New Orleans Magazine’s readers have chosen who they think is best in a multitude of categories. A detachable, postage-paid ballot was included in the magazine’s October issue. Readers were also able to vote online at the magazine’s website MyNewOrleans.com. In some categories there were significant clusters of votes so that runners-up were announced as well as first place. In a few categories where the votes were too widely dispersed rather than clustered the category was dropped. For full coverage of the magazine’s Tops of the Town winner see the January 2011 issue.
New Orleanian of the Year
1: Drew Brees
2: Mitch Landrieu
3: Sean Peyton
4: Ed McIntyre
New Orleanian I Admire Most (male)
1: Drew Brees
2: Sean Payton
3: Jim Letten
New Orleanian I Admire Most (female)
1: Sandra Bullock
Most Attractive New Orleanian (male)
1: Drew Brees
Most Attractive New Orleanian (female)
1: Sandra Bullock
Favorite Politician
1: Mitch Landrieu
2: Bobby Jindal
3: David Vitter
Favorite New Orleans Musician (living in the city)
1: Aaron Neville
2: Fats Domino
3: Dr. John
Favorite New Orleans Musician (living outside the city)
1: Harry Connick Jr.
Favorite Local New Orleans Actor
1: Ricky Graham
2: Becky Allen
Favorite Saints Player
1: Drew Brees
2: Jeremy Shockey
Favorite Hornets Player
1: Chris Paul
Favorite Local TV News Anchor
1: Angela Hill
Favorite TV Sports Reporter
1: Jim Henderson
Favorite TV Meteorologist
1: Bob Breck
2: Margaret Orr
3: Carl Arredondo/Dawn Brown
Favorite Local Radio Personality
1: Garland Robinette
2: Spud McConnell
Favorite Local Writer
1: Chris Rose
Favorite Grocery Store/Deli
1: Rouse’s
2: Dorignac’s
3: Central Grocery/Whole Foods
4: Langenstein’s
5: Winn-Dixie
Favorite Gym
1: Elmwood
2: EJGH Wellness
Favorite Day Spa
1: The Ritz
2: Belladonna
Favorite Boutique
1: Belladonna
Favorite Antiques Store
1: MS Rau/Renaissance Interiors
Favorite Place to Buy Unique Furniture
1: New Directions
Favorite Florist
1: Federico’s
2: Villere’s
Favorite Law/Garden Supply
1: Perrino’s
2: Home Depot
3: Charvet
Favorite Movie Theater
1: Prytania
2: Canal Place
3: Elmwood
Favorite Place to Hear Live Music
1: Tipitina’s
2: House of Blues
3: Maple Leaf
Favorite Happy Hour
1: Superior Grill
Favorite Jazz Club
1: Snug Harbor
Favorite Museum
1: New Orleans Museum of Art/National World War II Museum (tie)
Favorite Historical Landmark
1: St. Louis Cathedral
2: Jackson Square
Favorite Remodeled/Renovated Building
1: Roosevelt
Favorite Place to Spot Celebrities
1: French Quarter
Favorite Place to Take Out-of-Towners
1: French Quarter
Favorite Place to Play Hooky
1: French Quarter
2: Audubon
Favorite Golf Course
1: Audubon
2: City Park
Favorite Biking/Walking/Running Route
1: Audubon Park
2: Lakeshore Drive
3: City Park
Favorite Weekend Getaway
1: Destin, FL
2: Gulf Shores, AL
Favorite Street for a Sunday Drive
1: St. Charles Avenue
2: Magazine St./Lakeshore Dr.
Favorite Up-and-Coming Neighborhood
1: Lakeview
Favorite Neighborhood to Raise a Family
1: Metairie
Favorite Place to Buy a Wedding Dress
1: Town and Country
2: Yvonne LaFleur/House of Broel
Favorite Place to Place Your Bets
1: New Orleans Fair Grounds
2: Harrah’s
3: Off-track betting
Favorite Hotel
1: Roosevelt
2: Windsor Court
3: Ritz-Carlton/Hotel Monteleone (tie)
Favorite Decision New Orleans Made This Year
1: Mitch Landrieu as mayor
2: Champion Square
Least Favorite Decision New Orleans Made This Year
1: Traffic cameras
Favorite Local Event Open to Public
1: French Quarter Fest
2: Jazz Fest
3: Mardi Gras
Favorite Work Accomplished by a Charity, Organization or Group
1: Habitat for Humanity/American Heart Association (tie)
Favorite Sound in New Orleans
1: Jazz
2: Streetcars
3: Who Dat
4: Calliope
5: Riverboat
Least Favorite Sound in New Orleans
1: Gunshots
2: Sirens
3: Cars/traffic
Favorite New Orleans Song
1: Do You Know What it Means to Miss New Orleans?
