Submitted by tim
on
by Seven Days Nearly 9,000 Vermonters weighed in on the state’s 2015 “best of Vermont” awards, with a whopping 590,000-plus individual votes in 171 categories. In this, our 13th year of hosting what we call “the Daysies,”Seven Daysdoubled the pleasure: In the first round, Vermonters nominated their favorites in categories frombest burgertobest brew pub,best ski slopetobest cider doughnuts. We tallied the write-in nominations, winnowed the field to 5-6 top finalists in each category and offered those up for a final public vote. The result is a locals' guide to "all the best" things to do, see, eat and buy in Vermont — enjoy!
- Food
Best restaurant –Hen of the Wood (Burlington) & Blue Paddle Bistro (South Hero)- Best new restaurant –Waterworks Food + Drink
- Best breakfast/brunch –Penny Cluse Café (Burlington) & 158 Main Restaurant & Bakery (Jeffersonville)
- Best lunch –Misery Loves Co. (Winooski) & Prohibition Pig (Waterbury)
- Best place to get late-night food –Kountry Kart Deli
- Best outdoor dining –The Skinny Pancake
- Best chef –Eric Warnstedt, Hen of the Wood
- Best restaurant service –Hen of the Wood
- Best place to grab a quick meal –Al's French Frys
- Best place to eat alone –City Market/Onion River Co-op
- Best Thai restaurant –Tiny Thai Restaurant
- Best Chinese restaurant –A Single Pebble
- Best Mexican restaurant –El Cortijo Taqueria y Cantina
- Best Vietnamese restaurant –Pho Hong
- Best Italian restaurant –Trattoria Delia
- Best vegetarian fare –A Single Pebble (Burlington) & Kismet (Montpelier)
- Best comfort food –The Farmhouse Tap & Grill
- Best eggs Benedict –Sneakers Bistro (Winooski) & 158 Main Restaurant & Bakery (Jeffersonville)
- Best breakfast sandwich –Kountry Kart Deli
- Best bagel –Myer's Bagel Bakery (Burlington) & The Bagel (Stowe)
- Best cider doughnuts –Cold Hollow Cider Mill
- Best pizza (restaurant) –American Flatbread Burlington Hearth (Burlington) & Piecasso Pizzeria & Lounge (Stowe)
- Best pizza (delivery) –Leonardo's Pizza (Burlington) & Piecasso Pizzeria & Lounge (Stowe)
- Best burger –The Farmhouse Tap & Grill (Burlington) & Prohibition Pig (Waterbury)
- Best steak –Guild Tavern (South Burlington) & Blue Paddle Bistro (South Hero)
- Best french fries –Al's French Frys (South Burlington) & Prohibition Pig (Waterbury)
- Best taco –El Cortijo Taqueria y Cantina
- Best wings –Wings Over Burlington
- Best sandwiches –Martone's Market & Café
- Best sushi –Asiana House
- Best creemee –Burlington Bay Market & Café (Burlington) & Vermont Cookie Love (North Ferrisburgh)
- Best frozen yogurt –SoYo Frozen Yogurt
- Best housemade ice cream –Lake Champlain Chocolates (Burlington) & Island Homemade Ice Cream (Grand Isle)
- Best Vermont cheese brand –Cabot Creamery
- Best locally-owned grocery store –City Market/Onion River Co-op (Burlington) & Hunger Mountain Co-op (Montpelier)
- Best food truck –Beansie's Bus
- Best food cart –Hong's Chinese Dumplings
- Best farmers market vendor –Rookie's Root Beer
- Best bread bakery –Red Hen Baking Co.
- Best sweets bakery –Mirabelles Café
- Best food/drink event –ArtsRiot Truck Stop
- Best family restaurant –American Flatbread Burlington Hearth (Burlington) & Piecasso Pizzeria & Lounge (Stowe)
- Drink
- Best craft brewery –Hill Farmstead Brewery
- Best winery –Shelburne Vineyard
- Best cidery (nonalcoholic) –Cold Hollow Cider Mill
- Best hard cidery –Citizen Cider
- Best spirits distiller –Smugglers' Notch Distillery
- Best draft beer list –The Farmhouse Tap & Grill (Burlington) & Prohibition Pig (Waterbury)
- Best brewpub –Prohibition Pig
- Best wine list –Hen of the Wood
- Best craft brew selection –Beverage Warehouse
- Best wine shop –Cheese Traders and Wine Sellers
- Best pickup bar –Red Square
- Best dive bar –The Other Place (OP)
- Best sports bar –McGillicuddy's
- Best place to drink alone –The Daily Planet
- Best gay-friendly bar –oak45
- Best bar (overall) –Three Needs Brewery & Taproom
- Best bouncers –Higher Ground
- Best bartender –Chris Maloney (Hen of the Wood, Burlington)
- Best Bloody Mary –Sneakers Bistro
- Best cocktails –The Daily Planet
- Best smoothies/juices –Tomgirl Juice Co.
- Best teahouse –Dobrá Tea
- Best coffee shop –Uncommon Grounds Coffee and Tea
- Best coffee roaster –Vermont Coffee Company
- Best barista –Tom Green (Scout & Co.)
