The funky vibes of Yardbird Kitchen on South Church Street will hit you square in the face the second you open the door and smell sweet pastries baking in the back.
From the offbeat pictures hanging on the walls to the Edison chandelier in the back corner, the atmosphere of this new restaurant is bringing something original to the Burlington restaurant scene.
There is no shortage of restaurants in Burlington, but many of them are large fast food chains that do not offer diverse options. If you’re in the mood for something with a unique flavor and eclectic atmosphere, you can find it at Yardbird Kitchen.
“Burlington is riddled with corporate restaurants, and I hate to say it, but they’re lacking in the quality we can provide here,” said Steven Lyall, general manager of Yardbird Kitchen.
“Everything here is homemade, from our dressings to house-made granola. We even go as far as grinding our own meats to make our meatloaf.”
Created by owners Carli Webb and Grey Bailey, Yardbird Kitchen is the product of 11 years of anticipation and planning. Bailey, who has been involved in the restaurant business for 30 years, pulled from his experiences preparing food in multiple countries to develop Yardbird’s one-of-a-kind menu.
Inspired by the spirit of Hawaii, their vision for the restaurant was to create a place with a welcoming environment that also contributes to the local community.
“There weren’t a whole lot of places in Burlington that we wanted to go and spend time in, and the food that we experienced in Burlington isn’t what we would like to have every day,” Webb said. “Creating a gathering spot for a community of people is what we’ve really focused on.”
Yardbird has contributed to this community-inspired image by using locally produced ingredients. North Carolina has a lot to offer when it comes to farmer's markets, local produce and protein, according to Webb.
“We wanted to find a way to better incorporate the dollars from those farms going back to the farms and not getting sucked up somewhere else,” Webb said.
Lyall said the unique menu is something everyone can appreciate.
“It’s really cool to have dishes like Peri Peri chicken on the menu, which is from South African cuisine,” Lyall said. “To bring that to Burlington and have people experience that is really cool.”
Webb and Bailey said they carefully considered Elon University students when they chose the convenient location of 3243 S. Church St. Yardbird is close to campus and is a viable option for students to go and spend their time. The restaurant has free Wi-Fi and comfortable sofas, and the staff hopes students will make themselves at home.
“In that community vein, we wanted this to be a place where Elon students could come,” Webb said.
Yardbird is currently open for breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday, as well as for brunch on Sunday mornings. In June, they hope to open for dinner, as well.
“I enjoy delicious, healthy food, and having Yardbird nearby is incredible,” said Elon sophomore Sarah Wasko. “They support local agriculture, which I care about, and they have the best veggie burger I’ve ever had.”
Webb said she welcomes anyone who wants to expose him- or herself to quality food and meet passionate people who are contributing to the community.
“Come and make it your home,” Webb said. “Make it a place where you’re comfortable being. We want to see your faces. We want to see people enjoying the space because we enjoy it"