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Is there anything better than sinking your teeth into a warm, flaky apple croissant from Simple Kneads? Or devouring a Cook Out burger with crispy bacon and melted cheese? Or hunkering down with a nice, cold beer at Natty Greene’s outdoor patio?

Every year, these are the places you consistently vote for in Go Triad’s annual Readers’ Choice Awards. These are the places that have become your favorites, your mainstays, your standbys.

Of course, there are always a few new candidates that emerge every year, some of which have managed to knock out the reigning champs in the competition.

Did your favorites make the cut?

Read ahead to find out.

— Carla Kucinski Seward

Go Triad Editor

Food and Drink

Best New Restaurant

Winner: Print Works Bistro

Runner-up: Sweet Basil's Restaurant

Honorable mention: Grey's Tavern, Riva's Trattoria, Sticks and Stones

 

Best Overall Restaurant

Winner: Liberty Oak

Runner-up: Biancas' Italian Eatery

Honorable mention: Green Valley Grill, Village Tavern, Solaris Tapas Restaurant and Bar

 

Best Restaurant for Lunch

Winner: Moose Café

Runner-up (tie): Elizabeth's Pizza and Liberty Oak

Honorable mention: Panera, Grey's Tavern, Lindley Park Filling Station

 

Best Outdoor Dining

Winner: Village Tavern

Runner-up: Liberty Oak

Honorable mention: Green Valley Grill, Natty Greene's, Café Europa

 

Best Kept Secret

Winner: Biancas' Italian Eatery

Runner-up: Moose Café

Honorable mention: Solaris Tapas Restaurant and Bar, Grey's Tavern

 

Best Restaurant For First Dates

Winner: Biancas' Italian Eatery

Runner-up (tie): Liberty Oak and Melting Pot

Honorable mention: Solaris Tapas Restaurant and Bar, Village Tavern

 

Best Bakery

Winner: Simple Kneads

Runner-up: Cheesecakes by Alex

Honorable mention: Ganache, Delicious, Spring Garden Bakery

 

Best Barbecue

Winner: Stamey's

Runner-up: Country Barbecue

Honorable mention: Carter Brothers Barbecue

 

Best Breakfast

Winner: Moose Café

Runner-up: Tex and Shirley's

Honorable mention: Smith Street Diner

 

Best Buffet

Winner: Golden Corral

Runner-up: Saffron

 
Honorable mention: Taste of Thai

 

Best Cafeteria

Winner: K&W Cafeterias

Runner-up: J&S Cafeteria

 

Best Caribbean

Winner (tie): Zion Bar and Grille and Montego Bay

Runner-up: Da Reggae Cafe

 

Best Chinese

Winner: P.F. Chang's

Runner-up: Phoenix Asian Cuisine

Honorable mention: Golden Dragon

 

Best Coffeehouse

Winner: Starbucks

Runner-up: The Green Bean

Honorable mention: Tate Street Coffee House

 

Best Deli

Winner: Lox, Stock and Bagel

Runner-up: Jason's Deli

Honorable mention: First Carolina Delicatessen, Jay's Deli, Giacomo's

 

Best Desserts

Winner: Cheesecakes by Alex

Runner-up: Ganache

Honorable mention: Maxie B's, Delicious

 

Best Hamburger

Winner: Cook Out

Runner-up: Fuddruckers

Honorable mention: Red Robin, Fincastles Diner

 

Best Hot Dog

Winner: Yum Yum Better Ice Cream

Runner-up: Cook Out

Honorable mention: Fuddruckers, Skippy's, Fincastles

 

Best Ice Cream Shop

Winner: Cold Stone Creamery

Runner-up: Yum Yum Better Ice Cream

Honorable mention: Bruster's,  Ben & Jerry's

 

Best French

Winner: Bistro Sofia

Runner-up: Print Works Bistro

Honorable mention: Undercurrent Restaurant

 

Best Greek

Winner: Acropolis

Runner-up: Ghassan's

Honorable mention: Jack's Corner, Pita Delite, Mykonos Grill

 

Best Indian

Winner: Saffron

Runner-up: India Palace

Honorable mention: Tandoor India Restaurant

 

