Best Asian Restaurant
First place: Taste of Thai, Harrisonburg, Taste-Of-Thai.com, 540-801-8878
Since 1999, Taste of Thai has been a go-to spot for locals and James Madison students seeking spicy papaya salad, pad thai and red curry. Owners Cy Khochareun and Prasert Saesaw also own nearby Asian-fusion and sushi bar Beyond Restaurant & Lounge.
Second place: Silk Road, Waynesboro, SilkRoadCuisineVa.com, 540-949-9097
Third place: Beyond Restaurant & Lounge, Harrisonburg, RestaurantBeyond.com, 540-432-0105
Best Bakery
First place: Heritage Bakery & Café, Harrisonburg, HeritageBakes.com, 540-564-1200
A mother-and-daughter team, Brenda Loewen and Isabelle Treciak built a bakery perfect for tea parties and after-school visits (complete with coloring books and story times for kids). Most popular are their Italian macarons in flavors such as Italian basil, lavender and Earl Grey.
Second place: Newtown Baking, Staunton, NewtownBaking.com, 540-885-3799
Third place: Paris Cake Company, Staunton, ParisCakeCo.wixsite.com, 540-885-5026
Best Bar
First place: TAPS, the Georges, Lexington, TheGeorges.com, 540-463-2500
Comprised of two of the oldest buildings in Lexington—the Washington and the Marshall—The Georges’ historical ties are reflected on its bar menu with drinks like The Marshall (gin and St. Germain with lemon and sparkling wine), and the Stonewall (Maker’s Mark bourbon, Sibona Amaro and lemon). And you can enjoy your cocktails with small plates like a Virginia cheese board.
Second place: The Golden Pony, Harrisonburg, GoldenPonyVa.com, 540-901-2628
Third place: Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint, Harrisonburg, JackBrownsJoint.com, 540-433-5225
Best Barbecue Restaurant
First place: Bean’s BBQ, Edinburg, 540-325-3738
Open Thursday through Sunday, Bean’s BBQ serves different made from scratch dishes each day, including beef brisket, sausage, pork barbecue and ribs. Make a meal of it with one of the restaurant’s side options: slaw, beans or chips.
Second place: Hank’s Southern Cuisine & Barbeque, McGaheysville, HanksSmokehouse.com, 540-289-7667
Third place: Peck’s BBQ, Staunton, PecksBBQ.com, 540-886-4647
Best Breakfast Restaurant
First place: Little Grill Collective, Harrisonburg, LGC.coop, 540-434-3594
The Little Grill Collective is an employee-owned co-op serving local foods with an emphasis on vegan and vegetarian dishes. The menu shifts with the seasons (and local offerings). Popular breakfasts have included apple cider and oat pancakes, and a potato boat with spiced fried potatoes, seasonal veggies, mushrooms, and onions covered in muenster and topped with sour cream.
Second place: Kathy’s Restaurant, Staunton, Kathys-Restaurant.com, 540-885-4331
Third place: L’Dee’s Pancake House, Front Royal, LDeesPancakeHouse.com, 540-635-3791
Best Burger Joint
First place: Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint, Harrisonburg, JackBrownsJoint.com, 540-433-5225
Fan favorites at Jack Brown’s Beer & Burger Joint include the “Greg Brady,” topped with BBQ potato chips and made-from-scratch mac n’ cheese and named for the famously cheesy fictional character. Daily specials include Sunday’s “Showalter,” an applewood smoked bacon and egg cheeseburger on a glazed-doughnut bun.
Second place: Pure Eats, Lexington, Pure-Eats.com, 540-462-6000
Third place: Cuban Burger, Harrisonburg, CubanBurger.com, 540-434-1769
Best Caterer
First place: CHEFS Catering, Lexington, StoneridgeCatering.com, 540-462-7182
From 7-course meals to boxed lunches, owner and head chef John Stallard provides options for both elegant affairs and quick gatherings, including dishes like grilled beef tenderloin with béarnaise, BBQ shrimp or CHEFS’ “famous” meatballs, available in bourbon barbecue, teriyaki-pineapple or Swedish styles.
Second place: Full Circle Catering, Lexington, FullCircleCatering.com, 540-463-1634
Third place: Six Star Events LLC, Winchester, SixStarEventsLLC.com, 540-773-3306
Best Chocolatier
First place: Cocoa Mill, Lexington, CocoaMill.com, 540-464-8400
The Cocoa Mill stocks creative treats like chocolate business cards, liquor-filled bonbon truffles and chocolate “survival kits” filled with peanut cups, chocolate graham crackers and other essential chocolate snacks. Add a sweet touch to the holidays with seasonal offerings like chocolate bunnies at Easter, turkeys for Thanksgiving and the big man himself at Christmas.
