Readers' Poll Results

Best of Baltimore Readers’ Poll 2016

The results are in! Your picks for the Best of Baltimore are...

Thanks to everyone who voted in our 2016 Best of Baltimore Readers’ Poll! Subscribe now or pick up a copy of our annual “Best of Baltimore” issue to see who we picked as this year’s winners.


Arts & Culture

Band

Winner: What’s Next
Runners-up: Symphony Number One, Parks Landing

Bookstore

Winner: Red Emma’s
Runners-up: The Ivy Bookshop, Atomic Books

Dance Party

Winner: Save Your Soul
Runners-up: Ministry of Swing, Plork Prom

Exhibit

Winner: Charlie The Peacock (Light City)
Runners-up: Devin Allen: Awakenings, In a New Light, Only When It’s Dark Enough Can You See the Stars

Festival

Winner: Artscape
Runners-up: Light City Baltimore, HonFest

Gallery

Winner: Crystal Moll Gallery
Runners-up: Creative Alliance, Gallery 788

Museum

Winner: The Baltimore Museum of Art
Runners-up: The American Visionary Art Museum, The Walters Art Museum

Music Venue

Winner: The Ottobar
Runners-up: The 8×10, Pier 6 Pavilion

Musician

Winner: Maynard Edwards
Runners-up: Kristin Young, Cris Jacobs

Park

Winner: Patterson Park
Runners-up: Druid Hill Park, Wyman Park

Play or Performance

Winner: Halloween: Nosferatu (Occasional Symphony)
Runners-up: Neverwhere (Cohesion Theatre Company), All Baltimore Voices: Stories About and Beyond the Unrest

Poet

Winner: Stephen Zerance
Runners-up: Kondwani Fidel, Tariq Touré

Sports League

Winner: Charm City Roller Girls
Runners-up: BSSC, Baltimore Social

Street Art

Winner: Baltimore LOVE Project
Runners-up: Inside Out Project, Open Walls Baltimore

Theater (Movie)

Winner: Charles Theatre
Runners-up: Senator Theatre, Landmark Harbor East

Theater (Live)

Winner: Center Stage
Runners-up: Everyman Theater, Hippodrome

Writer

Winner: D. Watkins
Runners-up: Lisa Van Wormer, Dan Rodricks


Food & Drink

Bagel

Winner: Towson Hot Bagels
Runners-up: Greg’s Bagels, Goldberg’s Bagels

Bakery

Winner: La Cakerie
Runners-up: Vaccaro’s, Fenwick Bakery

Bar (Casual)

Winner: Max’s Taphouse
Runners-up: Barfly’s, Forno Baltimore

Bar (Fancy)

Winner: Wit & Wisdom
Runners-up: Bookmakers Cocktail Club, W.C. Harlan

Bartender

Winner: Amie Ward (Aggio)
Runners-up: Jonathan Levy (Wit & Wisdom), Ricky Johnson (Forno Baltimore)

Breakfast

Winner: Miss Shirley’s Café
Runners-up: Blue Moon Café, Iron Rooster

Brunch

Winner: Miss Shirley’s Café
Runners-up: Forno Baltimore, The Food Market

Brewery

Winner: Union Craft Brewing
Runners-up: Heavy Seas Beer, The Brewer’s Art

Burger

Winner: Vagabond Sandwich Company
Runners-up: Abbey Burger Bistro, Hamilton Tavern

Cheap Eats

Winner: Samos Greek Island Grill
Runners-up: Nalley Fresh, Ekiben

Chef

Winner: Enrique Limardo (Alma Cocina Latina)
Runners-up: Cindy Wolf (Foreman Wolf), Matt Audette (Forno Baltimore)

Cocktails

Winner: Bookmakers Cocktail Club
Runners-up: Forno Baltimore, W.C. Harlan

Coffee

Winner: Zeke’s Coffee
Runners-up: Ceremony Coffee Roasters, Artifact Coffee

Crabs

Winner: Conrad’s Crabs & Seafood
Runners-up: L.P. Steamers, Captain James Crabhouse & Restaurant

Fine Dining

Winner: Charleston
Runners-up: Woodberry Kitchen, The Prime Rib

Food Truck

Winner: Gypsy Queen Café
Runners-up: Kooper’s Chowhound Burger Wagon, The Green Bowl

Ice Cream

Winner: The Charmery
Runners-up: Cream Cruiser, Broom’s Bloom Dairy

Indian

Winner: Ambassador Dining Room
Runners-up: Darbar, Namaste Baltimore

Italian

Winner: Forno Baltimore
Runners-up: Cinghiale, La Scala Ristorante

Lunch

Winner: Nalley Fresh
Runners-up: Miss Shirley’s Café, Vagabond Sandwhich Company

Mexican

Winner: Blue Agave
Runners-up: Clavel, La Tolteca

Outdoor Dining

Winner: Boathouse Canton
Runners-up: Forno Baltimore, Little Havana

Pizza

Winner: Coal Fire Pizza
Runners-up: Verde, Matthew’s Pizza

Server

Winner: Tabitha Baxter (Petit Louis)
Runners-up: Randy Lock (Miss Shirley’s), Michael “Miguel” Wilkens (Fork & Wrench)

