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A dynamite little coffee place. I stopped in here to kill an hour and find a quick dinner. I ended up having some awesome vegetarian chili, which came with a nice chunk of really good toasted wheat bread. To drink I grabbed one of their smoothies, a banana/peach/ginger combo which was incredible (why hadn't I ever had ginger in a smoothie before???). And this stellar little coffee place serves liquor, which means you can go in there and order a cup of coffee and not have to sneak the whisky in in a flask! So great.
The young guy behind the counter was extremely friendly and had a fun accent in the Australian or Kiwi neighborhood.
I wandered by later that evening and there was a live band playing. Looked from the fliers like they had music several nights a week. A fun, intimate looking place for a show, probably only room for 50-75 people. Wish I'd had time to stop and enjoy the show!
If I lived in Burlington, I would be a serious regular at this place.
Good service, good hot chocolate, and damned amazing ambiance... especially on a snowy day when the streets are abandoned... This place is so warm and cozy!
In high school, just about everyone came to Muddy's. You brought your homework or met your friends, ordered one of the many delicious drinks, grabbed a comfy chair next to the window and stayed till they kicked you out.
I miss those days :(
I usually don't give tips for counter service, but the service I received on a beautiful, sunny morning on the last day of my stay in Burlington was exceptional. The counter staff was just...sweet. They just added a sweet sweetener to my coffee, and I'm not talking Splenda. The treehouse interior was so fantastic I made like the tourist I was and snapped a picture. The brew in the iced coffee was a little strong to my liking and my husband's mocha was a little bitter to my tastes, but the options for add-ins was plentiful so one could balance it all out. TThey had cocoa powders, cinnamons, sugars in raw and refinement, and all and sundry things for your spooning in. Also, they had a ridiculous number of syrups for your lattes, espresso shakes, etc. My only sadness was finding this place on the last day of my trip :)
They have very good organic coffee which you can take to go or sit in. I usually go on the weekend in the morning, almost always have my choice of seating ( I love the booths and window seat).
You also can't go wrong with there fresh juices, I had ginger lemonade which was very refreshing. There cookies and cupcakes are also tasty.
Muddy Waters is a great place to just go and relax, catch up with friends or read a book. I love the calm atmosphere and the decor. The staff at the counter are nice and friendly.
I'm just not that into Muddy Waters - don't get me wrong, it's nice, but it just didn't wow me in the ways other reviewers have.
Yes, it's a cool building with an interesting (and truly unique) interior. But, away from the front windows it's dark and it's multi-leveled, which not only makes it hard for anyone with a disability to navigate but also allows for more spilling of piping hot coffee onto one's hand as you climb the stairs back to your table.
The coffee was ok, not memorable, and much can be said for the pastries. I will say that it did look like a good place to camp out for the day with a really good book or looming assignment.
earthy, murky feel...
the dim interior will make a you a little sleepy but this cafe has so much character and great zucchini bread :) the organic coffee is also good. pay close attention to any silverware if you need to use any. i had to dig through the bin to find a fork that didn't have food caked on it :(
There are three main coffee shops in Burlington-- the artsy coffee shop, the hippie coffee shop, and the boring coffee shop (sometimes also referred to as the rude coffee shop).
Muddy Waters is the hippie coffee shop-- with driftwood decor and organic everything, you'll (sometimes) find big piles of dreds behind the counter and bob marley on the stereo...other times it's portishead and some indie kid...but the whipped cream remains organic and unsweetened.
It's definitely got the most ample comfortable seating of the three shops, and since there's never live music, it can be easier getting a seat there on a Friday or Saturday night than at Radio Bean.
OMG!!! I can't tell you how AMAZING the milkshake I had there was. I would drive from DC for it I could. It's such a cute place too!
Writers, philosophers and political enthusiasts--grab your pens, paper or MacBooks and head to this earthy coffee cove.
Order anything from decadent chocolate cake to crispy spinach tarts, bittersweet espresso to a smooth, sugar-laden latte.
Teas are also available for those who prefer to take a more subtle approach to getting their caffeine dosage.
Muddy Waters is usually abundant with college students, tapping away at their laptops. You can find them perched in oversized leather wing-back chairs near the storefront window, or in one of the big round booths in the middle of the cafe.
Some students go to meet up with a date, talking in low voices over a big, steaming mug of java. Others simply sit alone, perhaps contemplating the ways of the universe.
The service is great, and tips are encouraged--the staff is also comprised of poor university kids. The counter they stand behind is made of an enormous tree--take a minute and marvel at the woodwork.
Prices are also reasonable for the Burlington area. Get a mug--no, a bowl--of cappuccino the size of your face for three bucks.
This trendy treasure chest is a natural inspiration for creative writers, or those who simply have a problem--or five--to figure out. Go and look pensive, you over-caffeinated thinker!
This joint is beautiful. It's all natural wood with an old ceiling sortya20s style. Comfortable tables and chairs. No Wifi and that's just find. The rustic indoors or the huge window seats make for great reading and/or conversations.
Finally a good bagel. I think they must have shipped it up from NY. You have to ask for veggies with your bagel - its great fiber. Mine was served with sliced cucumbers, 2 slices of tomatoes and freshly cut carrot sticks. There was a generous serving of cream cheese - it was delicious. The coffee was fantastic. I got a medium roast that was made strong and I'm looking forward to passing by there on my way back to the airport.
