We begin the year by seeing what our readers think about the area’s best. Our October issue included a self-addressed postage-paid mailer with which our readers could make their choices. (They were also able to vote online.) In order to make the list, each entity had to have a significant cluster of votes – enough to indicate broad support. (That is why some categories have more winners than others.) Ballots from blatant organized vote packing were discarded, though we saw little of that this year. Our final product is what we think is an honest summation of our readers’ favorites. Since you are a reader, too, see if you agree. There are always new discoveries to be made.
Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews
Favorite Musician Living in the City
People
New Orleanian of the Year
1. Drew Brees
2. Steve Gleason
3. Tom Benson
Favorite Politician
1. Mitch Landrieu
2. Mary Landrieu (tie)
2. Steve Scalise (tie)
Favorite Musician Living in the City
1. Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews
2. Kermit Ruffins
3. Irma Thomas
Favorite New Orleans
Musician Living Outside the City
1. Harry Connick Jr.
2. Aaron Neville
3. Dr. John
Favorite Local Band
1. Cowboy Mouth
2. Bucktown All-Stars
3. The Yat Pack
Favorite New Orleans
Actor or Actress
1. Becky Allen
2. Ricky Graham
Favorite Live Theater Company
1. Le Petit Théâtre du Vieux Carré
2. Jefferson Performing Arts Society (tie)
2. The NOLA Project (tie)
Favorite Saints Player
1. Drew Brees
2. Jimmy Graham
Favorite Pelicans Player
1. Anthony Davis
Sally-Ann Roberts and Karen Swensen
Favorite TV News Anchor (TIE)
Favorite TV News Anchor
1. Karen Swensen (tie)
1. Sally-Ann Roberts (tie)
2. Eric Paulsen
3. Lee Zurik
4. Randi Rousseau
Favorite TV Sports Reporter
1. Fletcher Mackel
2. Jim Henderson
Favorite TV Meterologist
1. Margaret Orr
2. Bob Breck (tie)
2. Carl Arredondo (tie)
3. Laura Buchtel
Favorite Local TV Station
1. WWL/Channel 4
2. WDSU/Channel 6
3. FOX 8/WVUE
4. WYES/Channel 12
John “Spud” McConnell
Favorite Local Radio Personality
Favorite Local Radio Personality
1. John “Spud” McConnell
2. Angela Hill
3. Garland Robinette
Favorite Local Radio Station
1. WWL/AM870/105.3FM
2. WWOZ/90.7FM
3. WWNO/89.9FM
Favorite Carnival Parade
1. Muses
2. Endymion
3. Bacchus
4. Orpheus
5. Zulu
6. Rex
Favorite Local University
1. Tulane University
2. University of New Orleans
3. Loyola University New Orleans
Favorite Elementary School
1. Lusher Charter School
2. Trinity Episcopal School
Favorite Secondary or High School
1. Lusher Charter School
2. Jesuit High School
3. Academy of the Sacred Heart (tie)
3. Mount Carmel Academy (tie)
Romney Pilates Center
Favorite Yoga or Pilates Studio
Places
Favorite Gym
1. Franco’s Athletic Club
2. Elmwood Fitness Center
3. The Wellness Center, East Jefferson General Hospital
Favorite Day Spa
1. Belladonna
2. Earthsavers
3. The Ritz-Carlton
4. Woodhouse Day Spa
Favorite Women’s Boutique
1. Fleurty Girl
Favorite Antiques Store
1. M.S. Rau Antiques
Favorite Florist
1. Villere’s Florist
2. Federico’s Family Florist
Favorite Lawn and Garden Supply
1. Perino’s Garden Center
2. The Home Depot
3. Harold’s Indoor Outdoor Plants
Favorite Movie Theater
1. Prytania Theatre
2. The Theatres at Canal Place
3. AMC Elmwood Palace
Favorite Place to Hear Live Music
1. Tipitina’s
2. Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro
3. Maple Leaf Bar
Favorite Jazz Club
1. Snug Harbor Jazz Bistro
2. Irvin Mayfield’s Jazz
Playhouse
3. Palm Court Jazz Café
Favorite Museum
1. The National World
War II Museum
2. New Orleans Museum of Art
3. The Ogden Museum of Southern Art
Favorite Golf Course
1. City Park
2. Audubon Park
3. English Turn Golf &
Country Club
Favorite Place to Buy
a Wedding Dress
1. Town & Country
2. Yvonne LaFleur
Favorite Place to Place Your Bets
1. New Orleans Fair Grounds
2. Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel and Casino
Favorite Hotel
1. The Roosevelt
2. Hotel Monteleone
3. The Ritz-Carlton (tie)
3. Windsor Court Hotel (tie)
4. Loews New Orleans Hotel
Favorite Bed & Breakfast
1. Grand Victorian
Bed & Breakfast
2. Auld Sweet Olive
Bed & Breakfast
Favorite Yoga or Pilates Studio
1. Romney Pilates Center
2. Uncle Joe’s Pilates Studio
Favorite Art Gallery
1) Lisa Victoria Gallery
2) Arthur Rodger Gallery
Favorite Children’s Botique
1) Pippen Lane
2) Banbury Cross
Favorite Bookstore
1) Barnes & Nobel
2) Octavia Books
3) Maple Street Book Shop
4) Faulkner House Books
Favorite Hair Salon
1) Paris Parker Salon & Spa
2) H2O Salon & Spa
Favorite Local Nonprofit Event
1) French Quarter Festival
2) Whitney Zoo-To-Do for Audubon Nature Institute
3) Hogs for the Cause (tie)
3) Pasta & Puccini for Jefferson Performing Arts Society (tie)
Favorite Wedding Reception Location
1) City Park: Botanical Gardens & Pavilion
2) Audubon Park (tie)
2) The Columns Hotel (tie)
2) New Orleans Museum of Art (tie)
