Author: Memphis Flyer

Within this Best of Memphis issue, you’ll see categories marked “BOM.” That means the winner received an overwhelming majority of votes. Around the Flyer offices, “BOM” is also shorthand for everything Best of Memphis-related. It’s pronounced “bomb,” and over the years, we’ve worked that angle. One year’s theme was a mad scientist building a bomb, and another year, we gave winners handmade, incredibly heavy trophies shaped like those round bombs with the fuse that you see in cartoons.

The bomb-centric Best of Memphis issue got nixed in the weeks following September 11, 2001. (Yes, you could say we dropped the bomb.) That year was additionally notable for the tumultuous arrival of the Grizzlies. In that year’s And the Rest section, we included the category Best New Name for the Grizzlies. Among the suggestions: Tax Burdens, Carpetbaggers, and Temporaries. For the Best Category We Left Out, someone voted for Best NBA Team That the City Doesn’t Want. This year, the Grizzlies — spoiler alert! — won Best Memphis Success, and they won big.

For the 2011 Best of Memphis, we retired some categories (goodbye, Best Cougar Bar, it’s been fun) and added new ones, such as Best Donut Shop and Best Frozen Yogurt. Among the winners, you’ll be seeing some old favorites and new faces that have made their way to the top through good service, good graces, and good social-media-ing.

The Best of Memphis issue was written by Greg Akers, Andrew Caldwell, Chris Davis, Susan Ellis, Michael Finger, Louis Goggans, Chris Herrington, Ashley Johnston, Lindsay Jones, Bianca Phillips, Hannah Sayle, and Bruce VanWyngarden.

FOOD + DRINK

Best Restaurant

1. Restaurant Iris

2. Flight

3. Sweet Grass — tie — Tsunami

Best Chef

1. Kelly English, Restaurant Iris

2. Ben Smith, Tsunami

3. Patrick Reilly, Majestic Grille

Best Romantic Restaurant

1. Restaurant Iris

2. Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House

3. Paulette’s

Chef Kelly English and his luxurious but homey Midtown eatery pull off the hat trick this year with wins for Best Restaurant, Best Chef, and Best Romantic Restaurant. Named one of Food & Wine‘s “Best New Chefs” in 2009 and a James Beard nominee in 2010, the Louisiana native English leads the Memphis restaurant scene in 2011 with his French-Creole creations. Iris’ spin on surf-and-turf — sort of like an oyster po-boy with New York strip replacing the bread — is already the stuff of legend, but staples like English’s bread pudding and delectable trout amandine also help make Restaurant Iris Memphis’ favorite restaurant.

Best Breakfast

1. Brother Juniper’s

2. Blue Plate Cafe

3. Bryant’s Breakfast

Memphians have been packing this homey University of Memphis-area eatery for years. And Brother Juniper’s earns the love with healthy, hearty, inventive takes on breakfast classics, including a tantalizing selection of omelet options (portobello mushroom and roasted pepper, pesto-tomato, their famous open-faced variations), homemade baked goods, and quality coffee.

Best Brunch

1. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant

2. Boscos Squared

3. Beauty Shop

New Orleans meets East Memphis at this opulent, long-standing restaurant, which has built a large, loyal following for its Sunday jazz brunch — served buffet-style, with omelet and waffle stations, salad and seafood, and bananas Foster.

Best Wine List

1. Flight

2. Texas de Brazil

3. Bari Ristorante

After finishing third in this category last year, Flight moves up to the top spot among aficionados of the fermented-grape arts. The showcase beverage gets co-billing with the high-end entrées at this downtown restaurant, which was given the “Award of Excellence” from Wine Spectator last year.

Best Steak

1. Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House

2. Texas de Brazil

3. The Butcher Shop

This East Memphis institution — a locally owned and operated favorite for more than 30 years — offers prime-cut steaks, fresh seafood, an extensive wine list, and the combination of live grand piano music and fried dill pickles in its Cellar lounge.

Best Barbecue

1. Central BBQ

2. Germantown Commissary

3. Bar-B-Q Shop — tie — Corky’s

At both its original location on Central and the larger satellite shop on Summer, Central BBQ masters the ribs and sandwich basics. But perhaps what sets it apart for our cue-crazed readers is the diversity of its offerings — spicy homemade chips with bleu cheese, terrific barbecue nachos, first-rate hot wings, smoked chicken, and so much more.

Best Ribs

1. Charles Vergos’ Rendezvous

2. Central BBQ

3. Corky’s

The Rendezvous has expanded its menu in recent years, adding sandwiches and vegetarian options. But the feature attraction is and always will be those char-grilled, dry-rubbed ribs, the definitive Memphis food with a blend of spices draws on the Vergos family’s Greek roots and amplifies rather than overwhelms the meat.

Best Hot Wings

1. D’Bo’s Wings ‘N More

2. Central BBQ

3. Mr. P’s Buffalo Wings

D’bo’s offers wings in packages ranging from 10 to (you can do it!) 1,000 — and they can make it as hot as you can take it. Or try the mild. Or the spicy lemon-pepper. Or, better yet, with football season upon us, get a bunch of different flavors to go. Nothing goes better with pigskin on TV than hot wings in your hand.

Best Fried Chicken

BOM 1. Gus’s Fried Chicken

2. Jack Pirtle’s Chicken

3. Uncle Lou’s Fried Chicken

With a new East Memphis location and great national press, Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken seems to be taking a “today: Memphis; tomorrow: the world” approach. Most recently, Gus’s was named a finalist for Men’s Health magazine’s “Manliest Southeast Restaurant.” The magazine describes the delectable offerings at Gus’s as “the crispiest, moistest bird the South has ever tasted.” Glad they agree.

Best Cajun/Creole

1. Bayou Bar & Grill

2. Owen Brennan’s Restaurant

3. Pearl’s Oyster House

The Overton Square staple Bayou Bar & Grill can hook you up with all your down-river favorites: po-boys, oysters, shrimp & grits, gumbo, crawfish étouffée, and one of their trademarks: alligator chili.

Best Mediterranean

1. Jim’s Place

2. Casablanca

3. Kwik Chek — tie — Petra Cafe

Jim’s Place has been a Memphis institution for nearly a century. Recently relocated to Poplar and Perkins Ext. in East Memphis, Jim’s Place’s excellent steaks, seafood, and salads still share menu space with Greek dishes rooted in long-standing family recipes — souflima (skewered pork tenderloin), filled phyllo puffs, lamb chops, mousaka, and feta-and-olive-rich salads.

