1. FOOD & DRINK

Best African

Winner: Horn of Africa (364 Rideau)

Honourable mentions: Blue Nile (577 Gladstone), East African Restaurant (376 Rideau), Kasbah Village Moroccan Cuisine (261 Laurier)

Best all-you-can-eat

Winner: Sushi Kan (1440 Merivale)

Honourable mentions: Ceylonta (403 Somerset W.), 1000 Sushi Islands (1696 Carling), Light of India (730 Bank)

Best appetizers/tapas

Winner: The Manx (370 Elgin)

Honourable mentions: Oz Kafé (361 Elgin), Murray Street Restaurant (110 Murray), Zen Kitchen (634 Somerset W.)

Best bakery

Winner: Rideau Bakery (384 Rideau)

Honourable mentions: The Wild Oat Bakery (817 Bank), Art-Is-In Bakery (all locations), Kettlemen’s Bagel (all locations)

Best bistro

Winner: Chez Lucien (137 Murray)

Honourable mentions: Oz Kafé (361 Elgin), The Wellington Gastropub (1325 Wellington), Atomic Rooster (303 Bank)

Best brunch

Winner: The Manx Pub (370 Elgin)

Honourable mentions: Cora’s (all locations), Stoneface Dolly’s (416 Preston), Lieutenant’s Pump (361 Elgin)

Best burger

Winner: The Works (all locations)

Honourable mentions: Chez Lucien (137 Murray), Manx Pub (370 Elgin), Zak’s Diner (14 Byward Market Square)

Best catering

Winner: Thyme & Again (1255 Wellington)

Honourable mentions: Whalesbone (504A Kent), Culinary Conspiracy (541 Rideau), Epicuria (419 Mackay)

Best up-and-coming restaurants

Winner: The Black Cat (428 Preston)

Honourable mentions: Zen Kitchen (634 Somerset W.), Murray Street (110 Murray), Play Food & Wine (1 York)

Best cheap eats

Winner: DiRienzo’s Grocery (111 Beech)

Honourable mentions: Pho Bo Ga (all locations), Ahora (307 Dalhousie), Ikea (2685 Iris)

Best Chinese

Winner: So Good Restaurant (717 Somerset)

Honourable mentions: Shanghai Restaurant (651 Somerset), Mekong (637 Somerset), Golden Palace (2195 Carling), Yangtze Dining Lounge (700 Somerset)

Best chip wagon

Winner: Sasha’s (next to Dominion Tavern, 33 York)

Honourable mentions: The Chip Wagon (Bank/ Sunnyside), The Blooming Onion (York/Dalhousie), S&G Fries (Carling/Maitland)

Best tea/coffee house

Winner: Bridgehead (all locations)

Honourable mentions: Planet Coffee (24 York), Umi Café (610 Somerset), Raw Sugar (692 Somerset W.)

Best cozy nook

Winner: The Manx (370 Elgin)

Honourable mentions: Chez Lucien (137 Murray), Avant-Garde Bar (135 Besserer), Whalesbone (430 Bank)

Best deli

Winner: La Bottega (64 George)

Honourable mentions: DiRienzo’s Grocery (111 Beech), Nicastro’s (all locations), Nate’s Deli (316 Rideau), Luciano’s (106 Preston)

Best dessert

Winner: Oh So Good (25 York)

Honourable mentions: Thyme and Again (1255 Wellington), Three Tarts Bakers (1320 Wellington), Auntie Loo’s Treats (507 Bronson)

Best diner

Winner: Elgin Street Diner (374 Elgin)

Honourable mentions: Zak’s Diner (14 Byward Market Square), Mello’s Diner (290 Dalhousie), Mello’s Diner (290 Dalhousie)

Best farmers’ market

Winner: Byward Market

Honourable mentions: Ottawa Farmers’ Market (Lansdowne), Parkdale Market, Ottawa Organic Farmers’ Market (Bank/Heron), Carp Farmers’ Market

Best French

Winner: Les Fougères Restaurant (783 Route 105, Chelsea)

Honourable mentions: Metropolitan Brasserie (700 Sussex), L’Orée du Bois (15 Kingsmere, Chelsea), Le Tartuffe (133 Notre-Dame-de-l’Île, Gatineau), L’Aubergine (138 Wellington, Gatineau)

Best Greek

Winner: Greek on Wheels (all locations)

Honourable mentions: Greek Souvlaki House (1200 Prince of Wales), Pilos Restaurant (876 Montreal), Dolmades (460 Bronson), Theo’s Greek Taverna (911 Richmond)

Best ice cream/gelato

Winner: Pure Gelato (350 Elgin)

Honourable mentions: Piccolo Grande (all locations), Pasticceria Gelateria Italiana (200 Preston), La Cigale (241 Old Chelsea, Chelsea), Truffle Treasures (all locations)