Dat Dog
Favorite Hot Dog
Dining
Quick & Easy
Favorite King Cake
1. Manny Randazzo King Cakes
2. Nonna Randazzo’s Bakery
3. Haydel’s Bakery
4. Rouses Supermarkets
5. Tastee Restaurant Deli-Donuts / McKenzie’s Bakery
6. Sucré
7. Gambino’s Bakery
Favorite Fried Chicken
1. Popeyes
2. Willie Mae’s Scotch House
3. Mr. Ed’s Seafood & Italian
4. Jacques-Imo’s
Favorite Poor Boys
1. Parkway Bakery & Tavern
2. Bear’s Poboys at Gennaro’s (tie)
2. Domilise’s Po-Boy & Bar (tie)
3. Mahoney’s Po-Boys
Favorite Tacos
1. Taqueria Corona
2. El Gato Negro (tie)
2. The Rum House (tie)
3. Juan’s Flying Burrito
4. The Velvet Cactus
Favorite Sushi
1. Sake Café
2. Kyoto Sushi Bar and Japanese (tie)
2. Rock-n-Sake Bar & Sushi (tie)
3. Hana Japanese Restaurant
4. Little Tokyo Restaurant (tie)
4. Shogun Japanese Restaurant (tie)
Favorite Wings
1. Buffalo Wild Wings Grill & Bar
Favorite Onion Rings
1. Ye Olde College Inn
2. Charlie’s Steak House
Favorite Pizza
1. Theo’s Neighborhood Pizza
2. Reginelli’s Pizzeria (tie)
2. Slice Pizzeria (tie)
2. Tower of Pizza (tie)
3. Midway Pizza
4. Louisiana Pizza Kitchen (tie)
4. Mark Twain’s Pizza (tie)
4. Pizza Delicious (tie)
4. Pizza Domenica (tie)
Favorite Snowballs
1. Hansen’s Sno-Bliz
2. Plum Street Snoball (tie)
2. Sal’s Sno-Ball Stand (tie)
Favorite Grocery Store or Deli
1. Rouses Supermarkets
2. Dorignac’s Food Center
3. Whole Foods Market
4. Central Grocery and Deli (tie)
4. The Fresh Market (tie)
5. Lakeview Grocery (tie)
5. Langenstein’s (tie)
Favorite Buffet
1. Harrah’s New Orleans Hotel and Casino
2. The Court of Two Sisters
Favorite Food Truck
1. Taceaux Loceaux
2. La Cocinita
Native Cuisine
Favorite Place for Cajun Food
1. Copeland’s of New Orleans
2. K-Paul’s Louisiana Kitchen
3. Bon Ton Café (tie)
3. Cochon Restaurant (tie)
Commander’s Palace
Favorite Place for Creole Food
Favorite Place for Turtle Soup
Favorite Dessert Menu
Favorite Restaurant for Fine Dining
Favorite Bloody Mary
Favorite Wine List
Favorite Restaurant
Favorite Place for Creole Food
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Galatoire’s Restaurant
Ethnic
Favorite Middle Eastern Restaurant
1. Mona’s Restaurant
2. Café Byblos
3. Lebanon Café
Favorite Italian Restaurant
1. Vincent’s Italian Cuisine
2. Venezia
3. Irene’s Cuisine
4. Tony Angello’s Ristorante
Favorite Asian Restaurant
1. Five Happiness Chinese Restaurant
Favorite Indian Restaurant
1. Taj Mahal Indian Cuisine
2. Nirvana Indian Cuisine
Favorite Mexican or Southwest Restaurant
1. El Gato Negro
2. Casa Garcia
3. Juan’s Flying Burrito
4. Felipe’s Taqueria (tie)
4. Superior Grill (tie)
4. Taqueria Corona (tie)
Seafood
Favorite Seafood Restaurant
1. Deanie’s Seafood
2. Drago’s Seafood Restaurant
3. GW Fins
4. Pêche Seafood Grill
5. Blue Crab Restaurant & Oyster Bar
6. Acme Oyster House
Acme Oyster House
Favorite Place to Get Raw Oysters
Favorite Place to Get Raw Oysters
1. Acme Oyster House
2. Drago’s
3. Casamento’s (tie)
3. Deanie’s (tie)
3. Pascal’s Manale (tie)
4. Felix’s Restaurant and Oyster Bar
5. The Galley Seafood Restaurant
Meat
Favorite Restaurant for Steaks
1. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
2. Crescent City Steakhouse (tie)