Best Italian

1. Pete & Sam’s

2. Andrew Michael Italian Kitchen

3. Bari Ristorante

Since opening over a half-century ago, little has changed at locally owned and operated Pete & Sam’s … but who would want it to? With its traditional Italian dishes, hand-crafted ravioli, steaks, chops, and chicken, Memphians in the know find themselves returning again and again.

Best Mexican

1. Las Delicias Mexican Bar & Grill

2. Las Tortugas Deli Mexicana

3. El Porton Mexican Restaurant

With a menu full of delicious cheap eats, sporting favorites like their made-to-order guacamole, burritos, and hard-to-beat margaritas, there’s no denying that Las Delicias can keep both appetite and wallet more than happy.

Best Chinese

1. A-Tan

2. Wang’s Mandarin House

3. Formosa

Family-run with both Chinese and Japanese offerings, including hibachi, spicy chicken, sushi, and ribs, A-Tan offers always-delicious specials like their Four Treasures with garlic sauce, which converts casual diners to regulars.

Best Thai

1. Bhan Thai

2. Bangkok Alley

3. Jasmine

Another repeat winner here, and not without good cause. Bhan Thai’s house specialties such as the Thai red snapper and crispy duck as well as their range of curries never fail to satisfy both the spice-veteran and the faint of heart.

Best Vietnamese

1. Pho Saigon

2. Saigon Le

3. Pho Binh

For nearly 20 years, Pho Saigon has never disappointed diners looking for fantastic Vietnamese cuisine. Their shredded pork Banh Mi sandwich, shrimp spring rolls with peanut sauce, and clear noodle soups are just a few of enthusiasts’ favorites.

Best Japanese

1. Sekisui

2. Bluefin

3. Sekisui Pacific Rim

For top-notch sushi and traditional Japanese dishes, look no further. Sekisui’s Red Bird, house cucumber, T-Ruth, and Saints rolls, along with their teriyaki and tempura selections, are always a delight.

Best Indian

1. India Palace

2. Bombay House

3. Golden India

A consistently delicious buffet and menu, including their palak paneer, tandoori chicken, tikka masala, plus a whole fleet of veggie curries, are more than enough to keep India Palace firmly among the best of Memphis.

Best Home Cooking/Soul Food

1. Soul Fish

2. Cupboard

3. Blue Plate Café

It’s simply hard to go wrong at Soul Fish. Their menu — filled to the brim with options like blackened catfish, vegetable plates, a Cuban sandwich, pickled green tomatoes, and hushpuppies — is downright divine.

Best Vegetarian

1. Whole Foods Market

2. Trolley Stop Market

3. Cafe Eclectic — tie — Cupboard

The Whole Foods Market’s extensive (and always deliciously organic) buffet, with offerings ranging from mock crab cakes to roasted veggies to sushi to pizza and a whole lot more, has enough veggie and vegan options to keep the conscience clean.

Best Seafood

1. Bonefish Grill

2. Tsunami

3. Half Shell

Those looking for a romantic (and delicious) night out or just a place to simply enjoy fish-done-right find that in Bonefish Grill. Excellent service? Top-notch wine list? Yep, they’ve got that in spades, too.

Best Pizza

1. Memphis Pizza Cafe

2. Mellow Mushroom — tie — Trolley Stop Market

3. Garibaldi’s Pizza

It’s no surprise that Memphis Pizza Cafe has once again topped this category, and with their Ultimate Cheese, BBQ chicken, and Alternative pizzas, calzones, salads, and local beer on tap, it’s hard to argue.

Best Deli

1. Fino’s From the Hill

2. Bogie’s Delicatessen

3. Kwik Chek

Fino’s may be from the Hill — that famous Italian neighborhood in Saint Louis — but it sure has made a home for itself on the corner of Madison and McLean. The high-quality Italian meats and cheeses, salads, subs, pizzas, soups, desserts, daily specials, and speecy-spicy meatballs make this Italian deli Memphis’ favorite deli overall. That’s amore.

Best Burger

BOM 1. Huey’s

2. Earnestine & Hazel’s

3. The Belmont Grill

Best Lunch

1. Huey’s

2. Trolley Stop Market

3. Central BBQ

Best Service

1. Huey’s

2. Restaurant Iris

3. Folk’s Folly Prime Steak House

Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant

1. Huey’s

2. Kooky Canuck

3. El Porton Mexican Restaurant

Best Late-Night Dining

1. Huey’s

2. Earnestine & Hazel’s

3. Alex’s Tavern

When you’ve been winning “Best Burger” in Memphis for as long as Huey’s, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel, you just keep improving on excellence. Which is why Huey’s periodically adds new variations on their beloved Huey Burger — like the new Sunshine Burger made with crispy bacon, grilled mushrooms, and topped with a fried egg. Suffice it to say, they sell a lot of burgers, and they get them out to you quickly and with a smile, making Huey’s ideal for families and late-nighters alike.

Best Server

1. Tiffany Hill, Memphis Pizza Cafe

2. Jeff Frisby, Restaurant Iris

3. Stephen McBay, Texas de Brazil

She’s only been there for about a year, but Tiffany has cast her spell on the patrons of Memphis Pizza Cafe in Southaven. But a Best of Memphis Server from Southaven? Well, that’s just how charming Tiffany is — word of her good attitude and smiling face has officially crossed state lines.

Best Place for People Watching

1. Flying Saucer

2. Peabody Lobby Bar

3. Mollie Fontaine Lounge

Not only is it situated at one of the busiest corners of downtown Memphis, the Flying Saucer also boasts some of the biggest windows from which to check out the cutest, hippest, and, ahem, most interesting characters that downtown has to offer. Grab a beer from the Saucer’s extensive selection and perch by the window because those hotties aren’t going to scope themselves.

Best Patio

1. Celtic Crossing

2. Boscos Squared

3. Bhan Thai

When you live in the South, having the distinction of best patio in town puts you at the top of the list for bar hoppers and diners alike. Celtic entertains both crowds, with pub grub in the cool afternoon air and draft beer under the stars.

