In this, an election year in Louisiana, our readers have been making their feeling known about their picks for the Tops of the Town. There were no mean-spirited commercials funded by Political Action Committees in our voting, no mindless Obama-bashing. Rather, this was just straight forward voting – folks telling us what they think.
A couple of things you should know: H To make the list a choice had to have a significant cluster of votes. Places without enough votes were eliminated. H Categories without enough voters were also removed. H Where there was evidence of ballot box stuffing (and there wasn’t much) the votes were adjusted accordingly. H We know that there are some significant places that didn’t make the list, nevertheless we’re confident that those that are listed are all worthy and are among the tops in their field.
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Favorite Place for Tapas & Favorite Outdoor Dining Avo
Favorite Place for Mexican/Southwest, Favorite Place for Tacos & Favorite place for a margarita superior grill
Favorite New Orleans musician Robin Barnes
Favorite Food Truck Crêpes a la Cart
Favorite Sports Bar & Favorite Dive Bar Lucy’s
Tops of the Tops
Carnival’s Continuing Captain Ed Muniz
Endymion will be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year; so, too, will Ed Muniz, the krewe’s founder and only captain to date. Counting organizational time, Muniz’s tenure is probably closer to 52 years, but why complicate it? At 50 years on the job he is, by far, Carnival’s senior captain. Through those years he has also had other jobs, including serving on the Jefferson Parish Council and as mayor of Kenner. No mayor commands as much attention as does Muniz when his parade rolls up Canal Street on the Saturday before Mardi Gras. Carnival’s biggest parade rules the city that night and, at 50, it’s just getting started.
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Favorite place for Italian Vincent’s Italian Cuisine
Favorite local beer Abita Amber
Favorite Place for Raw Oysters Drago’s Seafood Restaurant
Tops of the Tops
Celebrity Angel Hill
Angela Hill has made our Tops lists so many times through the years that she should have her own permanent page. Those who have watched her career path unfold have seen her at first as a consumer reporter, then a very popular news anchor and later a radio talk show host. Having retired from the latter this past year, we still see her doing commercials, but her real cause remains animals. She is a pet’s best friend. Hill long ago earned ample reason to be snobby; instead she has remained a genuinely nice person. That perhaps is even more reason why she is still Tops.
Performances by the Yat Pack, Robin Barnes and The Jailhouse Rockers…..click here for more information
Favorite art gallery Octavia Art Gallery
Favorite yoga/pilates studio Nola Pilates
Favorite Place for Seafood & Favorite place for boiled crawfish Kenner Seafood
Tops of the Tops
Performance of the Year Irma Thomas
Already the moment was important on Oct. 21, 2015, when Irma Thomas performed with Allen Toussaint at the Pavilion of the Two Sisters in City Park. Just by the combined presence of the “Soul Queen of New Orleans” and the city’s musical genius, the gathering had historic weight. No one knew that it would be Toussaint’s last performance in New Orleans.
Allen Toussaint, who died Nov. 10, 2015, is remembered in several categories on these pages. Irma Thomas remains as a category of her own, singing the songs of the rhythm and blues golden era of the 1960s. The crowd thrilled as the two sang Irma’s Toussaint-penned classic, “It’s Raining:”
“I guess I will have to accept
The fact that you are not here.
I wish tonight
Would hurry up and end,
My dear.”
Never have those lines meant so much.
The fact that you are not here.
I wish tonight
Would hurry up and end,
My dear.”
Never have those lines meant so much.
Favorite ice cream/gelato shop Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Pastry
New Orleans Dining
Quick & Easy
Favorite Place for King Cakes
1. Randazzo's*
2. Nonna Randazzo’s Bakery
tie 3. Haydel’s Bakery
tie 3. Sucré
tie 3. Zuppardo’s
4. Manny Randazzo King Cakes
tie 5. Gambino’s Bakery
tie 5. Tastee McKenzie’s
tie 5. Rouses
* In those cases where voters
didn’t differentiate between Manny Randazzo and Nonna Randozzo’s, the vote was simply tallied under
the name Randazzo’s.
