Weeks before November 5, Free Times readers started voting for their
favorite artists, stores, restaurants and specialists. This week, Free Times
brings you their favorites the 14th Best of Columbia winners. Congratulations
to the winners and thanks to all who voted! Check out past winners at www.bestofcolumbia.com.
Media
& Personality
City
Life
Goods & Services
Food
Music
Arts & Entertainment
Clubs & Bars
Sports & Leisure
Media & Personality
Best local news
WIS
TV
Honorable Mention: WLTX
Best TV anchorperson
Susan
Audé
Honorable Mention: Dawn Mercer
Best TV weatherperson
Ben
Tanner
Honorable Mention: Jim Gandy
Best TV sportscaster
Rick
Henry
Honorable Mention: Ric Garni
Best Local radio personality
Jonathan
Rush, WNOK-FM
Best music radio station
WARQ-FM
Honorable Mention: WUSC-FM
Best talk radio station
WVOC
560 AM
Honorable Mention: WLTR 91.3 FM
Best local writer
William
Price Fox
Honorable Mention: Michael Graham
Best local politician
Gov.
Jim Hodges
Honorable Mention: Mayor Bob Coble
Scariest local policitian
Strom
Thurmond
Honorable Mention: Gov. Jim Hodges
Most overexposed
Joe
Pinner
Honorable Mention: Lou Holtz
Sexiest man in Columbia (tie)
Stan
Gardner,
Trey Greene,
David Orren
Sexiest woman in Columbia
Alice
McIntyre
Best
local athlete
Ryan
Brewer
Honorable Mention: Corey Jenkins
Best activist group (tie)
MADD
(Mothers Against Drunk Driving)
PETA
(People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals)
Best activist individual
Kevin
Varner
Honorable Mention: Kevin Gray
Political faux pas
Flying
the Confederate flag
Honorable Mention: Campaign attack ads
City Life
Best use of public funds
Education
Honorable Mention: new arena
Biggest waste of public funds
Trolleys
Honorable Mention: Pedestrian bridge over I-277
Best thing about Columbia
People
Honorable Mention: Location
Biggest gripe about Columbia
Traffic
Honorable Mention: Lack of music scene
Biggest thing to happen
New
arena
Honorable Mention: 3 Rivers Music Festival
Best neighborhood
Shandon
Honorable Mention: Rosewood
Most dangerous intersection
Malfunction
Junction
Honorable Mention: Assembly & Gervais
Food
Best new restaurant
Meritage
Honorable Mention: Sticky Fingers
Best overall dining experience
Mr.
Friendly's
Best place for a first date
The
Melting Pot
Honorable Mention: Gervais & Vine
Best place for a last date
McDonald's
Honorable Mention: Waffle House
Best late night food
Waffle
House
Honorable Mention: IHOP
Best place to dine outdoors
Mangia!
Mangia!
Honorable Mention: Harper's
Best take-out food (tie)
Eggroll
Chen
Lizard's Thicket Tastebuds
Quickest delivery
Pizza
Hut
Honorable Mention: Beezers
Best value
Lizard's
Thicket
Honorable Mention: Wendy's
Best service
Mr.
Friendly's
Honorable Mention: Dianne's
Best wine list
Mr.
Friendly's
Honorable Mention: Gervais & Vine
Best coffeehouse
Courtyard
Coffeehouse
Honorable Mention: Adriana's
Best breakfast
IHOP
Honorable Mention: Original Pancake House
Best Sunday brunch
Motor
Supply Co.
