Happily, a couple of months ago, hundreds of you answered our call to fill out ballots (that Vespa giveaway sure helped, huh?). Then, our crack team of accountants from Price Waterhouse (O.K., our intern) tabulated the ballots. Now the results are in. Some winners are predictable (Christian’s, Chaps, C-VILLE) and some are more surprising (McDonald’s, Tim Longo, marijuana). Are they Charlottesville’s best? You be the judge, and if you disagree, think about filling out that ballot next year.
Best Locally Made Burger, With or Without Secret Sauce…Riverside
Best Bar for NCAA Playoffs, Super Bowl, World Cup, or other Sports Spectacular…Buffalo Wild Wings
Best Slice of Pizza…Christian’s
Best Place to Satisfy a Sweet Tooth…Chaps
Best Restaurant When You’re Feeling Flush…C&O, Oxo [tie]
Best Restaurant When You’re Still Trying to Make the Rent…Bodo’s
Best New Restaurant…Mas!
Best Standby…Bizou
Best Sunday Morning Eggs Benedict…Blue Bird Café
Best Meal in a Carton…Marco & Luca
Best Burrito…Guadalajara
Best Place to Inhale Second-hand Smoke While Drinking…Miller’s
Best Place to Convert a Vegetarian…Aberdeen Barn, Downtown Grille [tie]
Best Kids Menu That Could Tempt an Adult…McDonald’s
Best Place to Take the Team After Softball…Sloan’s
Best Barista…Mudhouse
Best Place to Satisfy Your Late-Night Munchies…Littlejohn’s
Best Place to Spend Other People’s Money…Oxo
Best Place to Escape for a Night…Clifton Inn, Shenandoah National Park [tie]
Best Place to Blow Out Your Eardrums…Starr Hill Music Hall
Best Place to Realign Your Chakras…Studio 206
Best Excuse to Play Hooky…Nice weather
Best Place to Buy a Smokin’ Dress…Dixie Divas
Best Place to Buy Real Trousers…Banana Republic, Beecroft & Bull [tie]
Best Place to Outfit the Kids…Old Navy
Best Place to Upgrade Your Décor from Cinder Blocks, Wood Planks and Bean Bag Chairs…Under the Roof
Best Place to Spend $3 on a Book…Daedalus
Best Place to Restock the Fridge…Harris Teeter, Whole Foods Market [tie]
Best Place to Browse…Barnes & Noble
Best Place to Buy Birthday Presents…Cha Cha’s
Best Reason to Hit the Downtown Mall Even When It’s Raining…Jefferson Theater
Best Place to get Inked or Pierced…Acme Tattoo
Best News Source…C-VILLE Weekly
Best Place to Celebrate a Special Occasion…C&O
Best Reason to Vote in the Next Election…Oppose Bush
Best Law-and-Order Type…Tim Longo
Best Neighborhood…Belmont
Best Local Actor…Sissy Spacek
Best Local Author…John Grisham
Best Local Complaint…Traffic
Best Place to Impress Visitors…Monticello
Best Place for Urban Reflection…Downtown Mall
Best Unsolved Mystery…Serial rapist