Best of Augusta Magazine

by Dan Pearson

DINING        

CHINESE RESTAURANT        
Shangri-La        
Formosa        
Sho Chin's Asian Kitchen        

JAPANESE RESTAURANT        
Miyabi's        
Mikoto's        
Matsusige        

THAI RESTAURANT        
Mai Thai        
Thai Jong        
Thai Kitchen        

MEXICAN RESTAURANT        
Monterrey        
Teresa's        
Vallarta        

INDIAN RESTAURANT        
Bombay Central        
Taj of India        
India Café        

ITALIAN RESTAURANT        
NATIONAL        
Olive Garden        
Carrabba's        
Macaroni Grill        

LOCAL         
Luigi's        
Augustino's        
Giuseppi's        

DOWNTOWN RESTAURANT        
Pizza Joint        
Mellow Mushroom        
Blue Sky Kitchen        

ELEGANT RESTAURANT
Calvert's        
La Maison        
Public House        
Augustino's        

OUTDOOR DINING        
Rhinehart's        
Pizza Joint        
Rae's Coastal Café        

SUNDAY BRUNCH        
Partridge Inn        
Sunrise Grille        
Augustino's        

DOWNHOME COOKING        
Goolsby's        
Café 209        
Fatmans Café        

BREAKFAST        
Sunrise Grille        
Bean Basket        
Whistlestop Café        

NEW RESTAURANT        
Red Robin        
Sticky Fingers
Public House        

RESTAURANT OVERALL        
French Market        
Augustino's        
Rae's Coastal Café        

BEST UNDISCOVERED RESTAURANT        
Villa Europa        
Garlic Clove        
Sheehan's Irish Pub        

BUSINESS LUNCH        
Fatz        
Augustino's        
French Market        

FRIENDLY SERVICE        
French Market        
T-Bonz        
Rae's Coastal Café        

PLACE TO GO WHEN SOMEONE ELSE IS PAYING
Bonefish        
Bistro        
Calvert's        
               
WAITOR/WAITRESS        
Nick MacDonald @ Rae's Coastal Café        
Lenah @ Mellow Mushroom        
Gene Gurley @ Village Deli        

CHEF/CATERER        
Very Vera        
Roux's Gourmet Catering        
Antonie Estroff @ Poppy Seeds        

APPETIZERS        
Bee's Knees        
Bonefish                          
Fatz        

BBQ        
Sconyers        
Jack's BBQ        
Motts        

RIBS        
Sticky Fingers        
Tony Roma's        
Sconyers        

WINGS        
Wild Wings        
Wing Stop        
Somewhere in Augusta        

SEAFOOD        
T's        
Rhinehart's        
Bonefish        

SUSHI        
Tako Sushi        
Miyabi's        
Kinja        

STEAK        
T-Bonz
Augustino's        
Public House        

CATFISH        
T's        
Old McDonald's Fish Camp        
Rhinehart's        
        
FRIED CHICKEN        
Wife Saver        
Maryland Fried Chicken        
Café 209        

SOUP        
Sunshine Bakery        
Atlanta Bread Company        
Panera Bread        

PIZZA        
NATIONAL        
Pizza Hut        
Papa John's        
Dominos        

LOCAL        
Pizza Joint        
Mellow Mushroom        
Yo Pizza        

HOT DOG
Cotton Patch        
Sonic        
Dino's        

BURRITO        
Barbaritos        
Moe's        
Nacho Mamas        

SANDWICH        
Village Deli        
Panera Bread        
Firehouse Subs        

HAMBURGER        
Red Robin        
Gary's        
Village Deli        

BREAD        
Publix        
Little Dutch Bakery        
Panera Bread        

SALAD        
California Dreaming        
Rae's Coastal Café        
Fatz        

DESSERT        
Boll Weevil        
French Market        
Calvert's        

PASTRIES/COOKIES        
Little Dutch Bakery        
Fresh Market Grille        
Very Vera        

SPECIAL OCCASION CAKES        
Publix        
Cake Factory        
Edible Artistry

DOUGHNUTS        
Krispy Kreme        
Dunkin Donuts        

BAGELS        
Panera Bread        
New Moon Café        
Fresh Market        

ICE CREAM/YOGURT        
Brusters        
Coldstone Creamery        
Baskin Robbins        

WINE MERCHANT        
Harvards        
Vineyard Wine Market        
Wine World        

WINE MENU        
Calverts        
Augustino's        
Cadwallenders        

BEER SELECTION/ TAKE HOME        
Harvards        
Fresh Market        
Summerville Ace        

BEER MENU/ DRINK IN        
Pizza Joint        
Stillwater Tap        
Wild Wings        

