Toast of Music City Award winners
Where do your neighbors love to shop, eat and play? Who do they turn to for health and professional services? Find out as we reveal the winners in The Tennessean’s eighth annual Toast of Music City Awards, presented by First Tennessee.
More than 200,000 votes were cast in 100-plus categories in these readers’ choice awards. Winners and runners-up were celebrated at a reception Sept. 24 at War Memorial Auditorium.
Whether you’ve just moved here or want to rediscover your hometown, perusing lists compiled by the locals is always a great way to discover new people and places.
Read on to find out who the Top 3 winners are in each category.
FOOD & DRINK
Best Bakery
1. Cupcake Collection
2. Gigi’s Cupcakes
3. HomeStyle Bakery
Best Barbecue
1. Martin’s Bar-B-Que Joint
2. Edley’s Bar-B-Que
3. Bar-B-Cutie
Best Breakfast
1. Fido
2. Cracker Barrel Old Country Store
3. Loveless Cafe
Best Burger
1. Dairy King
2. The Pharmacy Burger Parlor & Beer Garden
3. Burger Republic
Best Chinese
1. Chinatown Restaurant
2. P.F. Chang’s China Bistro
3. Fulin’s Asian Cuisine
Best Coffee Shop
1. Sam and Zoe’s
2. Frothy Monkey
3. Starbucks
Best Food Truck
1. The Cupcake Collection Cupcake Bus
2. The Grilled Cheeserie
3. Blue Monkey Shaved Ice
Best Greek/MiddleEastern
1. Tazikis
2. Athens Family Restaurant
3. Kalamatas
Best Ice Cream
1. Dairy King
2. Blue Monkey Shaved Ice
3. Jeni’s
Best Italian
1. Maggiano’s
2. Coco’s Italian Market
3. Amerigo Restaurant
Best Local Bar
1. Gold Rush
2. Shipwreck Cove at Elm Hill Marina
3. Jonathan’s Grille
Best Local Brewery
1. Yazoo Brewery
2. Blackstone
3. Jackalope Brewing
Company
Best Lunch
1. Dairy King
2. Bar-B-Cutie
3. Arnold’s Country Kitchen
Best Meat-and-Three
1. Dairy King
2. Arnold’s Country Kitchen
3. Monell’s Dining & Catering
Best Mexican
1. Baja Burrito
2. Las Palmas
3. Chuy’s
Best New Bar(after July 2014)
1. Acme Feed & Seed
2. City Winery
3. Sinema
Best New Restaurant (after July 2014)
1. Acme Feed & Seed
2. Chauhan Ale and Masala House
3. City Winery
Best Pizza
1. Jet’s Pizza
2. Five Points Pizza
3. DeSano’s
Best Restaurantin Davidson County
1. Dairy King
2. Ninki
3. Bar-B-Cutie
Best Restaurant inWilliamson County
1. Puckett’s
2. Bar-B-Cutie
3. J. Alexander’s
Best Restaurantin Wilson County
1. Cori’s Doghouse
2. Jonathan’s Grille
3. Demos’ Restaurant
Best Sports Bar
1. Jonathan’s Grille
2. Sam’s Sports Grill
3. Corner Pub
Best Steak
1. Kayne Prime
2. Ruth’s Chris Steak House
3. Stoney River Legendary Steaks
Best Sunday Brunch
1. Gold Rush
2. Monell’s Dining & Catering
3. The Southern
Best Sushi
1. Samurai
2. Virago
3. Peter’s Sushi and Thai
Best Thai
1. The Smiling Elephant
2. Thai Phooket
3. Thai Esane
Best Wine List
1. City Winery
2. Fleming’s Prime Steakhouse & Wine Bar
3. Rumours East
Friendliest Family Dining
1. Loveless Cafe
2. Cracker Barrel
3. Demos’ Restaurant
Acme Feed & Seed draws Nashville downtown
ENTERTAINMENT
Best Art Gallery
1. Frist Center for the Visual Arts
2. Cheekwood
3. Hatch Show Print
Best Comedy Club
1. Zanies Comedy Night Club
2. Nashville Improv Company
3. LOL Nashville
Best Dance Club
1. Wildhorse Saloon
2. Play Dance Bar
3. B.B. King’s Blues Club
Best Entertainment Venue (less than 500)
1. 3rd & Lindsley
2. Bluebird Cafe
3. City Winery
Best Entertainment Venue (more than 500)
1. Ryman Auditorium
2. Bridgestone Arena
3. Schermerhorn Symphony Center
Best Festival
1. CMA Music Festival
2. Bonnaroo
3. Live on the Green Music Festival
Best Golf Course
1. Hermitage Golf Course
2. McCabe Golf Course
3. Gaylord Springs Golf Links
Best Local Actor/Actress
1. Reese Witherspoon
2. Nicole Kidman
3. Charles Esten
Best Local Band
1. Anthony Orio and the Goodfellers
2. Raven Cliff
3. Lady Antebellum
Best Local TheatreCompany
