Every year the Daily Joke readers vote on the "Best of Flagstaff." The winning businesses receive a wall plaque and bragging rights for the year. Since voters got some of them wrong, I thought I'd throw in my two cents on some categories (most of them food related). See the actual results here:
http://azdailysun.com/special-section/best_of_flagstaff/article_58bb9176-fef9-11df-8158-001cc4c002e0.html
What are your opinions?
Best Annual Event or Festival: Voters said "Flagstaff Hullabaloo." Am I the only one who has never heard of this? Obviously a better choice would have been the illustrious Pine Cone Drop.
Best Bakery: Voters said "Village Baker" and they got it right!
Best BBQ: Voters said "Bigfoot BBQ," so they must have never been to Satchmo's on 4th street, whose meat truly needs no sauce (but the sauce is so good you have to use it anyway).
Best Book Store: Voters said "Bookmans Entertainment Exchange" which is funny since Bookmans was closed for all but a few days of the year. I love Bookmans as much as the next person, but how can it win when it wasn't open?! I give my vote to the kid shop "The Book Nest" this time.
Best Breakfast: Voters said "MartAnne’s Burrito Palace." I've never heard of this place, but will definitely need to check it out, seeing as it won a couple categories. I'd have to say "Brandy's" for their amazing pancakes.
Best Burger: Voters said "Diablo Burger," which is pretty fabulous. Blake and I also go to the "Beaver Street Brewery" for a burger fix, and "It's About Coffee" has surprisingly good burgers as well.
Best Chinese Food: Voters said "Golden Dragon." I don't know that there's anywhere better, but this place is not one of my favorites.
Best Clothing Boutique Store: Voters said "The Basement Marketplace," and they're probably right. I wish I were cool enough to wear their cute things!
Best Coffee House: Voters said "Macy’s." I say "White Dove" or "It's About Coffee."
Best Coffee Roaster: Voters said "Late for the Train." I say Manuel, the guy at the farmers' market (his coffee is also available at the Village Baker). He spends half the year growing his own beans on his farm in El Salvador, then roasts and sells them himself. The Italian roast is some of the best coffee I've ever had!
Best Day Spa: Voters said "Flagstaff Face & Body." I wish I knew!
Best Deals on Kids Clothing: Voters said "Maddie & Moe’s." Sounds like another place I'll have to check out.
Best Deli Sandwich: Voters said "Crystal Creek Sandwich Co.," which I've never tried but would like to. This is lame, but I think Safeway's deli has pretty terrific sub sandwiches.
Best Department Store: Voters said "Kohl’s" and I agree!
Best Dessert Menu: Voters said "The Cottage Place," and though I've only been there once, I'll probably never forget that chocolate cake.
Best Elected Official: Voters said "Sara Presler." I say HAHAHAHAHA!
Best Ethnic Food: Voters say "Himalayan Grill," and they are so right. Lamb korma=most amazing food on earth.
Best Event Planning: Voters said "Peak Events," which means they've never attended a wedding coordinated by Laura Lanting and catered by the Millers!
Best Fabric and/or Sewing/Knitting Store: Voters said "Odegaard’s," and without JoAnn's, there's no other option. I did find the fabric for Rory's adorable crib bedding there too.
Best Family Dining: Voters said "Himalayan Grill." I say that unless you've got serious money, this isn't the place to take the whole family out to dinner (not that kids wouldn't like it, it's just not cheap). We save it for date night (unless someone else is treating!) and consider "Miz Zips" the best family restaurant for the kid friendly menu, cheapness, and homemadeness.
Best Fast Food: Voters said "Dog Haus." I have never been there but hear it's good. I think Freddy's may give them some competition.
Best Fine Dining: Voters said "The Cottage Place" and they probably got it right.
Best Flagstaff Attraction: Voters said "Arizona Snowbowl." That, and the Peaks in general.
Best Fries: Voters said "Diablo Burger," which are awesome, and I think also either "It's About Coffee" or "Satchmo's" for their sweet potato fries.
Best Hole-in-the-Wall Restaurant: Voters said "MartAnne’s." I really need to find this place.