Favorite Place for Fried Chicken
1. Popeyes
2. Willie Mae’s Scotch House
3. Mr. Ed’s
tie 4. Chubbie’s
tie 4. Dooky Chase’s
Favorite Place for Poor Boys
1. Parkway Bakery & Tavern
2. Parran’s Po-Boys
3. Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar
4. Short Stop Po-Boys
5. Bear’s Poboys at Gennaro’s
6. Crabby Jack’s
Favorite Place for Tacos
tie 1. The Rum House
tie 1. Superior Grill
2. Juan’s Flying Burrito
3. El Gato Negro
4. Taqueria Corona
5. Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria
Favorite Place for Sushi
1. Sushi Brothers
2. Sake Café
tie 3. Fuji Hana Sushi Bar and Hibachi Steakhouse
tie 3. Little Tokyo
tie 3. Rock-n-Sake Bar & Sushi
4. Ninja Restaurant and Sushi Bar
tie 5. Hana
tie 5. Kyoto
tie 5. Shogun
Favorite Place for Wings
1. Hooters
2. Buffalo Wild Wings
3. Wing Shack
Favorite Place for Onion Rings
1. Charlie’s Steak House
tie 2. Liuzza’s Restaurant & Bar
tie 2. New Orleans Hamburger
& Seafood Co.
tie 2. The Steak Knife Restaurant
3. Ye Olde College Inn
Favorite Place for Pizza
1. Reginelli’s Pizzeria
2. Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza
3. Tower of Pizza
tie 4. Domenica
tie 4. Pizza Delicious
tie 5. Ancora
tie 5. Midway Pizza
tie 5. Slice Pizzeria
6. New York Pizza
Favorite Place for Snowballs
1. Hansen’s Sno-Bliz
2. Plum Street Snoballs
3. Sal’s Sno-Balls
4. Casey’s New Orleans
Snowballs
5. Lulu’s Snowballs
Favorite grocery store or deli
1. Rouses
2. Dorignac’s Food Center
3. Zuppardo’s Family Supermarket
tie 4. Langenstein’s
tie 4. Stein’s Market & Deli
tie 4. Whole Foods Market
tie 5. Central Grocery
tie 5. The Fresh Market
Favorite buffet
tie 1. The Court of Two Sisters
tie 1. Harrah’s
2. Super China Buffet
3. Ritz-Carlton Christmas Day Feast
Favorite Food Truck
1. Crêpes a la Cart
2. Taco Loceaux
3. La Cocinita
Cuisine
Favorite Place for Cajun
1. Mulate’s
2. K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen
3. Copeland’s of New Orleans*
4. Jacques-Imo’s Cafe
Favorite place for Creole
1. Commander’s Palace
tie 2. Copeland’s of New Orleans*
tie 2. Muriel’s Jackson Square
tie 3. Jacques-Imo’s Cafe
tie 3. Mandina’s Restaurant
*Copelands, which specializes in a regional application to local cuisines, was judged by our readers to be both Creole and Cajun.
Favorite Place for Middle Eastern
1. Byblos Restaurant
2. Shaya
3. Mona's Cafe
4. Lebanon’s Cafe
Favorite place for Italian
1. Vincent’s Italian Cuisine
2. Venezia
tie 3. Andrea’s Restaurant
tie 3. Domenica
tie 3. Red Gravy
Favorite place for Asian
1. Five Happiness
2. Pho NOLA
tie 3. La Thai
tie 3. Trey Yuen Cuisine of China
tie 4. Café East
tie 4. P.F. Chang’s
Favorite Place for Indian
1. Taj Mahal Indian Cuisine
2. Nirvana Indian Cuisine
Favorite Place for Mexican/Southwest
1. Superior Grill
2. Velvet Cactus
3. El Gato Negro
4. Felipe’s Mexican Taqueria
tie 5. Casa Garcia
tie 5. Juan’s Flying Burrito
tie 5. Santa Fe Restaurant
Favorite Place for Tapas
1. Avo
2. Vega Tapas Cafe & Catering
3. Shaya
Seafood
Favorite Place for Seafood
1. Kenner Seafood
2. Deanie’s Seafood
3. GW Fins
4. The Galley Seafood Restaurant
tie 5. Drago’s Seafood Restaurant
tie 5. Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar
tie 6. Blue Crab Restaurant & Oyster Bar
tie 6. New Orleans Hamburger & Seafood Co.
