The Best of Winston-Salem

 

 

Smitty's Notes 5th Annual "Best of Winston-Salem" Awards
July 2011

 

Welcome to Smitty's Notes 5th Annual Best of Winston-Salem awards, where we gauged who has the best of what we like and appreciated about our fair city, and add to our general quality of life here as recommended by you - Smittyheads! This year's contest had a fabulous response and increased from 2010. Remarkable! A fitting way to celebrate it's fifth year!

Votes were compiled from a survey distributed to recipients of the Smitty's Notes e-newsletter listserv, and it was also posted on the SmittysNotes.com Web site from mid-May and during the month of June. Although not a scientific polling, it is a good sampling of the businesses, people and places that you like in Winston-Salem. The voting tabulation for each category had a Winner (clear choice); Runner Up (highest second choice); Honorable Mention (enough votes to get noticed) where applicable and Best Quote (a comment worth noting or one so hilarious that it deserved a mention). In compiling the list, some categories are intentionally not included. Simply, Smitty's Notes doesn't tailor or report on certain content and we are not a newsletter for everything in the city. There were also a couple of comments about the length of the survey. To those, I pose the question: Where would you cut categories that mean something to someone else? Trust me. This thing could have been WAY longer.

In reading it, I hope you find places and people you've known all about for a while, found lesser-known highlights in the city and like me, plan to visit (or even meet) some of the places and people you didn't know about that are worthy of seeking out. I hope you find as much joy in exploring as Smitty's Notes did putting together its annual Best of Winston-Salem Contest. The 2011 winners will receive a Certificate of Recognition and window decal for their establishments.

General Comments on this year's awards or input for 2012 Best of Winston-Salem" Contest. Email Best of Winston-Salem Contest Comments

 

Local Ad Campaign that caught your attention (Business or Non-Profit)

Winner: Forsyth Technical Community College (Billboards)

Runner up: Second Harvest Food Bank (Empty Bowls Ad)

Honorable Mention: 109 U-PULL-IT (TV Commercial)

 

 

Local 501 (c) (3) Non-Profit Organization

Winner: Second Harvest Food Bank of Northwest North Carolina

Runner up: Ronald McDonald House of Winston Salem

Honorable Mention: Crisis Control Ministries; Cancer Services, Inc. and AARF Animal Adoption and Rescue Foundation

Best Quote (s): "Second Harvest Food Bank of NWNC. They work so hard with limited funds. They rely on volunteers to help feed the hungry, both by donating food and by working at the facility. Positive kudos to this organization and its volunteers!"

 

Local Print Columnist  (Newspaper or Magazine)

Winner: Scott Sexton (Winston-Salem Journal)

Runner up: Michael Hastings  (Winston-Salem Journal)

Honorable mention: David Bare  (Winston-Salem Journal) and Brian Clarey (Yes Weekly)

Best Quote (s): "David Bare - knowledgeable, kind, enthusiastic for plants."; "Michael Hastings- It's about food. Enough said"; "Scott Sexton - always blowing the lid off of something...keeps me in the "know" even if it makes me angry and I'd rather not know it."

 

Local Activist

Winner:  Mary Jamis

Runner up: Millicent Greason-Spivak

Honorable mention: Susan Morris and The late Phil Hanes

 

Hyperlocal Print Publication (Magazine Rack or Tabloid)

Winner: Skirt Magazine

Runner up: Winston-Salem Monthly

Honorable mention: Relish Magazine and Forsyth Woman

 

 

Local politician (City, County or State Representative)

Winner:  Winston-Salem Mayor Allen Joines

Runner Up: United States Senator Richard Burr, North Carolina (lives in Winston-Salem)

Honorable Mention: Fifth District Congresswoman Virginia Foxx and Winston-Salem City Councilman Dan Beese

Smitty Comment: Mayor Joines blew out the competition for a  fifth straight year, again.  Nobody came even close to him in the voting. 

 

 

Local Scenester/Mover and Shaker (You know, one of the interesting characters around town)

Winner: Susan Morris

Runner Up: Richard Emmett

Honorable Mention: Millicent Greason-Spivak; John Bryan and Ralph Womble

 

 

Best Local Blog

Winner:  Life in Forsyth by Esbee

Runner Up: Triad Moms on Main

Honorable Mention: Carpe Salem; and Cristin Whiting

Best Quote (s): "Do not read"

 

Best Local Facebook Group or Page

Winner: Triad Mom's on Main

Runner Up: Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership

Honorable Mention: Lowes Foods and Cancer Services

 

 

Best Local Twitter Feed

Winner: MyBridges.Net

Runner Up: Downtown Winston-Salem Partnership

Honorable Mention: Lowes Foods and Mozelle's

Best Quote (s): "Twitter "Schmitter"

 

Bakery

Winner:  Dewey's Bakery

Runner Up: Ollie's Bakery

Honorable Mention: Camino Bakery

Best Quote (s): "Deweys...it just Winston-Salem personified..."; "Ollie's - For sophisticated tastes.";  "Camino Bakery! I fell in love with them after they made an almond cake for me...."