1. Nashville Repertory Theatre
2. Belcourt Theatre
3. Nashville Children’s Theatre
Best Place to Take the Kids
1. Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
2. Adventure Science Center
3. Therapy in a Bin
Best Radio DJ
1. Bobby Bones
2. Wells Adams
3. Woody & Jim at the River 107.5
Ryman Auditorium revered for a reason
RETAIL & PERSONAL SERVICES
Best Antique Shop
1. Gaslamp Antique Mall
2. Antique Archaeology
3. Nashville Pickers
Best Automotive Dealership
1. Two Rivers Ford
2. Newton Nissan
3. Beaman Toyota
Best Carpet Cleaning Service
1. TNT Chem-Dry
2. Taylor Home Solutions
3. ZEROREZ
Best Consignment/Vintage Shopping
1. Treasures Consignment
2. Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee
3. OMG (Old Made Good)
Best Day Spa
1. Advanced Aesthetics Medical Spa at Gold Skin Care Center
2. Escape Day Spa
3. The Woodhouse Day Spa
Best Eyewear
1. New Vision Eyecare
2. Precision Eye Care
3. Visualeyes
Best Florist
1. The White Orchid
2. Rebel Hill Florist
3. Emma’s
Best Grocery Store
1. Publix
2. Kroger
3. Trader Joe’s
Best Gym
1. Cross-Fit Hermitage
2. Lercius Fitness
3. Planet Fitness
Best Hair Salon
1. Lather Nashville
2. Vizions
3. Harlow Salon
Best Home Furnishings
1. Sprintz
2. Bliss
3. TJ Maxx HomeGoods
Best Home Improvement Company
1. American Home Design
2. Lowe’s
3. Design Build Partners
Best Jewelry Store
1. Jerry Lindsey Custom Jewelry
2. Shane Co.
3. King Jewelers
Best Liquor Store
1. Frugal MacDoogal
2. Cool Springs Wine and Spirits
3. Midtown Wine and Spirits
Best Luxury Dealership
1. Mercedes-Benz of Nashville
2. Lexus of Nashville
3. BMW of Nashville
Best Mall/Shopping District
1. The Mall at Green Hills
2. CoolSprings Galleria
3. Opry Mills Mall
Best Massage
1. Elements Massage Brentwood
2. Massage Envy
3. Escape Day Spa
Best Men’s Clothier
1. Levy’s
2. J. Michaels Clothiers
3. Jos A Banks
Best Moving Company
1. College Hunks Hauling Junk & Moving
2. Two Guys and a Truck
3. 6th Man Movers
Best Place to Buy a Mattress
1. Sleep Outfitters
2. Mattress King
3. B.F. Myers Furniture
Best Place to Buy Shoes
1. Marti and Liz
2. Nordstrom
3. Off Broadway
Best Storage Facility
1. Mallory Station Storage
2. StorPlace Franklin
3. A+ Storage of Tennessee, LLC
Best Tattoo Shop
1. Evolutionary Studios
2. Black 13 Tattoo
3. Flash City Tattoo
Best Thrift Store
1. Goodwill Industries of Middle Tennessee
2. Southern Thrift
3. ThriftSmart
Best Tire Shop
1. Bass Tire Company, Inc.
2. Discount Tire
3. Firestone Complete Auto Care
Best Women’sClothing Boutique
1. Stacey Rhodes Boutique
2. Peacock Lane
3. Chico
Goodwill expands reach in Middle Tennessee
PEOPLE & PLACES
Best Apartment Complex
1. Gazebo Apartments
2. The Grove
3. Alara Cool Springs
Best Auction Company
1. Bob Parks Auction Company
2. Coldwell Banker Barnes/Snow & Wall
3. McLemore Auction Company
Best Blog (Local)
1. Holly Stokes, Raventalker.com
2. Grass Fed Girl
3. 365 Things To Do In Nashville
Best Blog (Sports)
1. Penalty Box Radio
2. Mo Patton Sports
3. Outkick The Coverage
Best Blog (Style)
1. Kristie Barnett, The Decorologist
2. StyleBlueprint.com
3. Tina Adams
Best College or University
1. Vanderbilt University
2. Belmont University
3. Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU)
Best Day Trip
1. Chattanooga
2. Fall Creek Falls
3. Pigeon Forge
Best Hotel
1. Omni Hotel
2. Gaylord Opryland Resort & Convention Center
3. Loews Vanderbilt Hotel
Best Local Artist (Visual)
1. Holly Stokes, Raventalker.com
2. Melanie G. Photography
3. Amiee Stubbs Photography
Best Local Celebrity
1. Carrie Underwood
2. Vince Gill
3. Taylor Swift
Best Local Pro Athlete
1. Eddie George (tie)
1. Mike Fisher (tie)
2. Brandt Snedeker
3. Pekka Rinne
Best Local TV Anchor/Reporter
1. Neil Orne
2. Demetria Kalodimos
3. Holly Thompson
