Note: (Second-place winners are in parentheses.)
TIME OUT
Live music club: Milestones (Water Street Music Hall)
Bar: Lux Lounge
(Bug Jar)
Nightclub: Tonic
(Vertex Club)
Gay bar: Muthers
(Nasty D’s)
Townie bar: Johnny’s Irish Pub (Marge’s Lakeside Inn)
Original band: Hi-Risers
(White Hots)
Musician: Gap
Mangione (Chuck Mangione)
Place to shoot pool: Six
Pockets (Lux Lounge)
Place to play darts: Old Toad (Monty’s Krown)
Bowling alley: Clover Lanes (Bowl-A-Roll Lanes)
Drag performer: Darienne Lake (Tie: Aggie Dune and Ambrosia Salad)
Small live theater: Downstairs
Cabaret Theatre (Blackfriars Theater)
Small art gallery: Oxford Gallery (The Elizabeth Gallery)
Movie theater: Little Theatre (Cinema Theater)
Party district: East Avenue and Alexander Street (High Falls)
Happy hour: Lux
Lounge (Johnny’s Irish Pub)
RESTAURANTS
Chinese: Golden
Dynasty (Ming’s)
Indian: India
House (Thali of India)
Italian: Perlo’s
(Mario’s via Abruzzi)
Thai: The King
& I (Mamasan’s)
Middle Eastern: Aladdin’s
(Sinbad’s)
Mexican: Mex
(Maria’s)
Vegetarian: Atomic
Eggplant (Aladdin’s)
Vietnamese: Mamasan’s
(Dac Hoa)
Greek: Mykonos
(Olive Tree)
High-end restaurant: 2
Vine (The Rio Bamba)
Outdoor dining: Jines
(Magnolia’s Deli)
Coffee bar: Java’s
(Spot Coffee)
Bargain: Tie:
Bill Gray’s and Aladdin’s (Tie: Atomic Eggplant and Mark’s Texas Hots)
Deli: Park and
Oxford Cafe (Park Place Deli)
Diner: Highland
Park Diner (Southwedge Diner)
Caribbean: Casava
(LJ’s)
Buffet: China
Buffet (Old Country Buffet)
SPORTS
Venue: Frontier
Field (Blue Cross Arena)
Pro team: Rhinos
(Red Wings)
Golf course: Oak
Hill (Shadow Lake)
Public basketball
courts: Cobbs Hill (Charlotte Beach)
Hiking spot: Letchworth
Park (Mendon Ponds Park)
Fitness club: Rochester
Athletic Club (Mid-Town Athletic Club)
Bike route: Erie
Canal Path (Genesee River)
Tennis courts/clubs: Cobbs
Hill (Mid-Town)
Ice skating: Manhattan
Square Park (Genesee Valley Park)
Sledding: Ellison
Park (Cobbs Hill)
YMCA: Carlson
MetroCenter (Monroe Avenue)
Downhill skiing: Bristol
Mountain (Swain)
Cross-country skiing:
Mendon Ponds Park (Durand Eastman Park)
Mini golf: Whispering
Pines (Adventure Landing)
Skate park: X-Dreams (Parma Skate Park)
PEOPLE
Local writer: Mark
Hare (Scott Pitoniak)
Local artist: Tom
A. Fox (Ramon Santiago)
Bartender: Joe at
Havana Moe’s (Dimitrio at Tapas)
Local DJ: Brother
Wease (Mordecai Lipshutz)
Chef: Tony at Max
of Eastman Place (Meg at Atomic Eggplant)
Politician to banish: Bill Johnson (David Gantt)
Most trustworthy
politician: Louise Slaughter (Bill Johnson)
Most annoying public
person: Bob Lonsberry (Bill Johnson)
PLACES & THINGS
College campus: University of Rochester (Nazareth College)
Festival: Park
Avenue Festival (Corn Hill Festival)
Park: Highland
Park (Ellison Park)
Place to walk the
dog: Ellison Park (Cobbs Hill Park)
Make-out spot: Cobbs
Hill (Durand Eastman Park)
Local point of pride:
George Eastman House (High Falls)
Fishing hole: Irondequoit
Bay (Braddock Bay)
Best construction
project: Fast Ferry Terminal (The Sagamore on East)
Worst construction
project: Lake Avenue (Fast Ferry Terminal)
Regional winery: Casa
Larga (Dr. Konstantin Frank’s Vinifera Wine Cellars)
Biggest public
eyesore: Main Street (Fast Ferry)
Neighborhood: Park
Avenue (Southwedge)
Most improved neighborhood:
Southwedge (Corn Hill)
Public restroom: Wegmans
(Bruegger’s)
Parking: East End