Honorable Mention: Saluda's
Best subs
Subway
Honorable Mention: Sub Station II
Best sandwich shop
Groucho's
Honorable Mention: Gourmet Shop
Best deli
Groucho's
Honorable Mention: McAlister's Deli
Best vegetarian menu
The
Basil Pot
Honorable Mention: Nice N Natural
Best all you can eat
Ryan's
Honorable Mention: CiCi's Pizza
Best bagel
Manhattan
Bagel
Honorable Mention: Carolina Bagel
Best barbecue
Maurice
Bessinger's
Honorable Mention: Shealy's
Best burrito
El
Burrito
Honorable Mention: Yo Burrito
Best pizza
Pizza
Hut
Honorable Mention: Za's Brick Oven Pizza
Best chicken wings
Wings
& Ale
Honorable Mention: The Publick House
Best ribs
Carolina
Wings
Honorable Mention: Sticky Fingers
Best hot dogs
Sandy's
Hot Dogs
Honorable Mention: Rush's
Best hamburger
Rush's
Honorable Mention: Pizza Man
Best onion rings
Sonic
Honorable Mention: Burger King
Best salad
California
Dreaming
Honorable Mention: Ruby Tuesday's
Best steakhouse
Outback
Steakhouse
Honorable Mention: Longhorn Steakhouse
Best Mexican
Monterrey
Honorable Mention: San Jose
Best Chinese
Miyo's
Honorable Mention: Eggroll Station
Best Italian
Olive
Garden
Honorable Mention: Carrabbas
Best Greek
Zorba's
Honorable Mention: Devine Foods
Best Japanese
Sato
Honorable Mention: Yamato
Best Southern
Lizard's
Thicket
Honorable Mention: Bradley's Kitchen
Best Indian
Delhi
Palace
Honorable Mention: India Pavilion
Best Thai
Thai
Lotus
Honorable Mention: Baan Sawaan
Best Middle Eastern
Mediterreanean
Tea Room
Honorable Mention: Al-Amir
Best Sushi
Inakaya
Honorable Mention: Camon
Best seafood
Red
Lobster
Honorable Mention: Blue Marlin
Best dessert
Nonnah's
Honorable Mention: Goat Feathers
Best ice cream
Ben
& Jerry's
Honorable Mention: Marble Slab Creamery
Best waiter/waitress
Daniel
Morrison
Best chef
Jon
Campagna
Honorable Mention: Thomas Crouch
Music
Best rock club
Senate
Park
Honorable Mention: New Brookland Tavern
Best jazz club
Mac's
on Main
Honorable Mention: Hunter Gatherer
Best acoustic club
Lettuce
Lounge
Best blues club
Mac's
on Main
Honorable Mention: Blue Martini
Best concert
Fallout
2002
The You're Still Around? Award
Hick'ry
Hawkins
Honorable Mention: Hootie & the Blowfish
Rock venue best sound
Senate
Park
Honorable Mention: Uncle Doctor's
Best hip hop
Rosewood
Click
Honorable Mention: Slick Rick Slap
Best karaoke
Rod
Faust
Honorable Mention: The Woodshed
Best new local band
King
Hippo
Best CD/Local
Rockefeller
Horsecollar, Other Scent of the Walleye
Best local rock band
Pamela
Dale & Better Things
Honorable Mention: Captain Easy
Best local solo artist
Pamela
Dale
Honorable Mention: Danielle Howle
Best local jazz artist
Skipp
Pearson
Best local blues band
Jeff
Liberty Band
Honorable Mention: Rev. Marv Ward and the Blues
Disciples
Best local country band
Hick'ry
Hawkins
Honorable Mention: Along for the Ride
Best CD store
Manifest
Discs & Tapes
Honorable Mention: Papa Jazz
Best Used CD store
Manifest
Discs & Tapes
Honorable Mention: Papa Jazz
Best Vinyl store
Papa
Jazz
Honorable Mention: Manifest Discs & Tapes
Best musical instrument store
Pecknel
Music Co.
Honorable Mention: Sims Music
Best recording studio
Mann
Music
Honorable Mention: Jam Room
Arts & Entertainment
Best art gallery
City
Art
Honorable Mention: Art Garage
Best local artist
Blue
Sky
Best dance company
Columbia
City Ballet
Honorable Mention: Dance World
Best movie theatre
Columbiana
Grande
Honorable Mention: Nickelodeon Theatre
Best movie rental
Blockbuster
Video
Honorable Mention: Hollywood Video
Best local theatre production
Staged
Fright by Pineapple Productions at Longstreet Theatre
Clubs & Bars
Best new club
Senate
Park
Honorable Mention: Delaney's Speakeasy
Best bartender
Stan
Gardner, Hunter-Gatherer
Honorable Mention: Jason Pitts
Best brewpub
Hunter-Gatherer
Honorable Mention: Hops
Best hippie bar
Tavern
on the Greene
Honorable Mention: Group Therapy
Best college bar
Banana
