Friends, we've gathered today to say, Yes! Yes to not just the good things about Memphis, but the BEST things about Memphis. The things that make you the happiest to live here. The best taco and the best vet and the best local band. Yes!

The art in this issue was designed by Memphis Flyer Graphic Designer Jeremiah Matthews to bring to mind video games — of the '80s zam! pop! wow! sort. Did you know in the Ms. Pac-Man game, the ghosts can go into the center square? We've seen it with our own two eyes. We were always the type of player who ate all the pills leaving us vulnerable to the ghosts. But you can go into that square if you're really good. If you're the BEST.

Shall we drop the quarter in the slot? Let's all play. Let's all get into that square. Game Over? No, it's Game On. Yes!

A few things to note about this issue. We got the biggest number of voters ever this year. We thank you, as the Best of Memphis wouldn't be so good — actually, the BEST — without you. A lot of people worked on this issue. It was written by Jackson Baker, Julia Baker, Olivia Bates, Samuel X. Cicci, Shara Clark, Chris Davis, Jesse Davis, Michael Donahue, Susan Ellis, Michael Finger, Alex Greene, Chris McCoy, Toby Sells, Maya Smith, Jon Sparks, and Bruce VanWyngarden. It was designed by Carrie Beasley, with images by Justin Fox Burks.

We thank our advertisers as always, because without them, this paper wouldn't be free to you each week.

A BOM designation means the winner won by a vast majority of votes.

— Susan Ellis