Second place: Warfel’s Sweet Shoppe, Dayton, Warfels.biz, 540-879-9598
Third place: Shenandoah Fine Chocolates, Winchester, ShenandoahFineChocolates.com, 540-535-0010
Best Dessert Menu
First place: Flotzie’s Soft Serve, Luray, Facebook.com/Flotzies, 540-742-2531
Flotzie’s opens from March to October, serving signature banana split sundaes, milkshakes and hot fudge brownie bowls. The restaurant, opened in 2003, is perhaps most famous for its soft serve ice cream. Check its Facebook page for flavors of the week—recents have included coconut, banana and black cherry.
Second place: Local Chop & Grill House, Harrisonburg, LocalChops.com, 540-801-0505
Third place: Bella Luna Wood Fired Pizza, Harrisonburg, BellaLunaWoodFired.com, 540-433-1366
Best Farmers’ Market
First place: Harrisonburg Farmers’ Market, Harrisonburg, HarrisonburgFarmersMarket.com, 540-476-3377
Open year-round, the market features vendors selling fresh produce, French pastries, jams and jellies, and even herbal tinctures. Grab a cup of coffee from Crazy Fox Coffee and a made-to-order waffle from Fine Flours to keep you going during your visit.
Second place: Staunton Farmers’ Market, Staunton, StauntonFarmersMarket.org, 540-448-1937
Third place: Lexington Farmers’ Market, Facebook.com/LexVAFM, 540-463-9234
Best Food Truck
First place: Mashita, Harrisonburg, EatMashita.com, 540-810-1875
In Korean, “Mashita” is an informal way of saying “delicious” and “thank you”—both of which will apply after you get a bite of the Korean-inspired food truck’s bulgogi beef steamed buns with a side of quick-pickled kimchi, and cinnamon-steamed donut holes for dessert, all locally-sourced.
Second place: Grilled Cheese Mania, Harrisonburg, GrilledCheeseMania.com, 540-746-7515
Third place: Gloria’s Pupuseria, Staunton, GloriasPupuseria.com, 540-280-1142
Best German Restaurant
First place: Edelweiss German Restaurant, Staunton, EdelweissVirginia.com, 540-337-1203
If it’s your first time eating traditional German food, you might choose the wiener schnitzel. But don’t pass up the love-it-or-hate-it sauerbrauten, sweet and sour marinated roast beef served with potato dumplings and gravy. If you’d like to try a little of everything, the German sampler offers both and more, complete with a wine pairing.
Second place: Blackforest German Restaurant, Harrisonburg, 540-689-0758
Third place: Village Market & Bistro, Winchester, VillageMarketBistro.com, 540-313-4680
Best Grocery Store
First place: Friendly City Food Co-op, Harrisonburg, FriendlyCity.coop, 540-801-8882
Fresh, local, and community owned, the Friendly City co-op does more than simply sell local produce, fresh-made sandwiches, baked goods and bulk goods, it also offers classes on sustainable zero-waste living and hosts events, including watermelon seed spitting contests for kids.
Second place: Martin’s, Harrisonburg, MartinsFoods.com, 540-442-7576
Third place: The Fresh Market, Winchester, TheFreshMarket.com, 540-535-1045
Best Indian Food
First place: Taste of India, Staunton, TasteOfIndiaHbg.com, 540-213-8882
At Taste of India, diners can start the evening with cold or hot appetizers, like chaat (lamb, shrimp or chicken tossed with tomato and cucumber) or tikka (mashed potato patties dipped in chickpea butter). For dinner, favorites include the madras chicken and lamb biryani. Top off your meal with a scoop of pistachio or mango ice cream.
Second place: The Indian & American Café, Harrisonburg, 540-433-1177
Third place: Taj of India, Harrisonburg, Facebook.com/TajOfIndia.Harrisonburg, 540-615-5888
Best Italian Restaurant
First place: Vito’s Italian Kitchen, Harrisonburg, VitosItalianKitchen.com, 540-433-1113
Head to Vito’s for a cozy dinner of bucatini amatriciana or veal piccata, or for lunch, try the 8-inch cheese pizza with drink combo, or a sandwich combo of the Sicily (prosciutto, arugula and mozzarella) plus fries and a beverage of your choice.
Second place: Emilio’s Italian Restaurant, Staunton, EmiliosItalianRestaurant.com, 540-885-0102
Third place: Bella Luna Wood Fired Pizza, Harrisonburg, BellaLunaWoodFired.com, 540-433-1366
Best Local Craft Brewery
First place: Pale Fire Brewing Co., Harrisonburg, PaleFireBrewing.com, 540-217-5452
Last year, Pale Fire Brewing Company’s winning streak continued with silver medals in the Virginia Craft Beer Cup for its Village Green double IPA and Red Molly Irish red ale. The brewery has collaborated on new brews with Brothers Craft Brewing and others, and has been included as a destination on the new Shenandoah Beerwerks Trail.