2. Mr. John’s Steakhouse (tie)
3. Desi Vega’s Steakhouse (tie)
3. Dickie Brennan’s Steakhouse (tie)
Favorite Burger
1. Port of Call
2. The Company Burger
3. Bud’s Broiler
Favorite Hot Dog
1. Dat Dog
2. Lucky Dogs
Soup
Favorite Gumbo
1. Gumbo Shop
2. Mr. B’s Wine & Spirits
Favorite Place for Turtle Soup
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Mandina’s Restaurant
Coffee & Dessert
Favorite Coffee House
1. PJ’s Coffee of New Orleans
2. Café Du Monde (tie)
2. CC’s Coffee House (tie)
3. Starbucks
Favorite Coffee House for Food
1. Caffe! Caffe!
Favorite Dessert Menu
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Angelo Brocato® Original Italian Ice Cream Parlor (tie)
2. Sucré (tie)
3. Nonna Randazzo’s Bakery
Favorite Bakery
1. Nonna Randazzo’s Bakery
2. Haydel’s Bakery
3. La Boulangerie
4. Gambino’s Bakery
5. Maurice French Pastries
Favorite Sweet Shop
1. Sucré
2. Angelo Brocato® Original Italian Ice Cream Parlor
Favorite Ice Cream or Gelato Shop
1. Angelo Brocato® Original Italian Ice Cream Parlor
2. Creole Creamery
3. Sucré
Ambiance
Favorite Outdoor Dining
1. Bacchanal Fine Wine & Spirits
2. Café Degas (tie)
2. Martinique Bistro (tie)
3. Café Amelie (tie)
3. Commander’s Palace (tie)
4. The Court of Two Sisters
Favorite Restaurant for Fine Dining
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Galatoire’s Restaurant
3. Restaurant R’evolution
Favorite Casual Restaurant
1. Mandina’s Restaurant
Favorite Restaurant for a Power Lunch
1. Galatoire’s Restaurant
2. Café Adelaide
3. Mr. B’s
Drinks
Favorite House Specialty Drink
1. Sazerac at The Roosevelt
2. Hurricane at Pat O’Brien’s (tie)
2. Pimm’s Cup at Napoleon House Bar & Café (tie)
Favorite Place for a Margarita
1. Superior Grill
2. El Gato Negro (tie)
2. Juan’s Flying Burrito (tie)
2. Sante Fe Restaurant (tie)
Favorite Bloody Mary
1. Commander’s Palace
Favorite Wine List
1. Commander’s Palace
Favorite Sports Bar
1. Manning’s
Favorite Dive Bar
1. Twelve Mile Limit (tie)
1. 45 Tchoup (tie)
Favorite Hotel Bar
1. Carousel Bar at Hotel Monteleone
2. Sazerac at The Roosevelt
Favorite Local Beer
1. Abita Amber
2. NOLA Blonde
3. Abita Strawberry
Favorite Craft Cocktail Bar
1. Cure
2. SoBou
3. Bar Tonique
MISC.
Favorite French Bread
1. Liedenheimer Baking Company
2. Alois J Binder Bakery
Fresh Bar
Favorite Place for a Salad
Favorite Health-Conscious Restaurant
Favorite Place for Vegetarian Dishes
Favorite Place for a Salad
1. Fresh Bar
2. Houston’s
Favorite Place for Vegetarian Dishes
1. Fresh Bar
2. Satsuma Café
3. Seed
Favorite Health-Conscious Restaurant
1. Fresh Bar
2. Satsuma Café
Favorite Breakfast or Brunch
1. The Ruby Slipper Café
2. Commander’s Palace
3. Surrey’s
Favorite Late-Night Dining
1. The Camellia Grill
Personalities & Places
Favorite Chef
1. John Besh
2. Brandon Felder
3. Tory McPhail
4. Frank Brigtsen (tie)
4. John Folse (tie)
Favorite Restaurant
1. Commander’s Palace
2. Galatoire’s Restaurant
3. Le Foret
4. Clancy’s Restaurant
Favorite Restaurant Opened in 2014
1. MoPho
2. Doris Metropolitan
3. Johnny Sanchez Restaurant
Favorite Restaurant Worth the Drive
1. Middendorf’s Seafood Restaurant
2. Mosca’s
3. La Provence
Favorite Caterer
1. Pigéon Caterers n