Best Italian

Winner: Biancas' Italian Eatery

Runner-up: Positano Ristorante

Honorable mention: Elizabeth's Pizza

 

Best Japanese

Winner: Arigato Japanese Steak House

Runner-up: Kabuto Japanese Steakhouse and Sushi Bar

Honorable mention: Asahi Japanese Steak House, Sapporo Fantasy Japanese Steak House

 

Best Late Night

Winner: Cook Out

Runner-up: Grey's Tavern

Honorable mention: Natty Greene's, The Burro

 

Best Mexican

Winner: La Bamba's

Runner-up: Mexico

Honorable mention: La Fiesta, Monterrey, Casa Vallarta

 

Best Pizza

Winner: Elizabeth's Pizza

Runner-up: Mario's

Honorable mention: Papa John's, Sticks and Stones

 

Best Seafood

Winner: Bert's Seafood Grille

Runner-up: 1618 West Seafood Grille

Honorable mention: Bonefish Grill

 

Best Steak House

Winner: Ruth's Chris Steak House

Runner-up: Outback Steakhouse

Honorable mention: Chop House Grille, LongHorn Steakhouse, Fleming's Prime Steakhouse and Wine Bar

 

Best Sushi

Winner: Sushi Republic

Runner-up: US Sushi

Honorable mention: Asahi Japanese Steak House, Wasabi

 

Best Takeout

Winner: Cook Out

Runner-up: Elizabeth's Pizza

Honorable mention: Grey's Tavern

 

Best Thai

Winner: Taste of Thai

Runner-up: Rearn Thai

Honorable mention: Thai Pan, Tara Thai, Pad Thai

 

Best Vegetarian

Winner: Boba House   

Runner-up: Zaytoon Mediterranean Café       

 

Best Neighborhood Bar

Winner: Grey's Tavern 

Runner-up: Fishers Grille

Honorable mention: Natty Greene's, M'Coul's Public House, Fishbones

 

Best Sports Bar

Winner: JP Looney's    

Runner-up: Grey's Tavern

Honorable mention: Beef ‘O'Brady's, Natty Greene's

 

Best Beer Selection

Winner: Natty Greene's

Runner-up: M'Coul's Public House

Honorable mention: Brixx Wood-Fired Pizza, The Press

 

Best Martini Selection

Winner: Solaris Tapas Restaurant and Bar

Runner-up: Churchill's On Elm

Honorable mention: Green Valley Grill

 

Best Wine Selection

Winner: The Press

Runner-up: Green Valley Grill

Honorable mention: Melting Pot, Solaris Tapas Restaurant and Bar

 

Shopping and Services

Best Shopping Mall/Center

Winner: The Friendly Center

Runner-up: The Shops at Friendly Center

Honorable mention: Four Seasons Towne Center

 

Best Ladies' Apparel Store

Winner: Chico's

Runner-up: Ann Taylor Loft

Honorable mention: Talbot's, Kohl's

 

Men's Apparel Store

Winner: Banana Republic

Runner-up: Brooks Brothers

Honorable mention: Jos. A. Bank, Belk

 

Best Local Clothing Boutique

Winner: Rebecca & Co.

Runner-up: Scout and Molly's

Honorable mention: Mack and Mack

 

Best Children's Clothing Store

Winner: Lollipop Shop

Runner-up: The Children's Place

Honorable mention: Gymboree

 

Best Jewelry Store

Winner: Schiffman's

Runner-up: Bardy's

Honorable mention: Mark Holder

 

Best Shoe Store

Winner: DSW

Runner-up: SRI Shoe Warehouse

Honorable mention: Shoe Market, Monkee's

 

Best Thrift Store

Winner: Goodwill

Runner-up: Carolina Thrift

Honorable mention: Bargain Box

 

Best Vintage Clothing Boutique

Winner: Design Archives

Runner-up: Goodwill

Honorable mention: Clothesline

 

Best Antiques Store

Winner: Thrill of the Hunt

Runner-up: Antique Marketplace

Honorable mention: Red Collection, Rhyne's Corner Cupboard Antiques

 

Best Used Book Store

Winner: Edward McKay Used Books

Runner-up: Empire Books

Honorable mention: Paperback Exchange

 

Best Used CD/Record Store

Winner: Edward McKay Used Books

Runner-up: BB's Compact Discs (R.I.P.)