Best South Asian

Winner: Ceylonta (403 Somerset)

Honourable mentions: Light of India (730 Bank), Haveli (39 Clarence), East India Company (210 Somerset)

Best Italian

Winner: Vittoria Trattoria (35 William)

Honourable mentions: Giovanni’s (362 Preston), Mamma Teresa Ristorante (300 Somerset), Mamma Grazzi’s (25 George)

Best Japanese

Winner: Kinki (41 York)

Honourable mentions: Wasabi (41 Clarence), Genji (175 Lisgar), Sushi 88 (690B Somerset)

Best Korean

Winner: Seoul House (601 Somerset)

Honourable mentions: Joy (315 Somerset), Korea Garden (470 Rideau), Kochu (361 Elgin)

Best Mexican/South American

Winner: Ahora (307 Dalhousie)

Honourable mentions: Mexicali Rosa’s (1800 Bank), Pancho Villa (361 Elgin), Agave Grill (1331 Wellington)

Best Middle Eastern

Winner: Maroush (all locations)

Honourable mentions: Middle East Bakery (all locations), Saffron Restaurant (426 Rideau), Jericho (840 Bank)

Best natural food store

Winner: Herb & Spice (both locations)

Honourable mentions: Rainbow Foods (1487 Richmond), The Wild Oat (817 Bank), Market Organics (126 York)

Best patio

Winner: The Courtyard (The Black Tomato, Mamma Grazzi’s, The Courtyard Restaurant, Social, Helsinki)

Honourable mentions: Dominion Tavern (33 York), Elgin Street Courtyard (The Lieutenant’s Pump/Oz Kafé/Pancho Villa), Pub Italia (434 Preston), The Irish Village (67 Clarence), Murray St. Charcuterie (110 Murray), James St. Pub (390 Bank)

Best pizza

Winner: Colonnade (280 Metcalfe)

Honourable mentions: Gabriel’s (all locations), Pavarazzi’s (443 Somerset W. ), Forno Antico (683 Bronson)

Best poutine

Winner: Elgin Street Diner (374 Elgin)

Honourable mentions: Sasha’s (next to Dominion Tavern, 33 York), The Chip Wagon (Bank/Sunnyside), The Works (all locations), La Pataterie Hulloise (311 St. Joseph, Gatineau)

Best pub

Winner: The Manx Pub (370 Elgin)

Honourable mentions: Chez Lucien (137 Murray), Pub Italia (434 Preston), Irene’s (885 Bank), The Clock Tower Brew Pub (575 Bank)

Best romantic restaurant

Winner: Black Tomato (11 George)

Honourable mentions: Oz Kafé (361 Elgin), Black Cat Bistro (428 Preston), Absinthe (1208 Wellington), Sweetgrass (108 Murray)

Best sandwich

Winner: DiRienzo’s Grocery (111 Beech)

Honourable mentions: La Bottega (64 George), Chez Lucien (137 Murray), Aunt Olive’s (209 Gilmour)

Best seafood

Winner: Whalesbone Oyster House (430 Bank)

Honourable mentions: LaPointe’s (all locations), Pelican Grill (1500 Bank), Merivale Fish Market & Seafood Grill (1480 Merivale)

Best shawarma

Winner: Shawarma King (all locations)

Honourable mentions: Shawarma Palace (464 Rideau), Maroush (380 Elgin), Really Lebanese Garlic King (321 Dalhousie)

Best splurge

Winner: Whalesbone (430 Bank)

Honourable mentions: Beckta (226 Nepean), Murray St. (110 Murray), E18hteen (18 York)

Best sushi

Winner: Kinki (41 York)

Honourable mentions: Genji (175 Lisgar), Wasabi (41 Clarence), Sushi 88 (690B Somerset)

Best take-out

Winner: Greek on Wheels (all locations)

Honourable mentions: Thyme and Again (1255 Wellington), Whalesbone Brown Bag Lunch Fridays (504A Kent), Sushi Go + Tea Express (48 Byward Market Square), The Red Apron (all locations)

Best Thai

Winner: Green Papaya (both locations)

Honourable mentions: Royal Thai (272 Dalhousie), Coriander Thai (282 Kent), Siam Bistro (1268 Wellington)

Best vegetarian

Winner: Green Door (198 Main)

Honourable mentions: The Table (1230 Wellington), Zen Kitchen (634 Somerset W.), So Good (717 Somerset W.)