Best Delivery

1. Garibaldi’s Pizza

2. Trolley Stop Market

3. Young Avenue Deli

When it absolutely, positively has to be there tonight, and you’re talking about pizza, Garibaldi’s is Memphis’ number-one choice. With locations in the University of Memphis area, East Memphis, and Germantown, Garibaldi’s is always in a prime location to get you pizza as soon as humanly possible.

Best Bakery

1. Muddy’s Bake Shop

2. La Baguette

3. Gigi’s Cupcakes

Best Dessert

1. Muddy’s Bake Shop

2. Cheesecake Corner

3. YoLo Frozen Yogurt

Muddy’s is on a mission to get fresh, from-scratch, made-with-love cupcakes to Memphians. And they seem to be right on track. With “Lovin’ From the Oven” as their slogan and flavors like Prozac and Kick in the Pants, you can see why Muddy’s is most beloved in this quirky, sassy town.

Best Donut Shop

1. Gibson’s Donuts

2. Howard’s Donuts

3. Krispy Kreme Doughnuts

Who hasn’t sauntered up to the counter at Gibson’s in the wee hours and drooled over the glazed creations behind the glass? With a cold glass of milk and a hot donut under the pink glow of the fluorescent sign, you might find yourself enjoying a little piece of heaven.

Best Frozen Yogurt

1. YoLo Frozen Yogurt

2. TCBY

3. Yogurt Mountain

It’s only been around a little more than a year, but can you imagine Memphis without YoLo? Self-serve frozen yogurt, local and fresh fruit toppings, and a variety of gelatos have elevated what Memphians expect from their favorite frozen-treat shop. And with the way YoLo has taken off in other cities, Best of Memphis could be a jumping-off point for more “city favorite” accolades.

Best Coffeehouse

1. Republic Coffee

2. Otherlands

3. Café Eclectic

Sure, we love that Republic took a run-down spot in Memphis and turned it into an immensely popular coffee shop; that they’ve become one of the premier hangout spots for study groups, small concerts, and business meetings; and that they’ve created a sense of community that can take some places decades to cultivate. But what we really, truly love about Republic? Their seriously stellar brunch menu.

Best New Restaurant (opened since August 2010)

1. Sweet Grass Next Door

2. Three Angels Diner

3. The Elegant Farmer

Sweet Grass is turning into a nice little dynasty of favorite Memphis restaurants. Why, just this time last year, it was the original Sweet Grass that was basking in the glory of being named Memphis’ Best New Restaurant. And the apple hasn’t fallen far from the tree: Chef Ryan Trimm’s offshoot venture, Sweet Grass Next Door, filled the niche of comfortable hangout spot with an epicurean flair, and Memphians gave it the thumbs up.

North Mississippi Allstars

1st place: ”Best Local Band”

Best Local Band

1. North Mississippi Allstars

2. Lucero

3. Star & Micey

Has any band ever been more appropriately named? Luther Dickinson strokes his Gibson ES-175, teasing out Hill Country blues riffs and thrilling solos. Cody Dickinson’s electric woogie washboard solos bring down the house. Chris Chew’s fat-bottomed bass weaves it all together. To borrow a line from Luther and Cody’s dad, the late, great Jim Dickinson, “World boogie is coming.” And these guys are bringing it.

Best Place To See Live Music

1. Minglewood Hall

2. Levitt Shell

3. Hi-Tone Cafe

This place is huge! But it still has the intimate feel of a rock club. That means popular, nationally known music acts can draw the crowd they’d expect from a larger arena show without the sell-out vibes that come from playing a stadium. Besides, if you get tired of listening to the band, you can duck into Minglewood’s hookah lounge or cereal bar.

Best Local Singer

1. Amy LaVere

2. Joyce Cobb

3. Yo Gotti

For a short time, this soulful singer-songwriter moonlighted as the receptionist at the Memphis Flyer‘s office. When her unique Southern twang sounded over the P.A. system, it was almost like we were getting our own private concert. But alas, Amy’s talent has won her national acclaim, and she had to leave us to tour for her latest gem of an album, Stranger Me.

Best Karaoke

1. Windjammer Restaurant & Lounge

2. Yosemite Sam’s

3. Blue Monkey

According to a recent ABC News article, “Picture” by Kid Rock and Sheryl Crow is the number-one most performed karaoke song. So grab a duet partner and head down to the Windjammer, where the loyal karaoke crowd gathers every night of the week to sing their hearts out over cheap pitchers of beer.

Best Hole-in-the-Wall

1. Earnestine & Hazel’s

2. Alex’s Tavern

3. The Cove — tie — P&H Cafe

Best Jukebox

1. Earnestine & Hazel’s

2. Alex’s Tavern

3. Young Avenue Deli

This brothel-turned-dive-joint has all the qualifications for a winning hole-in-the-wall bar: Greasy Soul burgers? Check. Peeling paint? Got it. A fantastic jukebox? It’s there. A pool table? Got that too. Rickety wooden stairs that lead to creepy, dimly lit private rooms? Earnestine & Hazel’s definitely has that one covered. Rumors of a possible haunting? Oh yeah.

Best College Hangout

1. RP Tracks

2. Newby’s

3. Flying Saucer

Perhaps the college kids love this campus-area bar for its famous barbecue tofu nachos. Or maybe it’s the fact that it’s Project Green Fork-certified, which means RP Tracks goes out of its way to recycle and use biodegradable to-go boxes. Or perhaps it has more to do with the policy of discounting shooters every time a train rolls past on the nearby tracks. Probably the latter.

Best Bartender

1. Allan Creasy, Celtic Crossing

2. Brad Pitts, Bari Ristorante

3. Erin Patterson, Blue Monkey

Celtic Crossing’s Allan Creasy is well-loved by the regulars at Midtown’s original Irish pub. “He’s very affable, a nice guy,” says Celtic owner D.J. Naylor, who took Creasy on a trip to Ireland last year. Creasy, an Arsenal fan, is a fave among the soccer crowd that gathers to watch live broadcasts.

Best After-Hours Club

1. Paula & Raiford’s Disco

2. Alex’s Tavern

3. Earnestine & Hazel’s

Best Dance Club

1. Paula & Raiford’s Disco

2. Club 152 Beale

3. Rumba Room

When bartenders are screaming, “You don’t have to go home, but you can’t stay here!” don’t go home. Go to Paula & Raiford’s Disco. Change into your dancin’ shoes because the night has just begun at Memphis’ number-one disco.