tie 6. R&O’s Restaurant
Favorite Place for Raw Oysters
1. Drago’s Seafood Restaurant
2. Acme Oyster House
3. Casamento’s
4. Felix’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar
tie 5. Kenner Seafood
tie 5. Superior Seafood & Oyster Bar
6. Pascal’s Manale
Favorite place for boiled crawfish
1. Kenner Seafood
2. My own
3. Deanie’s Seafood
4. The Galley Seafood Restaurant
Meat
Favorite place for steaks
1. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
2. Crescent City Steaks
3. Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse
4. Charlie’s Steak House
Favorite place for burgers
1. The Company Burger
2. Phil’s Grill
3. Port of Call
4. Muriel’s Jackson Square
5. Lee’s Hamburgers
6. Atomic Burger
Favorite Place for Hot Dogs
1. Dat Dog
Soup
Favorite place for gumbo
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Mr. B’s Bistro
3. Gumbo Shop
4. Mandina’s
Favorite Place for Turtle Soup
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Mandina’s Restaurant
Coffee & Dessert
Favorite Coffee House
1. PJ’s Coffee
2. Starbucks
3. CC’s Coffee House
tie 4. Coast Roast Coffee
tie 4. Royal Blend Coffee & Tea House
Favorite Coffee
House for Food
1. Royal Blend Coffee & Tea House
2. Caffe! Caffe!
3. PJ’s Coffee
4. Puccino’s Coffee
Favorite Dessert Menu
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Sucré
tie 3. Avo
tie 3. Copeland’s of New Orleans
tie 3. Haydel’s Bakery
Favorite Bakery
1. Haydel’s Bakery
2. Gambino’s Bakery
3. Nonna Randazzo’s Bakery
4. Moonshine Bake Shoppe
tie 5. La Boulangerie
tie 5. River Bend Bakery
6. Maurice French Pasteries
Favorite ice cream/gelato shop
1. Angelo Brocato Ice Cream and Pastry
2. Sucré
3. Creole Creamery
4. La Divina Gelateria
Ambiance
Favorite Outdoor Dining
1. Avo
tie 2. Audubon Clubhouse Café
tie 2. The Court of Two Sisters
tie 2. Velvet Cactus
Favorite Place for Fine Dining
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Avo
tie 3. August
tie 3. Galatoire’s Restaurant
Favorite place for casual dining
1. Copeland’s of New Orleans
2. Katie’s Restaurant
tie 3. Mandina’s Restaurant
tie 4. Mr. Ed’s
Favorite place for a power lunch
1. Café Adelaide
2. Galatoire’s Restaurant
Favorite Neighborhood Restaurant
1. Katie’s Restaurant
2. Vincent’s Italian Cuisine
3. Clancy’s
Miscellaneous
Favorite French Bread
1. Leidenheimer Baking Company
Favorite place for a salad
1. Houston’s Restaurant
tie 2. Royal Blend Coffee & Tea House
tie 2. Cafe Cafe
tie 2. Mandinas
Favorite Place for Vegetarian Dishes
1. Taj Mahal Indian Cuisine
tie 2. Avo
tie 2. Byblos Restaurant
Favorite Place for Breakfast/Brunch
1. The Ruby Slipper
tie 2. Commander’s Palace
tie 2. Russell’s Marina Grill
tie 2. Surrey’s Cafe and Juice Bar
Favorite place for late-night dining
1. The Camellia Grill
2. Port of Call