Best Home Furnishings: Voters said "LaZBoy & Lite Co." (TIE) Can I say "crarigslist?"
Best Home Improvement Store: Voters said "Ace Homco." I think Blake likes it over the other places in town too.
Best Hotel: Voters say "Little America," which is probably true.
Best Ice Cream: Voters say "Cold Stone Creamery," but I think Mountain Delights in the mall is better.
Best Indian Food: Voters say "Himalayan Grill," and I say "amen."
Best Italian Food: Voters say "Mamma Luisa," which I still have to try. I like "Oreganos" but I'm not sure it qualifies as Italian food.
Best Landscape Company: Voters say "Warner’s Nursery." I'm a fan.
Best Late Night Snack: Voters say "Pita Pit." Would it be terrible of me to say "Diablo Burger" for a late night snack?
Best Live Music Venue: Voters say "Orpheum," which is good, but I like the amphitheater.
Best Lunch: Voters say "Himalayan Grill" again. I like Cafe Ole.
Best Meat Department: Voters say "New Frontiers Natural Marketplace." I can't really afford to find out.
Best Mexican Food: Voters say "La Fonda." I say "Noooooooooo!" I vote for "Cafe Ole" or "Burritos Fiesta." "Tacos los Altos" is good too.
Best New Restaurant: Voters said "Criollo Latin Kitchen," another place I want to try.
Best Nursery/Plant: Voters said "Warner’s." They're probably right, but I'd like to try "Viola's too."
Best Office Supply: Voters said "Staples." Office Max is on my side of town, so I go there. I like browsing their clearance stuff.
Best Outdoor Dining: Voters said "Brix." I like the patio at "Cafe Ole" or" Charly's."
Best Outdoors Shop: Voters said "Peace Surplus," which is pricey but local, so I'll go with it too.
Best Overall Nonprofit: Voters said "Second Chance Center for Animals." I love animals too, but does it say something about us that the animals win out over people? I'm going with the "Sunshine Rescue Mission" and "Hope Cottage."
Best Overall Restaurant: Voters said "Busters," which I'm a fan of. I'd probably give it to the "Himalayan Grill" though.
Best Photographer: Voters said "Cameron + Kelly Studios." I'm not familiar with too many others, but they shot Blake's cousin's wedding and did a fabulous job, and I worked with Cameron's husband at FJA and he was a nice guy, so why not? Of course, Christian Young is awesome too!
Best Pizza: Voters said "Fratelli." I still haven't discovered the best pizza yet; it eludes me.
Best Place for Party Supplies: Voters said "Confetti’s," and I like that place.
Best Place to Adopt a Pet: Voters said "Second Chance Center for Animals." You can't go wrong with that, but I'll put in my plug for the Arizona Boston Terrier Rescue too.
Best Place to Buy Music: Voters said "Hastings." I say "online." Really, I have a hard time finding the music I want here in Flag.
Best Place to find Cheap Gas: Voters said "Fry’s." I say "Safeway" when I have the 20 cents off per gallon, or "Sam's Club," as well as Fry's.
Best Place to go on First Date: Voters said "Lowell Observatory (Mars Hill Overlook)" and that sounds good to me.
Best Produce Department: Voters said "New Frontiers Natural Marketplace." I like it when I can afford it, but I'm all about the co-ops now.
Best Salsa: Voters say "Salsa Brava." I prefer "Cafe Ole," though I like Salsa Brava's pico de gallo.
Best Seafood: Voters said "Busters," and while Flag has no outstanding seafood in my opinion (shocking, due to our location, haha), I like Busters' halibut.
Best Soup: Voters said "Wildflower Bread Co." which is great, and I say "Charly's" too.
Best Steak House: Voters said "Horsemen’s Lodge." I like "Busters'" for steak.
Best Thrift Store: Voters said "Savers." I've seen jeans with a price of $14 at Savers. I think that's crazy. Why go to a "for profit" second hand store with high prices when we have a few good charitable thrift shops in town, like "St. Vincent de Paul's" and "Goodwill?"
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