Best Pickup Joint

1. Peabody Rooftop

2. Flying Saucer

3. Blue Monkey — tie — Paula & Raiford’s Disco

Rooftop parties: They’re not just for capturing views of the Mississippi. You can also capture your next Ms. (or Mr.) Right. The Peabody’s rooftop parties are teeming with hotties still rockin’ their office wear. So down a few cocktails and work up some liquid courage. Then approach that lady in the business suit and win her over with this sure-fire line: “Are you wearing space pants? Because your ass is out of this world.”

Best Beer Selection

1. Flying Saucer

2. Boscos Squared

3. Young Avenue Deli

The Saucer has the lockdown on this category. And how could they not with more than 240 beers on tap and two locations in the Memphis area? There are amber ales, pale ales, IPAs, stouts, porters, wheat beers, barley wines, bocks, pilsners. You name it, and the Flying Saucer’s got it. Try them all through the Saucer’s U.F.O. Club and get a personalized plate on the wall.

Best Place To Get a Martini

1. Peabody Lobby Bar

2. Beauty Shop

3. Side Street Grill

The dirty martinis served from the bar of this historic downtown hotel are close to perfection. But as an added bonus, at the Peabody’s lobby bar, there’s plenty of opportunity for people watching as tourists the world over check in for their stay in the home of rock-and-roll.

Best Place To Get a Margarita

1. Molly’s La Casita

2. Happy Mexican

3. Cafe Ole

Booze Buddha Jimmy Buffett tells fans seeking the true location of Margaritaville two stories. Sometimes, “It’s anywhere you want it to be.” Sometimes, “You’ll know it when you find it.” Memphians suspect it’s Molly’s La Casita, Midtown’s super-friendly Tex-Mex institution, just up the street from Shangri-La (records). A frozen drink with Mr. Bruce’s Nachos beats a cheeseburger in paradise any day.

Best Happy Hour

1. Bardog Tavern

2. Flying Saucer

3. Boscos Squared

Where else but Bardog can you have a proper absinthe poured over a flaming sugar cube while munching on a sandwich as simply decadent as the Rambo, a grilled New York strip sandwich laced with horseradish and smothered in caramelized onions, peppers, and American cheese?

Best Place

To Shoot Pool

1. Fox & Hound English Tavern

2. Young Avenue Deli

3. RP Billiards

Best Sports Bar

1. Fox & Hound English Tavern

2. Buffalo Wild Wings

3. TJ Mulligan’s

When you just want to crack a rack and have a cold one, almost any beer joint will do. But Memphians who love billiards love the casual vibe and well-kept pay-by-the-hour tables at the Fox & Hound. And with all the big-screen TVs, it’s no wonder people also vote it Best Sports Bar.

Best Gay Bar

1. The Pumping Station

2. Spectrum

3. Dru’s Place

This no-frills joint is famous for its fantastic happy hour and beer busts. And where else but the Pumping Station are you going to see a band called the Glory Holes playing in their underwear?

Best Bar

Readers Choice

Bardog Tavern

The Cove

Flying Saucer

Sweet Grass Next Door

Voting was too close to call in this category. Suffice it to say, when it comes to “Best Bars,” our cups runneth over.

Best New Bar

1. Sweet Grass Next Door

2. Bar None

3. Salty Dog

Sweet Grass Next Door is an ordinary pub, really: dimly lit with some big-screen TV sets on the wall playing sports shows between large pieces of art. But on any given [Mar]Tini Tuesday, you can sip your favorite drink while munching on something spectacular like perfectly steamed mussels, grilled peach salad, or a duck liver mousse.

Pink Palace Museum

1st place: ”Best Museum”

Best Museum

1. Pink Palace Museum

2. Memphis Brooks Museum of Art

3. Dixon Gallery & Gardens

Memphis has some spectacular museums. But the beautiful and popular Pink Palace has a planetarium, an IMAX theater, and a shrunken head.

Best Commercial Gallery

BOM 1. David Lusk Gallery

2. Gallery Fifty Six

3. Fountain Art Gallery — tie — Odessa

Here’s a short list of artists with work available at the David Lusk Gallery: Hamlett Dobbins, Don Estes, Maysey Craddock, Wayne Edge, Greely Myatt, Pinkney Herbert, Anne Siems, Carroll Cloar, Ted Faiers, Mary Sims, William Eggleston, Burton Callicott, Walter Anderson, William Christenberry … we could go on, but you probably get the point.

Best College Gallery

1. Art Museum at the University of Memphis

2. Main Gallery, Memphis College of Art

3. Hyde Gallery, Memphis College of Art Graduate School

In addition to its ever-changing often-fascinating touring exhibitions, the Art Museum at the University of Memphis houses a significant permanent collection of Egyptian antiquities, more than 180 pieces of sub-Saharan African art, flintlock dueling pistols, and two complete suits of Japanese armor.

Best Live Theater

1. The Orpheum

2. Playhouse on the Square

3. Theatre Memphis

The Orpheum is the only Memphis theater that gives people the chance to enjoy Broadway shows without traveling a thousand miles to New York City.

Best Movie Theater

1. Malco Paradiso

2. Studio on the Square

3. IMAX at the Pink Palace

The Malco Paradiso is a state-of-the-art facility that offers all digital presentations, comfortable seating, and a cafe with great food and drink selections.

Best Golf Course

1. Mirimichi

2. The Links at Galloway

3. TPC at Southwind

Two years after its grand opening and earning the label as the first eco-friendly golf course in the country, Mirimichi has been chosen as the Best Golf Course by Flyer readers. The course boasts native landscaping, rainwater irrigation, an 18-hole putting course, and an outside patio used for parties during the summer.

Best Casino

1. Horseshoe Casino

2. Harrah’s Tunica

3. Gold Strike Casino Resort

When Memphians are feeling lucky, they place their bet on Horseshoe Casino. The casino not only has gambling to offer but great steaks, plush rooms, and fantastic entertainment as well.