Best Vietnamese/pho

Winner: Pho Bo Ga (all locations)

Honourable mentions: New Pho Bo Ga La (763 Somerset W.), New Mee Fung (350 Booth), Springroll House Café (1093 Wellington)

Best wings

Winner: The Clock Tower Brew Pub (575 Bank)

Honourable mentions: Local Heroes (all locations), Wild Wings (1263 Donald), Chez Lucien (137 Murray)

Best watering hole

Winner: Dominion Tavern (33 York)

Honourable mentions: The Manx (370 Elgin), The Royal Oak (all locations), The Elmdale Tavern (1084 Wellington W.), James St. Pub (390 Bank)

2. ARTS & CULTURE

Best alternative to a multiplex movie theatre

Winner: Mayfair Theatre

Honourable mentions: ByTowne Cinema, Rainbow Theatre, Café Ex (Club SAW)

Best art gallery (besides the National Gallery of Canada!)

Winner: SAW Gallery (2 Daly)

Honourable mentions: La Petite Mort (306 Cumberland), Ottawa Art Gallery (2 Daly), Cube Gallery (7 Hamilton)

Best dance performance in 2009

Winner: Lift by Propeller Dance

Honourable mentions: 605 Collective @ Hip Hop 360, Grupo Corpo Brazilian Dance Theatre, Dancing Through Cultures @ Canada Dance, Rubberbandance Group

Best festival of 2009

Winner: Bluesfest

Honourable mentions: Fringe Fest, Westfest, Winterlude, O-Town Hoedown

Best film by a local filmmaker in 2009

Winner: Lee Demarbre: Smash Cut

Honourable mentions: Lee Demarbre: Vampiro: Angel, Devil, Hero; Nick Cross & Dave Cooper: King of Magazines; Sandra Chwialkowska: In the Moment

Best film festival of 2009

Winner: Ottawa International Animation Festival

Honourable mentions: Ottawa Film Fest, Silents Is Golden @ Mayfair Theatre, One World Film Fest

Best folk/country album/EP of 2009

Winner: 90 Pounds Of Ugly: Richmond Motel Rooom #3

Honourable mentions: Leif Vollebekk: Inland; Sara Hallman: Likely; The Kingmakers: Tupelo to Memphis

Best live music show of 2009

Winner: KISS @ Bluesfest

Honourable mentions: Leonard Cohen @ NAC, Yeah Yeah Yeahs @ Bluesfest, Girl Talk @ Bluesfest, K’naan @ Bluesfest

Best lounge

Winner: Mercury Lounge (56 Byward)

Honourable mentions: Avant-Garde Bar (135 Besserer), Trio Lounge (307 Richmond), Le Petit Chicago (50 Promenade du Portage, Gatineau)

Best new musical artist/group

Winner: The Balconies

Honourable mentions: StrayOtic, The Girlfriends, Jill Zmud

Best night out

Winner: Rock ‘n’ Roll Pizza Party @ Atomic Rooster

Honourable mentions: Retro ’80s Night @ Barrymore’s, Sunday’s Mod Club @ Babylon, Timekode @ Eri Café or Mercury Lounge

Best place to hear live music

Winner: Black Sheep Inn (Wakefield)

Honourable mentions: Babylon (317 Bank), Zaphod’s (27 York), National Arts Centre (53 Elgin)

Best punk/metal/hard rock band of 2009

Winner: Tokyo Sex Whale

Honourable mentions: Buried Inside, The Creeps, The Sedatives

Best rock/pop/dance/other band of 2009

Winner: The Balconies

Honourable mentions: StrayOtic, White Wires, Andrew Vincent, Giant Hand

Best theatrical performance in 2009

Winner: A Midwinter’s Dream Tale by Company of Fools

Honourable mentions: The Year of the Flood by Margaret Atwood, Noises Off @ The Gladstone, The Girl Who Was Eaten by the Dark by The Ottawa Stilt Union

Best visual arts exhibit of 2009

Winner: Animal House: Works of Art Made by Animals @ SAW Gallery

Honourable mentions: Festival Karsh (citywide), Meghan Haughian @ La Petite Mort, Camouflage @ War Museum

Best work of fiction/non-fiction/poetry by local writer

Winner: Egg on Mao by Denise Chong

Honourable mentions: Noble Gas by David O’Meara, Soft Where by Marcus McCann, When Jupiter’s Aligned With Mars by Bill Brown

3. AROUND TOWN

Best art supplies

Winner: Wallack’s (all locations)

Honourable mentions: The Sassy Bead Company (all locations), Artguise (590 Bank)

Best bar staff

Winner: Manx (370 Elgin)

Honourable mentions: Dominion Tavern (33 York), Zaphod’s (27 York), Chez Lucien (Murray), Lieutenant’s Pump (361 Elgin)

Best beauty salon/spa

Winner: Le Nordik Scandinavian Spa (16 Nordik, Chelsea)

Honourable mentions: York Street Spa (11 York), Le Spa (429 MacLaren)

Best bike shop

Winner: Pecco’s (both locations)

