Our Readers Weigh in on the best in dining, drinks, entertainment and more. Total votes:26,326

One of the greatest challenges in conducting a reader’s poll is determining what categories to include and just how far to drill down into our research. Details matter, we know that. And we appreciate it. So it’s difficult for us to, say, ask our readers for their favorite craft brewery (Crux, it turns out) without asking them to tell us who brews the best double IPA or winter seasonal. We want to know the answers to all of these questions. Alas, there’s issues of time, space and reader fatigue. So we stuck to the big overarching questions, like Best Breakfast (McKay Cottage), content to let readers argue amongst themselves as to who has the best Eggs Benedict. We removed a few categories that didn’t get traction last year and added more opportunities for you to weigh on categories like business, retail fashion and community events. In all, more than a thousand readers took the time to share their insights and opinions. In the results, we found a few surprises and witnessed some extremely close races. Most of all, we were reminded of the wealth of amazing experiences that are available to residents and visitors, thanks in part to the many small business owners who pour so much passion into their products and services. The next time you find yourself in one of these establishments, please congratulate them on their achievement. It’s no small feat, given the competition.

Category with Most Votes Cast

Best Breakfast (McKay Cottage)

Closest Race

Best Wine List (Portello Wine cafe)

Largest Winning Margin

Pole Pedal Paddle (Best Community Sports Event)

Largest Vote Getter

El Sancho (Best Taco)