The first round of Best of Athens results are here!

In previous years, Best of Athens offered a single round in which participants wrote down their choices, and the top vote-getters won the category, with second- and third-place finishers also being recognized with certificates. From 2017 to this year, we have started with a nominating round, similar to the single round from past years. Then, the five top vote-getters from the nominating round are listed in the final round for each category (though in some cases, where entries tied for fifth place, we offered six or seven choices). In a few cases, where only three or four finalists received votes, we offered fewer than five choices.

Online voting at www.athensnews.com took place during much of January and early February, with voting in the final round ending at midnight on Feb. 7.

This year we received 2,828 validated votes in the final round, more than twice as many as the 1,392 validated last year. All told, some 146,376 votes were entered in all categories (meaning the system notched a vote each time someone made a selection in a category). That number last year was 51,212, so obviously we did something different this year to boost the voting. As was the case last year, we required participants to vote in at least 15 categories in order for their votes to be counted. 

Like last year, in the “People” section, “Public Figure” category, somebody who’s not exactly a person won first place: A cat, in fact, Pumpkin the Cat at the Athens County Board of Elections to be precise. Pumpkin not only won this category but notched the most votes of any other selection in this year’s Best of Athens, some 1,458. Second place for “Public Figure,” DJ Barticus, drew 346 votes. So congrats, Pumpkin!

In the Best of Athens write-ups that we include in today’s issue and the next issue, on Feb. 18, we list the winners, along with in most cases, second through fifth place (or infrequently, sixth or seventh). Today’s section results include “People,” “Places” and “Foodies Favorites.”

On Monday, we’ll continue with the results for the “Nightlife,” “Commerce,” “Miscellaneous” and “For Students Only” sections.

We thank our readers who devoted their valuable time to completing the ballots and returning them before the deadline. We also give a very big shout-out to Cheryl Powers, interactive media coordinator for APG Media of Ohio, who set up the online survey and tabulated the results.

Thanks again for your help with our survey this year. Without you, we’d have a survey with zero votes, and what fun would that be?

BEST PEOPLE

Best Public Figure

Pumpkin the Cat

In a landslide that shouldn’t surprise anyone, really, Pumpkin the Cat takes first place in our Best Public Figure category. The loveable feline at the Athens County Board of Elections swept away the competition with 1,458 votes (the most votes received by anybody or thing in any category this year). Cat lovers rejoice (sorry to the rest of you).

Second Place this year goes to Athens human DJ Barticus, who can often be found at Casa Nueva dolling out hits for Y2K Millenium Dance Party night.

Not far behind in third place is Ohio 94th House Rep. Jay Edwards, who won first place in this category last year. Athens Mayor Steve Patterson, last year’s third-place winner, places fourth, and Athens City Council at-large member Patrick McGee, who placed second last year, takes fifth place.

Best Law Enforcement Officer

Jimmy Childs

Athens County Sheriff’s Deputy Jimmy Childs, yet again, placed first in the Best Law Enforcement Officer category this year.

As he has done for years, Deputy Childs spends much of his time in local schools, showing youngsters the righteous path as a school resource officer. Successive generations of Athens County schoolkids have positive memories of the deputy.

The top three cops in this category ended up in the same order as last year (and the same as the year before), with Athens County Sheriff Rodney Smith following Childs in second place and Athens Police Chief Tom Pyle placing third. Bryan Cooper with the Sheriff’s Office took fourth place this year, followed by Destry Flick with the Athens Police Department.

Best Local Journalist

Chris Riddle

Darn, I guess we’ll have to rename this category again next year, from “Best Local Journalist” to “Best Local Journalist Who Writes or Edits for an Athens Tabloid Newspaper That Comes Out on Mondays and Thursdays.”

For this year’s Best of Athens, we changed the “Best Local News Media Person” category to “Best Local Journalist,” thinking it would exclude radio “personalities” who strictly speaking aren’t journalists.

As it turns out, radio won again! Except this time, the winner, Chris Riddle, local “Morning Edition” host at WOUB-FM, really is a journalist.