- Arts + Entertainment
- Best large live music venue –Waterfront Park
- Best small live music hot spot –Nectar's
- Best place to play pool –Three Needs Brewery & Taproom
- Best place to dance –Club Metronome
- Best trivia night –Nectar's
- Best karaoke –JP's Pub
- Best standup comic –Josie Leavitt
- Best vocalist –Grace Potter
- Best instrumentalist –Dave Grippo
- Best singer/songwriter –Grace Potter
- Best recording studio/engineer –Dave DeCristo, Signal Kitchen
- Best Americana artist or group –Starline Rhythm Boys
- Best funk/R&B artist or group –Kat Wright & the Indomitable Soul Band
- Best jazz/blues artist or group –Kat Wright & the Indomitable Soul Band
- Best rock artist or group –Rough Francis
- Best hip-hop artist or group –The Lynguistic Civilians
- Best electronic music DJ or group –Craig Mitchell
- Best music festival –Burlington Discover Jazz Festival
- Best local theater company –Lyric Theatre Company
- Best female actor –Natalie Miller
- Best male actor –Luis Guzmán
- Best performing arts venue –Flynn Center for the Performing Arts
- Best visual artist –Katharine Montstream
- Best art gallery –Shelburne Museum
- Best museum –Shelburne Museum
- Best arts event –South End Art Hop
- Best movie theater –Majestic 10
- Shopping
- Best women's casual clothing store –Sweet Lady Jane (Burlington) & Salaam Boutique (Montpelier)
- Best women's evening-wear store –Ecco Clothes
- Best place to buy lingerie –Aristelle
- Best menswear –Outdoor Gear Exchange
- Best men's shoe store –Lenny's Shoe & Apparel
- Best women's shoe store –Danform Shoes
- Best second-hand clothing –2nd Time Around
- Best children's clothing –Once Upon a Child
- Best eyeglasses –Eyes of the World
- Best place to buy jewelry –Perrywinkle's Fine Jewelry
- Best beauty-product purveyor –Mirror Mirror
- Best pet-supply store –Pet Food Warehouse
- Best musical-instrument store –Advance Music Center
- Best bookstore –Phoenix Books (Burlington) & Bear Pond Books (Montpelier)
- Best housewares store –Homeport
- Best secondhand housewares store –ReSOURCE
- Best kitchen store –Kiss the Cook (Burlington) & Stowe Kitchen Bath & Linens (Stowe)
- Best children's toy store –Woodbury Mountain Toys
- Best furniture store –Burlington Furniture Company
- Best lighting store –Conant Metal & Light
- Best antique store –Anjou & the Little Pear
- Best place to buy a computer –Small Dog Electronics
- Best camera store –LeZot Camera Shop - Burlington
- Best bridal shop –Fiori Bridal Boutique
- Best auto dealer –The Automaster
- Best garden center –Gardener's Supply Company
- Best place to buy a pipe –Full Tank
- Best adult toy store –Good Stuff
- Best ski/snowboard shop –Burton Flagship Store & Onion River Sports (Montpelier)
- Best bike shop –Earl's Cyclery & Fitness (South Burlington) & Onion River Sports (Montpelier)
- Best outdoor outfitter –Outdoor Gear Exchange
- Services
- Best nonprofit organization –Humane Society of Chittenden County
- Best pet daycare –Oh my DOG
- Best veterinarian/animal hospital –Green Mountain Animal Hospital
- Best pet groomer –Doggie Styles Grooming & Boutique
- Best wedding venue –Shelburne Farms
- Best caterer –Sugarsnap
- Best florist –Stray Cat Flower Farm
- Best real estate agency –Coldwell Banker Hickok & Boardman Realty
- Best real estate agent –Nancy Jenkins
- Best bank/credit union –New England Federal Credit Union
- Best mortgage broker –New England Federal Credit Union
- Best marketing/advertising agency –Fuse
- Best salon (unisex) –Indigo
- Best barber/men's cut –The Men's Room
- Best resort spa –Topnotch Resort & Spa
- Best day spa –Oasis Day Spa
- Best manicure/pedicure –Perfect Nails by Thu
- Best place to get body art –Yankee Tattoo
- Best health club/fitness studio –The Edge Sports & Fitness
- Best massage therapist –Amanda Young, Shanti Mama Wellness
- Best yoga studio –Laughing River Yoga
- Best auto repair –Girlington Garage
- Best cab company –Green Cab VT
- Outdoor + Recreation
- Best public golf course –Kwiniaska Golf Club
- Best ski/ride slope –Smugglers' Notch Resort
- Best cross-country ski area –Trapp Family Lodge
- Best in-state weekend getaway –Jay Peak Resort
- Best Vermont day trip with the kids –Shelburne Farms
- Best foot race –Vermont City Marathon & Relay
- Best people-watching place –Church Street Marketplace
- Best place to take your parents –Church Street Marketplace
- Best state park –Mt. Philo State Park
- Best day hike –Camel's Hump State Park
- Best place to bike –Burlington Bike Path
- Best place to swim –Bolton Potholes
- Best place to kayak/canoe –Lake Champlain
- Media
- Best print/online journalist –Alice Levitt,Seven Days
- Best photojournalist –Matthew Thorsen,Seven Days
- Best local TV journalist –Darren Perron, WCAX
- Best local radio host –Jane Lindholm, VPR
- Best local radio DJ –Craig Mitchell, Planet 96.7
- Best radio station –Vermont Public Radio
- Best talk-radio show –"Vermont Edition," VPR
- Best college radio station –WRUV 90.1 FM Burlington (UVM)
- Best meteorologist –Tom Messner, WPTZ
- Best social media personality –Bernie Sanders
- Best Vermont story this year –Bernie Sanders running for president