Second place: Redbeard Brewing Company, LLC, Staunton, RedBeardBrews.com, 540-430-3532
Third place: Brothers Craft Brewing, Harrisonburg, BrothersCraftBrewing.com, 540-421-6599
Best Local Gourmet Food Store
First place: Friendly City Food Co-op, Harrisonburg, FriendlyCity.coop, 540-801-8882
Friendly City encourages community members to take ownership not just of their health, but also of the store itself. Shareowners in the co-op receive monthly specials, discounts and coupon books, and may participate in an owner rewards program. The store sells locally-sourced produce, meats and wine and beer, and has a deli, hot bar and a wellness section.
Second place: Cranberry’s Grocery & Eatery, Staunton, GoCranberrys.com, 540-885-4755
Third place: Old Lex Mercantile, Lexington, OldLexMercantile.com, 540-319-4180
Best Local Ice Cream Shop
First place: The Split Banana, Staunton, TheSplitBanana.com, 866-492-3668
Why choose gelato over ice cream? The dense, rich flavor, for one, but the welcoming atmosphere of the Split Banana’s cozy storefront is another. A favorite flavor of regulars is pistachio, made from its own in-house pistachio butter. For a more offbeat option, try Sticky Rice, made with steamed sticky rice and coconut milk.
Second place: Kline’s Dairy Bar, Harrisonburg, KlinesDairyBar.com, 540-434-6980
Third place: Sweet Things Ice Cream Shoppe, Lexington, SweetThingsIceCream.com, 540-463-6055
Best Local Sandwich Shop
First place: The Pampered Palate Café, Staunton, ThePamperedPalateCafe.com, 540-886-9463
There are some customers who have been coming to the Pampered Palate for 20 years or more, before the café found its feet as a lunch favorite. Pull up a chair with the regular crowd and grab a Courthouse sandwich, with smoked turkey, bacon, Muenster cheese and coleslaw served hot on a buttery croissant.
Second place: Mr. J’s Bagels and Deli, Harrisonburg, MrJsBagels.com, 540-432-1386
Third place: Blue Sky, Lexington, 540-463-6546
Best Locally-Owned Coffee Shop
First place: The Hideaway Café, Winchester, HideawayCafeVa.com, 540-450-0799
Making its home in Winchester’s old post office, the Hideaway Café recently celebrated its first anniversary. Along with serving lattes, con pannas, kale and quinoa salads and roast turkey sandwiches, the coffee shop hosts regular community events and programs, such as community writing circles, trivia nights and drag shows.
Second place: Black Sheep Coffee, Harrisonburg, BlackSheepCoffeeHBurg.com, 540-217-5560
Third place: By & By Café, Staunton, TheByAndBy.us, 540-887-0041
Best Mexican Restaurant
First place: El Charro, Harrisonburg, EatElCharro.com, 540-564-0386
El Charro has locations in Bridgewater, King George and Fredericksburg. Its original location in Harrisonburg continues to please with its colorful murals and menu that includes fajitas Texanas—a huge portion of grilled beef, chicken and shrimp sautéed with bell peppers and tomatoes and served with refried beans, guacamole and Spanish rice.
Second place: Baja Bean Co., Staunton, BajaBean.com/Staunton, 540-885-9988
Third place: El Sol Mexican Restaurant, Harrisonburg, Facebook.com/ElSolMexicanRestaurante, 540-442-8763
Best Outdoor Dining
First place: Byers Street Bistro, Staunton, ByersStreetBistro.com, 540-887-6100
You can never quite tell how long folks will linger on the sidewalk patio of this historic warehouse building, according to owner Jeff Ramsey. With seating for 40, it makes a sunny spot for enjoying crab dip and dishes like fish tacos or the prime rib sandwich, and settling in for some people watching.
Second place: Clementine Café, Harrisonburg, ClementineCafe.com, 540-801-8881
Third place: The Joshua Wilton House, Harrisonburg, JoshuaWilton.com, 540-434-4464
Best Pizzeria
First place: Bella Luna Wood Fired Pizza, Harrisonburg, BellaLunaWoodFired.com, 540-433-1366
Bella Luna’s crispy thin crust pizza is fired right before your eyes in an oven burning local white oak. Among its more popular pizzas is the peppery prosciutto and arugula pie, simply topped with mozzarella and Parmesan. Hop across the street to its sister location, Bella Gelato & Pastries for an after-dinner cone.