Honourable mentions: Joe Momma’s (216 Pretoria), The Bike Dump (407 Catherine), Bushtuktah (Richmond), Fresh Air Experience (1291 Wellington)

Best bookstore

Winner: Octopus Books (116 Third)

Honourable mentions: Collected Works (1242 Wellington), Nicholas Hoare Bookstore (419 Sussex), The Book Bazaar (417 Bank)

Best comic/gaming store

Winner: The Comic Book Shoppe (both locations)

Honourable mentions: Silver Snail (391 Bank), Fandom II (162 Laurier), Wizard’s Tower (all locations)

Best fun outdoors

Winner: Gatineau Park

Honourable mentions: Drinking and sex in parks (all locations), skating on the Rideau Canal, biking around city, zip-lining at LaFleche

Best furniture store

Winner: Ikea (2685 Iris)

Honourable mentions: Found Design (1090 Bank), EQ3 (60 Byward Market Square), Phillip Van Leeuwen (10 Byward Market Square)

Best independent record/CD store

Winner: End Hits (407 Dalhousie)

Honourable mentions: Compact Music (all locations), Birdman Sound (593 Bank), Vertigo (193 Rideau), Sounds Unlikely (5 Arlington)

Best jewellery store

Winner: Magpie (all locations)

Honourable mentions: Sassy Bead (all locations), Milk (234 Dalhousie), Workshop Boutique (242 Dalhousie)

Best men’s clothing store (not a chain)

Winner: Norml Clothing (41 William)

Honourable mentions: Top of the World (158 Rideau), Milk (234 Dalhousie), Trustfund (493 Sussex)

Best musical instrument store

Winner: Steve’s Music Store (308 Rideau)

Honourable mentions: Spaceman Music (388 Gladstone), Ottawa Folklore Centre (1111 Bank), Long & McQuade (2631 Alta Vista)

Best outdoor store

Winner: Mountain Equipment Co-op (366 Richmond)

Honourable mentions: Bushtukah (203 Richmond), Trailhead (1960 Scott), The Expedition Shoppe (43 York)

Best pool hall

Winner: MacLaren’s (301 Elgin)

Honourable mentions: Dominion Tavern (33 York), Orange Monkey (250 City Centre), Dooly’s (2277 Gladwin), Cue and Cushion (319 Bank)

Best sex/erotica shop

Winner: Venus Envy (320 Lisgar)

Honourable mentions: Adult Fun Superstore (1565 St. Laurent), Classixxx Adult Store (all locations), Aren’t We Naughty? (1531 Merivale)

Best skate shop

Winner: Top of the World (158 Rideau)

Honourable mentions: West 49 (both locations), On Deck (141 Bentley), En Equilibre (140 Gréber, Gatineau)

Best tattoos/piercing

Winner: Planet Ink (306 Rideau)

Honourable mentions: Five Cents (201 Dalhousie), Living Colour (412 Dalhousie), New Moon Tattoo (all locations)

Best video rentals store

Winner: Invisible Cinema (319 Lisgar)

Honourable mentions: Elgin Video (258 Elgin), Blockbuster (all locations), Glebe Video International (2-779 Bank)

Best vintage clothing

Winner: Ragtime (43 Flora)

Honourable mentions: Value Village (all locations), Aunt Olive’s (209 Gilmour), Young Janes (203 Dalhousie)

Best women’s clothing store (not a chain)

Winner: Victoire (238 Dalhousie)

Honourable mentions: Milk (234 Dalhousie), Allegro (55 William), Workshop Boutique (242 Dalhousie)

4. LOCAL LORE

Best local website/blog

Winner: Punk Ottawa

Honourable mentions: Apt 613, Guerrilla, The Ottawa Arts Newsletter, I(heart)music, Dharma Arts, thedinnerjacket.com

Best architectural addition to the city

Winner: National Art Gallery w/ Maman spider sculpture

Honourable mentions: Parliament Buildings, War Museum (1 Vimy Place)

Best architectural eyesore

Winner: Condos everywhere

Honourable mentions: American Embassy, Bank St. construction

Best Ottawa neighbourhood to live in

Winner: Centretown

Honourable mentions: The Glebe, Westboro, Hintonburg

Best new idea for the city

Winner: Citywide light rail

Honourable mentions: Lansdowne Live, bike lanes throughout city, a new mayor

Best radio station

Winner: CBC 91.5

Honourable mentions: CKCU 93.1, Live 88.5, Hot 89.9

Best reason to cheer the city

Winner: The Ottawa Senators

Honourable mentions: Green bin program, Bluesfest, Lansdowne Live

Best reason to jeer the city

Winner: Larry O’Brien

Honourable mentions: Lansdowne Live, arts cuts, winter, local transpo

Best scandal

Winner: Larry O’Brien

Honourable mentions: Lansdowne Live, light rail, OC Transpo strike