Garage (Eastview Mall)
Worst place for
traffic: Henrietta (Ridge Road)
Best place to take
out-of-town guests: Wegmans (George Eastman House)
STORES & SERVICES
Record/CD store: Record
Archive (Tie: House of Guitars and Lakeshore Record Exchange)
Independent
bookstore: Brownbag Bookshop (Gutenberg Books)
Toy store: KB
Toys (Piccadilly’s Toy Shoppe)
Men’s clothing store:
The Red Barn (Nahum Fine Clothing)
Women’s clothing
store: Silver Lining Apparel (Chico’s)
Shoe store: DSW
Shoe Warehouse (Shoe Concepts)
Jewelry store: Mann’s
Jewelers (Blueground Jewelry)
Grocery: Wegmans
(Tops Markets)
Hardware store: Hunt’s
Hardware (Mayer Paint and Hardware)
Car dealership: Dorschel
Automotive (John Holtz)
Video rental store: Blockbuster
Video (Hollywood Video)
Tattooing service: Love
Hate Tattoo (Physical Graffiti)
Thrift/consignment
store: Goodwill (Volunteers of America)
Home furnishings
store: Value City Furniture (Tie: Houseworks and Pier 1 Imports)
Place to buy an
unusual gift: Parkleigh (Craft Company No. 6)
Most honest auto
repair: East Avenue Auto (Schrader’s Garage)
Cider mill: Schutt’s
Apple Mill (Mayer Bros.)
Barber: Rock’s
Hair Design (Tie: Ernie at Ness Barber and OK Barber Shop)
Hair stylist: World
Hair (Hair Zoo)
Laundromat: Lilac
on Park Avenue (Mr. Fluff)
Florist: Arena’s
(Fioravanti)
Local bank/credit
union: ESL Federal Credit Union (HSBC Bank)
Comic book store: Empire
Comics (Comic Etc.)
Corner store: The
Corner Store (R’s Food Market)
Sporting goods store:
Dick’s (Galyan’s)
Gas station: Delta
Sonic (Hess)
Driving range: Big
Oak (Oak Hill)
Bike shop: Towners
(Park Ave Bike Shop)
Arcade: Chuck E.
Cheese’s (no second-place winner)
FOOD & DRINK
Pizza: Chester
Cab (Tie: Mark’s and Pontillo’s)
Baked goods: Little
Bakery (Savoia Pastry Shoppe)
Bagels: Bruegger’s
(Bagel Bin Cafe)
Burgers: Bill
Gray’s Restaurant (Tom Wahl’s Restaurant)
Sandwich: DiBella’s
(Magnolia’s Deli)
Ice cream: Abbott’s
(Bruster’s)
Sushi: California
Rollin’ (Plum House)
Seafood market: Pittsford
Seafood (Captain Jim’s)
Barbecue: Dinosaur
Bar-B-Que (Sticky Lips Pit BBQ)
Soul food: Unkl
Moe’s (Beale Street Cafe)
Caterer: Lorraine’s
(Tie: Savory Thyme and Plunkett’s Fabulous Food)
Fish fry: Captain
Jim’s (Pittsford Seafood)
Dessert: Phillips
European (Cheesy Eddie’s)
Subs: DiBella’s
(Pellegrino’s)
Wine selection: Century
Discount Liquors (Marketview Liquor)
Wings: Richmond’s
(Jeremiah’s Tavern)
Local beer: Genesee
(Rohrbach)
Beer selection, bar: MacGregor’s
(The Old Toad)
Beer selection,
restaurant: MacGregor’s (The Distillery)
Take-out: Sticky
Lips Pit BBQ (Ming’s)
Kosher: Fox’s
Gourmet Delicatessen Restaurant (Browntein’s Deli and Bakery)
Hot sauce: Dinosaur
Bar-B-Que (Nick Tahou Hots)
MEDIA
Local radio show: Radio
Free Wease (Bob Lonsberry)
Local TV news
anchorperson: Don Alhart (Gabe Dalmath)
Local commercial: Tie:
Lori’s Natural Foods and Mex (Tie: Record Archive and House of Guitars)
Local zine:City (Tie: Freetime and Lake Affect)
Local website: democratandchronicle.com
(2taste.com)
BRIGHT IDEAS
Best development for
Main and Clinton: a casino (housing)
Retail
store/restaurant idea Rochester most needs: IKEA (Tie: Macy’s and
Nordstrom’s)
Best site for a new
Wegmans: Mt. Hope and Elmwood (downtown)
Should we have a
downtown casino? No: 249 (Yes: 181)
Have you ridden the
fast ferry? No: 388 (Yes: 65)
This article appears in Nov 10-16, 2004.
