Uncommon Grounds Coffee & Tea

Their Probat roaster was working as I entered the shop from the chilly morning air on Church St. Along the wall the different coffees were displayed in unique transparent cylinders, each one labelled with the origin and roast date. I asked for beans that were light and fruity and one of the helpful staff suggested their Ethiopian Hambelo. It was THE best Ethiopian I’ve ever tasted. I used my Aeropress to brew it…

Two words: maple latte. If you’re in down town Burlington you MUST stop by here and order a sweet af maple latte. I’m sure their other lattes and coffee are great too! The staff is super friendly and the place itself is very chill. Stop by and fall in love.

I have had a seriously difficult time finding a tasty decaf since being preggy. I don’t know about their regular roasts, but their Mayan decaf is delish.

We are from out of state and found this place on Unilocal.The coffee was very fresh and tasted great. The bagels were also very good and flavorful. Staff was all very friendly. Seating was limited as we stopped in on a Monday morning and it was quite busy, but the wait was not long at all. We would highly recommend it for a nice spot to take a break and recharge on church street.

Made it to this coffee shop this afternoon after the Fleming Museum. Melina got a small mocha, I got a medium House coffee. Nothing too fancy, but this was a nice experience and there is clearly extensive coffee knowledge amongst the baristas here. Several specialty coffees to choose from and there was even a commercial coffee roaster by the door roasting away. Definitely recommend stopping in here.

I always liked this place, it’s cozy and has lots of pastries and sweets to go with your drink. Outdoor seating in summer.

There’s a good vibe here. It’s an offshoot of the community. Not a corporate cookie cutter coffee location, but an honest local hang out with people who know their coffee. Good stuff.

Came here on a Friday night out of town. Was able to quickly order a great cup of coffee (despite the place being packed) and find a comfortable seat to sit and work which I did for a good three hours. I felt very comfortable and was never rushed or asked to leave. I got so much work done and early enjoyed the coffee and atmosphere. Cozy on a cold November night!

Coffee is okay, depending on which barista makes it. Sometimes it’s perfect but other times, it can fall flat– consistency isn’t one of more prominent concepts here. The atmosphere is adorable though, very cozy feel; plus, almost nothing beats sitting in the window by the coffee roaster while you people watch. The staff aren’t the friendliest people I’ve dealt with. You don’t need to be my best friend but if I’m spending $ 5 for a coffee, at least pretend I’m not a burden on you. All in all, not my favorite coffee place but there are definitely worst ones.

I love their coffee and unique style. It is a popular spot on Church St. for those who refuse to support/​go to Starbucks. It is always busy with a line to the door and tables being used by college students and tourists. They hang local art on the wall and roast their own coffee in house. The music changes daily and with it so does the vibe.
The mocha is great for all seasons and even comes in decaf! The pastries and bagels all come from local bakeries and make for a great morning ritual. If auto drip isn’t your thing they provide french press as well and keep it closely timed.
When the snow is falling on Church St., it’s great to sit by the window and read a good book.

I visited twice while on vacation in Burlington. I home roast so I’m pretty spoiled when it comes to fresh coffee. The first day I walked in to see coffee being actively roasted. I’m pretty sure the guy was listening for second crack and the beans were in the cooling tray when I left.
The flavor of the coffee was top rate. I had a latte, French roasted Ugandan drip coffee, and a blended drip coffee. They seem to mix things up and offer a few different types of beans a day.
I was super happy to find such great coffee shop to satisfy my fresh-​roast fix. I’m really surprised that this place isn’t rated higher.

We happened to be in Burlington this weekend during peak fall foliage, so naturally it was very crowded! Around 10:15am, we were wandering around attempting to find breakfast –most places had an hour and a half wait so we thought we’d grab a quick bite at Uncommon Grounds to tide us over. We were slightly disappointed by the selection –not a single healthy item to munch on aside from bagels, just a lot of strange vegan sweets, more like desserts. Not much of a breakfasty food place… The coffee was very good, though! I ordered a London Fog –one of the very few places that offers that drink on the menu! Keep in mind, if you order a «small», it is more like a «short» size at Starbucks –much smaller than what you’re used to probably. Was plenty for me, though.

Excellent coffee and nice atmosphere. Servers are friendly, too. I would have given this place five stars if it didn’t close so early in a COLLEGE TOWN full of customers who stay up late STUDYING.

The pros of uncommon grounds lies in its proximity to the church street bus stop, long hours* and good selection of pastries (many accommodating gluten intolerance, etc). I started coming here a few years ago. I’ve since stopped for several reasons. The main reason is the removal of power outlets (perhaps they have also removed wifi, not sure). Supposedly, they thought they could get business moving more by doing so.
That said, without that perk they are just an ‘OK’ coffee shop and definitely not in the top 3 for the Church street area. Their coffee is ‘OK’ (Speeder and Earl’s is better), pastries are good but the atmosphere is poor (loud and packed hallway style unless you are at the window end) — I would not come here for a casual conversation with a friend.
With the removal of power outlets and the option to work here for a bit (I always keep purchasing if at a coffee shop) the food and beverage is not good enough to make up for the semi-​claustrophobic and now extra-​loud atmosphere.
*UPDATE: the 3 – 4 times I have tried to come here recently has been for their late hours. Every time over the past couple months they closed early (sometimes multiple hours early) due to «slow business» (at least twice — no explanation for the other times) so do not trust their hours listed online or on their door.

This place was SUPER hipster, and I was very weary upon entering but it was quite good! I got a muffin that was different but delicious and some sort of smoked black tea that was also good once I took the bag out! We came here because of the no line, but it ended up being a great place for the start of our day– very light, quick and veryyy Burlington.

My dirty chai latte was delicious. Some staff seem to do well, others seem tired, bored, lazy. Even unhygienic.

Excellent coffee — interesting and wide variety of menu options. I’ll definitely be back!

The first thing I noticed here was the expansive pastry and baked goods display. They were inviting in variety and appearance, but not interesting in ingredients for me.
However, then I saw the menu and the prices and couldn’t get over the prices. So incredibly reasonable, it’s a steal. They have multiple sizes, and you can add almond or soy milk. The espresso had a unique and satisfying flavor bouquet– blueberry top notes on my palate. Delicious.
If you order regular coffee, you can still add almond or soy milk in your drink with one of the carafes. Cool. Not needing to ask for non-​dairy milk?! Wow. Sold. I will be back for the latte whenever I am here.
The store is a slight hallway feel to the layout, with a short walk to the ordering/​counter area. The fixings area is along the same counter a bit further back, but elevated higher than other fixings area. Interesting touch. There are many tables lining the wall in a bright, inviting space for a game of chess or reading the day’s events on your electronic device… or in paper.
The choices of coffee that you could pick were impressive. Great choice for coffee aficionados. I would just ask for… a bigger vegan and/​or gluten free selection of beautiful pastries. 5 stars for the coffee though — flavor was superb.

Many selections of teas and coffees.
Very hip location and quaint inside.
Lots of nice desserts to choose from.
Staff is underwhelming in the friendly department.

Are we in an episode of Portlandia?
Ah well… the coffee was great, and so was the service.