{"id":222849,"date":"2026-05-07T03:38:12","date_gmt":"2026-05-07T03:38:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/222849\/"},"modified":"2026-05-07T03:38:12","modified_gmt":"2026-05-07T03:38:12","slug":"the-cafe-hot-to-close-this-summer-when-owners-return-to-nyc","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ny\/222849\/","title":{"rendered":"The Caf\u00e9 HOT. to Close This Summer When Owners Return to NYC"},"content":{"rendered":"

After more than four and a half years of dishing up nationally acclaimed breakfast sandwiches, the owners of the Caf\u00e9 HOT.<\/a> in Burlington told Seven Days they will close the popular 198 Main Street eatery within the next three months. Brothers Allan and Travis Walker-Hodkin made the decision to shut reluctantly, they said, in order to return to their native New York to be closer to family and friends. Allan\u2019s 2.5-year-old twins figured prominently in the decision, they added. The restaurant space is for lease, which will impact the closure timeline.<\/p>\n

The Walker-Hodkins moved to the Burlington area from New York City, seeking a change during the pandemic. Allan, 43, and his wife came from Brooklyn in late 2020, and Travis, 40, followed from Queens in early 2021. They decided to build on Allan\u2019s expertise as a longtime NYC restaurant professional and open a breakfast spot in the former Mirabelles Bakery & Caf\u00e9<\/a> in September 2021.<\/p>\n

The Caf\u00e9 HOT. quickly developed a fervent fan base for its menu of meat-free breakfast sandwiches on house-baked buttermilk biscuits and milk buns. Over time, the brothers added their signature chicken-fried egg and glazed \u201cbonuts,\u201d made from rings of fried biscuit dough. In Bon App\u00e9tit\u2019s 2023 list of best restaurant meals<\/a>, the magazine praised the \u201cglorious\u201d #8 sandwich, which stars \u201ca craggy, crisp-crusted slab of fluffy scrambled eggs.\u201d Packages of the caf\u00e9\u2019s frozen chicken-fried eggs are now sold in local grocery stores<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\"\"Breakfast sandwich #8 at the Caf\u00e9 HOT. Credit: File: Daria Bishop<\/p>\n

The brothers have been vocal about the negative impact to downtown businesses from Burlington\u2019s \u201cGreat Streets\u201d initiative<\/a>, which entailed roadwork that forced them to cut staff and hours of operation, as well as forgo their own paychecks through the first quarter of 2025. But, Travis clarified, \u201cWe\u2019re not leaving because of Main Street construction.\u201d<\/p>\n

Throughout unpredictable road closures and other challenges, the Walker-Hodkins remained committed to the city. After funding cuts forced Burlington City Arts to cancel the annual Festival of Fools last summer, they spearheaded a successful crowdfunding campaign<\/a> to support a smaller version of the Church Street event. (The festival returns this year<\/a> in full force.)<\/p>\n

\u201cThis place is rad. We\u2019ve been here for five years. We don\u2019t want to leave, but family\u2019s trumping all of that,\u201d Allan said. \u201cIt\u2019s hard. It\u2019s bittersweet.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"\"The door of the Caf\u00e9 HOT. reflecting continued Main Street construction on May 6 Credit: Melissa Pasanen<\/p>\n

The brothers have no plans to sell the Caf\u00e9 HOT. brand or its recipes but are not yet sure whether they will open a similar restaurant, or continue to make their frozen chicken-fried egg packaged product, once back in New York.<\/p>\n

The Walker-Hodkins joked that they should poll their social media<\/a> followers to see what they should do. But they said they expect to stay in the business in some capacity.<\/p>\n

\u201cI love restaurants,\u201d Allan said. \u201cThe good, the bad, all of it. It\u2019s too much fun to not continue to try.\u201d<\/p>\n

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