Frankie’s — Daysies voters aren't the only ones who think Frankie's deserves top billing: In 2024, Eater named it one of the 14 best new restaurants in the country.
General manager Cindi Kozak and chef Jordan Ware opened their Burlington dinner hot spot that April, striking out on their own after long tenures at Hen of the Wood. To the former home of Penny Cluse Café, they brought an elegant yet informal vibe starring a stunning marble bar and a rollicking private party room. The ever-changing, seafood-heavy menu is packed with local produce, sustainable wines, rare beers and a cocktail list Kozak described as "classic without being stuffy."
"Take the ego out of all this," Ware said. "Let's just have fun."
Frankie's is fun, indeed — and delicious. Standout seasonal dishes might include pork croquettes with a pickled rhubarb sauce, electric-green scallop crudo with fermented fennel and sweet corn tortelli. And let's not forget about the housemade creemees.
The Eater write-up called Frankie's "the Noah Kahan of restaurants," noting that "both the musician and Burlington's hottest new table express their unabashed love for Vermont in a way that makes it impossible for the rest of us not to love it too."
As Kahan sings, "You're gonna go far," Frankie's.
Other Finalists
- Fancy's
- Kismet
- Toscano Bistro
- The Wise Fool