Best Family Entertainment

BOM 1. Memphis Zoo

2. Memphis Redbirds Game

3. Concerts at the Levitt Shell

If you’re looking for an environment suitable for all ages, look no further than the Memphis Zoo. Families can feed giraffes, check out pandas, or just watch animals relax in a habitat similar to their homes in the wild. The zoo’s cool design, unique atmosphere, and large variety of exhibits make it the number-one attraction for families.

Best Sports Team

1. Memphis Grizzlies

2. Memphis Tigers Men’s Basketball

3. Memphis Redbirds

The Memphis Grizzlies have come a long way. The team was phenomenal this past season, managing to win its first playoff series in franchise history. Hopefully, a championship is soon to follow.

Best Grizzlies Player

1. Zach Randolph

2. Marc Gasol

3. Rudy Gay

Best Local Athlete

1. Zach Randolph, Memphis Grizzlies

2. Rudy Gay, Memphis Grizzlies

3. Joe Jackson, Memphis Tigers Men’s Basketball

It’s a no-brainer why Zach Randolph was awarded Best Grizzlies Player and Best Local Athlete. In the 2010-2011 NBA regular season and playoffs, he displayed the experience, skill, and leadership that played a key role in the Grizzlies’ unprecedented success. Go, Z-Bo!

memphisflyer.com

1st place: ”Best Website”

Best Website

1. memphisflyer.com

2. commercialappeal.com

3. livefrommemphis.com

Thank you!

Best FM Station

1. WEVL-FM 89.9 Volunteer Supported Radio

2. WXMX-FM 98.1 The Max

3. WKNO-FM 91.1 NPR

For more than three decades, WEVL-FM 89.9 Volunteer Supported Radio has given Memphians the chance to volunteer and independently prepare their own shows, playing everything from blues to bluegrass. The station also keeps listeners updated on the latest things happening in the Bible Belt. Why not tune in?

Best AM Station

1. WHBQ-AM 560 Sports 56 — tie — WREC-AM 600 News Radio

2. ESPN 680 AM Sports

3. WDIA-AM 1070 The Heart & Soul of Memphis

It’s a tie. Listeners can check out WREC-AM for the national talk-radio shows, such as Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck, or turn to WHBQ-AM 560 Sports 56 to get info on the Grizzlies or hear play-by-play coverage of Redbirds games. Take your pick.

Best Drive-Time Show

BOM 1. Drake & Zeke in the Morning, 98.1 The Max

2. Conley and Karen, FM 94.1

3. The Gary Parrish Show with Geoff Calkins, 680 AM/92.9 FM ESPN

Best Radio Talk Show

BOM 1. Drake & Zeke in the Morning, 98.1 The Max

2. The Gary Parrish Show with Geoff Calkins, 680 AM/92.9 FM ESPN

3. Ben Ferguson, 98.9 News Talk

Want a good way to get your morning rolling? Just tune in to Drake & Zeke in the Morning. The duo takes on important topics while incorporating humor. To top it off, the show delivers great rock-and-roll to get listeners motivated for their day. No wonder they won both Best Drive-Time Show and Best Radio Talk Show.

Best Radio Personality

1. Drake Hall, 98.1 The Max

2. Ron Olson, FM 100

3. Zeke Logan, 98.1 The Max

Drake Hall has the tools that every radio personality should have, and then some. His knowledge on topics and his humor are what separate him from the pack and make him the city’s Best Radio Personality.

Best Newspaper Columnist

1. Geoff Calkins, The Commercial Appeal

2. Wendi C. Thomas, The Commercial Appeal

3. Michael Donahue, The Commercial Appeal

Commercial Appeal columnist Geoff Calkins wears many hats in the media world. He has a sports column. He co-hosts a radio show. And he can be seen on TV on Sports Files with Geoff Calkins.

Best Sports Radio Show

1. The Gary Parrish Show with Geoff Calkins, 680 AM, 92.9 FM ESPN

2. The Chris Vernon Show, 730 Fox Sports

3. Memphis Sport Live, 560 Sports

When looking for the scoop on local and national sports, tune your dial to The Gary Parrish Show with Geoff Calkins. The duo shares a true passion for the game and that’s conveyed in each episode of the show.

Best TV Weatherperson

BOM 1. Dave Brown, WMC-TV Channel 5

2. Ron Childers, WMC-TV Channel 5

3. Joey Sulipeck, WHBQ-TV Fox 13

If you had the good sense to watch the Memphis Heat documentary, you’d know that Dave Brown got his start on TV as a wrestling announcer — not exactly a profession to engender trust among viewers. But he’s moved far beyond that, and it’s obvious to our readers that when the skies turn dark and the wind starts howling, they turn to Dave Brown for news and even a little comfort.

Best TV Sportscaster

BOM 1. Jarvis Greer, WMC-TV Channel 5

2. Carrie Anderson, WMC-TV Channel 5

3. Glenn Carver, WREG-TV Channel 3

We can’t argue with Jarvis Greer’s appeal, and it goes far beyond anyone who loves sports. Just one example: Not too long ago, a co-worker hinted that what she really wanted for her birthday was Jarvis — gift-wrapped. He wasn’t quite able to comply but he sent an autographed photo, and that simple gift was sweeter than any birthday cake she got that day.

Best TV News Anchor

BOM 1. Joe Birch, WMC-TV Channel 5

2. Claudia Barr, WREG-TV Channel 3

3. Mearl Purvis, WHBQ-TV Fox 13 — tie — Ursula Madden, WMC-TV Channel 5

Consider the name: Joe Birch. Doesn’t it ring with confidence and authority? No matter how dire the news, it’s comforting to hear it from Joe. He’s been named to the number-one spot here for years, and we don’t see him stepping down anytime soon. Plus the fact that he is a genuinely nice guy, who gets involved in so many community activities it makes our heads spin, just makes him all the more deserving.

Best Local Blog

1. I Love Memphis Blog, ilovememphisblog.com

2. Eat Local Memphis, eatlocalmemphis.org

3. Dining with Monkeys, diningwithmonkeys.blogspot.com

Best Twitter

1. @ilovememphis

2. @MemphisFlyer

3. @aa000G9 (Tony Allen)

I Love Memphis’ Kerry Crawford’s got the goods on good noshes, the word on the whereabouts of cool joints, and the skinny on that super-cute neighbor of yours. Embracing Memphis warts and all, Crawford does indeed love Memphis. We have to guess the feeling’s mutual.