The got a 4 instead of a 5 because for the hour we were there the water pitcher was empty. When I asked for water I got a cup of ice with hot water poured over. The water chilled but it was not actually fresh water.
The staff were also friendly and the place appeared clean and very neat.
The other reviewers don't lie...
I will also rate Muddy's as MY FAVORITE COFFEE HOUSE IN THE US.
A warm and modestly decorated wooden room, complete with original stone walls, mismatched chairs, and bookshelves arbitrarily peppered with random volumes immediately make nearly any patron feel comfortable. Muddy's is definitely a study/social mecca. The house is often crowded during certain times of the day, but sharing tables is common and welcomed.
I lived in Burlington for three years while I attended Champlain College and I made more than several hand fulls of friends at this place. I've been away for two years, and each time I've returned I've seen some familiar faces behind the counter and sitting at the tables.
The prices are reasonable, the beverage menu is HUGE (even including some local beers), and the food is satisfying. I did nearly every bit of my college studying here, and being in this environment made it easy to mix academics with a social life. I credit Muddy's for helping me to graduate at the top of my class.
Muddy waters is great! I love the atmosphere and its fun! and those Muddy Shakes are to die for (despite their 5$ cost and how addicting they are)! It is sometimes hard to find a place to sit, but if you are lucky, then its an awesome place. Definately beats Uncommon Grounds for me. o_o
Two Saturday nights ago, I came down to Muddy Waters to do some writing done (like the other 300 million of us, I'm working on the Great American Novel), and found, to my surprise... NO POWER OUTLETS! The coffee was good, the live music was great, and the barista was cute... but there were no power outlets to be found. For a MacBook user, that would be no big deal. For a 3-year-old-laptop-with-no-battery-user, that's kind of a big deal. One star for the music, and one star for the coffee.
I lived in Seattle for 8 years. No coffee shop comes close to the community center with delicious coffee that Muddy Waters is.
My fondest memories - a decadent white chocoloate mocha and scone before my daily 2-4 hour workouts and still keeping a hard body.
ah.
memories.
I haven't been in a while but like everyone else on here says I LOVE Muddy Waters. I worked at a camp nearby and whenever we needed to get away we would always come here. Great coffee, great atmosphere, great hippies. Overall fab place!!
This place is great..
It makes me want to read.. but I don't like reading..
This is my favorite coffee shop anywhere.
I walk in and that good Muddy's smell and warm atmosphere makes me feel comfy.
The coffee and snacks are good and their espresso shake is killer, even though i can't have it anymore.
The same old Burlington folk trapped in the town will be sitting there even after you have been away for years and stop by for a visit.
I miss Muddy's. No place like it.
Yawn. Seriously guys, what's the big deal? Old furniture (not in a cool way, but in a "they really should replace those rickety chairs and ass ugly vinyl booth" way), no wi-fi, harsh lighting, but decent drinks and snacks. Sure, there are some cool architectural details. I love exposed beams as much as the next guy. But it doesn't make up for the rest. And honestly, in this day and age there is no excuse for a cafe not to have wi-fi. Especially in a college town. It was weird though, a ton of people were chillin on their computers. What the hell are you guys doing? Writing papers? Without consulting online databases? Useless! The place was definitely teeming with hippies, no surprise there. But they were the inconsiderate kind that leave their reusable hemp bags in the middle of the aisle and have trouble using inside voices to talk about their new composting toilet or off-grid living or whatever. I'll probably get my VT privileges revoked for this, but Muddy Waters is definitely not my thing. I did love my bagel, and the tea I had was perfectly fine. I'd be confident getting take away from here, but for a true coffee shop experience, I will go elsewhere.
If you're into hippies, lice, scabies and mediocre coffee, this is your spot. Otherwise, avoid this place at all costs.
Without exception, this is Burlington's signature coffee shop. The joe is consistently strong, the atmosphere is cozy and the owners, Mark & Kerry, are about the friendliest folks you could ever hope to meet. Many an afternoon and evening I spent reading paperbacks in one of their many comfy chairs, convinced there was no place finer to do so. My one tiny complaint, even though I haven't been back there nearly enough since I moved to LA, so maybe this has since changed: Muddy's staff never seemed to play jazz as much as they originally did.
I am sitting in muddy waters writing this review. This place is really great. Free internet. Organic local brews. Organic smoothies. Coffee drinks. Pretty service. Love it.
Still my favorite coffee shop in the country. Great interior, new art on the walls every month, good coffee, decent prices, friendly attractive staff, and comfortable seats. I spent almost every day of eight years of college in this place. It is simply the best. Some of the regulars are weirdoes, but I find that an enticement and not a detractor.
You want to see some hippies? Come here. It's always crowded, and its usually hard to find a place to sit. The coffee is good, and the food is decent. The only thing that really knocked my socks off here is the vegetarian chili. I didn't think I would like anything vegetarian until I tried it, and then I found myself returning for it again and again...
This is probably the best coffeehouse in the free world. It's always been a dream of mine to open my open coffeehouse and when I do, I hope to take a few lesson from Muddy Waters. Great location, cozy and comfortable, the space was planned accordingly. Wow I could go on and on. I miss my college days back in Vermont and most of all, I miss Muddy Waters.
Burlington, VT
Category: Coffee & Tea
Burlington, VT
Category: Coffee & Tea
Burlington, VT
Category: Coffee & Tea
Burlington, VT
Category: Coffee & Tea
Burlington, VT
Category: Bookstores
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