Joe's
Honorable Mention: Group Therapy
Best dance club
Banana
Joe's
Honorable Mention: Art Bar
Best neighborhood bar: Vista/Downtown
Art
Bar
Best Neighborhood bar: Five Points/Shandon
Publick
House
Honorable Mention: Group Therapy
Best neighborhood bar: St. Andrews/Irmo
Hemingway's
Honorable Mention: Wings & Ale
Best neighborhood bar: Northeast Columbia
Icy's
Honorable Mention: Bradley's Kitchen
Best outdoor deck
Jake's
Honorable Mention:Salty Nut Café
Best people-watching bar
Art
Bar
Best club DJ
Rod
Faust
Honorable Mention: Ham Hammybone
Best sports bar
Icy's
Honorable Mention: Wings and Ale
Best billiards
Jillians
Honorable Mention: Bailey's
Best happy hour
Monterrey
Honorable Mention: Icy's
Best bottled beer selection
Delaney's
Speakeasy
Honorable Mention: Jake's
Best draft beer selection
Jake's
Honorable Mention: Delaney's
Sports & Leisure
Best Gamecock store
Gamecock
Country
Honorable Mention: Jewelry Warehouse
Best Clemson store
Jewelry
Warehouse
Best park
Finlay
Park
Honorable Mention: Riverfront Park
Best bike trails
Harbison
State Forest
Best bike shop
Out
Spokin'
Honorable Mention: Cycle Center
Best outdoors/camping store
The
Backpacker
Honorable Mention: Dick's Sporting Goods
Best sporting goods store
Dick's
Sporting Goods
Honorable Mention: Todd and Moore
Best golf store
Dick's
Sporting Goods
Honorable Mention: Nevada Bob's
Best fitness club (tie)
Gold's
Gym
New Life Fitness Center
Best bowling lanes
Anchor
Lanes
Honorable Mention: Royal Z Lanes
Goods & Services
Best dry cleaner
Tripp's
Fine Cleaners
Best boat/water vehicle dealer
Boaters
World
Honorable Mention: Sea Ray
Best car dealership (tie)
Jim
Hudson,
Love Chevrolet
Best used car dealership (tie)
Broad
River Motors,
Pulliam Wray
Best motorcycle
Harley
Haven
Honorable Mention: Capital Thunder
Best auto repair
Bob
Andrews
Best bank
Wachovia
Honorable Mention: First Citizens
Best travel agency
Forest
Lake Travel
Honorable Mention: Pal Travel
Best newsstand
Capital
Newsstand
Honorable Mention: Intermezzo
Best hardware store
Hiller
Hardware
Honorable Mention: Lowe's
Best picture framing
Michael's
Honorable Mention: Mouse House
Best tanning salon
Ultra
Tan
Best hair salon
Columbia's
Salon
Honorable Mention: Mill Village
Best day spa
Elante
Honorable Mention: Eva Skin Care
Best chiropractor (tie)
Willis
Chiro-Med,
Dr. William Worrell
Best plastic surgeon
Dr.
Peter Haines
Best massage therapist
Jessica
Pettit
Honorable Mention: Rob McCue
Best piercing salon
Body
Rites
Honorable Mention: Voodoo Garage
Best furniture store
Whit-Ash
Honorable Mention: Strobler
Best toy store
Toys
R Us
Honorable Mention: Be Beep
Best pet shop
Petsmart
Best vet
Dr.
Caroline Weber
Honorable Mention: Dr. Greg Brown
Best shoe store
Payless
Honorable Mention: Rack Room
Best boutique
Joyful
Alternative
Honorable Mention: Belladea
Best
alternative clothing
Hip-Wa-Zee
Honorable Mention: Loose Lucy's
Best consignment shop
Revente
Best jewelry store
Handpicked
Honorable Mention: Jewelry Warehouse
Best florist
Rosewood
Florist
Honorable Mention: Blossom Shop
Best bakery
Tiffany's
Bakery
Honorable Mention: Cribbs
Best place to buy fresh seafood
Fresh
Market
Honorable Mention: Earth Fare
Best place to buy fresh produce
Earth
Fare
Honorable Mention: Fresh Market
Best natural food store
Rosewood
Market
Honorable Mention: Earth Fare
Best beer store
Green's
Honorable Mention: Food Lion
Best wine store
Green's
Honorable Mention: Gervais & Vine
Best new bookstore
Barnes
& Noble
Honorable Mention: Books a Million
Best used bookstore
Book
Dispensary
Honorable Mention: Ed's Editions
Best thrift store
Goodwill
Honorable Mention: His House
Best electronics store
Best
Buy
Honorable Mention: Circuit City
Best computer store
Best
Buy
Honorable Mention: Gateway
Best place to buy a cell phone
Verizon
Honorable Mention: Cingular
Best Internet provider
AOL
Honorable Mention: Road Runner