Personalities & Places Favorite Chef
1. John Besh
2. Nick Lama
3. Paul Prudhomme
4. Tory McPhail
tie 5. Emeril Lagasse
tie 5. Susan Spicer
Favorite restaurant
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Avo
3. Galatoire’s
Favorite restaurant opened in 2015
1. Shaya
2. Avo
Favorite Restaurant Worth the Drive
1. Middendorf’s Restaurant
2. La Provence
3. Mosca’s
Favorite caterer
1. World Deli Restaurant
& Catering
2. Pigéon Caterers
Drinks
Favorite place for a margarita
1. Superior Grill
2. El Gato Negro
3. Velvet Cactus
4. Casa Garcia
Favorite place for a bloody Mary
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Cure
Favorite wine list
1. Muriel’s Jackson Square
2. Commander’s Palace
3. Avo
4. Emeril’s
Favorite Sports Bar
1. Lucy’s
2. Walk-On’s
3. Gordon Biersch
4. Manning’s
Favorite Dive Bar
1. Lucy’s
Favorite Hotel Bar
1. Carousel Bar & Lounge – Hotel Monteleone
2. Davenport Lounge –
The Ritz-Carlton
tie 3. The Sazerac Bar –
The Roosevelt New Orleans
tie 3. Swizzle Stick Bar – Loews New Orleans
Favorite local beer
1. Abita Amber
tie 2. Abita Strawberry Harvest
tie 2. Dixie
tie 2. NOLA Blonde Ale
Favorite Happy Hour
tie 1. Domenica
tie 1. Lucy’s
Favorite Craft
Cocktail Bar
1. Cure
2. Swizzle Stick Bar
3. Bar Tonique
People, Places & Events
New Orleanian of the Year
1. Allen Toussaint
2. Mike Yenni
3. Mitch Landreiu
Favorite politician
1. Mike Yenni
2. Mitch Landrieu
3. Nobody
4. David Vitter
Favorite New Orleans musician
1. Robin Barnes
tie 2. Allen Toussaint
tie 2. Trombone Shorty
3. Kermit Ruffins
4. Harry Connick Jr.
5. Dr. John
6. Irvin Mayfield
Favorite Local Band
1. The Wize Guys
2. The Yat Pack
3. Flow Tribe
4. Rebirth Brass Band
Favorite Place to Hear Live Music
1. House of Blues
2. Tipitina’s
tie 3. Maple Leaf Bar
tie 3. Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro
tie 4. Chickie Wah Wah
tie 4. d.b.a.
5. Rock ’n’ Bowl
Favorite Jazz Club
1. House of Blues
2. Davenport Lounge
3. Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro
4. Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz Playhouse
tie 5. Preservation Hall
tie 5. The Spotted Cat Music Hall
Favorite Live Theater Company
1. Jefferson Performing Arts Society
2. The NOLA Project
Favorite Local Actress/Actor/Local Theater.
1. Spud McConnell
2. Bryan Batt
tie 3. Lisa Picone Love
tie 3. Ricky Graham
Favorite Saints player
1. Drew Brees
2. Marques Colston
3. Benjamin Watson
Favorite Pelicans player
1. Anthony Davis
Favorite local TV personality
1. Eric Paulsen
2. Bob Breck
tie 3. Margaret Orr
tie 3. Sally-Ann Roberts
tie 4. Karen Swensen
tie 4. Scott Walker
Favorite Local Radio Personality
1. Walton and Johnson
2. Spud McConnell *
tie 3. Bobby Hebert
tie 3. Tommy Tucker
* At press time Spud McConnell is currently not on radio – but should be.
