OUR READERS PICKS

A couple of notes: To make the list, a choice had to have a significant number of votes; places without enough votes were eliminated. Categories without enough voters were also removed. Where there was evidence of ballot stuffing (and there wasn’t much) the votes were adjusted accordingly. We know that there are some significant places that didn’t make the list, nevertheless we’re confident that those that are listed are all worthy and are among the tops in their field.

Top Non-Profit

LASPCA

The Louisiana SPCA has been dedicated to saving the lives of animals across the New Orleans metro area for more than 130 years. Headquartered on the West Bank at the organization’s 21,600 square foot campus, the LA SPCA cares for more than 300 animals at one time, with an annual count of more than 70,000 dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, birds and reptiles. In addition to adoption services, the organization provides advocacy and leadership in legislation, clinic services, disaster preparedness, workshops and more.

Top Antiques Store

1. M.S. Rau Antiques

Top Art Gallery

1. Terrance Osborne Gallery

2. Ashley Longshore

Top Bakery

1. Gracious Bakery

2. Haydel’s Bakery

3. Maple Street Patisserie

Top Bed-and-Breakfast

1. Degas House

Top Bookstore

1. Garden District Bookstore

2. Octavia Books

Top Carnival Parade

1. Muses

2. Endymion

Top Chef

1. Nina Compton

Top Children’s Boutique

1. Auraluz

2. Pickleberry

Top Coffee House

1. PJ’s

2. Starbucks

Top Coffee House for Food

1. Caffe Caffe

2. PJ’s

3. HiVolt

Top Craft Brewery

1. Abita Brewing Company

2. Port Orleans Brewing Co.

3. Urban South Brewery

Top Craft Cocktail Bar

1. Cure

Top Day Spa

1. Earthsavers Spa & Store

2. Woodhouse Day Spa

Top Dive Bar

1. Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar & Restaurant

Top Dry Cleaner

1. Young’s Dry Cleaning

2. Russell’s Dry Cleaning Services

Top Food Truck

1. Taceaux Loceaux

Top French Bread

1. Leidenheimer

Top Furniture Store

1. Textures Warehouse

2. Doerr Furniture

3. Hurwitz Mintz Furniture

Top Golf Course

1. Bayou Oaks at City Park

2. Audubon Park Golf Course

Top Gulf Coast Getaway

1. Destin, Florida

Top Gulf Coast Hotel

1. Beau Rivage Resort & Casino

2. The Scarlet Pearl Casino Resort

Top Gym

1. Orangetheory Fitness

1. Franco’s Athletic Club (tie)

Top Hotel

1. Windsor Court Hotel

2. The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans

3. The Roosevelt New Orleans

Top Hotel Bar

1. Carousel Bar & Lounge

2. Hot Tin

Top ice cream/gelato

1. Angelo Brocato

2. Piccola Gelateria

2. The Creole Creamery

Top Jazz Club

1. Snug Harbor

2. The Jazz Playhouse at Royal Sonesta

Top lawn/garden supply

1. Perino’s Garden Center

Top Live Theater Company

1. Le Petit Theatre

2. Southern Rep Theatre

Top Hotel Bar

Carousel Bar

Tucked away in the Hotel Monteleone, the Carousel Bar & Lounge has been transporting patrons on a merry-go-round of top-notch cocktails and bar bites for the past 70 years. A favorite destination for locals and visitors alike, the historied bar has seen countless colorful stories told in its history. The circus-themed rotating bar comes full circle every 15 minutes. Live music provides a jazzy backdrop to the libation and festivities.

