City Market, also known as the Onion River Co-op, is a full-service natural foods cooperative on South Winooski Avenue, a short walk from Church Street. It is one of the best food shops in Vermont and a genuine community institution — member-owned, committed to local sourcing, and operating a hot food counter and deli that serves as an informal lunch spot for half the city.
The prepared food section is the real draw for visitors: soups, sandwiches, hot dishes, and salads made daily with local ingredients. The cheese counter carries an excellent selection of Vermont artisan cheeses. If you want to understand the food culture that defines Burlington's restaurant scene, spend twenty minutes here before eating anywhere else in the city.