Favorite Local Radio Station
1. WWL AM870/105.3FM
2. WWOZ 90.7
3. Magic 101.9
4. WWNO 89.9
tie 5. BAYOU 95.7
tie 5. Voodoo 104
tie 5. WTIX 94.3
tie 6. WYLD 98.5
tie 6. WNOE 101.1
Favorite Carnival parade
1. Endymion
2. Muses
3. Bacchus
tie 4. Orpheus
tie 4. Rex
tie 4. Thoth
tie 4. Zulu
5. Krewe du Vieux
tie 6. Nyx
tie 6. Tucks
Favorite elementary school
1. Lusher Charter School
2. Kehoe France
tie 3. Audubon Charter School
tie 3. Christian Brothers
tie 3. Country Day
Favorite secondary/high school
1. Lusher Charter School
2. Mount Carmel Academy
3. Jesuit High School
4. De La Salle
Favorite museum
1. The National WWII Museum
2. New Orleans Museum of Art
3. Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Favorite art gallery
1. Octavia Art Gallery
2. Gallery Osborne
3. M.S. Rau Antiques
4. George Rodrigue Studios
Favorite Bookstore
1. Barnes & Noble
2. Octavia Books
3. Blue Cypress Books
Favorite antiques store
1. M.S. Rau Antiques
2. Keil’s Antiques
Favorite furniture store
1. Hurwitz Mintz
2. Doerr Furniture
3. JADE
Favorite lawn/garden supply
1. Perino’s Garden Center
2. The Plant Gallery
3. Urban Roots
Favorite Place to Gamble
1. Harrah’s
2. Treasure Chest Casino
Favorite place to buy liquor & wine
1. Martin’s Wine Cellar
2. Dorignac’s Food Center
3. Zuppardo’s Family Supermarket
tie 4. Elio’s Wine Warehouse
tie 4. The Wine Seller
5. Rouses
6. Acquistapace’s Covington Supermarket
Favorite bank
1. Whitney Bank
2. Chase Bank
tie 3. Capital One Bank
tie 3. Regions Bank
4. First NBC Bank
tie 5. IberiaBank
tie 5. Metairie Bank
6. Gulf Coast Bank & Trust Company
Favorite Hotel
1. Hotel Monteleone
2. Windsor Court Hotel
3. The Ritz-Carlton
Favorite Golf Course
1. Audubon Park Golf Course
2. City Park Golf Course
3. English Turn Golf & Country Club
Favorite gym
1. Jewish Community Center
2. Elmwood Fitness Center
3. Anytime Fitness
Favorite yoga/pilates studio
1. Nola Pilates
tie 2. barre3
tie 2. Uncle Joe’s Pilates Studio
Favorite day spa
1. Earthsavers
tie 2. Belladonna Day Spa
tie 2. Woodhouse Day Spa
Favorite Dry Cleaner
1. One Cleaners
Favorite Men’s Clothing Store
1. Perlis
2. Jos. A. Bank
3. Reubensteins
Favorite Women’s Boutique
1. Chatta Box
2. Trashy Diva
Favorite children’s boutique
tie 1. Little Miss Muffin Children & Home
tie 1. Mignon For Kids
tie 1. Pippen Lane
Favorite local shoe store
1. Feet First
tie 2. Haase’s
tie 2. The Good Feet Store
Favorite Local Jeweler
1. Adler’s
2. Aucoin Hart Jewelers
3. M.S. Rau Antiques
4. Mignon Faget
Favorite Place to Buy a Wedding Dress
1. Yvonne LaFleur
tie 2. House of Broel
tie 2. Town & Country
tie 2. Wedding Belles
Favorite wedding reception location
1. Pavilion of the Two Sisters – City Park
2. Degas House
Favorite Gulf Coast Getaway
1. Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Biloxi, Mississippi
2. Destin, Florida
3. Grand Hotel, Point Clear, Alabama
tie 4. Gulf Shores, Alabama
tie 4. Orange Beach, Alabama
tie 5. Pensacola, Florida
tie 5. Seaside, Florida
Favorite Local Charity
1. Louisiana SPCA
2. Ozanam Inn
3. Second Harvest Food Bank
4. Catholic Charities of
New Orleans
