I have a pretty reliable routine when I visit Burlington Beer Company. Order an Uncanny Valley IPA, get a few appetizers for the table and try to convince myself I don’t need a barrel-aged stout before leaving.
I usually end up ordering the stout.
Burlington Beer Company Local favorite: Burlington Beer Company, or BBCO, is one of my favorite places in Burlington for a casual lunch, especially when I’m meeting friends or have a group that wants to share appetizers. The beer selection is extensive, the space is enormous and the food is considerably better than what I’ve come to expect from many brewery kitchens.
It’s also located in Burlington’s South End, close to Switchback Brewing and Citizen Cider, making it an easy stop on a little neighborhood beer and cider crawl.
A Huge Brewery in Burlington’s South End
Burlington Beer Company was founded in 2014 and originally operated in Williston before moving to its current Burlington location in 2021.
The brewery occupies a former industrial building at 180 Flynn Avenue, with a spacious taproom, high ceilings and plenty of room for larger groups.
I like the scale and size of the space. Some Vermont breweries are wonderful for a quick pint but can feel cramped when you’re meeting six or eight people. BBCO has large tables and a layout that makes group gatherings much easier.
And parking is refreshingly easy and free for Burlington! There’s a large on-site parking area, so you generally don’t have to circle downtown looking for a space or pay to park in a garage. It’s particularly convenient when meeting friends coming from different directions.
During warmer months, outdoor seating adds even more room.
The Food at BBCO Is Worth the Visit
I don’t always go to a brewery expecting a particularly memorable meal, but Burlington Beer Company is somewhere I’ll happily visit specifically for lunch.
The menu offers more than standard bar snacks, with sandwiches, wraps, burgers and plenty of appetizers designed for sharing.
The Chicken Caesar Wrap
The Chicken Caesar Wrap is one of my regular orders with truffle fries with aioli. BBCO’s is a reliable lunch choice when I’m not looking for something overly heavy. It’s also a nice alternative to ordering another burger, which seems to be the default at so many breweries.
Pretzel Bites
The pretzel bites are another favorite, particularly when I’m visiting with a group. They’re easy to share, pair well with beer and tend to disappear from the table pretty quickly. I rarely regret adding an order.
Korean Beef Nachos
The Korean Beef Nachos are probably the appetizer I’d recommend most enthusiastically.
I love the combination of Korean-inspired barbecue flavors with a big plate of nachos, and they’re a fun alternative to the more traditional brewery appetizers.
They’re also a good reason to visit with friends. Order a few plates for the table, try a couple of beers and call it lunch.
The menu changes occasionally, so check current availability if you’re visiting specifically for one of these dishes.
Uncanny Valley, Barrel-Aged Stouts & Whale Cake
Burlington Beer Company’s beer selection is another reason I keep returning.
They brew a wide variety of styles, from hazy IPAs and pale ales to lagers, sours and darker beers. I appreciate having plenty of choices rather than a tap list dominated by nearly identical IPAs.
Uncanny Valley: My Go-To IPA
Uncanny Valley is my usual starting point.
It’s one of BBCO’s well-known IPAs, and it’s the beer I find myself ordering most consistently. I like its hop-forward character, and it’s a dependable choice when I’m more interested in catching up with friends than studying the tap list.
Save Room for a Barrel-Aged Stout
I also love BBCO’s barrel-aged stouts.
They’re often rich, full-bodied beers with flavors developed through time spent aging in barrels. Some can be fairly high in alcohol, so I generally treat them as something to enjoy slowly rather than ordering another full pint.
A barrel-aged stout is frequently how I finish a visit, particularly when there’s an interesting release available.
Whale Cake: A Summer Favorite
BBCO’s Whale Cake beers are among the seasonal releases I look forward to, especially during summer. These fruit-inspired blond ales are summer in a class.
Make It a South End Beer & Cider Crawl
One of the perks of BBCO’s location is how close it is to other Burlington favorites.
Switchback Brewing is just down Flynn Avenue at number 160, with its flagship Switchback Ale and a beer garden serving barbecue. Citizen Cider is across the parking lot.
This area is perfect for a casual afternoon with friends, particularly because you can walk between stops. Just check each business’s current hours and location before heading out, and arrange a designated driver if you’re planning to sample several beers.
What to Know Before Visiting Burlington Beer Company
- Address
- 180 Flynn Avenue, Burlington, Vermont.
- Hours
- Monday–Saturday, noon–9 p.m.; Sunday, noon–8 p.m.
- Parking
- Large on-site parking area, making it one of the easier Burlington breweries to visit by car.
- Dining
- Full-service restaurant with reservations available through Resy, plus a casual counter-service taproom that welcomes walk-ins.
- Groups
- Spacious indoor gathering areas and a seasonal outdoor beer garden.
- Dogs
- Welcome in the seasonal beer garden; service animals only indoors.
- Website
- burlingtonbeercompany.com
Why BBCO Is One of My Regular Burlington Lunch Spots
I’ll happily stop at Burlington Beer Company for the food alone, but the beer selection makes it even better. Uncanny Valley is my dependable IPA, the barrel-aged stouts keep me interested, and I’m always watching for another Whale Cake release.
Add in the huge space and easy parking, and BBCO is one of my first suggestions when friends want to meet somewhere in Burlington.
**Have you tried BBCO’s Korean Beef Nachos or any of the Whale Cake
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