Burger Bar 1

Sitting in between a Dunkin’ Donuts and a gas station on Vermont Route 15 in Colchester, Burger Bar looks like an icon of Americana.

The unpretentious restaurant serves as a watering hole for the community, a good place for students from St. Michael's College, professionals from the Fanny Allen UVM Medical Center campus and soldiers from the Vermont National Guard base alike, co-owner Cody Racine said.

While Cody’s uncle Bryan Bessery started the business who some might know from the Bessery’s Butcher Shoppe in the New North End of Burlington, the business is now managed by Cody and his mother Mary Racine.

They took over in August 2020 and were soon busy with takeout orders which take up about 35 to 40 percent of their business to this day, Mary said.

Burger Bar 2

A burger focus

The menu extends beyond burgers into milkshakes and drinks, including 32 ounce mason jar cocktails that can be taken to go.

“We like to give people options, but our focus is the burgers.” Cody said.

The eatery serves unique burgers such as their mac and cheese burger, which is deep fried with garlic aioli and crispy onions.

A chicken waffle sandwich is also on the menu, which is made up of two belgian waffles and buttermilk fried chicken that is battered in house.

The mother-son duo aren’t as busy during the summer, said Cody.

“People like to go to barbecues and the lake,” he said. “The fall is where the [college] kids come back and our business picks up more.”

While the previous manager focused more on the bar aspect of the establishment, Cody and Mary have adapted the restaurant to be more family friendly.

“We get a lot of families during the weekends and we have a kids menu,” Cody said. “We also get a lot of the army guys for lunch and they’ll do big bulk orders to go.”

“We’re definitely more food than alcohol driven,” he said.

The restaurant sources from a variety of vendors to scout out deals to keep prices low, Cody said.

“You put in the effort to shop smart and save money where you can,” he said. “I make Costco runs all the time because even trash bags are half the cost there then the cost of what people would deliver to us.”

Trivia Night

The restaurant hosts a trivia night on Tuesday nights at 7 p.m. which draws a crowd, especially with St. Michaels students.

“We usually have drink specials and a lot of prizes from beer and liquor reps.” he said.

Some of those prizes include t-shirts, hats, mugs, chairs and coolers.

“Even in the summer it’s been busy most nights,” he said.

Burger Bar is located on 831 College Parkway in Colchester, Vermont. To order takeout or dine in, visit burgerbarvt.com, call 802-489-5967 or visit the restaurant during business hours.

The restaurant is open Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and Sunday 12 p.m.-8 p.m.

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