Thanks for all the votes!
More than 800 people cast ballots for the Best of Lawrence 2005. The top-three vote-getters in 50 of the 53 categories listed on the ballot are recognized in this section. Categories that didn't have at least 100 votes among the top three vote-getters were not included. Also, ballots that weren't 50 percent filled out did not qualify. Of the ballots submitted, 70 percent were submitted online and 30 percent were delivered or mailed.
Special thanks to everyone that helped tabulate ballots: Sherry Braun, Alex Pierrelee, Kylie Hatfield and Debi Hatfield. Additional thanks to photographers Jason Dailey and Richard Daley.
And now for the results...
Best Antique Shop
- 1st place: The Antique Mall of Lawerence
- 2nd place: Black-Eyed Susans
- 3rd place: Amy's Attic
Best Appetizer
- 1st place: Free State Brewing Company
- 2nd place: Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar
- 3rd place: Chili's Grill & Bar
Best Art Gallery
- 1st place: The Olive Gallery and Art Supply
- 2nd place: Spencer Museum of Art
- 3rd place: Lawrence Arts Center
Best Asian Food
- 1st place: Zen Zero
- 2nd place: The Jade Garden
- 3rd place: Plum Tree
Best Bagel
- 1st place: Einstein Bros. Bagels
- 2nd place: Panera
- 3rd place: Great Harvest Bread Co.
Best Bakery
- 1st place: Wheatfields Bakery
- 2nd place: Great Harvest Bread Co.
- 3rd place: Panera
Best Bar
- 1st place: Free State Brewing Company
- 2nd place: The Phoggy Dog
- 3rd place: The Replay Lounge
Best Barber Shop
- 1st place: Downtown Barber
- 2nd place: Amyx Barber Shop
- 3rd place: Z's Cosmetology
Best BBQ
- 1st place: Vermont Street BBQ
- 2nd place: Bigg's Barbeque
- 3rd place: Buffalo Bob's Smokehouse
Best Beer Selection
- 1st place: Free State Brewing Company
- 2nd place: Old Chicago
- 3rd place: Phoggy Dogl
Best Bike Shop
- 1st place: Sunflower Outdoor & Bike Shop
Best Bookstore
- 1st place: Border's Books and Music
- 2nd place: The Dusty Bookshelf
- 3rd place: The Raven Bookstore
Best Breakfast
- 1st place: First Watch Restaurant
- 2nd place: Milton's
- 3rd place: Perkins Restaurant
Best Burrito
- 1st place: Chipotle
- 2nd place: The Burrito King
- 3rd place: El Mezcal
Best Car Wash
- 1st place: Auto Plaza Car Wash
- Fast Eddy's
- Rock Chalk Car Wash
Best Cup of Coffee
- 1st place: La Prima Tazza
- 2nd place: Starbucks
- 3rd place: Z's Divine Espresso
Best Dessert
- 1st place: Wheatfields Bakery
- 2nd place: Free State Brewing Company
- 3rd place: Applebee's Neighborhood Grill & Bar
Best Dinner
- 1st place: Free State Brewing Company
- 2nd place: Teller's
- 3rd place: Longhorn Steak House
Best Donut
- 1st place: Joe's Bakery
- 2nd place: Munchers Bakery
- 3rd place: Dunkin' Donuts
Best Fast Food
- 1st place: McDonalds
- 2nd place: Wendy's
- 3rd place: Sonic Drive In
Best Flower Shop
- 1st place: Owens Flower Shop
- 2nd place: Englewood Florist
- 3rd place: Flowerama
Best French Fries
- 1st place: McDonalds
- 2nd place: Free State Brewing Company
- 3rd place: Buffalo Bob's Smokehouse
Best Place To Buy Fresh Meat
- 1st place: Hy-Vee
- 2nd place: Community Mercantile
- 3rd place: Dillon's
Best Place to Buy Fresh Veggies
- 1st place: Farmer's Market
- 2nd place: Community Mercantile
- 3rd place: Hy-Vee
Best Convenience Store
- 1st place: Kwik Shop
- 2nd place: Zarco
- 3rd place: Jayhawk Food Mart
Best Grocery Store
- 1st place: Hy-Vee
- 2nd place: Dillon's
- 3rd place: Checkers Foods
Best Hair Salon
- 1st place: Z's Cosmetology
- 2nd place: Headmasters
- 3rd place: Images
Best Historic Site
- 1st place: The Eldridge Hotel
- 2nd place: Watkins Museum
- 3rd place: Allen Field House
Best Ice Cream
- 1st place: Sylas and Maddy's Homemade Ice Cream
- 2nd place: Sheridan's Frozen Custard
- 3rd place: Baskin Robbins
Best Live Music Venue
- 1st place: The Bottleneck
- 2nd place: Liberty Hall
- 3rd place: The Jazzhaus
Best Lunch
- 1st place: Free State Brewing Company
- 2nd place: La Parilla
- 3rd place: Wheatfields Bakery
Best Margarita
- 1st place: El Mezcal
- 2nd place: On The Border
- 3rd place: Salty Iguana Mexican Restaurant
Best New Restaurant
- 1st place: Local Burger
Best Pharmacy
- 1st place: Walgreens Pharmacy
- 2nd place: Round Corner Drug Co.
Best Pizza
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- 1st place: Rudy's Pizzeria
- 2nd place: Papa Keno's Pizzeria
- 3rd place: Pizza Shuttle
Best Place to Dance
- 1st place: Granada
- 2nd place: Cadillac Ranch
- 3rd place: Liquid
Best Place to Take Your Dog
- 1st place: Clinton Lake Dog Park
- 2nd place: South Park
- 3rd place: KU Campus
Best Restaurant For Kids
- 1st place: McDonalds
- 2nd place: Cici's Pizza
- 3rd place: Free State Brewing Company
Best Sandwich
- 1st place: Yello Sub
- 2nd place: Jimmy John's
- 3rd place: Free State Brewing Company
Best Service
- 1st place: Free State Brewing Company
- 2nd place: Perkins Restaurant
- 3rd place: Marisco's Restaurant
Best Smoking Area
- 1st place: The Replay Lounge
- 2nd place: Louise's Bar Downtown
- 3rd place: Free State Brewing Company
Best Smoothie
- 1st place: Juice Stop
- 2nd place: Sonic Drive In
- 3rd place: Community Mercantile
Best Sports Bar
- 1st place: JB Stout's Sports Bar & Grill
- 2nd place: Henry T's Bar & Grill
- 3rd place: Phoggy Dog
Best Steak
- 1st place: Hereford House
- 2nd place: Longhorn Steakhouse
- 3rd place: Don's Steak House
Best Sushi
- 1st place: Wa
- 2nd place: Kokoro
- 3rd place: Jade Mongolian Barbeque
Best Taco
- 1st place: Taco John's
- 2nd place: El Mezcal
- 3rd place: La Parilla
Best Tattoo Studio
- 1st place: Big Daddy Cadillac
Best Thrift Store
- 1st place: Arizona Trading Company
- 2nd place: Goodwill
- 3rd place: Wildman Vintage
Best Used CDs/Records
- 1st place: Love Garden Sounds
- 2nd place: Hastings
- 3rd place: Kief's Downtown Music
Best Vegetarian Food
- 1st place: Zen Zero
- 2nd place: Free State Brewing Company
- 3rd place: La Parrilla
Best Video Store
- 1st place: Hastings
- 2nd place: Liberty Hall
- 3rd place: Blockbuster
