available online at sobremesavt.com.
Sobremesa’s final day at the Burlington Farmers Market is Saturday, July 12.
The original print version of this article was headlined “Crumbs: South Burlington Chain Restaurants, Local Maverick Manchester, Sobremesa”
This article appears in The Cartoon Issue 2025.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