As Chris explains, “I come in around 4:30 (a.m.) to get the local side of the show together. That includes gathering material for our newscasts, plotting where local stories will run in the show, writing up weather forecasts for our five-transmitter listening area, and finding other information our listeners might find interesting (community calendar, stories from our arts and culture reporter, promo PBS shows, etc...). I also do the local newscasts and breaks throughout the morning.”

Chris Riddle is nothing if not modest. “I feel like my job is best described as being the person who gets to showcase the work of the real journalists out there. It's a privilege to be able to come in here every morning and put on the air the work of dedicated journalists like Alison Hunter, Susan Tebben, Atish Baidya, Aaron Payne and WOUB's students.”

Winning second place is Bob Beyette of WXTQ/WATH. He also won second place in Best Media Figure last year.

We’re just joshing about changing the category name again. We’ll just have to learn to live with the ignominy of losing out to radio journalists.

Third place for Best Local Journalist goes to Athens NEWS Associate Editor Conor Morris, who most definitely does NOT work in radio.

Fourth through seventh places go, respectively, to Athens NEWS Editor Terry Smith, A-NEWS General Assignment Reporter Kayla Beard, Athens Messenger Journalist Heather Willard, and Athens NEWS columnist Dennis E. Powell (also our former photo coordinator).

This category had seven finalists since three of them tied in the first round.

Best Local Politician You Hope Will Go Far

Taylor Sappington

In this travelogue category, this year’s Best of Athens voters picked Nelsonville City Council member and erstwhile Ohio House candidate Taylor Sappington as the local politician they’d most like to see go far.

This is a companion category – the yin to its yang – of the dubious category, “Best Local Politician We Hope Will Go Far Away.”

It takes some nimble thinking to understand the difference between these categories. The first “going far,” is abstract – we want the winner to go far in politics, career, life. Not far as in Tibet, Angola or New Zealand.

Going “far away” on the other hand is very definitely geographical – the winner, according to our voters, should go far away, to somewhere like Tibet, Angola or New Zealand, and not as a reward.

Anyway, thanks for your patience.

Second place in this positive category (“go far”) is state Rep. Jay Edwards, who did “win” the “far away” category this year, and won both “go far” and “go far away” last year.

And incidentally, Edwards and Sappington waged an election battle against each other this past fall, with incumbent Rep. Edwards prevailing.

Third place for “going far” is Athens Mayor Steve Patterson.

Placing fourth and fifth, respectively, are Athens County Commissioner Chris Chmiel and Athens Township Trustee Eddie Smith.

Best Local Politician You Hope Will Fo Far Away

Jay Edwards

For the second consecutive year, state Rep. Jay Edwards, R-Nelsonville, “wins” this dubious category. (For several years a few years ago, top honors in this category became known by the nickname, the Pat Kelly Award.) For Edwards, he can take consolation in knowing that he absolutely killed the competition in this category, drawing almost four times as many votes as second-placer Taylor Sappington.

As it happens, Sappington is the Democratic Nelsonville City Council member who challenged and lost to incumbent Edwards in the November election. And of course, that’s the only voting that really means anything, the sort that gets you elected to office.

And it bears mentioning that Rep. Edwards placed second in the category that’s the flip-side of the coin to this one, “Best Local Politician We Hope Will Go far.” He placed not far behind first-place winner Sappington in that positive category.

Third place in the “Go Far Away” category goes to Athens County Prosecutor Keller Blackburn. One can assume that all the local villains who have spent time in the slammer due to Prosecutor Keller’s efforts voted for him in this category.

Best Local Activist

delfin bautista 

In our recently resurrected “Local Activist” category this year, Ohio University’s former LGBT Center Director, delfin bautista, wins the top honor. bautista, who uses they/them pronouns and the lowercase spelling of their name, has been a regular figure at Athens social justice-oriented rallies and events for years now, and bautista’s recent dismissal from the university (which has prompted outrage from many) has not put a stopper on that activism.

Local activist Kerri Shaw, who helped organize the Women’s March last year and this year, takes the second-place spot for 2019.

Meanwhile, Athens County environmental activist Roxanne Groff takes home the third-place spot, followed by fellow environmental activist Andrea Reik. Katherine King, who is active in the International socialist Organization, won fifth place in this category.