The Avenue Carriage Crossing

1st place: ”Best Shopping Mall”

Best Shopping Mall

1. The Avenue Carriage Crossing

2. Wolfchase Galleria

3. Oak Court Mall

Technically, it’s not a mall since it’s not enclosed, but that doesn’t matter to our readers, who enjoy the pleasant, wide-open atmosphere at The Avenue Carriage Crossing — and the selection of more than 70 shops and restaurants — as much as we do.

Best Grocery Store

1. Kroger

2. Fresh Market

3. Whole Foods Market

Kroger actually won this poll long before the Schnucks buyout hit the news, but we doubt it would have changed anything. Step into any one of the newly revamped Krogers, and you realize that “grocery store” can’t possibly do them justice. These are food emporiums, with an astonishing array of anything you could possibly want to eat or drink.

Best Liquor Store

1. Buster’s Liquors

2. Joe’s Wines & Liquors

3. Kirby Liquors

We know friends who don’t even drink, but if they wander into Buster’s with us, they can spend a half-hour there (and more), mesmerized by the immense selection.

Best Department Store

1. Macy’s

2. Target

3. Dillard’s

We’ve had a soft spot in our heart for Macy’s ever since we first watched Miracle on 34th Street. It seemed like a mighty fine store then, and it’s certainly a mighty fine store now, with a delightful selection of merchandise and enough locations so that finding a store isn’t a bother. If only we had a 34th Street here, the picture would be complete.

Best Gift Shop

1. Babcock Gifts

2. Maggie’s Pharm

3. More Than Words

Babcock Gifts offers stationery, bath and body products, baby and wedding gifts, work from local artists and potters, and a whole lot more. Looking for a gift for any occasion? If you can’t find something super-special here, then we can’t help you.

Best Farmers Market

1. Memphis Farmers Market

2. Agricenter Farmers Market

3. Cooper-Young Community Farmers Market

Not long ago, if you wanted absolutely fresh fruits and vegetables, you grew them yourself. Not any more. The locavore movement has spawned a new way of thinking about what — and how — we eat. Every Saturday from April to October, Memphians flock to Central Station, where more than 60 vendors at the Memphis Farmers Market offer fruits, veggies, flowers, soap, and crafts. Comfort food has been given a whole new meaning.

Best Bookstore (New)

1. The Booksellers at Laurelwood

2. Barnes & Noble Booksellers

3. Burke’s Book Store

We were given quite a scare last spring when it looked like our favorite bookstore in East Memphis was closing. Sure, Davis-Kidd Booksellers is no more, but the Booksellers at Laurelwood has the same aura, and, boy, are we relieved.

Best Bookstore (Used)

BOM 1. Burke’s Book Store

2. Tiger Bookstore

3. Book Traders

Corey and Cheryl Mesler do an amazing job maintaining Burke’s presence in our community. Burke’s is a book-lover’s bookstore that’s a bright point within the Cooper-Young district and beyond.

Best Bank

1. First Tennessee Bank

2. Regions

3. Bank of America

With so many easily accessible locations and ATMs around our fair town, it’s plain to see why the Mid-South’s best choice for personal and business banking is rooted in Tennessee.

Best Women’s Clothing Store

1. Crazy Beautiful

2. Indigo

3. Oak Hall

This will make the fifth year in a row that this trendy boutique has taken the coveted Best Women’s Clothing Store prize. Proprietors Erika and Wendi take good care of their ladies with funky, hip, party pieces you can’t find anywhere else.

Best Women’s Shoe Store

1. Joseph

2. Cook & Love

3. Peria

Women love shoes — it’s just a fact of modern life. Joseph’s list of high-end name brands like Valentino, Prada, Miu Miu, Manolo Blahnik, Pedro García, Jimmy Choo, and Gucci make the boutique an absolute favorite for the “well-heeled” fashionista.

Best Men’s Clothing Store

1. Oak Hall

2. James Davis

3. Lansky’s

Best Men’s Shoe Store

1. Oak Hall

2. James Davis

3. Baer’s Den

One of the oldest family-owned stores in the nation since opening downtown in 1859, Oak Hall has a long and esteemed history of outfitting Memphis’ sharp-dressed men from head to toe.

Best Vintage/Secondhand Clothing

1. Flashback

2. Goodwill

3. Salvation Army

Best Antiques Store

1. Flashback

2. Toad Hall

3. Palladio

When you have the cash, there’s no better place in town than Flashback to browse unearthed cultural artifacts. Since 1985, Flashback has offered classy, vintage goods, from clothing and accessories to well-kept and beautifully restored furniture and retro appliances.

Best Home Furnishings

1. Ashley Furniture HomeStore

2. Pottery Barn

3. Stash

Ashley, the top-selling brand in North America for furniture and accessories made to turn a house into a home, is also a Memphis favorite, thanks to their reliable service and quality selection of sets and pieces.

Best Pet Store

1. Hollywood Feed

2. Petco

3. PetSmart

Hollywood Feed’s extremely personable, knowledgeable staff has been growing since the ’50s, when the zoo, pound, and police force were house accounts at the original site on Hollywood Street. The focus turned to pets in the ’80s, and the homegrown business has blossomed into 10 stores.

Best Day Spa

BOM 1. Gould’s

2. Germantown Day Spa

3. Serenity Day Spa

Best Hair Salon

1. Gould’s

2. Dabbles

3. Capelli — tie — Hi Gorgeous

Best Place To Get a Facial

1. Gould’s

2. Germantown Day Spa

3. Mona Spa & Laser Center — tie — Serenity Day Spa

Best Place To Get a Manicure/Pedicure

1. Gould’s

2. Nail Bar on the Island

3. Rose’s Nails

Best Place To Get Waxed

1. Gould’s

2. Hi Gorgeous

3. Serenity Day Spa

Ask any Memphian what’s the best place for salon services, and they’ll resoundingly say Gould’s. Once again, the family-owned operation, in business since 1932, swept our five beauty categories. It’s the go-to place for trustworthy indulgence.

Best Yoga Studio

1. Midtown Yoga

2. Better Bodies Yoga

3. Bikram

The folks at Midtown Yoga ask only that you come with an open mind — and a mostly empty stomach. It wouldn’t be good form to lose your lunch as you stretch toward the great Om.

