It’s that time of year again folks! The electric city and diamond city BEST OF 2014 Readers’ Poll is here once again.
A tradition that began in the ’90s, this year’s voting tally shattered previous campaigns as thousands of electric city and diamond city readers flooded the web, casting their ballots at a feverish pace.
Voters chose local winners from favorites within nine specific categories: Love and Romance, Eats and Drinks, Goods and Services, Arts and Entertainment, Nightlife, Media, Health and Recreation and Superstars. We also included a short Survey Says category to give you the opportunity to further voice your varied opinions on social issues, local trends, scandals. You sounded off.
For the first time, we featured a number of voting updates each week during the voting process. As usual, we had some very tight races, some blowouts and even a few ties.
Beginning on page 25 of this week’s issue, you can begin to dive into the extensive list of the BEST OF 2014 winners. Each winner is truly a stand-out in their respected category and rose above the rest to claim the bragging rights.
So, you’re a winner. Now what?
Just imagine a room full of winners, rubbing elbows, accepting awards and celebrating all of the good things about making things happen in the 570. That’s exactly what’s going to go down. Keep your eyes peeled for details about our annual (and legendary) BEST OF party — a throw-down like no other — held at Breakers at Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs in January.
As soon as the date is set, we’ll let you know. We look forward to seeing you out-and-about and strutting yourself.
Congrats to all of the BEST OF 2014 winners! Here’s to another year of happiness and success!
BEST ALL AGES VENUE: TWENTYFIVEEIGHT STUDIOS
LOVE & ROMANCE
Best Adult Toy Store Playtime Boutique
Best Flower Shop McCarthy Flowers
Best Hour Rate Hotel Econo Lodge
Best Adult Toy Store Feel Good Limo
Best Place for a Bachelor Party Mulligan’s Sports and Spirits
Best Place for a Bachelorette Party Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
Best Place for a First Date Palazzo 53
Best Place to Buy an Engagement Ring Boccardo Jewelers
Best Place to Buy Lingerie Victoria’s Secret
Best Place to Buy Wedding Gowns Tunis Bridal Shoppe and David’s Bridal
Best Wedding Registry JCPenney
Best Wedding Venue Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel Scranton
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT
Best All Ages Venue TwentyFiveEight Studios
Best Art Venue AFA Gallery
Best Casino Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs
BEST NEW BAR: ALE MARYS
Best Concert Venue Pavilion at Montage
Best Dance Company Dave Ragnacci School of Dance
Best Local Band Name Into the Spin
Best Local Festival La Festa Italiana
Best Movie Theater Cinemark 20 and XD
Best Museum Lackawanna Coal Mine Tour
Best New Event NEPA Bartender’s Ball
Best New Local CD You Don’t Know Jack, Jack Woodbridge
Best Ongoing Cultural Event First Friday Scranton
Best Open Mic Legends Saloon
Best Original Band Zayre Mountain
Best Party Cover Band The Chatter
Best Place to Shoot Pool Idle Hour Lanes
Best Theater Production A Behanding in Spokane
BEST THETER PRODUCTION: A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE
Worst Local Band Name Graces Downfall
EATS & DRINKS
Best Ambiance Palazzo 53
Best Bagels Main Street Bagel,
Best Bakery Lynn Sandy’s Bakery
Best Beer Menu Backyard Ale House
Best Boneless Wings Kelly’s Pub and Eatery
Best Breakfast Mansour’s Market
Best Brunch Carmen’s Restaurant & Wine Bar
Best Cheesesteak Cosmos Cheesesteaks
Best Chinese Restaurant Peach and Lily
Best Chocolate Gertrude Hawk Chocolates
Best Coffee Shop Northern Light Espresso Bar & Café
Best Cup of Coffee Zummo’s Cafe
Best Deli Cara Mia’s Delicatessen
Best Desserts Viewmont Diner
Best Diner The Glider Diner
Best Doughnuts Krispy Kreme
Best Food Truck Southwest Savory Grill
BEST UNIQUE GIFTS: THE STRANGE AND UNUSUAL
Best French Fries McDonald’s
Best Frozen Yogurt Yogo Loco Frozen Yogurt Cafe
Best Hamburger Five Guys Burgers and Fries
Best Hoagie Primo Hoagies
Best Hot Dogs Coney Island Lunch
Best Ice Cream Manning Farm Dairy
Best Italian Food La Trattoria Restaurant
Best Italian Ice Rita’s Italian Ice
Best Japanese Restaurant Blu Wasabi
Best Liquid Lunch State Street Grill
Best Long Lunch Carl Von Luger Steak and Seafood
Best Lunch on a Budget McDonald’ s
Best Lunch on the Go What the Fork
Best Mexican Southwestern Restaurant La Tonalteca
Best New Restaurant JJ McNally’s
Best Patio Dining Morganz Pub and Eatery
Best Pierogies Plumpy’s
Best Place to Eat Organic Eden – A Vegan Cafe
Best Potato Pancakes The Alpine Wurst & Meat House
Best Restaurant Russell’s Restaurant
Best Romantic Restaurant Palazzo 53
Best Round Pizza Pizza by Pappas
BEST LOCAL CD: YOU DON’T KNOW JACK, JACK WOODBRIDGE
Best Salads City Market and Cafe
Best Sandwiches City Market and Cafe
Best Seafood Cooper’s Seafood House
Best Service Doc Magrogan’s Oyster House
Best Soup Cooper’s Seafood House
Best Square Pizza Alfredo’s Pizza Cafe
Best Steakhouse Carl Von Luger Steak and Seafood
Best Stromboli Matarazzo’s Pizza and Subs
Best Sushi Blu Wasabi
Best Thai Restaurant Thai Rak Thai
Best Vegetarian Menu Eden – A Vegan Cafe
Best Wine Menu Doc Magrogan’s Oyster House
Best Wings Kelly’s Pub and Eatery
GOODS & SERVICES
Best Animal Hospital Veterinarian Memorial Veterinary Hospital
Best Barbershop Serge’s Barbershop
Best Bicycle Shop Cedar Bike and Paddle
Best Boutique Well Heeled
Best Car Dealership Dickson City Huyndai
Best Car Wash Johnny’s Car Wash
BEST SKIING: MONTAGE MOUNTAIN
Best Cigar Shop Steamtown Cigar Club
Best Comic Book Store Comics on the Green
Best Day Spa Alexander’s Salon and Spa
Best Dry Cleaner Mercury One- Hour Cleaner
Best Farmers Market Co-Op Farmer’s Market
Best Garden Store Jerry’s For All Season
Best Hair Salon Halo Salon
Best Health Food Store Everything Natural
Best Jewelry Duffy Accessories
Best Local Brewery Susquehanna Brewing Company
Best Massage Sapphire Salon and Spa at Montage
Best Men’s Clothing Store Mens Wearhouse
Best Mom/Pop Grocery Store Sabatelle’s Market
Best Pet Supply Store Pet Supplies Plus
Best Pipe Shop Headdies Pipe & Vape Shop
Best Place to Buy Beer Cadden Brothers
Best Place To Buy Music Joe Nardone’s Gallery of Sound
Best Shoe Store Scranton Running Company
BEST CHEF: GENE PHILBIN, PECULIAR CULINARY CO.