It should be noted that the four other nominees in this category (Shaw, Groff, Reik and King) penned a letter to the editor two weeks ago, urging people to vote for bautista, saying that bautista “is truly the activist who has put themselves out there for the betterment of the people of this university and community.”

At the time, bautista was already leading in this category, though the letter certainly didn’t hurt.

Best DJ/Radio Personality

DJ Barticus

Winning for Best DJ/Radio Personality yet again this year is none other than DJ Barticus (aka Michael Bart), known for a variety of dynamic characteristics, not the least of which is pizza-themed jumpsuits and a whole lot of airhorn.

Barticus holds nothing back when he has a room, and if you’ve seen him in action, you’re not likely to forget it.

Barticus, in addition to being a performing DJ, is an actual radio DJ on WXTQ.

Second and third place go to Athens DJ A-Roc and, just a few votes below him, WOUB’s Chris Riddle, who also won in our “Best Journalist” category this year. Athens DJ B-Funk (aka, Brandon Thompson) wins fourth place in this category, followed by Thom Williams (WAIS/WSEO, formerly WATH/WXTQ).

Best Local Business Owner or Entrepreneur

Art Oestrike, Jackie O's

Art Oestrike, owner and founder of Jackie O’s Pub & Brewery and co-owner of Bagel Street Deli, wins first place in the Best Local Business Owner/Entrepreneur category this year, just as he did the last three years running.

Oestrike’s success since opening Jackie O’s in 2005 has shown that craft beer brewing in southeast Ohio is a solid business model. The relative success of that business, along with several other breweries, wineries and other such businesses that have opened up in the time since then, has made Athens County a destination for craft alcoholic beverages.

Second place goes to Chris and Angie Pyle, owners of Donkey Coffee in Athens. The Pyles have successfully made Donkey a welcoming place for all comers, especially OU students looking for a quiet place to study.

Emily Christine, owner of Tavolino, an Italian restaurant on North Shafer Street in Athens, wins third place this year in this category, followed by Becky Clark, owner of Pork & Pickles and the Kitchen at Devil’s Kettle in Athens (and who now also serves as chef for Little Fish Brewing Co.’s new kitchen). Barbara Johnson, owner of The Loft on South Shafer Street in Athens, took fifth place in this category.

Best Real Estate Agent

Larry Conrath

For the second year in a row, local real-estate agent Larry Conrath, with Grueser Realty & Building, wins first place in the Best Real Estate Agent category. Conrath, an Athens native, has a long history in the community and formerly ran his own longstanding Athens County agency, called Larry Conrath Realty. He also has a long history of tossing little plastic Bobcat footballs from a car during the Homecoming Parade.

Ally Rapp Lee of the Athens Real Estate Company takes second place again this year. She’s also an Athens County native.

Meanwhile, Meigs County native Sandi Radcliff, of LCR Realty, wins third place this year. Brittany Silverman and Josh Radcliff, both also from LCR Realty, take the fourth- and fifth-place spots, respectively.

Best Community Volunteer

Kerri Shaw

Local activist Kerri Shaw, a social-work instructor in OU’s College of Health Sciences and Professions, takes the first-place spot in our Best Community Volunteer category this year. Shaw helped organize the Athens Women’s March in January and was also involved with efforts to encourage Athens City Council to approve a measure banning conversion therapy on minors, and a resolution to make Athens a “welcoming city.” On top of all that, she founded the Peanut Butter and Jelly Project summer food program for local youth.

Shaw is the first person in six years (or longer) to come out ahead of last year’s first-place winner Shelley Lieberman, according to our records.

Lieberman, of Friendly Paws Pet Supplies & Grooming on East State Street, takes home second place this year, ending a streak so long our staff isn’t sure when she last didn’t win first for community volunteer. She promotes through her store an array of events held by Friends of the Shelter Dogs and DART (the Disaster Animal Response Team), and also hosts events at the store throughout the year to benefit Friends of the Shelter Dogs and a program to neuter/spay feral cats. Lieberman serves on the boards of the SE Ohio Foodbank and Athens County Children Services, plus is founder of the My Sister's Paws program, which benefits women in domestic violence situations.