 

BBQ

Winner:  Little Richards

Runner Up: Bibs Downtown

Honorable Mention: Mr. Barbeque

Best Quote (s)  "Little Richard's (Not the one you're thinking of)"

 

Breakfast

Winner:  Breakfast Of Course (Mary's Too!)

Runner Up: Midtown Café & Dessert-ery

Honorable Mention: Cloverdale Kitchen

Best Quote (s): Breakfast Of Course! - I have lucid dreams about their scrambled tofu and pancakes."; "Breakfast of Course-- great food and all sorts of interesting people" "Cloverdale Kitchen, the best pancakes in the world.'

 

Coffee

Winner:  Krankie's

Runner Up: Brew Nerds

Honorable Mention: Cafe Roche

Best Quote (s): "Krankie's-I think little magic elves roast their coffee-it's that good."; "Krankies Airstream: the happiest people for an early morning job and I learn a lot about music while I sit in my car."; "Never touch the stuff"

 

 

Bagel

Winner:  Bagel Station

Runner Up: Panera Bread

Honorable Mention: Bruegger's Bagels

 

Dessert

Winner:  Midtown Cafe and Dessertery

Runner Up: Dewey's Bakery

Honorable Mention: Mozelle's

Best Quote (s): "Mid-Town. The chocolate cheese cake (which has a much fancier name) has been the object of a mad dash before evening closing" "Krispy Kreme. If you're going to blow your diet with dessert, might as well make it really count"

 

Ice Cream

Winner: Blue Ridge Ice Cream

Runner Up: Cold Stone Creamery

 

 

Gelato

Winner: Café Prada

Runner Up: Café Gelato

Best Quote (s): "Caffe Prada, for the pink lemonade gelato -- no the pistachio -- no the strachiella. Aw, it's all delicious."

 

Custard

Winner: Wolfies Custard

Runner up:  Kernel Kustard

 

Hamburger

Winner:  Five Guys

Runner Up: Cook Out

Honorable Mention: Village Tavern

Best Quote (s): "Five Guys... But Cook-Out is a very, very close second!"; "Cookout. Looooooooove me some Cookout."; "Cookout! Cookout is God's gift to North Carolina."

 

Hot dog

Winner:  Skippy's

Runner Up: PB's Hotdogs

Honorable Mention:  Pulliam BBQ

Best Quote (s): "Pulliams. hands down. love it. why is this survey making me so hungry???"; "Skippy's kicks their dogs on a pretzel y'all"; "Skippy's Hands down, no contest...its all about the pretzel bun".

 

New Restaurant (Open since July, 1, 2010)

Winner:  Willows Bistro

Runner Up: The Screaming Rooster

Honorable Mention: Genghis Grill

Best Quote (s):  "Willow's - best kept secret in Winston, but now people are finding out, highly upsetting" "Genghis Grill (best bang for your buck--especially for lunch--so many combos, you can have something different every time you go!)"

 

Local Food Blog

Winner:  Carpe Salem

Runner Up: The Local Dish 

Honorable Mention: Chow and Chatter

Best Quote (s):  "Again, I don't read many blogs."

 

Farm To Table Restaurant

Winner:  The Screaming Rooster

Runner Up: Willows Bistro

Honorable Mention: Mozelle's; Meridian

Best Quote (s): "Tie between The Screaming Rooster and Willow's Bistro. Ok...maybe a slight nod to Willow's. Both are oh so good!";  "Yikes"

 

Italian restaurant

Winner: Paul's

Runner Up: Vincenzo's

Honorable Mention: Dioli's  Trattoria; Kitchen Roselli

Best Quote (s): "Calories. No thanks."

 

Mexican Restaurant

Winner: La Botana

Runner Up:  Senor Bravo

Honorable Mention:  Las Estrellas and Mi Pueblo

Best Quote (s):  "Senor Bravos -- and the soccer games on TV are great fun....."; "La Botana!! This is the most amazing Mexican restaurant. but no one is ever there! Authentic Mexican food (which takes a little longer to cook but it is so worth it). This is the best Mexican I have ever had ever."

Latin Restaurant

Winner: Rana Loca

Runner Up: Buena Pinta

Honorable Mention: La Botana

 

Soul Food

Winner: Sweet Potatoes

Runner Up:  Big Mamma's Place

Honorable Mention: Nitty Gritty Soul Food; Meta's

Best Quote (s): . "The one and only Sweet Potatoes";  "Nitty Gritty. Not because I've ever eaten there...because I think that name is hilarious."