MARGARITA        
Monterrey's        
Vallarta        
Veracruz        
         
MARTINI        
French Market Grill        
Bonefish        
Modjeska        

ICE TEA        
Wifesaver        
Raisin' Canes        
Sunshine Bakery        

COFFEE        
Starbucks        
PJ's Coffee & Tea Café        
Abbi's Coffee Mill        

DINING        

EXERCISE FACILITY        
Omni           
YMCA           
Health Central           
           
DAY SPA
Tuscany           
John Ric           
Paradise Island           
           
PERSONAL TRAINER           
Demitirus Jones           
Annie @ Health Central           
Tammy Gardner           
           
PLACE TO SWIM           
YMCA           
Aquatic Center           
Clarks Hill           
           
GOLF COURSE/PUBLIC           
Jones Creek           
Bartram Trail           
Forest Hills           
           
GOLF COURSE/PRIVATE           
Champions Retreat           
Augusta Country Club           
West Lake           
           
TENNIS COURTS           
Newman Tennis Center           
Petersburg Raquet Club           
Patriots Park           
           
PLACE TO RIDE A BIKE           
The Canal           
The Greenway
Bartram Trail           

BEST KEPT RECREATIONAL SECRET           
Aquatic Center           
Brookfield Park           
Wildwood Park           
           
PLACE TO EXERCISE ON A RAINY DAY           
Augusta mall           
YMCA           
Omni           
           
 

MISC        

CARWASH        
Top Notch           
Dazzle           
Harveys           
           
BARBER SHOP           
Daniel Village           
Durdens           
Russell's           
           
PUBLIC RESTROOM           
Publix           
The GA Welcome Center Rest Stop           
Marriott Hotel
           
PLACE TO BUY GAS           
Sprint           
Circle K           
BP           
               
LOCAL CHARITY           
Goodwill           
Golden Harvest           
MCG Children's Medical Center           
           
FUNDRAISER           
12 Bands of Christmas           
Junior League Attic Sale           
Relay for Life           
           
CHRISTMAS LIGHT DISPLAY           
Lights of the South           
Downtown           
Hopeland Garden           
           
THING TO HAPPEN TO AUGUSTA           
Deke Copenhaver           
The Masters           
Peace between commissions           

BEST REASON TO LIVE IN COLUMBIA COUNTY           
Schools           
Low Crime           
Richmond County Commissions           
           
BEST REASON TO LIVE IN RICHMOND COUNTY           
Convenience           
Downtown           
Historic Neighborhoods           
           
HISTORIC LANDMARK           
Woodrow Wilson House           
Sacred Heart           
Springfield Baptist           
           
HOT LOCAL ISSUE           
County Commission's Antics           
Greenjacket Stadium           
Growth in Evans           

BUMPER STICKER
I Got Crabs at Island Seafood           
Support Our Troops           
I Love My Wife           
           
LOCAL SECRET           
Barnyard Flea Market           
United House of Prayer
Lucy's Love Shop           
           
           
 

SHOPPING        

MEN'S CLOTHING           
Jos A. Bank           
Dillards           
Board Room           
           
WOMEN'S CLOTHING           
NATIONAL           
Steinmart           
Dillards           
Talbots           

BOUTIQUES
Summerville Rags           
Soho           
The Lane Collection           
           
CHILDREN'S CLOTHING           
Posh Tots           
Baby Banks           
Kid to Kid           
           
PLACE TO BUY SHOES           
Main & Taylor           
Dillards           
Shoe Studio           
           
SUPERMARKET           
Publix           
Kroger           
Walmart           
           
GOURMET GROCERIES           
Fresh Market           
           
SEAFOOD  MARKET           
Island Seafood           
Fresh Market           
BiLo           
           
PRODUCE MARKET           
Saturday Market on Broad           
Fresh Market           
CEE-Gee's Open Air           

ETHNIC MARKET           
Kim's Oriental Market           
           
NURSERY/GARDEN SHOP           
Green Thumb           
Bedford Nursery           
Greenbrier Nursery           
           
BOOKSTORE           
Borders           
Barnes & Noble           
Books a Million           
           
GIFTS           
Cudos           
Swank           
Liza Clays           

PLACES TO SHOP FOR HUSBAND/BOYFRIEND           
Windsor           
Academy           
Rivers & Glenn           
           
PLACE TO SHOP FOR WIFE/GIRLFRIEND           
Windsor           
Victoria's Secret           
Summerville Rags           
           
HOME FURNISHINGS           
Weinberger's           
Ashley Furniture           
Lazy Boy           
           
ANTIQUES           
Mary's Trash & Treasures           
Louise Mulherin's Classic Garde & Antiques
Shops on Broad Street           

FINE JEWELRY           
Windsor           
Jewelers Bench           
Friedmans           
           
CAR ACCESSORIES           
Trucks N More           
Dealer Options           
Autozone           
           
NEW STORE           
Academy Sports           
HH Gregg           
Shanhill Sweets           
           