Second place: Shenandoah Pizza & Taphouse, Staunton, ShenPizza.com, 540-213-0008
Third place: Newtown Baking, Staunton, NewtownBaking.com, 540-885-3799
Best Place for Brunch
First place: Food.Bar.Food, Harrisonburg, FoodBarFood.com, 540-433-3663
With the popularity of its Saturday and Sunday brunches, Food.Bar.Food has begun to offer Friday brunch for those looking to get a head start on the weekend with its menu of “global comfort food” and cocktails. Savory French toast, and rosemary Parmesan bread layered with bacon and Havarti and topped with two fried farm eggs are highlights.
Second place: Mill Street Grill, Staunton, MillStreetGrill.com, 540-886-0656
Third place: Billy Jack’s Wing and Draft Shack, Harrisonburg, BillyJacksShack.com, 540-433-1793
Best Restaurant
First place: Local Chop & Grill House, Harrisonburg, LocalChops.com, 540-801-0505
Local Chop owes some of its success to the excellence of local Shenandoah farms and suppliers, so Chef Jakob Napotnik does all he can to showcase the region’s high-quality cuts of beef. Though filet mignon, ribeyes and New York strip steaks are the restaurant’s forte, also worth ordering are duck breast and trout.
Second place: The Red Hen, Lexington, RedHenLex.com, 540-464-4401
Third place: Mill Street Grill, Staunton, MillStreetGrill.com, 540-886-0656
Best Seafood Restaurant
First place: Mill Street Grill, Staunton, MillStreetGrill.com, 540-886-0656
Mill Street Grill’s daily specials and fresh catches include charbroiled salmon soaked in garlic basil herb butter as well as a steamed spiced shrimp dinner served with coleslaw and homemade cocktail sauce. It’s worth being a regular—the restaurant plans up to 15 different specials every night and features an all-Cajun menu for the month of February.
Second place: Red Lobster, Staunton, RedLobster.com, 540-887-7582
Third place: The Joshua Wilton House, Harrisonburg, JoshuaWilton.com, 540-434-4464
Best Steakhouse
First place: Local Chop & Grill House, Harrisonburg, LocalChops.com, 540-801-0505
There’s no wrong way to order a steak at Local Chop, which is why the menu offers various cuts, rubs, sauces and seasonal sides to be mixed and matched to your liking. Try gremolata-rubbed filet mignon topped with horseradish crème fraîche and braised greens, and for dessert, finish the meal off with a pumpkin swirl brownie sundae.
Second place: Mill Street Grill, Staunton, MillStreetGrill.com, 540-886-0656
Third place: Texas Roadhouse, Harrisonburg, TexasRoadhouse.com, 540-801-0324
Best Wine Shop
First place: Downtown Wine & Gourmet, Harrisonburg, DowntownWines.com, 540-432-9463
Downtown Wine & Gourmet appeals to refined palates as well as beginners with weekly free wine tastings, knowledgeable staff and large inventory. The shop has more than 500 wines in stock, both domestic and imported. For the expert, uncommon or rare wines or drinks may be requested via special order.
Second place: Washington Street Purveyors, Lexington, GopherWine.com, 540-464-9463
Third place: Yelping Dog Wine, Staunton, YelpingDogWine.com, 540-885-2275
Best Winery
First place: Bluestone Vineyard, Bridgewater, BluestoneVineyard.com, 540-828-0099
“Toast the Weekend,” Bluestone Vineyard’s summer concert series, isn’t the only reason to raise a glass. New vintages such as its 2015 Petit Manseng, an acidic barrel-aged white, and sweet classics, such as the 2017 Virginia Governor’s Cup bronze winner Beau, a Vidal Blanc-Traminette blend, are worthy of celebration.
Second place: Valerie Hill Vineyard & Winery, Stephens City, ValerieHillWinery.com, 540-869-9567
Third place: Barren Ridge Vineyards, Fishersville, BarrenRidgeVineyards.com, 540-248-3300
Most Creative Cocktail Menu
First place: Food.Bar.Food, Harrisonburg, FoodBarFood.com, 540-433-3663
Though its sweet-and-tart grapefruit ginger greyhound (ginger-infused vodka with grapefruit juice and hibiscus syrup, served with a candied ginger rim) has been a favorite since the restaurant and bar opened, its savory New York Bloody Mary gives the cocktail a run for its money, with horseradish-infused vodka, housemade bloody mix, and a rim of garlic salt, sesame and poppy seeds.
Second place: TAPS, the Georges, Lexington, TheGeorges.com, 540-463-2500
Third place: Zynodoa, Staunton, Zynodoa.com, 540-885-7775
