The Grey Jay — Restaurant in Burlington

TLDR- yes you should absolutely dine here especially if you love mediterranean spices and experiencing joy. Today was my first time at Grey Jay and I think the best course of action for this review will to proceed in the order of the food we consumed. My dear friend and I split one sweet and three savory dishes because sharing food is the best way to eat.

It started with the crispy potatoes with hot pepper labneh. A familiar breakfast item, but even when placed in the middle of the table you could smell they were Special. They were coated in herbs and spices, which actually didn’t find their way stuck between our teeth, but absolutely coated our palettes with cumin, za’atar, and other deliciousness. They were crunchy on the outside and warm in the center like any self-assured breakfast potato should be. Hot pepper labneh is a misnomer to those afraid of heat. It was warmly spiced but not spicy hot. The labneh is delightfully tangy and can also be found on Honey Road’s current menu.

Speaking of Honey Road, broccolini. These two restaurants have made broccolini my new favorite vegetable. At Grey Jay, it comes on a plate with crispy garlic and is lightly dressed in something that I would bet has labneh in it. Its perfectly cooked with a little bit of smokey char. I would order it again and again (for breakfast!!).

Next up was the deviled eggs. These deviled eggs are very traditional, save the spices sprinkled on top. The best part though? Capers. I think three gently placed capers are what deviled eggs have been missing. And deviled eggs are otherwise nearly perfect. The whites were cooked perfectly (no rubber here) and the yolks were whipped to be light and airy.

Moving on to the tahini and halvah french toast. Did you know french toast could get better? Because I did not. My friend and I literally and metaphorically held back tears as the halvah dissolved into the orange blossom syrup and made its way into our mouths. The toast itself was light enough that you wouldn’t need a nap after eating it, even with its sweet toppings. I never want french toast without halvah ever again.

We had to get some pastries to go, and we went with the special- chocolate urfa donut holes- in addition to the chocolate orange blossom donut, the honeynut squash and ginger old fashioned, and the tahini chocolate chip cookie. Donut holes had a rich and earthy flavor but their texture wasn’t our favorite. The chocolate glaze on the orange blossom donut was rich, smooth, orangey, and a classic raised donut. The honeynut donut was our favorite. The squash was both sweet and savory. It would have been delicious as a soup but it was remarkable as a donut. Moist interior, with a light outer crunch, as all old fashioneds should be. Lastly, the tahini cookie. Its very difficult to get tahini to come through in a baked cookie (I have probably made 5 or 6 tahini chocolate chip cookie recipes in an attempt to achieve this feat), and Grey Jay’s cookie achieves the impossible. The texture is PERFECT— crispy outside, chewy inside. Melty soft chocolate even hours after we brought it home, and the taste of tahini in every bite.

We will be back for breakfast next week. With additional people, so we can try even more of the menu. We heard two people raving about the egg sandwich, so that and the chicken shawarma are...

UPDATE: Brought my husband over to have breakfast and he was delighted with the meal too. Had the spiced Turkish coffee and he had drip coffee from local roaster Vivid Coffee. Started with the maple glazed and fenugreek fritter, which went well with our coffees.

He had the braised lamb fatteh, which has a crispy bread / cracker with fried egg. The lamb melts in your mouth with flavor. I had the challah toast with Shishito peppers, goat cheese, micro greens, speck, fried egg and onions. A true delight. Took home a blueberry old fashion donut. Consistently good with excellent service. If you have to wait, they will text you when seat is available.

The Grey Jay is a great addition to Burlington’s breakfast/lunch scene, an expansion on the cultural cuisines offered in the area.

Started with the blood orange and sumac glazed donut, made by pastry chef Amanda Wildermuth, and a cup of Turkish coffee. The donuts are astounding, not greasy and certainly flavorful. The Turkish coffee packs a punch, sip and do not gulp as the fine grinds are intentionally part of the drink, and from coffee roaster nearby at Vivid Coffee.

For lunch, I had the chicken shawarma with a side of cucumber salad. The Lebanese mountain bread is so crispy and wrapped around flavorful pieces of chicken. I will order this dish again and look forward to trying other dishes.

The atmosphere is nice for smaller parties or going on your own. Friendly staff, who are helpful with questions about offerings...

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...