Food+Drink

Legend holds that the number seven is auspicious, and for a handful of area restaurants it most certainly is: Precious few have won every single year since the Daysies awards began.

Penny Cluse is among them. A favorite with locals and “hobbits” alike — Elijah Wood of Lord of the Rings fame has been spotted there on a number of occasions — the a.m. hot spot dishes up flavorful fare with flair. The fresh-squeezed tangerine juice alone is worth a trip.

Then there’s veggie-friendly Stone Soup. The café, named for a children’s story about sharing, certainly isn’t sharing those first-place Daysies. Mirabelles has dominated the Bakery category, and City Market invariably wins for Best Natural Foods — inside Chittenden County, that is.

Though it’s great to see local favorites score year after year, tossing fresh ingredients into the mix keeps things interesting. So this year we sprinkled in a few new categories and tweaked some old ones.

Eaters must really love the Chicken Tikka Saag and Lamb Vindaloo at India House in Burlington. Why? It won for Best Ethnic Cuisine, Non-Asian.” Never mind that India is, in fact, part of Asia. Trattoria Delia picked up the first-ever prize for Best Italian Restaurant, plus one for Best Special Occasion Restaurant. The much-publicized fact that designer Karl Lagerfeld ate there three times in a week probably didn’t hurt.

Despite not serving Italian-style pies, American Flatbread has been sneaking away with the Best Pizza award since 2005. To let other players get in the game, we introduced Best Pizza Delivery to the mix. Leonardo’s Pizza, which dishes up flavorful rounds in flavors such as Fennel Sausage Gourmet and Louisiana Cajun Creation, took the proverbial cake.

Would you believe that the ever-popular Leunig’s earned its first Daysie this year? The bistro, which scored for Best Lunch in the county, has plenty of al fresco seating on Church Street and a mix of traditional French fare such as soupe au pistou and contemporary American dishes, including Duck Confit “Sloppy Joe.” Even during the day, fat-cat customers can add foie gras, lobster tail and truffled potatoes to any dish.

Although it’s not unusual for a single restaurant to show in a couple of different categories, 2009 gave us a triple threat in the form of the new Stowe Mountain Lodge. The AIG-owned property, which boasts Solstice — a fancy restaurant — took home the gold for Best Breakfast/Brunch” and Best Dinner outside Chittenden County, while the resort’s casual Hourglass bar won for Best Après Ski. Sounds like the place’s regulars are just as loyal as the lingering patrons of the Hotel California.

What other eateries are basking in Seven Daysies love? Read on.

— Suzanne Podhaizer