Soup

Winner: Atwater’s
Runners-up: Soup’s On, Alma Cocina Latina

Steak

Winner: The Prime Rib
Runners-up: Ruth’s Chris Steak House, The Capital Grille

Sports Bar

Winner: Max’s Taphouse
Runners-up: Wiley Gunter’s, Greene Turtle Sports Bar & Grille

Sushi

Winner: Azumi
Runners-up: RA Sushi, Shoyou Sushi

Thai

Winner: Thai Arroy
Runners-up: Stang of Siam, Thai Landing

Vegetarian

Winner: One World Café
Runners-up: Nalley Fresh, Land of Kush


Lifestyle & Home

Auto Repair

Winner: Firestone Complete Auto Care
Runners-up: Hollenshade’s Auto Service, Hunt Valley EuroCar

Dry Cleaning

Winner: Zips Dry Cleaning
Runners-up: Parsonizing Fine Dry Cleaning, J&J Alteration & Cleaning

Contractor (Home)

Winner: G&E Contractors
Runners-up: FC Batton and Son, Inc., B&H Chimneys

Electrician

Winner: Walter Electric
Runners-up: Winn Electric, Malstrom Electric

Fitness Instructor

Winner: Guy Cragwell (MV Fitness)
Runners-up: Sonja Burns (Booty Burns), Aurelia Jones (Zumba)

Furniture Store

Winner: Gardiner Wolf Furniture
Runners-up: Su Casa, The Silver Fox

Grocery Store

Winner: Wegmans
Runners-up: Harris Teeter, Mom’s Organic Market

Gym

Winner: Brick Bodies
Runners-up: Merritt Athletic Clubs, REV Cycle Studio

Handyman

Winner: The Baltimore Handyman Company
Runners-up: Irv’s Handyman Service, Joe Letke

HVAC

Winner: BGE Home
Runners-up: At Your Service Heating and Cooling LLC, Perry Hall Heating & Cooling

Kids’ Clothing

Winner: Wee Chic Boutique
Runners-up: Cohen’s, The Pied Piper

Landscaping

Winner: Maryland Landscape Supply
Runners-up: Live Green Landscapes, Arbormasters Inc.

Men’s Clothing

Winner: JS Edwards
Runners-up: Men’s Wearhouse, Sixteen Tons

Personal Trainer

Winner: Guy Cragwell (Federal Hill Fitness)
Runners-up: Reese Ashe (Reflex Functional Fitness), Dan Harris (Charm City Fitness)

Pet Care

Winner: Prancing Pooches
Runners-up: Barks and Blooms, Biederman’s Better Dogs

Plumber

Winner: Len The Plumber
Runners-up: Vince Marino Plumbing & Heating, Saffer Plumbing

Salon (Hair)

Winner: Studio&Co
Runners-up: Form Salon, Crafted Hair Studio

Salon (Spa)

Winner: Ojas Wellness Center
Runners-up: Crop Salon, About Faces

Shoe Store

Winner: DSW
Runners-up: Poppy and Stella, Ma Petite Shoe

Sporting Goods

Winner: Dick’s Sporting Goods
Runners-up: Charm City Running, Under Armour

Toy Store

Winner: Amuse Toys
Runners-up: Shenanigans, Toys R Us

Veterinarian

Winner: Charm City Veterinary Hospital
Runners-up: Falls Road Animal Hospital, Light Street Animal Hospital

Women’s Clothing

Winner: Sass Upscale Resale Boutique
Runners-up: Brightside Boutique, Punch! Boutique

Yoga Studio

Winner: YogaWorks (formerly Charm City Yoga)
Runners-up: M. Power Yoga, CorePower Yoga


News & Media

Blog (News)

Winner: Booze News
Runners-up: Baltimore Brew, What Weekly

Blog (Sports)

Winner: The Big Leagues Daily
Runners-up: The Spitter, Russell Street Report

Blog (Other)

Winner: Invisible Crowne Blog
Runners-up: 30th & Weldon, Aesthetic Distance

Columnist

Winner: Dan Rodricks
Runners-up: Becky Witt, Dan Clark

Oriole

Winner: Adam Jones
Runners-up: Manny Machado, Chris Davis

Instagram Account

Winner: @thebmorecreatives
Runners-up: @1304Photos, @AestheticDistance

Publication (Print)*

Winner: City Paper
Runners-up: The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Business Journal

Publication (Online)*

Winner: Baltimore Brew
Runners-up: 30th & Weldon, The Baltimore Sun

Radio Show Host

Winner: Tom Hall (WYPR)
Runners-up: Marc Steiner (WEAA), Alex Cortright (WTMD)

Radio Station

Winner: WTMD
Runners-up: WYPR, 98 Rock

Raven

Winner: Joe Flacco
Runners-up: Justin Tucker, Steve Smith, Sr.

TV Broadcaster (News)

Winner: Megan Gilliland
Runners-up: Denise Koch, Jennifer Franciotti

TV Broadcaster (Sports)

Winner: Gerry Sandusky
Runners-up: Mark Viviano, Keith Mills

Twitter Account

Winner: @Justin_Fenton
Runners-up: @MrTrashWheel, @aesthdistance1

*Baltimore magazine was excluded.