The Grey Jay

We had incredibly fresh and thoughtfully prepared Shakshuka that had a deeply spiced Tomato & Pepper Sauce, perfectly poached eggs , Feta cheese, and Focaccia oven-baked Italian bread and Chicken Shawarma : Chicken, Tahini, Pickles, Chop Salad, wrapped with Markouk bread. The brunch was perfect along with Turkish Cofee. We also had Double Chocolate Urfa Old Fashioned Donuts as take away. The service was excellent. A must visit place while in Burlington VT ...

First off, amazing customer service. Everyone was super friendly, welcoming, and just made the whole vibe feel relaxed and fun. You can tell they really care about what they do. I had the Shakshuka and WOW. Total flavor bomb! Rich, comforting, perfectly flavored, honestly one of the best things I’ve eaten in a while. And to top it off, I tried the tahini spice iced coffee, which I wasn’t sure about at first, but it was actually so good. Super unique and surprisingly refreshing. If I find myself in Burlington again, I’m 100% going back. This spot is a gem!

My husband and I made it a point to get to Grey Jay early for breakfast after hearing how quickly it fills up. We arrived just before they opened and were the very first ones at the door. Sure enough, the moment they seated us, every table in the restaurant filled up within minutes—it’s clearly a local favorite! To sample as much as we could, we ordered the baklava donut, sesame iced coffee, shakshuka, chicken shawarma, and deviled eggs. Every single dish exceeded our expectations. The baklava donut was soft, sweet, and beautifully balanced with a rich, nutty flavor. The sesame iced coffee was such a pleasant surprise—creamy with just the right touch of sesame and halva notes that made it stand out from any coffee we’ve had before. The shakshuka arrived bubbling hot, with a deeply spiced tomato sauce and perfectly poached eggs—absolutely perfect for dipping bread. The chicken shawarma was juicy, flavorful, and seasoned to perfection, while the deviled eggs were smooth, tangy, and addictively good. Everything tasted incredibly fresh and thoughtfully prepared—you can tell how much care goes into every dish. We left completely satisfied and already planning what we’d try on our next visit. Grey Jay absolutely deserves its reputation, and we can’t wait to come back the next time we’re in Burlington!

Everything was fantastic, there was a gluten free falafel in place of the bread for the Shakshouka that was awesome! We also got the tahini spiced coffee which was to die for, whatever the white stuff on top of the coffee was, I would munch endlessly on it. 10/10 we love!

Great spot for breakfast 😋. Coffee spot on, had the French toast absolutely delicious. I was a bit put off as a solo traveler that a table for 4 was seated before me, I had arrived first, and was told it would be about 15 minutes, however the couple behind was seated immediately without the entire party available. It bothered me, and not sure why this happened.

Delicious in every way. Chicken shawarma wrap is flake and perfectly distributed ingredients! Deviled eggs were unique with crispy capers on top. Just perfect.

We had our Christmas Eve spread catered by the Gray Jay! Best decision ever! Emailed directly with Dana at Gray Jay who assisted with menu selection and organizing of pick up. The food was superb, so fresh and flavorful. Would highly recommend utilizing their catering service!

I had a Shakshuka, I didn’t love it but it might be just me, but the bread was too salty and I needed to take off the toppings. I also had their tahini coffee which was really nice

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.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

Had high hopes but all six of us were disappointed. The eggs in all the various dishes are pre-poached and kept warm and they get hard. The Shakshuka was a disaster. In every recipe the raw eggs are poached in the sauce . Unfortunately, not here. The loc was of poor quality and the egg Benedict sauce was tasteless. The mezza for two at $32 is overpriced.overall, big disappointment !!

Just a gem. We had brunch and loved it. Very veggie forward, neat specials and servers who absolutely knew what they were soing

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.

On a road trip, we were attracted by the strong reviews. The staff certainly was not very welcoming, and the food was lackluster.

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!

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.

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.

Also must add that Dan is the #1 server. Best dude ever!! Very kind, attentive and personable.

My friend and I dined here on a Saturday morning. The line waiting outside before its opening shows its popularity. We were quickly seated and the dining area was filled in no time. The middle-eastern inspired breakfast and brunch menu looks amazing and we order the eggs benedict and shakshuka. Despite how busy it was, the kitchen was effective. We started enjoying our breakfast after about 10 minutes. Overall, great dining experience and it's now my new favorite brunch spot in downtown Burlington.

