Best Bars and Taprooms in Burlington, Vermont
Burlington, Vermont — updated August 21, 2026
Where to drink in Burlington, from the Pine Street brewery corridor to the lakefront taprooms and the late-closing bars off Church Street, ranked by how settled their reputations are.
Listings verified
Burlington's drinking scene splits roughly three ways: the breweries clustered on Pine Street and the south end, the waterfront taprooms near Lake Street, and the restaurant bars downtown that keep serving after the kitchens slow down. Ratings here are unusually well tested, with several rooms carrying four-figure review counts, so the differences below are more about what kind of night you want than about quality. The list is ordered by how squarely each place answers the question, with review volume as the tiebreaker.
1. Foam Brewers - Burlington
The closest thing Burlington has to a default drinking address on the water, at 112 Lake Street, with a 4.7 average across more than 1,200 reviews. That volume makes the rating a proven one rather than a promising one. Beyond beer, the taproom runs a rotating selection of cheese and charcuterie, so it works for a long sit rather than a quick pint. Doors open at noon most days, with a 10 AM start on Saturday and later closes at the end of the week. Weekend afternoons in warm weather are when the lakefront crowd arrives, so come early if you want a table.
2. Hen of the Wood - Burlington
The bar at 55 Cherry Street opens at 4 PM, an hour before dining service starts, and stays open until 11 PM every day of the week. That gap is the point: it is one of the more reliable places downtown to drink at a bar in a serious restaurant without committing to a full dinner. The rating sits at 4.7 from more than 1,300 reviews, the largest sample on this list. Menus change daily, so ask what has just come in rather than arriving with a plan. Open seven days.
3. The Daily Planet
A 15 Center Street fixture with a 4.7 average from more than 1,300 reviews, and the late option among downtown restaurants: Friday it runs to midnight, and Saturday it opens at noon and also closes at midnight. The kitchen does locally sourced American cooking and is friendly to vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free eaters. Wednesdays from 5 to 9 PM bring $5 margaritas and $10 taco trio plates, which is the cheapest way into the room. Monday through Thursday it runs 5 to 9 PM, and Sunday opens midday.
4. Burlington Beer Company
The taproom at 180 Flynn Ave rates 4.6 across more than 900 reviews, a settled figure for a large room with a full food menu. It is a car or bike ride from downtown rather than a walk, which is part of why it stays comfortable when Church Street is packed. Open seven days a week, with summer hours listing noon to 9 PM Monday through Saturday and noon to 8 PM on Sunday, so it is an afternoon and early-evening stop rather than a late one. Check the current beer menu before you go, since the taps move.
5. Zero Gravity Brewery
The Pine Street beer hall at number 716 is the most flexible room here: coffee, beer and waffles are served daily from 8 AM to 2 PM, the full food menu runs from 11:30 AM, and the doors stay open until 9 PM Sunday through Thursday and 10 PM Friday and Saturday. That makes it the rare Burlington bar you can use for breakfast and again at night. The 4.6 rating comes from more than 750 reviews. Open daily.
6. Devil Takes A Holiday
The cocktail specialist on this list, at 111 St Paul Street, describing itself as an upscale lounge built around handcrafted drinks. It holds the highest score here, 4.8, but from 153 reviews, so treat it as promising rather than proven. It also keeps the latest hours of anywhere on the list: midnight Monday through Thursday, 1 AM on Friday and Saturday with a 4 PM start, and 2 to 10 PM on Sunday. Useful as the last stop of a night rather than the first.
7. Queen City Brewery
At 703 Pine Street, this tasting room is built around classic beer styles rather than the hazy end of the spectrum, with more than 16 taps pouring styles that are harder to find elsewhere in town. The 4.7 rating rests on 266 reviews, a smaller sample than the big taprooms but enough to be meaningful. Hours are short and worth checking: 1 to 8 PM Sunday through Thursday, noon to 9 PM Friday and Saturday. It closes earlier than almost everywhere else here, so plan it as an early-evening stop.
8. Pizzeria Verità
Included for the bar seats rather than the tables: 156 St Paul Street carries a 4.7 rating from more than 950 reviews and is a good place to drink while eating pizza in the middle of downtown. It is a pizzeria first, so anyone looking to drink without eating should rank it below the taprooms above. Open seven days for dine-in and takeout, 5 to 9 PM Sunday through Thursday and 5 to 10 PM Friday and Saturday. Wednesdays bring $5 off Margherita pizzas.