Honorable mention: Record Exchange

 

Best Farmers' Market

Winner: Piedmont Triad Farmers Market

Runner-up: Greensboro Farmers' Curb Market

 

Best Health Food Store

Winner: Earth Fare

Runner-up: Deep Roots Market

Honorable mention: Whole Foods

 

Best Wine Shop

Winner: Total Wine And More

Runner-up: Wine Warehouse

Honorable mention: Zeto

 

Best Day Spa

Winner: Balance Day Spa

Runner-up: Chakras

Honorable mention: Indigenous Spa at Indigo, Grandover Resort

 

Best Hair Salon

Winner: Chakras

Runner-up: Indigo The Salon

Honorable mention: Leon's Salon, Salon Blu

 

Best Health Club/Gym

Winner: The Rush

Runner-up: YMCA

Honorable mention: Gold's Gym, Planet Fitness

 

Best Massage Therapy

Winner: Yoga Café

Runner-up: Balance Day Spa

Honorable mention: Chakras, Indigenous Spa at Indigo

 

Best Nail Salon

Winner: Buff Natural Nail Bar

Runner-up: Balance Day Spa

Honorable mention: Chakras

 

Best Tanning Salon

Winner: Got Sun? Tanning

Runner-up: Balance Day Spa

Honorable mention: Aah-Som-Rays

 

Best Yoga Studio

Winner: Yoga Café

Runner-up: Family Yoga

Honorable mention: Triad Yoga

 

People and Media

Best Local TV Personality

Winner: Eric Chilton (WFMY News 2)

Runner-up: Rosemary Plybon (WFMY News 2)

Honorable mention: Sandra Hughes (WFMY News 2), Kent Bates (WFMY News 2)

 

Best Local Radio Personality

Winner: Jeff Wicker (WSMW Simon 98.7 FM)

Runner-up: Chris Kelly and Chris Dem (Two Guys Named Chris, Rock 92 FM)

Honorable mention: Jack Murphy (WKZL 107.5 FM), Skip The Prize Guy (WSMW Simon 98.7 FM)

 

Best Morning Radio Show

Winner: The Wicker Show (WSMW Simon 98.7 FM)

Runner-up: Two Guys Named Chris (Rock 92 FM)

Honorable mention: Murphy In The Morning (WKZL 107.5 FM), Brad and Britt In The Morning (WZTK 101.1 FM), Bob and Wendy (WTHZ Majic 94.1 FM)

 

Best College Radio Station

Winner: Guilford College's WQFS 90.9 FM

Runner-up: UNCG's WUAG103.1 FM

Honorable mention: N.C. A&T's WNAA 90.1 FM

 

Arts and Entertainment

Best Art Gallery

Winner: Weatherspoon Art Museum

Runner-up: Marshall Art Gallery

Honorable mention: Heart of Living Home Gallery, Green Hill Center For North Carolina Art, Lyndon Street Artworks, Art Mongerz

 

Best Comedy Club

Winner: Idiot Box Improv Comedy Club

Runner-up: The Comedy Zone

 

Best Dance Club

Winner: Inferno

Runner-up: Heaven

Honorable mention: The N Club, Greene Street Club, Much

 

Best Live Music Venue

Winner: The Carolina Theatre

Runner-up: The Greensboro Coliseum

Honorable mention: The Blind Tiger, Solaris Tapas Restaurant and Bar, Greene Street Club

 

Best Live Theater

Winner: Triad Stage

Runner-up: Community Theatre of Greensboro

Honorable mention: The Broach Theatre, Barn Dinner Theatre, Open Space Café Theatre

 

Best Karaoke Bar

Winner: McPherson's

Runner-up: Ham's

Honorable mention: The Box Seat

 

Best Movie Theater

Winner: The Grande (Friendly Center)

Runner-up: Regal Palladium Stadium 14

Honorable mention: Carousel Luxury Cinemas