The North Carolina Piedmont Triad's source for Entertainment. Arts. Music. And More.
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: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 mentio n: 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