Best of Madison 2010
The results of our annual readers' poll are in!
Food & Drink
Best Restaurant
Gold: Eno Vino
Silver: The Old Fashioned
Bronze: L’Etoile
Upscale Restaurant
Gold: L’Etoile
Silver: Restaurant Magnus
Bronze: Harvest
Restaurant View
Gold: Paisan’s
Silver: The Edgewater
Bronze: Jovian Taphaus Grill (closed)
Breakfast
Gold: Marigold Kitchen
Silver: Pancake Café
Bronze: Original Pancake House
Brunch
Gold: Nau-Ti-Gal
Silver: Great Dane
Bronze: Sardine
Lunch
Gold: Babe’s (pictured at right)
Silver: Marigold Kitchen
Bronze: The Old Fashioned
* Panera Bread
Outdoor Dining
Gold: Great Dane
Silver: Captain Bill’s
Bronze: Paisan’s
Barbecue/Ribs
Gold: Smoky Jon’s #1 B-B-Q
Silver: Fat Jacks Barbecue
Bronze: The Haze
* Famous Dave’s
Burgers
Gold: Nitty Gritty
Silver: Dotty Dumpling’s Dowry
Bronze: Blue Moon
* Red Robin
Caribbean
Gold: Jolly Bob’s
Silver: Jamerica
Bronze: David’s
Chinese
Gold: Imperial Garden (East)
Gold: Imperial Garden (West)
Silver: Hong Kong Café
Bronze: Chang Jiang
Fish Fry
Gold: Avenue Bar
Silver: Captain Bill’s
Bronze: Quivey’s Grove
Greasy Spoon
Gold: The Curve
Silver: Mickies Dairy Bar
Bronze: Monty’s Blue Plate
Ice Cream/Custard
Gold: Michael's Frozen Custard (pictured above)
Silver: Chocolate Shoppe
Bronze: Babcock Hall Dairy
*Culvers
Indian/Nepalese
Gold: Himal Chuli
Silver: Maharaja
Bronze: Maharani
Irish
Gold: Brocach
Silver: Erin’s Snug
Bronze: Martin O’Grady’s
* Claddagh
Italian
Gold: Lombardino’s
Silver: Tutto Pasta Cucina Italiana
Silver: Tutto Pasta Trattoria
Bronze: Cafe La Bellitalia
* Olive Garden
Japanese/Sushi
Gold: Muramoto
Silver: Takara
Bronze: Wasabi
Laotian/Vietnamese
Gold: Lao-Laan Xang
Silver: Saigon Noodle
Bronze: Vientiane Palace
Mediterranean
Gold: Mediterranean Café
Silver: Bunky’s Café
Bronze: Hüsnu’s
HONORABLE MENTION: The Dardanelles (closed)
Mexican/Southwestern
Gold: Pedro’s
Silver: Laredo’s
Bronze: Eldorado Grill
Middle Eastern
Gold: Hüsnu’s
Silver: Lulu’s
Bronze: Kabul
New Orleans/Cajun
Gold: New Orleans Take-Out
Silver: Liliana’s
Bronze: Louisianne’s Etc.
Pizza
Gold: Glass Nickel Pizza Co. (pictured at right)
Silver: Ian’s Pizza By the Slice
Bronze: Roman Candle Pizza
Seafood
Gold: Captain Bill’s
Silver: Blue Marlin
Bronze: Ocean Grill
Steakhouse
Gold: Tornado Club
Silver: Johnny Delmonico’s
Bronze: Smoky’s Club
Thai/Indonesian
Gold: Sa-Bai Thong
Silver: Bahn Thai
Bronze: Bandung
Bakery
Gold: Lane’s Bakery
Silver: Greenbush Bakery
Bronze: Scott’s Pastry Shoppe
Brew Pub
Gold: Great Dane (pictured at right)
Silver: Ale Asylum
Bronze: Capital Brewery
Craft Brew
Gold: Spotted Cow (New Glarus)
Silver: Hopalicious (Ale Asylum)
Bronze: Island Wheat (Capital Brewery)
Butcher Shop
Gold: Jacobson Brothers
Silver: Ken’s
Bronze: Knoche’s
Chocolate Shop/Candy Shop
Gold: Gail Ambrosius
Silver: Candinas
Bronze: David Bacco
Coffeehouse
Gold: Ancora
Silver: Barriques
Bronze: Michelangelo’s
* Starbucks
Deli
Gold: Fraboni’s
Silver: Ella’s
Bronze: Gino’s
Specialty Foods Store
Gold: Brennan’s Market
Silver: Willy Street Co-op
Bronze: Fromagination
* Trader Joe’s
* Whole Foods Market
Grocery Store
Gold: Woodman's
Silver: Metcalfe's Market
Bronze: Willy Street Co-op
Arts & Entertainment
Arts Group
Gold: Madison Symphony Orchestra
Silver: Experiment Royale
Silver: StageQ
Bronze: Monkey Business Institute
ONLINE EXCLUSIVE: Read our profile on the Monkey Business Institute here!