Best Health/Fitness Club

1. French Riviera

2. YMCA Fogelman (Downtown)

3. Germantown Athletic Club

With locations all around the city, French Riviera has everything for the fitness buff: personal trainers to guide you to your goals, kickboxing and spin classes to get the heart racing, and TVs to ease the tedium of the cardio-machine workout.

Best Fine Jewelry Store

1. Mednikow

2. Las Savell

3. Jack Yacoubian

They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend, but that’s not all you’ll find at Mednikow. The store bills itself as a provider of all the “tools and resources you’ll need to customize love, commitment, and creativity.” Get ready to be dizzied and dazzled by the sheer variety.

Best Tattoo Parlor

1. No Regrets Tattoo Emporium

2. Underground Art

3. Trilogy

From the classic skull-and-crossbones to the extra-elaborate full-back tattoo — if it’s ink you want, the artists at No Regrets have you covered. They do body piercings as well.

Best Smoke Shop

1. Tobacco Corner

2. Madison Avenue Tobacco

3. Oasis Hookah Lounge

For more than 40 years, Tobacco Corner has basked in its status as the Mid-South’s premier smoke shop. As such, it’s attracted a regular bevy of cronies and their cronies, who like to gossip or boast at the Round Table. King Arthur’s got nothing on this place.

Best Alternative Smoke Shop

1. Wizard’s

2. Whatever

3. Young Avenue Glassworks

Smokers have quite a selection of pipes, rolling machines, ashtrays, and more to choose from at Wizard’s. And those looking for unique gifts will most definitely find them here.

Best Dry Cleaner

1. Bensinger’s Fine Cleaners

2. Dryve Cleaners

3. Happy Day Cleaners

With 10 locations citywide, Bensinger’s Fine Cleaners knows something about service with a smile. Free home pickup and delivery is one of the many reasons Flyer readers rated them best dry cleaner in town.

Best Florist

1. Pugh’s

2. Holliday Flowers

3. Garden District

In the market for some make-up roses? If so, this place is a great way to get out of the doghouse, guys. For less than it takes to buy a new shirt, you can be back in her good graces.

Best Garden Center

1. Dan West Garden Center

2. Midtown Nursery

3. Stringer’s

Says online commenter: “I like to think that I have a bit of a green thumb, but these people know what they’re talking about. When I need some ornamental shrubbery, seed, or anything for my garden, I usually hit up Dan West.” ‘Nuf said.

Best Athletic-Goods Store

1. Outdoors Inc.

2. Breakaway Running

3. Fleet Feet

From foot gloves to kayaks, bike gear to hiking equipment, you’re likely to find what you’re after at Outdoors Inc. In business since 1974, the store started as an outgrowth of the interests of paddling enthusiasts Joe Royer and Lawrence Migliara.

Best Bicycle Shop

1. Peddler (Highland)

2. Midtown Bicycle

3. Outdoors Inc.

Dan Lamontagne started the Peddler in 1971 after graduating from Christian Brothers College. The business grew and eventually branched into two locations, the store on Highland and one in Germantown.

Best Record Store (New)

1. Spin Street

2. Goner Records

3. Best Buy

Best Record Store (Used)

1. Spin Street

2. Shangri-La Records

3. Goner Records

Local big-box store Spin Street wins for Best Record Store, new and used. It’s also a great place to buy movies, pop-culture items, clothing, and lots more. Director Craig Brewer even recently held a first-come, first-served ticket giveaway to an early screening of his film Footloose at Spin Street.

Best Music-Equipment Store

1. Amro Music Stores

2. Memphis Drum Shop

3. Guitar Center

For 90 years, Amro has been outfitting musicians and school bands with instruments and sheet music. From rentals to repairs and harps to harmonicas, Amro is the Flyer readers’ choice when they want to make sweet music.

Best New Car Dealer

1. Wolfchase Honda

2. Dobbs Honda

3. Gossett

Offering some of the most popular vehicles on the road, including the Fit, Civic, Accord, and CR-V, Wolfchase Honda just has that new car smell for Best of Memphis readers.

Best Used Car Dealer

1. Carmax

2. City Auto

3. Gossett

We suspect Carmax gets the readers’ nod in the Best Used Car Dealer category not just for the car-buying experience but also for the car-selling one: placing an emphasis on ease and efficiency of the process.

Best Place To Buy A Motorcycle

BOM 1. Bumpus Harley-Davidson

2. Honda-Yamaha of Memphis

3. Southern Thunder — tie — DeSoto Honda

Years ago, visiting a bike shop was hardly a family experience, but stop by Bumpus and you’ll see that times have changed. Even if you don’t walk (or ride) out with a Sportster, it’s hard to resist the displays of Harley-branded merchandise, which include everything from children’s clothing to dog collars, gift cards, and bumper-pool tables.

Memphis Grizzlies

1st place: ”Best Memphis Success of 2011″

Best Memphis Success of 2011

1. Memphis Grizzlies

2. Shelby Farms Greenline

3. A C Wharton — tie — Booker T. Washington High School Graduation Ceremony

What a difference a year makes. Not long ago, our long-beleaguered NBA franchise popped up on the “failure” list. But after a magical playoff run last spring — which included more post-season games in a few weeks than in the previous decade, a first (and second, and third, and …) playoff win, and six quick sellouts — plus a likable group of hard-working players, Memphis finally “believes” in the city’s only major-league sports team.

Best Category We Left Out

1. Best Park

2. Best Nonprofit — tie — Best Politician

3. Best Artist — tie — Best School

Memphis has long had a reputation as a city of natural appeal — even having the oldest beautification commission in the U.S. With green space stretching from Shelby Farms Park in East Memphis to Overton Park in Midtown to Tom Lee Park on the river — and dozens of points here, there, and everywhere — the city offers many locales for folks wanting to get outdoors. Apparently, our readers would like us to put it to a vote.

Best Memphian

1. A C Wharton

2. Fred Smith

3. Josh Pastner

When a mayor is voted the best person in the city by the public, the mayor must be doing something right. (Especially since A C Wharton’s predecessor was a perennial finalist for Best Memphis Failure.)

Best Locally Produced Product

Readers Choice

Barbecue, Ghost River Beer, Music

“Readers Choice” means there is essentially a tie between barbecue, Ghost River Beer, and music for Best Locally Produced Product. Memphians like to eat, drink, and be merry to equal degree.