Coming in third place this year is Patty Mitchell, director of Passion Works Studios. She’s also director of Honey for the Heart, which puts on a parade of giant puppets at Halloween and other events.

Fourth and fifth place in this category go to Jenny Stotts and Janalee Stock, respectively, with Andrea Reik sliding in at sixth place.

Best Medical Provider (person)

Dr. Sergio Ullua, DO

For the third year in a row, Dr. Sergio Ullua, DO, takes the most votes in Best Medical Provider (person). Dr. Ullua specializes in orthopedic surgery and sports medicine for OPG Heritage College Orthopedics and Sports Medicine. He drew three times as many votes as the next in line.

Second place, as indeed it turned out in last year’s Best of Athens voting, goes to Ullua’s colleague with OhioHealth, Dr. Jane Broecker, MD. She’s an obstetrician-gynecologist for OPG Heritage College Obstetrics & Gynecology.

Dr. Margaret (Peggy) Lionberger, a DO at Holzer Athens, places third.

Fourth and fifth place, respectively, go to Dr. Penny L. Shelton, an MD at Holzer, and Lance Broy, also an MD at Holzer.

BEST PLACES

Best Small Town in Athens County

Nelsonville

While Nelsonville not only technically is a city, it’s also the second biggest incorporated (or unincorporated) community in Athens County. But it’s still got a small-town feel, and face it, when compared to really big cities, both Nelsonville and Athens are small towns. Which is fine.

Anyway, that’s a long way around of introducing the 2019 Best of Athens’ Best Small Town in Athens County, Nelsonville. N’Ville, as we occasionally call it when we run out of headline space, boasts a bustling downtown arts scene, one of the best and most historic live-music venues in Ohio (Stuart’s Opera House), and a community college to call its own; it has some very friendly people.

Second place goes to The Plains, which is technically neither a city, town nor village. It’s an unincorporated community, but our Best of Athens voters don’t care what it’s called; they just like it. Oh, and it’s got some swell Indian mounds.

Third-place winner is Albany, with Amesville close behind, and Guysville straggling behind.

(One might guess that the towns with the most people are the favorites to win this category, since why would anyone live in a town that they didn’t prefer over other nearby towns?)

Best Medical Facility or Practice

Holzer Athens

Holzer Athens takes the roses in the 2019 Best  Medical Facility or Practice category, which for some reason this year was placed in the “People” category, when clearly is belongs in “Places.” So we’ve moved it. Anyway, Holzer Athens has firmly established itself as a key player in the local health-care landscape.

Second place is last year’s winner, what used to be called River Rose Obstetrics & Gynecology but is now known by the modest moniker OhioHealth Physician Group Heritage College Obstetrics & Gynecology Athens.

OhioHealth O’Bleness Hospital takes third in this category, with fourth- and fifth-placers Hopewell Health Centers and Muntean Health Care coming in right behind (as they did last year).

Best OU Campus Site

The Ridges

Once again this year, The Ridges takes the honors as the Best OU Campus Site. This is the third year in a row that the Ridges has (have?) won this category, and maybe even more than that. But our institutional memory only goes back three years. Anyway, for many Athens area residents, The Ridges is the go-to spot for walking the dog, hiking, bird-watching, or just strolling with friends. That’s the outdoor part of the Ridges, but this Ohio University-owned property also includes the Kennedy Museum of Art, which at any given time has multiple exhibits on display.

Second place winner, like last year, is College Green (or if you’re old-fashioned like the author of this blurb, “the” College Green).

Third, fourth and fifth place, respectively, go to Emeriti Park, Baker University Center and Alden Library.

Best Park in Athens County

Strouds Run State Park

In this new category (well, new since last year), Strouds Run State Park takes the top placement, almost tripling the number of votes received by second-place The Ridges. Strouds, within 15 minutes of most of Athens and the OU campus, has been the go-to state park for  generations of Athens area residents and students. It’s got miles of trails, a nice beach, boating, canoeing and kayaking, camping, fishing, you name it. Oh, did we forget to mention, its centerpiece is beautiful Dow Lake (reservoir to be precise), surrounded by hills that burst with color in the fall.