2: Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In
3: Who Dat
4: Stand Up And Get Crunk/Walking to New Orleans
Favorite Local Band
1: Wise Guys
2: Top Cats
Favorite Local Radio Station
1: WWL
2: WWOZ
Favorite Local TV Station
1: WWL
2: WDSU
3: WYES
Favorite Festival
1: French Quarter Fest
2: Jazz Fest
3: Po’ Boy Festival
4: Gretna Fest
Favorite Carnival Parade
1: Endymion
2: Bacchus
3: Muses
Favorite Live Theatre Company
1: Le Petit Theatre
Favorite Local Bank
1: Whitney
Favorite New Book About New Orleans
1: Goodnight NOLA
Favorite TV Show Set in New Orleans
1: Treme
Favorite Charter School
1: Lusher
Favorite Private Elementary School
1: Newman
Favorite Private Secondary/High School
1: Mt. Carmel
2. Jesuit
3: Holy Cross
Favorite Place to Buy King Cakes
1: Haydel’s
2: Randazzo’s
3: Rouse’s
Favorite Takeout
1: PF Chang’s
Favorite Gourmet Takeout
1: Whole Foods
Favorite Fried Chicken
1: Popeye’s
2: Mr. Ed’s/Willie Mae’s
Favorite Poor Boys
1: Parkway
2: Mother’s
3: Domilise’s
Favorite Tacos
1: Casa Garcia
2: Taqueria Cornoa
Favorite Sushi
1: Rock N Sake/Shogun
Favorite Wings
1: WOW
Favorite Snowballs
1: Plum Street
2: Hansen’s
3: Sal’s
Favorite Place for Cajun Food
1: Mulate’s
2: K-Paul’s
Favorite Place for Creole Food
1: Creole Grille
Favorite Middle Eastern Restaurant
1: Byblos
2: Lebanon’s
Favorite Italian Restaurant
1: Vincent’s
Favorite Asian Restaurant
1: Five Happiness
Favorite Indian Restaurant
1: Taj Mahal/Nirvana (tie)
Favorite Mexican/southwest Restaurant
1: Superior
2: Taqueria Corona
Favorite seafood Restaurant
1: Deanie’s
2: Drago’s
3: GW Fins
Favorite Place to Get Raw Oysters
1: Drago’s
2: Acme
3: Casamento’s
Favorite Place to Get Boiled Crawfish
1: Dennis
2: Deanie’s
Favorite Pizza Restaurant
1: Tower of Pizza
2: Theo’s
Favorite Pizza Topping
1: Pepperoni
2: Mushrooms
Favorite Restaurant for Steaks
1: Ruth’s Chris
2: Crescent City Steakhouse
3: Austin
Favorite Burger
1: Port of Call
2: Swamp Room
Favorite Place for Gumbo
1: Gumbo Shop
Favorite Place for Turtle Soup
1: Commander’s Palace
Favorite Coffeehouse
1: CC’s
2: Café du Monde
3: PJ’s
Favorite Coffeehouse for Food
1: Caffe Caffe/CCs
Favorite Dessert Menu
1: Copeland’s Cheesecake Bistro
2: Commander’s
Favorite Bakery
1: Swiss
2: Gambino’s/Haydel’s
3: La Boulangerie
Favorite Sweet Shop
1: Sucre
2: Blue Frog
Favorite Ice Cream and Where
1: Brocato’s: Spumoni
2: Creole Creamery: Assorted Flavors
Favorite Gelato Shop
1: Brocato’s
Favorite Restaurant for Fine Dining
1: Commander’s
2: Ralph’s on the Park
Favorite Outdoor Dining
1: Court of Two Sisters
2: Café Degas
Favorite Restaurant for a Power Lunch
1: Galatoire’s
Favorite House Specialty Drink
1: Sazerac—Sazerac Bar
2: Hurricane—Pat O’s
Favorite Place for a Margarita
1: Superior
Favorite Dive Bar
1: Swamp Room
Favorite Hotel Bar
1: Monteleone’s Carousel Bar
2: Roosevelt’s Sazerac Bar
Favorite Local Beer
1: Abita
Favorite French Bread
1: Leidenheimer
Favorite Place for a Salad
1: Houston’s
Favorite Place for Breakfast or Brunch
1: Ruby Slipper
2: Court of Two Sisters
Favorite Place for Late-Night Dining
1: Camellia Grille
2: Port of Call
Cleanest Restaurant
1: Ralph’s on the Park
Favorite Chef
John Besh
Favorite Restaurant Worth the Drive
1: Middendorf’s
2: Trey Yuen
Favorite Caterer
1: Mr. Ed’s
