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Arts and Culture
Best Alt-Country Band
Winner:
Fruition
fruitionband.com
The cream of the crop in a city filled with string bands, Fruition has been delighting crowds with its bluegrass-meets-honky tonk sound for seven years and counting.
Runner-Up:
Richmond Fontaine
richmondfontaine.com
Honorable mention:
Denver
denvertheband.com
Best Comedy Night
Winner:
Open Mic Night @ Helium
1510 SE 9th Ave / 888.643.8669
heliumcomedy.com/portland
Open mic nights can be a mixed bag, but not at Helium, where performers are selected by a random lottery to entertain Portlanders every Tuesday night.
Runner-Up:
Midnight Mass at Funhouse Lounge
2432 SE 11th Ave / 503.841.6734
funhouselounge.com
Honorable mention:
The Lez Stand Up Show
5225 NE Martin Luther King Blvd / 503.477.9477
curiouscomedy.org/events/lez-stand-up
Best Dance Company
Winner
Northwest Dance Project
211 NE 10th Ave. / 503.421.7434
nwdanceproject.org
Northwest Dance Project—which has created over 160 original contemporary ballets since opening doors in 2004—is dedicated to making ballet accessible and affecting for aficionados and beginners alike.
Runner-up:
Oregon Ballet Theatre
818 SE 6th Ave. / 503.227.0977
obt.org
Honorable mention:
BodyVox
1201 NW 17th Ave. / 503.229.0627
bodyvox.com
Best Dance Studio
Winner:
Northwest Dance Project
211 NE 10th Ave. / 503.421.7434
nwdanceproject.org
Northwest Dance Project's new studios in the booming central NE district are spacious, light, and bright—like a gallery where the moving bodies are the art.
Runner-up:
BodyVox
1201 NW 17th Ave. / 503.229.0627
bodyvox.com
Honorable mention:
AWOL Dance Collective
513 NE Schuyler St / 503.351.5182
awoldance.org
Best Hip Hop Artist
Winner:
Cool Nutz
facebook.com/CoolNutz
The Mayor of Portland Hip Hop finally gets his due. His latest release, #BRUH, came out to rave reviews earlier this year.
Runner-up:
Mic Crenshaw
miccrenshaw.com
Honorable mention:
Illmaculate
illmac.com
Best Indie Rock Band
Winner:
Typhoon
wearetyphoon.com
The readers' Best Indie Rock Band is more of an indie rock orchestra with its 12—count 'em TWELVE—members. Typhoon is a marriage of complimentary and contrasting sounds with frontman Kyle Morton's confessional vocals set against orchestral grandiosity.
Runner-up:
And And And
andandand.bandcamp.com
Honorable mention:
Summer Cannibals
summercannibals.bandcamp.com
Best Jazz Artist
Winner:
Esperanza Spalding
esperanzaspalding.com
The bluesy, soulful Portlander holds the distinction of being the first jazz artist to snag the Grammy for Best New Artist.
Runner-up
Mel Brown
www.melbrownjazzcamp.com
Honorable mention:
Blue Cranes
bluecranesmusic.com
Best Live Music Venue
Winner:
Mississippi Studios
3939 N Mississippi Ave / 503.288.3895
mississippistudios.com
Edging Doug Fir by a whisker, the church-turned-music venue prides itself on being built, owned and operated by artists for artists. Oh, and the acoustics are arguably the best in town.
Runner-Up:
Doug Fir Lounge
830 E Burnside St / 503.231.9663
www.dougfirlounge.com
Honorable mention:
Aladdin
3017 SE Milwaukie Ave / 503.234.9694
www.aladdin-theater.com
Best Local Comedian
Winner:
Amy Miller
amymillercomedy.com
Comedian, podcaster, Willamette Week contributor and Dolly Parton aficionado Amy Miller takes home the top prize as funniest Portlander IRL (in real life) and OTI (on the internet).