The Ridges, while not technically a park, is considered as one, if we can judge its popularity in Best of Athens. It’s a great place to get away from the hubbub down in Athens city and OU campus, just a few minutes’ drive or a short walk away.

Third place goes to Sells Park, an Athens city park. Sells Park isn’t widely known, even though its entrance is right on the edge of an East Side neighborhood. From Sells Park, you can access a substantial trail system that links city and state trails, including one that ends at Strouds Run State Park.

See how we ended where we started?

Best Local Building

OU's Lin Hall, The Ridges

In the Best Building category, returning again this year after last year’s resurrection, Ohio University’s Lin Hall wins first place again. Formerly the Main Administration Building for the old Athens Asylum (aka Mental Health Center), Lin Hall houses the Kennedy Museum of Art, among other things, and is the most distinctive of the old, historic buildings on The Ridges. If we’re being honest, the building, with all its historic beauty, can still be a little scary on a dark night.

OU’s Baker Center (or the redundant “Baker University Center,” if you prefer) takes the second-place slot again this year. The building with two “ground” floors, one at the top of the hill and the other at the bottom, serves as a major arterial route for students and others travelling between the uptown area and Richland Avenue or OU’s West Green. Those escalators have carried countless OU students to and fro – that is, when they are in service.

Our third-place winner this year is the Athens Armory, moving up from its fifth-place spot last year, which is best known for its decorative presence at the north end of Court Street during the holidays.

Fourth and Fifth place go to the Athens County Courthouse and OU’s Copeland Hall, respectively.

Best Local Place for a Fancy Date

Zoë Fine Dining

It’s official. For the third straight year, Zoe Fine Dining wins top honors as the Best Place for a Fancy Date in Best of Athens. Zoe, in fact, is an ideal place to take not only a date but a friend, family member, neighbor, coworker, or anybody you’re trying to impress.

Second place goes to Cutler’s Restaurant in the Ohio University Inn. This classy joint is a longtime favorite among local residents and the families of Ohio University students who are in town to drop off, pick up, or just visit.

In third place is Lui Lui, over in the Station Plaza.

In fourth and fifth place, respectively, are Restaurant Salaam and Purple Chopstix, both of which would win this category in most communities (and may do so in this one in the future).

Worst Local Eyesore

Potholes

For some reason, potholes didn’t bother local residents that much until last year, when suddenly these miserable, car-destroying annoyances began winning top honors for “Worst Eyesore” in Best of Athens. So, yes, for the second consecutive year, potholes are the big winner in this dubious category.

This is likely a big relief to those responsible for the human-made worst eyesores.

The “new Prokos office/hotel” wins second place with a strong showing, though until the new establishment at East State and East Carpenter/Stimson is actually finished, we won’t really know what it’s going to look like, including whether it still hurts our eyes.

Third place in this category goes to the “clear-cut of trees along Rt. 33 near The Plains.” No doubt about it, our eyes start stinging when we drive past the half-mile or more of clear-cut trees. Hopefully, at some point, something pretty will grow – or be built – there.

Fourth and fifth, respectively, are Walmart and East State Street.

FOODIES' FAVORITES

Best Fine Dining

Zoë Fine Dining

Once again, Zoe Fine Dining wins the first-place slot in our Best Fine Dining category. A classy restaurant at 24 ½ E. State St., with top-quality food, service and atmosphere, Zoe’s umpteenth win is well-deserved. Taking first place last year and the year before that (and the year before that), the restaurant is entrenched as a go-to spot for fancy and delicious meals. The upscale eatery also won first place in our Best Place for a Fancy Date category this year, so it’s no question that our readers hold Zoe in high esteem.

Restaurant Salaam on West Washington wins second place again this year, same as last year, and if we had a category for Best Atmosphere, we’re betting Salaam would lock up that category every year. Maybe we’ll add that. Lui Lui Restaurant, on Station Street, comes in close behind at third place.

Fourth and fifth honors, respectively, go to Stephen's on Court and Cutler's Restaurant (in the Ohio University Inn).