Best Ski Shop Bear Creek Ski Shack
Best Store For Music Equipment Magdon Music
Best Tanning Salon Hollywood Tans
Best Tattoo Parlor Guerrilla Studio Tattooing & Piercing
Best Unique Gifts The Strange and Unusual
Best Vintage Clothing Goodwill
Best Winery Maiolatesi Wine Cellars
Best Women’s Clothing Store Suburban Casuals
NIGHTLIFE
Best Bar in a Restaurant Kildare’s Irish Pub
Best Bar Nobody’s Heard Of The Boathouse (Lake Winola)
Best Bar You Can Smoke In The V-Spot
Best Bike Night Quaker Steak and Lube
Best Cocktails Mert’s
Best College Bar Mulligan’s Sports and Spirits
Best Corner Bar Andy Gavin’s Eatery and Pub
Best Drink Specials POSH at The Scranton Club
BEST VISUAL ARTIST: JFLO ART BY JENNIFER FORGIONE
Best Gay/Lesbian Friendly Bar The 12 Penny Saloon
Best Happy Hour Backyard Ale House
Best Happy Hour Food Tiffany’s Tap & Grill
Best Jukebox The Bog
Best Karaoke Poor Richards Pub
Best Looking Bar Crowd Backyard Ale House
Best Margaritas La Tolteca
Best Martinis Billy B’s Martini Bar and Restaurant
Best New Bar/Club Ale Mary’s
Best Place to Shake It The Woodlands
Best Pub Trivia Andy Gavin’s Eatery and Pub
Best Sports Bar The Penalty Box
Best St. Patrick’s Parade Bar Kildares Irish Pub
Best Strip Club The Grandview
Best Venue to Hear Live Music The V-Spot
Best Young Professionals Bar Backyard Ale House
MEDIA
Best College Radio Station Marywood VMFM 91.7
Best Local Website www.the570.com
Best Morning Radio Show Frankie in the Morning
Best Radio Station FUZZ 92.1
HEALTH & RECREATION
Best Bowling Alley Idle Hour Lanes
Best Gym Health Club Brown’s Gym
Best Pilates Steamtown Pilates
Best Place My Friends Make Me Go Again and Again Thirst T’s Bar & Grill
Best Place to Go Camping Gouldsboro State Park
Best Place to Picnic McDade park
Best Skiing Montage Mountain
Best Trip Just An Hour Away Jim Thorpe, Pennsylvania
Best Yoga Steamtown Hot Yoga
Best Zumba Studio LA Fitness
SUPERTARS
BEST BARTENDERS: BRIAN CRAIG AND JIMMY MCGRATH
Best Bartender Brian Craig and Jimmy McGrath
Best Bouncer RJ (The Bog)
Best Caterer Peculiar Culinary Company
Best Chef Gene Philbin (Peculiar Culinary Company)
Best Dentist Corey Chmil at Century Dental
Best DJ Electric City Entertainment
Best Doctor Dr. Vincent Pollino
Best Local Actor Timothy McDermott
Best Local Actress Simone Daniel
Best Local Author Margo Azzarelli
Best Local Blogger Amye Archer
Best Local Comedian Father Paul
Best Local Dancer Erin Sullivan
Best Local Filmmaker Jordan Loftus
Best Local Radio Personality Frankie Warren
Best Local TV News Personality Scott Schaffer
Best Local Visual Artist JFo Art by Jennifer Forgione
Best Mechanic Steve Patrick
Best Newspaper Reporter Chris Kelly
Best Nip Tuck Dr. Ira Krafchin
Best Pet Groomer Rick Melucci
Best Piercer Woody Wodock
Best Solo Musician Phil Hinton
Best Stylist Maggie Triano, Luna Hair Studio
Best Tattoo Artist Vincent Bonitz, NEPA Tattoo Club
Best Travel Agent Danielle Jones/AAA travel
Best Wedding DJ Electric City Entertainment
Best Wedding Photographer Jim Nichols
Best Wedding Planner Ambiance
Best Wedding Singer/Band Picture Perfect