MEDIA        

LOCAL TV STATION
WJBF (Channel 6)           
WRDW (Channel 12)           
WFXG 54           
           
LOCAL TV PERSONALITY/NEWS
Richard Rogers           
Brad Means           
Jennie Montgomery           
           
LOCAL TV PERSONALITY/SPORTS           
Stan Byrdy           
John Hart           
Chris Kane           
           
LOCAL TV PERSONALITY/WEATHER           
Bob Smith           
George Meyers           
Jeff Rucker           
           
BEST TV HAIR           
Laurie Ott           
Jennie Montgomery           
Brad Means           
           
LOCAL RADIO STATION           
WGAC           
Kicks 99           
WBBQ 104.3           
           
LOCAL TALK RADIO PERSONALITY           
Austin Rhodes           
Harley Drew           
Cleve Walker           
           
LOCAL RADIO DISC JOCKEY           
Harley Drew           
Wrestle Boy Kicks 99           

LOCAL RADIO MORNING SHOW           
Harley Drew/Mary Liz Nolan           
John & Cleve           
           
LOCAL NEWS STORY           
James Brown           
Golf Hall of Fame Close           
Columbia County Growth           
           
LOCAL WRITER/COLUMNIST           
Sylvia Cooper           
Bill Kirby           
Rob Pavey           
           
LOCAL WEBSITE           
augusta.com           

FAVORITE PART OF AUGUSTA MAGAZINE           
Aroundtown           
Home & Garden           
Best of Augusta           
                        
BILLBOARD           
Furys Station           
Addicted? Call Bradford           
           

LEISURE        

BEST TOURIST ATTRACTION           
Augusta Canal
Fort Discovery
The James Brown statue

BEST PRO SPORTS TEAM          
Augusta GreenJackets
Augusta Lynx
Augusta Spartans

BEST ARTS PERFORMANCE            
Augusta Symphony
Augusta Players
3rd place tie: Columbia County Ballet, Augusta Ballet, and Fort Gordon Dinner Theater

BEST FESTIVAL   
Arts in the Heart
Border Bash
A Day in the Country

BEST PLACE TO SPEND A RAINY DAY       
Augusta Mall
Regal Cinemas
Morris Museum of Art

BEST PLACE TO SPEND THE DAY OUTDOORS          
Clarks Hill Lake
Riverwalk
Lock and Dam

BEST PLACE TO WALK DOG
Augusta Canal
Lake Olmstead
Greenway

BEST CHEAP DATE          
Appleby Library Concerts
Putt Putt Golf and Games
Submarine races at Clarks Hill

BEST PLACE TO PROPOSE MARRIAGE          
Riverwalk
Calvert’s
Petersburg Boat tours

BEST PLACE TO BREAK OFF A RELATIONSHIP           
Riverwalk
Modjeska
McDonald’s

ENTERTAINMENT        

BEST VOCALIST/FEMALE         
Tutu Devyne
Tara Scheyer
Erin Eubanks

BEST R&B BAND
Playback The Band
Tony Howard
Preston and Weston

BEST VOCALIST/MALE
Pat Blanchard, Jr.
Jayson Sabo
John Kolbeck

BEST JAZZ BAND
Quiet Storm
Armen Boyajian and Air Apparent
Augusta Jazz Project

BEST COUNTRY BAND
The Jeremy Graham Band
Rhes Reeves and the Coyote Band
Erin Eubanks and the Family Fold

BEST ROCK/ALTERNATIVE BAND
Daddy Grace
Sabo and the Scorchers
Baptized in Broken Glass

BEST BLUE GRASS
Split Rail
Carl Purdy
Erin Eubanks and the Family Fold

BEST CONTEMPORARY CHRISTIAN
Erin Eubanks and the Family Fold
Terri Gibbs
Calude Deuce Music

BEST HIGH SCHOOL BAND
T.W. Josey High School Band
Lucy Laney High
Evans High marching band

BEST PERFORMING ARTIST
Pat Blanchard, Jr.
Carl Purdy
Erin Eubanks

BEST VISUAL ARTIST
Lillie Morris
Lucy Weigle
Jim Gensheer

BEST SINGLES SPOT
Modjeska
Wild Wing Café
The Vue

BEST DANCE SPOT
Modjeska
Last Call
The Vue

BEST LATE NIGHT SPOT
Modjeska
The Vue
Wild Wing Café

BEST BARTENDER
Judy at Fox’s Lair
Pam at Pizza Joint
Brandon at Fatz Café

BEST BAR TO WATCH PEOPLE
Wild Wing Café
Soul Bar
Metro—A Coffeehouse

BEST NEW BAR & NIGHTCLUB
Country Club
Cabana Willy’s
Cock n’Dawg Bar and Grill

BEST PLACE TO BE SEEN
Modjeska
The Vue
Last Call