Best Food Cart

Burrito Buggy

By a landslide victory, the Burrito Buggy annihilated the competition and easily earned a spot in first place of the Best Food Cart category. The returning champion, typically located on East Union Street next to College Green, hasn’t lost any of its prowess under knew ownership.

The Cajun Clucker food truck earns second place once again for its cajun and creole offerings, much of it Southern fried. The move from its former home, Little Fish Brewing, to new locations, doesn’t seem to have affected its standing in the community. The Kitchen at Devil’s Kettle Brewing isn’t too far behind The Cajun Clucker, earning a relatively close third place.

Chicken Wings

Miller's Chicken

Miller’s Chicken once again secures its role as big hen on campus with a fried-crisp first-place victory. Continuing a legacy of fresh ingredients and great flavor, one of Athens’ longest running restaurants, located on West State Street, defends its title from Wings Over Athens, which took a close second.

Wings Over Athens is a crowd pleaser. With a variety of sauces and delivery until 3 a.m., it’s a match made in Athens heaven. Eclipse Company Store earns a not-so-close third-place position behind Wings Over Athens. Best known for its variety of craft beers, third place is nothing to scoff over.

Best New Restaurant

Little Fish Brewing Company

The new kitchen at Little Fish Brewing Co. wins first place in this always closely watched category. Best New Restaurant.

Having opened up over the past few months, Little Fish’s new in-house kitchen consolidates the Armitage Road establishment’s place as a first-class craft brewery, taproom and live-music venue. If you go, you absolutely must try the pickled sardines! They’re to die for.

Ha, ha, just joshing. “Little Fish” – get it?!

Anyway, a certain pancake chain – IHOP – places second this year. The restaurant recently opened on the east end of The Market on State. Even talking about a new pancake joint makes our eyes mist over in nostalgia at the Perkins Pancake House that anchored the end of Columbus Road for so many years.

Third place for Best New Restaurant goes to Lady B’s on South Court Street in Athens. Lady B’s is in the same spot, with the same ownership, as OMG! Rotisserie, which placed second in this category last year.

Fourth and fifth place, respectively, go to The Kitchen at Devil’s Kettle Brewing and the Corner on Union.

Best Vegetarian Cuisine

Casa Nueva

Some things are never surprising. The sun coming up, people in Athens complaining about potholes, the president's out-of-control tweeting, and Casa Nueva winning Best Vegetarian Cuisine. It’s good to be able to depend on some things in life, especially when they involve tasty food.

And don’t despair, you meat eaters, Casa also offers meat in most dishes, though as much as possible it’s locally sourced and sustainably and humanely raised.

Purple Chopstix, that funky palace of Athens uniqueness on Richland Avenue, picks up second place in this category, improving on its fourth-place finish last year.

Third goes to last year’s second-place finisher, Village  Bakery & Café.

Restaurant Salaam, fourth, and The Kitchen at Devil’s Kettle, fifth, wrap up this category.

Best Uniquely Athens Restaurant

Casa Nueva

You can travel far and wide, trek all the way around the world, and not find a restaurant like Casa Nueva, except in one place, Athens, Ohio. Which is why Casa Nueva keeps getting first place as Best of Athens’ most uniquely Athens restaurant. And 2019 is no different. So congrats, Casa, and keep making a margarita that’s downright addicting. The chimis aren’t bad either, and if you like veggie cooking, you can’t do any better than Casa.

Second place goes to Bagel Street Deli, and don’t look now, Casa, but BSD is catching up with you, only about 140 votes behind.

Jackie O’s (the voting didn’t say whether it’s the Public House, Brewpub or Taproom) takes third place in this category, with O’Betty’s Red Hot and Purple Chopstix close behind.

Best Breakfast

Union Street Diner

Some say that breakfast is the most important meal. Others say it’s lunch, while many say dinner or supper. We say they’re all important, but for the purpose of this category, it’s definitely breakfast.

That’s why the Union Street Diner should be especially honored to bring home the bacon with first place for Best Breakfast. Their vote total nearly doubled that of the second-place finisher, Casa Nueva, though that’s nothing to get down in the mouth about. Flip that hotcake off the griddle, plop a quarter stick of butter on top of it, give it a shower of syrup, and you’re all set to start your day.

