• Matthew Thorsen
• ¡Duino! (Duende)

¡Duino! (Duende)

10 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington, duinoduende.com

Friendly vibes flow through ¡Duino! (Duende) and the adjacent Light Club Lamp Shop — funky, homespun storefronts also connected to the Radio Bean coffeehouse and music venue. This low-key community stronghold — away from the crowds of Church Street — is a true taste of Burlington. Global dishes at ¡Duino! range from Korean tacos to chicken and waffles to poutine.

Barrio Bakery/Pizza Barrio

197 N. Winooski Ave., Burlington, barriobakeryvt.com

By day, this friendly bakery in the heart of the Old North End turns out breads, pastries, soups and sandwiches. Stop in for an evening pizza Tuesday through Saturday.

City Market/Onion River Co-op

82 S. Winooski Ave., Burlington, citymarket.coop

People of all stripes converge at Burlington's downtown grocery store. Buy some kale, get a sandwich fresh-made at the deli or peruse the hot-bar offerings. There's seating outdoors and in.

Handy's Lunch

74 Maple St., Burlington, handyslunch.wordpress.com

• Matthew Thorsen
• Earl Handy

The mom-and-pop lunch counter serves up diner fare on the cheap — often with a side of political talk. Whatever you get, get it with tots!

Smitty's Pub

1127 North Ave., Burlington, smittyspubvt.com

• Alice Levitt

Gravy fries, onion rings and all the wings you could want are served late at this Old North End eatery, a favorite local meeting spot.

The Spice Traders' Kitchen

212 Main St., Winooski, spicetradersrestaurants.com

• Courtesy Spice Traders' Kitchen
• Banh mi

Cuisines from Bhutan, Nepal, Burma and beyond inform the menu of curries, soups and fresh salads here. The owners often know their customers by name.

St. Paul Street Gastrogrub

205 St. Paul St., Burlington, stpaulstgastrogrub.com

• Alice Levitt
• Adam Raftery

Belly up to a round of Connect Four at this pint-size South End pub — or snack on $2 corn dogs until the doors close at 2 a.m.