Top local actor/actress

1. Bryan Batt

Top Local Charity

1. Louisina SPCA

2. The Al Copeland Foundation

Top Local Jeweler

1. Aucoin Hart Jewelers

2. Lee Michaels Fine Jewelry

3. Boudreaux’s Jewelers

3. Adler’s Jewelry

Top Local Radio Station

1. WWOZ

2. WWL

Top Men’s Clothing Store

1. Perlis

2. Rubensteins

Top Museum

1. National WWII Museum

2. New Orleans Museum of Art

3. Louisiana Children’s Museum

3. Ogden Museum of Southern Art (tie)

Top Neighborhood Restaurant

1. Clancy’s Restaurant

2. Vincent’s Italian Cuisine

3. Katie’s Restaurant and Bar

Top New Orleans Festival

1. French Quarter Fest

2. New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival

3. NOLA on Tap

Top Outdoor Dining

1. Bacchanal Fine Wine and Spirits

2. Café Degas

Top Place for a Bloody Mary

1. Atchafalaya Restaurant

Top Place for a Margarita

1. El Gato Negro

1. Juan’s Flying Burrito (tie)

Top Place for a Power Lunch

1. Commander’s Palace

2. Galatoire’s

Top Place for a Salad

1. The Daily Beet

Top Place for Asian

1. Five Happiness

Top Place for Barbecue Shrimp

1. Mr. B’s Bistro

2. Pascal’s Manale

Top Place for Boiled Crawfish

1. The Galley Seafood

Top Place for Breakfast

1. The Ruby Slipper Cafe

2. Daily Beet

Top Place for Brunch

1. Commander’s Palace

Top Place for Burgers

1. The Company Burger

2. Port of Call

Top Place for Cajun

1. Fete Au Fete Streatery

2. Mulate’s New Orleans Cajun Restaurant

3. K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen

Top Place for Chinese

1. Five Happiness

Top Place for Creole

1. New Orleans Creole Cookery

Top Place for Fine Dining

1. Commander’s Palace

2. Brennan’s Restaurant

Top Place for Fried Chicken

1. Popeye’s Fried Chicken

2. Willie Mae’s Scotch House

3. Fiorella’s Cafe

Top Grocery Store

1. Rouses

2. Dorignac’s

3. Langenstein’s

Top Place for Gumbo

1. Gumbo Shop

Top Place for Hot Dogs

1. Dat Dog

Top Place for Indian

1. Saffron NOLA

2. Nirvana Indian Cuisine

Top Place for Italian

1. Vincent’s Italian Cuisine

2. Red Gravy Cafe

Top Place for Japanese

1. Tsunami

2. Shogun

2. Little Tokyo

Top Bakery

Gracious Bakery

With four locations across the city, Gracious Bakery has quickly become the way many New Orleans start their day, enjoy brunch and lunch or celebrate special occasions. The menus include coffee, fresh baked breads, sandwiches, pies and cakes, sweet and savory waffles and more. This time of year, we’re ready to pick up one of the bakery’s unique King Cake creations, both traditional and with a twist.

Top Place for King Cakes

1. Manny Randazzo King Cakes

2. Dong Phuong Bakeshop

Top Place for Korean

1. Little Korea BBQ

Top Place for Late Night Dining

1. Hoshun

Best Local Sandwich Shop

1. Stein’s Market and Deli

Top Place for Mexican/Southwest

1. Zocalo Cocina Mexicana & Cantina

2. The Velvet Cactus

Top Place for Middle Eastern

1. Saba

2. Byblos

3. Lebanon’s Café

3. Mona’s Café (tie)

Top Place for Onion Rings

1. Mr. Ed’s Seafood & Italian Restaurant

Top Place for Pizza

1. Pizza Domencia

2. Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza

3. Reginelli’s Pizzeria

Top Place for Poor Boys

1. Parkway Bakery and Tavern

Top Place for Raw Oysters

1. Peche

Top Place for Seafood

1. GW Fins

Top Place for Snoballs

1. Sal’s Sno-Ball Stand

2. Hansen’s Sno-Bliz

3. Plum Street Sno-Ball

Top Place for Steaks

1. Ruth’s Chris Steak House

2. Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse

2. Desi Vega’s Steakhouse (tie)

Top Place for Sushi

1. Rock N Sake Bar & Sushi

2. Sake Café

Top Place for Tacos

1. Juan’s Flying Burrito

2. Taceaux Loceaux

2. The Velvet Cactus (tie)

Top Place for Tapas

1. Baru Bistor & Tapas

Top Place for Thai

1. SukhoThai

2. Banana Blossom Thai Restaurant

3. Café Equator

Top Place for Turtle Soup

1. Commander’s Palace

2. Mandina’s Restaurant

Top Place for Vegetarian Dishes

1. The Daily Beet

Top Place for Vietnamese

1. Mopho

2. Pho NOLA

2. Mint Modern Vietnamese (tie)

Top Place to Buy a Wedding Dress

1. Town & Country

2. Wedding Belles

Top Place to Buy Liquor and Wine

1. Martin’s Wine Cellar

1. Dorignac’s (tie)

Top Place to Gamble

1. Harrah’s Casino

Top Place to Hear Live Music

1. House of Blues

2. Tipitina’s

2. d.b.a. (tie)

Top Restaurant

1. Commander’s Palace

2. GW Fins

Top Restaurant Worth the Drive

1. Middendorf’s Restaurant

1. Mosca’s (tie)

Top Sports Bar

1. Manning’s Sports Bar and Grill

2. Walk-On’s Bistreux & Bar

Top Sweet Shop

1. Angelo Brocato

Top Yoga/Pilates Studio

1. Romney Studios

Top Bank

1. Hancock Whitney

2. Capital One

3. Iberia Bank

Top Women’s Boutique

1. Chatta Box Boutique

2. Hemline