In my opinion, the best type of waffles in the world are Belgian Liege-style waffles. To my knowledge, there’s nowhere that does them justice quite like Burgundian in Attleboro.
Made from a yeasted dough, dotted with caramelized pearls of sugar, a legit Liege-style waffle is a symphony of starch and sugar.
That’s before getting into toppings.
Chicken & waffles? Cookie butter? Bacon? Sausage & gravy? Nutella? Churro-style? Burgundian will can redefine your perception of what a “Belgian” waffle is.
I went to Burgundian for the waffles. But what truly blew me away was the rest of the menu. I found myself swooning for a Peruvian twist on poutine and deliciously dumbstruck by something called a “French taco.”
It all stems from Burgundian owner Shane Matlock’s love of traveling — and his desire to bring back the best street food from around the world to share.
Mass. Hidden Gems: Burgundian in Attleboro
What is Burgundian? “Restaurant” isn’t the right word. That’s too constraining.
Burgundian is a little bit of everything — breakfast joint, a lunch stop, a dinner destination, a bar with an excellent beer selection.
Specifically, Burgundian is a limited-service European-style cafe. You order at the counter and your food and drinks are delivered to your table. They evolve as the day goes on, offering coffee in the morning, beer at night and good food all day long.
Burgundian opens its doors at 7 a.m. on weekdays, offering a cozy cafe with a fun selection of coffee drinks to go with your breakfast.
Those doors stay open as late as midnight on Fridays as the cafe and menu transition into a comfortable eatery and bar. If the weather is nice, there’s even a beer garden out back.
Regardless of the time, waffles are already available to order.
What’s good on the menu?
The Liege-style waffles are a great place to start. I recommend trying out the plain original waffle, which comes with powdered sugar and your choice of dipping sauce.
This allows you to really appreciate the savory-sweet, crunchy-chewy duality. The yeasted waffles create a beautiful bready tang. Meanwhile, the clumps of pearl sugar in the batter caramelize on the griddle, creating a delicious exterior that dances between a syrup and a crunchy coating.
Many places claim to serve a “Belgian waffle.” Few manage to pull off anything tha comes close to living up to the Liege label. Burgundian is the best I’ve had since I was literally in Belgium.
If you want to up your game with something savory, get the Chicken & Waffles. If you want something sweet, try the Streets of Bruges (strawberries, bananas, whipped cream, Nutella, cookie butter) or the Banana Churro Con Caramel (cinnamon-sugar waffle, bananas, whipped cream, caramel).
For shareable options, Burgundian has an amazing mix of loaded fries. There’s a conventional Canadian poutine. But I recommend the Peruvian Salchipapas Fries (with sausage, aji amarillo aioli and spicy catcup) It’s a beautiful barrage of zingy, peppery flavors unlike anything I’ve ever had with loaded fries.
What really caught me by surprise was an item listed as the “French Tako.”
It’s a new type of late-night street food that’s picked up steam in recent years in Europe. It’s a wrap that’s loaded with meat, cheese, fries and grilled on a panini press.
It’s like a grilled California-style burrito, but with the ingredients of a cheeseburger.
These should be available at every restaurant that’s still open at 1 a.m.
Burgundian: A restaurant and a meaningful name
Matlock based Burgundian’s business model on the brasseries and cafés he encountered during his travels abroad.
As for the name, he says it comes from a book written by English author Michael Jackson, who defined “Burgundian” as “one who loves all food and drink, both in quality and quantity, shared among friends.”
A former officer in the United States Army, Matlock fell in love with Liege waffles, cozy cafes and street food while he was stationed on the border of France and Belgium.
He’s now in the fourth year of bringing that same experience to the town of Attleboro.
Matlock says that, by staying open all day, Burgundian is a little bit of everything for everyone, providing a true “third space” for people to hang out when they’re not at work or home.
“Because we are open all the time, this has become people’s regular stop for two to three times a day sometimes,” Maylock says. “Because this is where they belong, and they’ve built community. People have made friendships just by meeting other people here.”
Matlock knew out of the gate that the Liege waffles were going to be his signature item. That’s why he returned to Belgium to learn from a “waffle master” and refine his process.
Matlock still loves to travel and discover new street foods. He’s been to 40 different countries at this point, with a recent trip to South America adding to his list.
As a result, Burgundian continually tries out new items, especially on Wednesday “passport night,” which highlights a new type of global cuisine every month.
Burgundian has its core items, like its burgers, waffles, fried chicken sandwiches and poutine. But Matlock says they’ll always continue to sprinkle in new ideas.
What to know when visiting Burgundian
Burgundian is a limited-service cafe. That means it has table seating, but no host.
Instead, you need to go up to the counter and place your order. Seats and tables are first-come, first-serve.
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Check them out: Website | Facebook | Instagram
What’s the address? — 55 Park St, Attleboro, Massachusetts, 02703
What’s the parking situation? — Street parking in front of the restaurant, public parking lot across the street. Additional street parking on nearby roads.
When are they open? — Here are the listed business hours at the time of writing.
- Monday: 7 a.m. – 3 p.m.
- Tuesday: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Wednesday: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Thursday: 7 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Friday: 7 a.m. – midnight
- Saturday: 8 a.m. – 11 p.m.
- Sunday: 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Breakfast menu: Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Lunch menu: Mon.-Fri., 11 a.m. until 3 p.m.
Dinner menu: Tue.-Sat., 3 p.m. until close.
Brunch menu: Sat. and Sun., 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
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Mass. Hidden Gems is a series highlighting restaurants and other businesses across the Bay State that we think deserve more attention. You can check out the rest of the series here.
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