Best Nonprofit Organization
1. FLUFF Rescue
2. Cumberland Heights
3. Nashville in Harmony
Best Place to Get Married
1. Belle Meade Plantation
2. Scarritt-Bennett Wightman Chapel
3. Riverwood Mansion
Best Private Education K-12
1. Lighthouse Christian School
2. University School of Nashville
3. Ensworth School
Best Real Estate Agent
1. Kelly Gafford
2. John Thomas
3. Ashley Boykin
Best Real Estate Company
1. Coldwell Banker Barnes/Snow & Wall
2. Parks
3. Reliant Realty
Best Regional Attraction
1. First Tennessee Park
2. Adventure Science Center
3. Nashville Zoo at Grassmere
Best School
1. Bambini Montessori
2. Antioch High School
3. Father Ryan
Best Sports Reporter
1. Justin Bradford — Penalty Box Nashville
2. Rudy Kalis — Channel 4 News (no longer sports)
3. Dawn Davenport
Best Weatherperson
1. Lelan Statom
2. Justin Bruce
3. Paul Heggen
Omni Nashville Hotel supports, promotes Music City
HEALTH & PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Best Audiologist
1. Hearing Services of Nashville
2. Advanced Hearing Solutions
3. Hearing Services of Franklin
Best Car Repair
1. Bass Tire Company
2. Kwik Kar Lube & Tune
3. Firestone Complete Auto Care
Best Chiropractor
1. Active Life Chiropractic & Rehabilitation
2. Action Chiropractic
3. Totty Chiropractic of Mt. Juliet
Best Cosmetic Surgeon
1. Dr. Alexander Nein
2. Dr. Nicholas Sieveking
3. J.J. Wendel Plastic Surgery
Best Dentist
1. Dr. Michael Atchley at Dental Bliss
2. David Roach Family Dentistry
3. Berry Farms Dental
Best Dermatologist
1. Gold Skin Care Center
2. Franklin Dermatology Group
3. Belle Meade Dermatology
Best Financial Institution
1. First Tennessee
2. Cornerstone Financial Credit Union
3. Regions Bank
Best Heating/Cooling
1. Morton Plumbing, Inc.
2. Hiller Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
3. Copeland & Son Air Conditioning and Heating Service, Inc.
Best Homebuilder
1. Ole South
2. Legend Homes
3. Castle Homes
Best Hospital
1. Vanderbilt University Medical Center
2. Saint Thomas Midtown
3. Saint Thomas West Hospital
Best Interior Decorator
1. Gates Interior Design
2. Kristie Barnett, The Decorologist
3. Dana Goodman Interiors
Best Landscaper
1. Color Burst
2. A Greener Way Garden Center and Landscaping
3. Turf Managers LLC
Best Laser Center
1. The Laser & Rejuvenation Center at Gold Skin Care
2. Latour Skin Care Center
3. Sieveking Plastic Surgery
Best LASIK Doctor
1. Loden Vision Centers
2. Vision for Life: Dr. Jeff Horn
3. Cornea Consultants
of Nashville
Best Law Firm
1. Ponce Law
2. Law Firm of Joe Dughman
3. Thompson Burton PLLC
Best Medical Clinic
1. GracePointe Healthcare
2. Vanderbilt Medical Group
3. Heritage Medical Associates
Best Optometrist
1. Don J. Fenn, OD
2. New Vision Eyecare
3. Precision Eye Care
Best Pediatrician
1. Green Hills Pediatric Associates
2. Old Harding Pediatric Associates
3. Children’s Clinic East
Best Pest Control
1. Priority Pest Protection
2. Cook’s Pest Control
3. Ace Exterminating Co., Inc.
Best Plumber
1. Morton Plumbing
2. Hiller Plumbing, Heating & Cooling
3. Don Wood Plumbing
Best Primary Care
1. GracePointe Healthcare PLLC
2. Heritage Medical Associates
3. Vanderbilt Brentwood Primary Care
Best Printer
1. Jive!
2. Moxie Print Market
3. Midtown Printing
Best Retirement Community
1. Rutland Place, A Senior Community
2. Del Webb at Lake Providence
3. McKendree Village
Best Roofer
1. Roof Masters, LLC
2. Don Kennedy Roofing Co. Inc.
3. Bill Ragan Roofing Company, LLC
Best Title Company
1. Signature Title Services
2. Tennessee Title
3. Realty Title & Escrow, Inc.
Best Vein Doctor
1. Siragusa Vein & Laser
2. Vein Guys Nashville
3. Vein Centre
Best Veterinarian
1. Animal House Veterinary Clinic
2. Battleground Hospital for Animals
3. Countryside Animal Hospital