Runner-up:
Ian Karmel
iankarmel.com
Honorable mention:
Bri Pruett
bripruett.com
Best Local Record Label
Winner:
Kill Rock Stars
killrockstars.com
Founded in 1991, Kill Rock Stars is one of the few female-run record labels in the country. KRS has produced albums for many notable Portland acts, including Elliott Smith and Sleater-Kinney.
Runner-up:
Tender Loving Empire
Multiple Locations.
tenderlovingempire.com
Honorable mention:
Party Damage Records
partydamagerecords.com
Best Music Festival
Winner:
Pickathon
16581 SE Hagen Rd, Happy Valley, OR.
pickathon.com
Portland's rustic—and best—small-scale music festival brings a healthy blend of roots, folk and indie rock out to Pendarvis Farms in Happy Valley every summer. (It has also recently reached an agreement to continue at least 10 more years at this location.)
Runner-up:
MusicFestNW
musicfestnw.com
Honorable mention:
Project Pabst
projectpabst.com
Best New Year's Eve Event
Winner:
Portland Art Museum
1219 SW Park Ave. / 503.226.2811
portlandartmuseum.org
At one of the Portland most elegant venues, the Portland Art Museum's Inspire Truth aims to be a more transformational experience than the usual drunk and debaucherous New Year's Eve—though rest assured, there will still be plenty of both.
Runner-up
80s Video Dance Attack
videodanceattack.com
Honorable mention:
Curious Comedy Theater's New Year's Eve Extravaganza
5225 NE Martin Luther King Blvd / 503.477.9477 curiouscomedy.org
Best Outdoor
Music Venue
Winner:
McMenamins Edgefield
2126 SW Halsey St. / 503.669.8610
mcmenamins.com/54-edgefield-home
Music country meets flavor country to form one of Portland's finest day trips at McMenamins historic 74-acre farm-turned-concert venue-gastropub-and-hotel.
Runner-up:
Cathedral Park
N Edison St and Pittsburg Ave
Honorable mention
Oregon Zoo
4001 SW Canyon Rd / 503.226.1561
oregonzoo.org
Best Place to Buy Art
Winner:
Portland Saturday Market
Governor Tom McCall Waterfront Park, 2 SW Naito Pkwy / 503.241.4188
portlandsaturdaymarket.com
This Portland institution is the premier spot to pick up wood carvings, toys, goblin masks, juggling sticks and other artsy errata every Saturday and Sunday from late February through Christmastime.
Runner-up:
Crafty Wonderland
craftywonderland.com
Honorable mention:
Last Thursday
1476 NE Alberta St.
lastthursdayonalberta.com
Best Place to See Free Music
Winner:
Laurelthirst Public House
2958 NE Glisan / 503.232.1504
laurelthirst.com
Between its impressive daily live music offerings, 18 tap handles and varied clientele, this eastside watering hole is far more than just a punny name.
Runner-up:
Rontoms
600 E Burnside St. / 503.236.4536
Honorable mention:
Music Millennium
3158 E Burnside St / 503.862.8826
musicmillenium.com
Best Place to See Theater
Winner:
Portland Center Stage
128 NW Eleventh Ave. / 503.445.3700
pcs.org
Founded as the northern sibling of Oregon Shakespeare Festival in 1988, PCS takes the center stage for this reader ranking of Portland theater venues.
Runner-up:
Keller Auditorium
222 SW Clay St / 503.248.4335
portland5.com/keller-auditorium
Honorable mention
Artists Repertory Theatre
1515 SW Morrison St. / 503.241.1278
artistsrep.org
Best Recording
Studio
Winner:
Jackpot Recording
2420 SE 50th Ave. / 503.239.5389
jackpotrecording.com
Jackpot!, where the likes of the Decemberists, Elliott Smith, Sleater-Kinney and Sonic Youth (among many others) have recorded, was founded by local legend/recording engineer and Tape Op magazine head honcho Larry 'Lars' Crane.