Omg! The crispy eggplant on homemade pita, and the falafel on Lebanese mountain bread are astounding sandwiches! So delicious! Also, a beautiful and Welcoming atmosphere!

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

Amazing breakfast. The food was amazing and we got to sit right by the window and look out on the town. Tried the backed goods as well which were great and they have a specialty coffee of the day. Would definitely go back

We came by for Sunday brunch, it was crowded but we were seated almost immediately. The food was very good, I got a sausage egg and cheese, pretty standard but with a turkish twist, as well as a doughnut. A small menu but all of the options look excellent.

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 :)

Food was incredible! We loved every single thing we ordered. You can't skip the Shakshuka or the seasonal donut. To die for!

The wait was over an hour (no reservations, sadly) but it was very much worth the wait! The food was outstanding. Shakshuka, Lamb Fetteh, Mediterranean French Toast, Tunisian Deviled Eggs, and Haloumi Biscuits, oh my! It's a tiny little place, but the staff and the food more than made up for it. We loved the variety, the spicing, and options! Highly recommend and we look forward to coming back soon.

PHENOMENAL!! Food: Fresh ingredients and intense flavors. Service: friendly, helpful and relaxed. The dining area was full and load - a positive...people were enjoying the experience.

Excellent breakfast, great service. Can get crowded. We missed breakfast once because we got there too late and no tables were going to open up. Noisy when busy, full house, enough to be a bother.

Food is delicious and unique. Staff is friendly and attentive. Donuts are fun and yummy. Love this place.

Close to perfect: innovative food, great service and cozy atmosphere. Worth the wait!

Absolutely wonderful food but crowded during key hours. All breakfast items are top and a few bakery selections are perfect, although the sell out.

Excellent service and food! Small but diverse menu with something for everyone. Shakshuka is very flavorful and pastries are amazing!

Unique and interesting flavors. Friendly and knowledgeable staff. Great ambiance, not too noisy.

We came in on a whim, we were just roaming the streets exploring the town, as we are not local. I'm glad we did! The servers were very friendly, the place was small but well set up to accommodate seating, which is great considering how popular it seemed to be. The food was honestly phenomenal, I had the simit toast with gravlax, it was perfectly topped, everything tasted great on it, and my friend had the mixed green salad, it was topped and dressed perfectly. We passed on the house made fresh pastries this time, but next time I'll be sure to grab something, because I would definitely come back if I'm in the area again!

Amazing food. Great service. I got the eggs Benedict and it was delicious. We all ordered a little of everything and it was so good.

Nice place in Burlington VT. Featuring an unusual but tasty menu, service and atmosphere were excellent, food was quickly prepared and very tasty. I had the lamb burger, really really good.

I could eat their breakfast for lunch and dinner too. Left Burlington wishing Grey Jay would consider opening a Boston location .

Excellent meal. Not a typical American brunch. Thoughtful dishes with beautiful fresh ingredients. Some more familiar staples with a twist, though many unfamiliar to us - all delicious. Excellent service as well. Worth a wait, particularly when you get to pleasantly wander down Church Street in the meantime. Highly recommend!

Incredibly yummy offerings. We tried the lamb, crispy potatoes (large serving of incredibly seasoned potato wedges with a heat dipping sauce), chicken shawarma and garlic kale side dish. Everything was great. Moroccan coffee (spiced) and lemon ginger donut holes finished us off. Our server was fantastic....warm, friendly and knew the menu inside and out. We were there noonish on a Friday and it was packed so program that into your visit as it is first come first serve. A+++

okay to be completely honest i was panicking upon first glance of the menu. as a picky eater it was a little confusing HOWEVER after a couple quick google searches and looking at photos of the food online i was able to find so many options i'd like. i got an egg and cheese with lamb sausage and my partner got a greek style grilled chicken wrap. both were amazing!! oh my god and the drinks....... to DIE FOR!! we got a pomegranate lemonade and an apple iced tea, they were so beautiful. the decor was lovely, the service was efficient and they were all so kind. overall would recommend!!

The tower sampler and spice rubbed potatoes were excellent! Great for brunch. Service was wonderful.

We loved it, it was great. Pastries, off the chain. Cozy and warm environment. Wait staff was very helpful and kind along with making excellent recommendations. The Benedict was one of the best I have ever tasted!

Mediterranean inspired Breakfast food. Grey Jay offers farm to table dishes that are super filling and flavorful. The menu changes with the season so everything is always exceptionally fresh and local. This is one of my favorite spots I recommend