Best Neighborhood

1. Midtown

2. Cooper-Young

3. Central Gardens — tie — High Point Terrace

As Memphis Flyer writer John Branston co-coined, “Midtown is Memphis.” Midtown contains neighborhood #2 and half of #3 on this list, too. Live, work, and play all in one place, a city within a city.

Best Memphis Failure of 2011

1. Schools Merger Situation

2. The Pyramid/Bass Pro Deals

3. Flood

Remember when Memphis City Schools (MCS) surrendered its charter, forcing a merger with Shelby County Schools (SCS)? But then SCS said, “Nuh-uh.” And then city voters said, “Uh-huh.” And then some lawmakers also said, “Uh-huh,” but others said, “Nuh-uh.” And then a judge said, “Uh-huh, but … .” And then SCS and MCS said, “Uh-huh.” But some suburban municipalities said, “Nuh-uh.” And everyone watching it was like, “Huh?” Remember that? We do too.

Best Sports Radio Callers

A man named Cope and a man named Demarcus are the two best regular callers on Memphis sports radio. Cope is the ultimate in traditional sports-talk listener participation. The Arkansas Razorbacks superfan will call in many times throughout the day, weighing in on his Hogs and related matters. He must have a written schedule of topics, because he doesn’t repeat himself. One call will be about the offensive line, another call about the secondary. Virtually every day he does this.

Demarcus is a regular voice on The Chris Vernon Show. He’s the opposite of Cope: Though there’s sometimes a sports pretense for calling, his bits frequently veer into unprecedented talk-show territory. During the Grizzlies playoff run this year, Demarcus sang refurbed Tom Petty songs to cheer on the team (“Free Fallin'” became “Freakin’ Baller”). Sometimes you can hear Demarcus toking in between monologues.

Love Cope. Love Demarcus. — Greg Akers

Best/Worst “Memphis Beat” Moment

Memphis Beat, the Jason Lee TV show set but not filmed in the Bluff City, is not very good. And what it gets wrong about the city is sometimes unintentionally quite funny. The best/worst example of this in the show’s second season was when a key clue to wrapping up the mystery was the sound of a drawbridge warning in the background of a phone call the Lee character gets. He recognizes the sound as coming from a drawbridge and notes that there are “only two in town.” — GA

Best New Memphis Culture Hero

Memphis has seen far more than its share of cultural color and craziness over the years, but after only one season with the Memphis Grizzlies, Tony Allen has shown signs of being a classic character on par with Sputnik Monroe or Rufus Thomas.

Last September, Allen was a minor free agent the Grizzlies had signed away from the Boston Celtics, expected to be a bit player on a team that had high hopes but had never won anything. A year later, we know Allen as a man who:

• Emerges as a transformative on-court force, beloved teammate, and fan fetish object after beating up a teammate in a minor gambling dispute;

• Turns playing basketball — and, more so, cheering from the bench — into a form of expressive, lunatic performance art;

• Delivers ridiculous, inspirational post-game interviews that evolve into citywide rallying cries (“It’s all heart. Grit. Grind.”);

• Shuts down the NBA’s best scorer (Kevin Durant) to help win a crucial playoff game;

• Live-tweets (via @aa000G9) fender-benders with middle-aged white ladies (“She called her goons. Lol”), channel-surfing confusion, and other moments ripe for his own Curb Your Enthusiasm-style sitcom;

• And generally approaches everything in life with a loopy joie de vivre that reminds us why we enjoy this stuff so much;

Tony Allen is happiness. End the lockout. — Chris Herrington

Best Exploitation of a Non-Disaster

The great flood of May 2011 lured numerous national news organizations to Memphis. Chief among them was ABC News anchor Diane Sawyer, who braved the Mighty Mississippi in waders at the foot of Beale Street, boated around various local creeks with emergency personnel, suggested that poisonous snakes could be invading our homes, told the nation that “all Memphis could do was wait and pray,” and single-handedly killed the tourism business around here for a couple of weeks.

— Bruce VanWyngarden

Best Place for a Meatless Meal

Chicken drumsticks, flank steak, Buffalo wings, and even mahi-mahi grace the massive menu at Imagine Vegan Cafe in the Cooper-Young neighborhood. But no chickens, cows, or fish were harmed in the making of those meals. The all-vegan cafe specializes in meat-free versions of comfort-food classics using only the best vegan meat substitutes on the market. Stick around for dessert, because you won’t miss the milk or eggs in a slice of Imagine’s rich chocolate ganache layer cake. — Bianca Phillips

Best Place To Talk About Best Place for Meatless Meal

Just after the court appearance that freed the West Memphis Three after 18 years in prison, reporters milled about waiting for the subsequent press conference. Within that media scrum, which could be heard over a live stream, a voice stood out. It was Flyer staffer Bianca Phillips waxing rhapsodic about Imagine Vegan Cafe. (See above.) She went on and on and on. So what does Phillips have to say about this oddly timed endorsement? “I was starving,” she says. — Susan Ellis

Best Slice of New York on Union

If you’re a Northeasterner living in Memphis, chances are you’re longing for some authentic pizza. Being a long-ago New Yorker myself, I’ve got just the place. It’s the Little Italy Pizza restaurant on Union at Kimbrough in Midtown. Seating is limited and smoke tends to waft in from the smoke shop next door, but this place will transport you. — Lindsay Jones

Best Big Empty

Not only is it home to this year’s Memphis Flyer Best of Memphis party (sorry, invitees only), this 1.4-million-square-foot building has seen more life in the past year than it has since Sears closed its operations more than 15 years ago. The nonprofit Crosstown Arts helped raise the funds for artist Robin Salant’s “Crosstown Lights” project, in which multiple windows are lit up each night with flashing colored lights. The nonprofit also hopes to someday convert the facility into a community arts center with residential and commercial space. — BP

Best Misinformed “Expert” on National Television

In January, NBC’s Today show did a segment on Memphis’ teen pregnancy problem. It was highlighted by one of the most ignorant statements ever made on network television. Dr. Janet Taylor said that there are no ob/gyn physicians in Shelby County. That’s right, on a national news show, an “expert” was heard to say without contradiction that a major American urban area of nearly a million people had no ob/gyn doctors. That’s New York provincialism of a high order. Not to mention, really stupid. — BV