Runner-up:
Haywire Recording
SE Powell Blvd / 503.775.7795
haywirerecording.com
Honorable mention:
The Rock 'n' Roll B&B
Sauvie Island / 971.275.6795
facebook.com/RocknRollbnb
Best Rock/Metal Band
Winner:
Red Fang
redfang.net
"Sludgefeast," "pseudo-Cthulu," "Viking mammoths," and "sharpened meat hook," are but a few of the phrases Willamette Week has used to describe the readers' choice for Best Metal Band.
Runner-up:
Gaytheist
gaytheist.net
Honorable mention:
Black Pussy
facebook.com/lessinfomoremojo
Best Spoken Word/Storyteller
Winner:
B. Frayn Masters
backfencepdx.com
This Angeleno brought some stories with her to Portland. Now she hosts and produces Back Fence PDX to bring local storytellers to the stage in packed houses. The only rules: No lies, no notes and no memorization.
Runner-up:
Kevin Sampsell
kevinsampsell.com
Honorable mention:
Elliott Resnick
Best Visual Artist
Winner:
Mona Superhero
monasuperhero.com
An artist who works exclusively in the field of duct tape, Mona Superhero's work has popped up in many places, including a cover of Willamette Week last fall.
Runner-up
Sienna Morris
fleetingstates.com
Honorable mention:
Annie Murphy
ghostcatcomics.blogspot.com
Local Businesses and Services
Best Animal Rescue
Winner:
Oregon Humane Society
1067 NE Columbia Blvd. / 503.285.7722
oregonhumane.org
"End Petlessness" is the rallying cry of this nonprofit that helps 11,000 pets each and every year. One of BOP's top 3 overall vote-getters.
Runner Up:
Pixie Project
510 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. / 503.542.3432
pixieproject.org
Honorable Mention:
CAT
14175 SW Galbreath Dr, Sherwood, Ore. / 503.925.8903
catadoptionteam.org
Best Auto Repair
Winner:
Hawthorne Auto Clinic
4307 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.234.2119
hawthorneauto.com
An auto shop that guarantees same day service for most car troubles, will give you Trimet passes for those hours when you are car-less and will comment on your Yelp review of the shop, whether you want it to or not.
Runner Up:
Tom Dwyer Automotive
530 SE Tenino St. / 503.230.2300
tomdwyer.com
Honorable Mention:
Green Drop Garage
1417 SE 9th Ave. / 503.236.7767
greendropgarage.com
Best Bank/Credit Union
Winner:
OnPoint Community Credit
Multiple locations.
onpointcu.com
What began as the Portland Teachers Credit Union over 80 years ago is now the largest community-owned financial institution in the state.
Runner Up:
Umpqua
Multiple locations.
umpquabank.com
Honorable Mention:
Advantis
Multiple locations.
advantiscu.org
Best Bookstore
Winner:
Powell's City of Books
1005 W Burnside St. / 503.228.4651
powells.com
The largest independent new and used bookstore in the world is both a tourist destination and a hub for locals. Whether you're looking for a bestseller or an out-of-print Forgotten Realms novel, odds are you'll find it here.
Runner Up:
Annie Bloom's
7834 SW Capitol Hwy. / 503.246.0053
annieblooms.com
Honorable Mention:
Reading Frenzy
3628 N Mississippi Ave. / 971.271.8044
readingfrenzy.com
Best Bottle Shop
Winner:
Belmont Station
4500 SE Stark St. / 503.232.8538
belmont-station.com
1,200+ bottles of beer on the wall. 1,200+ bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around and 1,200+ bottles of beer left on the wall. (Also over 20 beers on tap.)
Runner Up:
Beermongers
1125 SE Division St. / 503.234.6012
thebeermongers.com
Honorable Mention:
Imperial Taproom & Bottleshop
3090 SE Division St. / 971.302.6899
imperialbottleshop.com
Best CD/Record Store
Winner:
Music Millennium
3158 E Burnside St. / 503.231.8926
musicmillennium.com
Portland's oldest, most storied and per WW readers, best record store is looking to add a bar and cafe for shoppers looking for rare finds amidst its vast collection of vinyl.