 

Steak

Winner: Ryan's

Runner Up: Twin City Chophouse 

Honorable Mention: Putter's

Best Quote (s): "My house -- I've got the CharLean beef."

 

Fried Chicken

Winner:  Mountain Fried Chicken 

Runner Up:  Sweet Potatoes

Honorable Mention: Mozelle's; Ted's Kickin' Chicken

Best Quote (s): "Nothing beats Popeye's, but there isn't one in W-S; next best thing is Mountain Fried Chicken"

Ribs

 Winner: Bib's Downtown 

Runner up: Honky Tonk Pig

Honorable Mention: Little Richards

Best Quote (s): "Bibs. Hands down."; "Little Richard's on Country Club on Wednesday nights. THE best ribs in town. Half rack with two sides and you have enough for the next day."; "My g-mom. That's hood for "Grandmother"."

 

Asian restaurant

Winner:  Downtown Thai

Runner Up: Wen Hwa Asian Fusion Cuisine

Honorable Mention: Thai Sawatdee

 

Brunch

Winner: Breakfast Of Course (Mary's, Too !) 

Runner Up: Willows Bistro

Honorable Mention: Fourth Street Filling Station; New Town Bistro

Best Quote (s): "Who has time for brunch. Damn, where's my bloody mary. Damn, where's the waitress. Probably on a smoke break."

 

Ethnic (Other)

Winner:  Nawab Indian Cuisine

Runner Up: Mooney's

Honorable Mention: Downtown Thai

Best Quote (s):  "Mooney's. Love that they try to support local farms by buying some local food for the restaurant."

 

Romantic dinner

Winner: Mozelle's

Runner Up: Ryan's Restaurant

Honorable Mention: Meridian Restaurant, Bernardin's at Zevely House  and Milner's

Best Quote (s):  "I miss those."; "Who has $$ for romance?"; "Anywhere not in a restaurant. Get a little creative, people. Break into an abandoned building and set up nice candle light dinner on the roof, or something".; "I've obviously been married too long."

 

Take a First Date

 Winner: Mozelle's   

Runner up: Village Tavern

Honorable Mention: Milner's

Best Quote (s): "Can't remember back that far."; "I'm married. My wife would kill me if I took another woman out"

 

Fine dining restaurant

Winner:  Ryan's Restaurant  

Runner Up: Mozelle's

Honorable Mention: Nobles Grille, Meridian Restaurant, Fabian's and Milner's

Best Quote (s):"Ryan's ... Been the best for decades!"; "Mozelles... definitely up with all the big boys... amazing menu... all fresh all the time"; "yeah. give me some gift cards and I will happily let you know."

 

 

Seafood restaurant

Winner:  Jimmy's Seafood and Oyster Bar

Runner Up: Full Moon Oyster Bar

Honorable Mention: Mayflower Seafood

Best Quote (s):"Mayflower! Welcome back!"

 

Late Night Place To Eat (after 10 p.m.)

Winner:  Burke Street Pizza

Runner Up:  Breakfast Of Course (Mary's, Too !) 

Honorable Mention: Cook Out, Waffle House and IHOP

Best Quote (s): . "I have little kids, I'm not up, let alone out, after 10pm"; "I can't stay awake that late much less eat anything that doesn't come from my freezer (ice cream!)"; My kitchen. In front of the fridge. With the door open"

 

Pizza Parlor

Winner:  Burke Street Pizza

Runner Up:  Mellow Mushroom

Honorable Mention:  Mario's Pizza

 

Health food

Winner:  Whole Foods Food Bar

Runner Up: The Fresh Market

Best Quote (s): "This stuff will kill ya !"; "I like French Fries"

 

 

Sushi

Winner: Ishi

Runner Up:  Mizu

Honorable Mention: Sakura, Ichiban, Downtown Thai and Sushi Thai

Best Quote (s): Mizu. You are amazing. The twin roll will blow your mind

 

Vegetarian food

Winner:  Whole Foods Market

Runner Up: Breakfast Of Course (Mary's, Too !) 

Honorable Mention: Nawab Indian Cuisine; Mooney's

Best Quote (s): "Once again, sorry don't eat it.... need meat!"; "I love meat. Red meat. Rare meat. Lots and lots of meat"; "wish we still had a vegetarian restaurant !!!"

