Majestic Restaurant Opens in Burlington's South End
Jan 07, 2025
There are a few things you should know before heading to Majestic café and bar, which opened Thanksgiving week on the rotary in Burlington's South End, across from Christ the King School: No. 1: The small restaurant is open all five weeknights but not Saturday or Sunday. No. 2: Those who drive there, please, for the love of whatever higher power you believe in, ignore the mapping apps and enter the compact parking lot from Ledge Road, not directly off the rotary, heading the wrong way into the one-way exit. On a recent visit, I watched several drivers slow rotary traffic to make a tight, angled turn into Majestic's narrow parking exit, risking simultaneous rear-end and front-end crashes. No. 3: If Majestic's early weeks are any indication, be prepared to wait to eat, unless you arrive close to the 4 p.m. opening time or after about 8:30 p.m. The 25-seat eatery does not take reservations, nor does it have a website or phone number to inform you that it does not take reservations. Staff will serve you drinks while you wait, though. These cautionary notes aside, once you park safely and land a seat, Majestic is an easy place to enjoy. The convivial atmosphere evokes a relaxed, lively dinner party at a friend's house — assuming that friend is a very good cook with a well-stocked bar, a deep vinyl library and a thoughtful but not snooty wine collection. Settle in with a smoky, tart Everything's Fine mezcal margarita ($13) and a plate of slightly funky Crema Alpina cheese ($10) from the Berkshires, served with marinated local mushrooms, a bright parsley and celery salad, and a hunk of Tremolo Bread baked in the Old North End. Share a golden beet salad ($8) with ginger-maple vinaigrette and a little dish of tender, ricotta-enriched meatballs ($12) in tomato-fennel sauce with house-baked focaccia. Sip a glass of skin-contact Sicilian zibibbo ($10) from the wine list curated by downtown Burlington's Wilder Wines. As your cocktail's name suggests, everything is indeed fine down at Majestic. The new bar and restaurant is a partnership of seasoned Burlington industry professionals Maura O'Sullivan, 58, and Sam Tolstoi, 38. O'Sullivan was kitchen manager for 16 years at Penny Cluse Café until it closed in 2022. The career chef previously led the culinary team at Burlington's Smokejacks, a trailblazer in Vermont's farm-to-table movement that ended its run in…