Runner Up:
Everyday Music
Multiple locations.
everydaymusic.com
Honorable Mention:
Mississippi Records
5202 N Albina Ave. / 503.282.2990
Best Chocolatier
Winner:
Moonstruck Chocolate
Multiple locations.
moonstruckchocolate.com
Founded in 1993, Moonstruck is a chocolatier dedicated to making fine, handcrafted chocolate with locally sourced ingredients. By which we mean, they make chocolate with Oregon liquor.
Runner Up:
Alma
140 NE 28th Ave. / 503.517.0262
almachocolate.com
Honorable Mention:
Missionary Chocolates
2712 NE Glisan St. / 503.206.8439
issionarychocolates.com
Best Clothing Re-Sale Store
Winner:
Buffalo Exchange
Multiple locations.
buffaloexchange.com
Sure, Buffalo Exchange is a national chain, but its goods are locally sourced and it usually has some quirky t-shirts and good finds for the dedicated vintage shopper.
Runner Up:
Goodwill
Multiple locations.
meetgoodwill.org
Honorable Mention:
Rerun
707 NE Fremont St. / 503.517.3786
portlandrerun.com
Best Doggie Daycare
Winner:
Virginia Woof
1520 W Burnside St. / 503.224.5455
virginiawoof.com
Virginia Woof, Portland's punniest doggie daycare, accepts applications from only the finest, most upstanding, vaccinated, spayed or neutered canines in the city.
Runner Up:
Sniff Dog Hotel
1828 NW Raleigh St. / 503.208.2366
sniffdoghotel.com
Honorable Mention:
Lexi Dog
Multiple locations.
lexidog.com
Best Eyeglass Shop
Winner:
Eyes On Broadway
2300 NE Broadway St, Portland, OR 97232
(503) 284-2300
eyesonbroadway.com
Eyes on Broadway separates itself from the pack with comprehensive eye care six days a week. Plus, they're really friendly and have a long history of giving back to the community via support for non-profits.
Runner Up:
Myoptic
Multipe locations.
pdxeyes.com
Honorable Mention
Blink
2719 SE 21st Ave. / 503.546.2565
blinkpdx.com
Best Ethnic Market
Winner:
Uwajimaya
10500 SW Beaverton Hullsday Hwy / 503.643.4512
uwajimaya.com
Much like Fubonn, its larger cousin in SE, Uwajimaya is an Asian foods mega market. Row upon row of pho fixings, various chili pastes, Japanese candies, fresh seafood and produce, beer and sake make for a colorful, whirlwind shopping experience.
Runner Up:
Fubonn
2850 SE 82nd Ave. / 503.517.8899
fubonn.com
Honorable Mention:
Barbur World Foods
9845 SW Barbur Blvd. / 503.244.0670
worldfoodsportland.com
Best Flower Shop
Winner:
Sammy's Flowers
2280 NW Glisan St. / 503.222.9759
sammysflowers.com
Sammy's has been brightening the city's days, adding vibrancy to its weddings, and helping Portlanders get laid with its wide selection and same-day flower delivery for over 20 years.
Runner Up:
New Seasons Market
Multiple locations.
newseasonsmarket.com
Honorable Mention:
Solabee
902 SW Morrison St. / 503.307.2758
solabeeflowers.com
Best Farmers Market
Winner:
PSU Farmers Market
SW Park & Montgomery
portlandfarmersmarket.org/our-markets/psu/
It seems only fitting that the state's largest urban college plays host to a bustling farmer's market. Grab a hot italian sausage from Salumeria di Carlo and wander about these packed park blocks.