Arts Venue
Gold: Overture Center
Silver: American Players Theatre
Bronze: Barrymore Theatre
Bed & Breakfast
Gold: Mansion Hill Inn
Silver: Arbor House
Bronze: Oscar H. Hanson House
Celebrity
Gold: Charlie Shortino
Silver: Bo Ryan
Bronze: Steve Stricker
Golf Course
Gold: University Ridge
Silver: Odana Hills
Bronze: Bridges
Hotel
Gold: Madison Concourse Hotel
Silver: The Edgewater
Bronze: Hilton Madison
Monona Terrace
Movie Theater
Gold: Star Cinema
Silver: Sundance Cinema
Bronze: Point Cinema
Radio DJ Team
Gold: Connie and Fish, Z104 (pictured at right)
Silver: John and Tammy, 96.3 Star Country
Bronze: Jonathan and Kitty, 105.5 Triple M
TV Personality
Gold: Charlie Shortino
Silver: Susan Siman
Bronze: Rob Starbuck
Shops & Services
Auto Dealer
Gold: Zimbrick
Silver: Smart Motors
Bronze: Kayser Nissan
Bicycle Shop
Gold: Budget Bicycle Center
Silver: Williamson Bicycle Works
Bronze: Machinery Row Bicycles
* Trek Bicycle Store
Body Shop
Gold: Gates Auto Body
Silver: Zimbrick
Bronze: Ball Body Shop
Bookstore
Gold: University Book Store
Silver: Frugal Muse
Bronze: A Room of One’s Own
* Barnes & Noble
* Borders
Caterer
Gold: Blue Plate
Silver: Cranberry Creek
Bronze: Queen Anne’s
DJ For Hire
Gold: Juke Box Bandstand
Silver: Celebrations
Bronze: Kenny Jay Mobile Party
Dry Cleaner
Gold: Klinke Cleaners
Silver: Lake Mills Cleaners
Bronze: Best Cleaners
Fitness Center
Gold: Princeton Club
Silver: Harbor Athletic Club
Bronze: Capital Fitness
* Anytime Fitness
Florist
Gold: Choles
Silver: Felly’s
Bronze: George’s
Hair Salon
Gold: Studio 924
Silver: Aniu Salon Spa Yoga
Bronze: The Ultimate Spa Salon
Hardware Store
Gold: Ace
Silver: Dorn True Value
Bronze: True Value Co.
* Menards
Jeweler
Gold: TQ Diamonds
Silver: Goodman’s
Bronze: Chalmers
Lawn & Garden
Gold: Bruce Company
Silver: Blair Lawn & Landscape
Bronze: Jung Garden Service
Luxury Vehicle
Gold: Lexus
Silver: BMW
Bronze: Mercedes
Music Store
Gold: Strictly Discs (pictured above)
Silver: Ward-Brodt
Bronze: B-Side Records
* Exclusive Company
Pet Day Care & Boarding
Gold: The Dog Den
Silver: Ruffin’ It Resort
Bronze: Waggin’ Tails Doggie Dude Ranch & PetLodge
Pet Store
Gold: Mounds
Silver: Mad Cat
Bronze: Nutzy Mutz & Crazy Catz
Shoe Store
Gold: Morgan’s
Silver: The Shoe Box
Bronze: Cornblooms
* DSW Shoe Warehouse
Spa & Salon
Gold: Kneaded Relief Day Spa
Silver: The Ultimate Spa Salon
Bronze: La Vie Nails & Spa
Upscale Furniture & Home Accessories
Gold: Rubin’s
Silver: The Century House
Bronze: Di Maggio’s Euro Design
* Steinhafel’s
Veterinarian
Gold: Lakeview
Veterinary Clinic
Silver: Odyssey Veterinary Care
Bronze: Animal Hospital
of Verona
Wine & Spirits
Gold: Steve’s Liquor
Silver: Barriques
Bronze: Woodman’s
Women’s Clothing
Gold: bop
Silver: Woldenberg’s
Bronze: J LaMore
* Kohl’s
* Macy’s
Men’s Clothing
Gold: Jazzman
Silver: Woldenberg’s
Bronze: Context
* Macy’s
* Voters also chose these chains in the Best of Madison Readers’ Poll
Click here for a guide to all of this year's Best of Madison winners!
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