 

Wine list

Winner:  Sixth and Vine Wine Bar

Runner Up: Meridian Restaurant

Honorable Mention: Noble's Grille and Mozelle's

 

Chef

Winner:   Tommy Karathanas - Mozelle's

Runner Up:  Will Kingery - Willow's Bistro

Honorable Mention: Trevor Dye and Mark Grohman - Meridian Restaurant; and Bill Smith - Fabian's

 

 

Restaurant Service

Winner:  Mozelle's

Runner Up: Meridian

Honorable Mention: Nobles Grille; Village Tavern  and Milner's  

Best Quote (s): "Nobles service is wonderful, all of the people who work there are professional, friendly and knowledgeable."; "Mozelle's. Thanks for always making me feel special"; "Village Tavern, Reynolda Village. Never had bad service there. Love managers, the GM Chad Smith is just about the nicest person i have run across in any restaurant i have eaten in. I think he makes that restaurant a success"

 

Delivery

Winner:  Jimmy John's

Runner Up: Burke Street Pizza

Honorable Mention: Papa John's, and Vincenzo 

Best Quote (s): "Jimmy John's Downtown .. always fast .. and we miss their most important delivery guy ,, Ib!!!"

 

Food Truck 

Winner:  Forno Moto

Runner Up: Taqueria Luciano

Best Quote (s): "Forno Moto (wood- fired pizza truck)"; "We have food trucks in town? Where?"

 

Farmers Market

Winner: Cobblestone Farmers Market  

Runner Up: Piedmont Triad Farmers Market

Honorable Mention: Reynolda Farm Market and Dixie Classic Fair Farmers Market

 

 

 

Wait Person (Server)

Winner:  Aaron Denton - Mozelle's

Runner Up: Anna Wishon - Meridian

Honorable Mention: West End Cafe Staff and Village Tavern Staff

Best Quote (s): "Aaron Denton - Mozelle's I have been to every restaurant in town and he is hands down the best I've ever had. He fulfilled every request I had - almost before I had it. I can't say enough about Aaron Denton."; "Anna Wishon at Meridian She's the BEST!!"

 

 

Annual event/Festival

Winner:  Salute! The North Carolina Wine Celebration in Downtown Winston

Runner Up:   Rock the Block!!

Honorable Mention: Greek Festival;  North Carolina Wine Festival @ Tanglewood,

 

People watching

Winner:  Downtown Winston (Fourth Street and The Arts District)

Runner Up: Hanes Mall

Honorable Mention:  Bowman Gray Stadium on Saturday Night (Racing)

 

 

Park

Winner:  Tanglewood Park

Runner Up: Hanes Park

Honorable Mention: Washington Park

 

Bike riding

Winner:  Salem Lake

Runner Up: Tanglewood Park

Honorable Mention: Miller Park and Washington Park

 

 

Walking trails

Winner:  Salem Lake

Runner Up: Reynolda Gardens

Honorable Mention: Tanglewood Park

 

Place for the pet

Winner:  Washington Park

Runner Up: Horizon Park

Honorable Mention: Ruff Housing

 

 

TV news personality, male (Any Triad Station)

Winner:  Cameron Kent - WXII.

Runner Up: Austin Caviness -  WXII

Honorable Mention: Neill McNeill - Fox 8 and Brent Campbell Fox 8

Best Quote (s): "Cameron Kent. Best news professional in the market"

 

TV news personality, female (Any Triad Station)

Winner:  Wanda Starke - WXIII

Runner Up: Lanie Pope - WXII

Honorable Mention: Kimberley Van Scoy - WXII, Nicole Ducor - WXII and Cindy Farmer - Fox 8

Best Quote (s): "Lanie Pope - she's cute and funny

 

Radio Moring Crew (Any Triad Station)

Winner:   Two Guys named Chris - Rock 92

Runner Up: Murphy in the Morning Show - 107.5 KZL

Honorable Mention: Chuck and Leanne -  93.1 The Wolf

 

 

Tap beer

Winner:  Foothills Brewery

Runner Up: Mellow Mushroom

Honorable Mention:  1st Street Draught House

 

 

New Bar/Nightclub (Open since July 1, 2010)

Winner:  Tate's Craft Cocktails

Runner Up: Old Winston Social Club

Honorable Mention:  Club Therapy

Best Quote (s):"ummm.... its not classy to have a baby bump in a bar. Turns out. But Tate's is pretty amazing".

 

Dive Bar

Winner: Silver Moon Saloon

Runner Up:  Recreation Billiards

Honorable Mention: Single Brothers

Best Quote (s): "Silver Moon - Though if they spend much more on the patio and mosaics, they could un-dive themselves!)";"Recreation Billiards (with all due respect)"

 

Restaurant Bar

Winner: Sixth and Vine Wine Bar

Runner Up: Foothill's Brewing Company 

Honorable Mention:  Milner's and Meridian 

Best Quote (s) "I always think the people at Milner's bar look super cool and classy."; "Meridian. Regulars make that bar Fun!"

 

Sports bar

Winner: Big Shotz Tavern

Runner Up: Fox and Hound

Honorable Mention: Mossy's and Old Staley's Grill

 

Meet After Work