After Casa at second, third place goes to Gigi’s Country Kitchen in The Plains.

Fourth and fifth place, respectively, go to chain restaurants IHOP and Bob Evans.

Best Place to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth

Fluff Bakery

The handful of sugary hideaways in Athens may be some of the city’s best kept secrets (though that’s a conversation for another category). Nearly every year since the Best Place to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth category began, Fluff Bakery & Catering, 8 N. Court St., has come out on top, and this year is no different. A great place for coffee and baked treats of all sorts, with menus for food and adult beverages, as well, Fluff has something for everybody.

In second place this year is Whit's Frozen Custard, also on Court Street, which placed fifth last year. Whit’s is another great place to get coffee or hot cocoa on a day like today and mouth-watering frozen treats in the warmer months – or on a day like today, if you’re into that sort of thing.

Third place goes to Larry’s Dawg House on West Union Street, which came in second place last year.

Insomnia Cookies takes fourth place for a second consecutive year, and Sweet Arts Bakery & Café places fifth, dropping from last year’s third place spot.

Best Local Food/Drink Product Line

Jackie O's

In our new Best Local Food/Drink Product Line category, Jackie O’s wins in a big way.

Jackie O’s sells its yummy craft beer in cans and bottles across the state, but is also known to bring in people from across the country whenever JO’s has one of its bottle releases.

Frog Ranch Foods takes home the second-place spot in this category, famous for its jarred salsas and pickles that are distributed across the country. Meanwhile, Shagbark Seed & Mill – well known in the region for its chips and popcorn, among other things – wins third place.

Little Fish Brewing Company (on Armitage Road in Athens) garners the fourth place spot in this category, followed by Pork & Pickles of Athens.

Best Local Brewery, Distillery or Winery

Jackie O's

In recent years, Jackie O’s has consolidated its status as the biggest craft brewery in Athens County, not only with a large and diverse selection of beer that’s marketed across Ohio but with three distinct venues in Athens – the Public House, Brewpub and Taproom.

So it shouldn’t be surprising that this local success gets parlayed into Best of Athens success in the Best Local Brewery, Distillery or Winery category.

Second place goes to Little Fish Brewing Co. on Armitage Road in Athens, which is becoming increasingly popular as a local drinking, eating and musical destination.

Pleasant Hill Winery, just southeast of Athens, with an attractive setting and tasty food and wine options, places third.

Fourth and fifth place go to the West End Cider House and Devil’s Kettle Brewing, respectively.

Best Coffee House

Donkey Coffee

In this new era of Starbucks in uptown Athens, Donkey Coffee shrugged its shoulders and proceeded to kick ass (Donkey, get it?) in the Best of Athens’ Best Coffee category, drawing well over twice as many votes as its next competitor, second-place Court Street Coffee.

That’s a good sign for Court Street Coffee, being situated as it is about a block from the aforementioned coffee goliath Starbucks.

Third places goes to Brenen’s Coffee Café, also barely a block away from you-know-who.

A ways back in the voting are Town’s End Coffee Bar and Catalyst Café, fourth and fifth place respectively.

Best Late-Night Food

O'Betty's Red Hot!

The Union Street Diner has been knocked off the Best Late Night Food throne by O’Betty’s Red Hot’s fist of fury. Likely chosen for being the one food that can easily be eaten while stumbling back from one of Court Street’s many watering holes, O’Betty’s has made a special place in Athens residents’ hearts – and arteries.

Former reigning champ, Union Street Diner, plays a close second in this year’s fight. Best known for its 24/7 service, USD holds a unique position in comparison with other contenders.

Basically in business forever, Souvlaki’s Mediterranean, O’Betty’s West State Street neighbor, put up a decent effort but ultimately got knocked down by the tough competition at the top of the food chain. The same goes for D.P. Dough on Richland Avenue that earned the title of fourth place and also Big Mamma’s Burritos, which landed in fifth.

Best Outdoor Eating/Drinking Venue

Eclipse Company Store

This is a new category, so we were interested in seeing how the voting would play out. Over the past several years, a number of existing and new establishments have implemented outdoor (al fresco) dining, often with live entertainment.

So in this debut year for Best Outdoor Eating/Drinking Venue, Eclipse Company Store and Craft Beer Hall takes first place. Located in The Plains, in Eclipse Company Town, and hard up against a working railroad line, Eclipse has a large side yard with picnic tables and a covered stage. Live music is usually playing on the weekends during the warm months, making this an ideal spot to dine and drink. This is also a great place to bring the kids.

Second place goes to Little Fish Brewing Co. in northwest Athens, which has a similar set-up to Eclipse – a great beer selection, good food, and an outdoor area with a stage, picnic tables and outdoor toys to occupy the kiddoes.

Jackie O’s Taproom in Athens takes third place, with many of the same attractions as the top two finishers.

Fourth and fifth place go to Pleasant Hill Winery and Courtside Pizza, respectively.

Best Restaurant/Bar

Jackie O's

Jackie O’s usurps Casa Nueva/Cantina to win Best Restaurant/Bar this year. Both are great spots for a meal and beer (or whatever), so viva la competition.

Casa, however, placed a strong second.

Placing third this year is The Pub, with fourth and fifth placers Pigskin Bar & Grille and Stephen’s on Court.

Best Sandwich

Bagel Street Deli

Our top winner in the Best Sandwich category this year has us asking the age-old question, “What is a sandwich?” Form doesn’t really matter, though, as long as it tastes good, and our top vote-getter, Bagel Street Deli, drives that point home with its awesome bagel-wiches.

BSD has won first place in this category for at least the last two years running.

Second place this year goes to Jackie O’s on West Union Street in Athens (which placed third place last year), followed by The Pub restaurant and bar on North Court Street in Athens. They both offer some pretty killer burgers and chicken sandwiches.

Brenen’s Coffee Cafe just barely trails The Pub this year in this category, followed swiftly by Jimmy John’s (located just down the street from Brenen’s in uptown Athens).

Best Pizza

Avalanche Pizza

No drama in this category. Avalanche Pizza wins yet again with an – wait for it – avalanche of votes, double what the second-place pizza joint brought in. Consistently good, creative pizza, with top-shelf ingredients – it’s a simple and dominating recipe for success.

Second place this year goes to Courtside Pizza at the north end of North Court, while that late-night favorite, Goodfellas Pizza, wins third place.

Placing fourth and fifth, respectively, are Plus 1 Pizza and Doctor Pizza.

Best Ethnic Restaurant

Casa Nueva

Coming out of nowhere in the home stretch, Casa Nueva beat out some very difficult competition to snatch first place for Best Ethnic Restaurant this year, prevailing over the next-best finisher by nearly 300 votes. Some might argue that Casa is more free-form and creative than ethnic, strictly speaking, but all we can say is shut your damn mouth. If our readers say it’s ethnic, that’s good enough for us.

Second place goes to Restaurant Salaam, which there’s no doubt about it, offers an atmosphere, ambience and menu that make you feel like you’re someplace halfway around the world with your camel parked out front. Salaam won this category last year and the year before, and maybe the year before that, but without checking (and we don’t have time for that), we really can’t say for sure.

Thai Paradise takes third place for Best Ethnic Restaurant, with Sol Island Bar & Grill and Star of India placing fourth and fifth.

Best Hamburger

Jackie O's

Some things never change, and one of these immutable conditions is the sheer competitiveness of the Best of Athens’ Best Hamburger category. Every year, Jackie O’s Taproom and The Pub fight it out like angry bulls to see who takes home the honors for best burger.

This year, like last year, Jackie O’s edges out The Pub, but the margin between the two is several dozen more than the single vote that separated them in 2018. We expect that these two heavyweight hamburger impresarios will battle it out again next year, too.

Larry’s Dawg House steaks out (ha, ha) third place in this category, as it did last year.

Fourth and fifth place, respectively, go to the Union Street Diner and The Kitchen at Devil’s Kettle.

It will be interesting to see whether next year, with the Steak & Shake now operating on East State Street, this category gets blown open wide.