Runner Up:
Hollywood Farmers Market
4420 NE Hancock St. / 503.709.7403
hollywoodfarmersmarket.org
Honorable Mention:
Woodstock Farmers Market
4600 SE Woodstock Blvd. / 503.771.6731
woodstockmarketpdx.com
Best Frame Shop
Winner
I've Been Framed
Multiple locations.
ivebeenframedpdx.com
Bob Brisack was not an artist when he created what is now I've Been Framed decades ago. He still isn't—and his son Rob runs the store now—but that didn't stop him from making one of the city's more diverse selections of frames and art supplies, both salvaged and new.
Runner Up:
Beard's Framing
Multiple locations.
beards.com
Honorable Mention
Luke's Frame Shop
2707 SE Belmont St. / 503.845.6090
lukesframeshop.com
Best Furniture Store
Winner:
Lounge Lizard
1310 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.232.7575
facebook.com/LoungeLizardVintageFurniture
This Southeast shop with an exceptional collection of moderately priced —and sometimes unique!— vintage furniture narrowly edged out Ikea and their vote-inducing Swedish meatballs. So good on you, WW readers.
Runner Up:
Ikea
Multiple locations.
ikea.com
Honorable Mention:
City Liquidators
823 SE 3rd Ave. / 503.230.7716
cityliquidators.com
Best Garden Supply/Nursery
Winner:
Portland Nursery
Multiple locations.
portlandnursery.com
In the âno-brainerâ department, Portland Nursery is everyoneâs go-to for yard bling. Their selection of healthy plants, trees, and all manner of fresh foliage is a mecca for Rose City green thumbs.
Runner Up:
Al's Garden Center
Multiple locations.
als-gardencenter.com
Honorable Mention:
Garden Fever
3433 NE 24th Ave. / 503.287.3200
gardenfever.com
Best Grocery Store
Winner:
New Seasons Market
Multiple locations.
newseasonsmarket.com
This Raleigh Hills-born, eco-conscious grocer has an excellent beer selection, a vast array of locally sourced goods and a butcher that earned an honorable mention in the Best Meat Counter category.
Runner Up:
Trader Joe's
Multiple locations.
traderjoes.com
Honorable Mention:
Fred Meyer
Multiple locations.
fredmeyer.com
Best Hotel
Winner:
ACE
1022 SW Stark St. / 503.228.2277
acehotel.com/portland
From the claw foot tubs to the old analog TVs with Nintendo, Portland's ACE rivals any property in the ever-expanding hotel empire. Plus, Clyde Common right off the lobby is a hell of a spot to send friends from out of town for dinner and drinks.
Runner Up:
Hotel deLuxe
729 SW 15th Ave. / 503.219.2094
hoteldeluxeportland.com
Honorable Mention:
Hotel Monaco
506 SW Washington St. / 503.222.0001
monaco-portland.com
Best Jewelry Store
Winner:
Gilt
720 NW 23rd Ave. / 503.226.0629
giltjewelry.com
Gilt boasts one of the larger collections of locally curated jewelry in the Pacific Northwest, with an emphasis on vintage engagement rings and estate wedding bands. For 20 years, this boutique has been bringing the bling.
Runner Up:
betsy & iya
2403 NW Thurman St. / 503.227.5482
betsyandiya.com
Honorable Mention:
Gold Door
1434 SE 37th Ave. / 503.232.6069
thegolddoor.com
Best Kitchen Store
Winner:
Kitchen Kaboodle
Multiple locations.
kitchenkaboodle.com
Portland's Kitchen Kaboodle isn't like most kitchen supplies stores. It sells similar wares, to be sure, but it also runs Nespresso cup recycling programs and proudly displays employee-drawn sidewalk signs with Neil Diamond imploring people to shop local.
Runner Up:
Mirador
2106 SE Division St. / 503.231.5175
miradorkitchenandhome.com
Honorable Mention:
Portland Homestead Supply
8012 SE 13th Ave. / 503.233.8691
homesteadsupplyco.com
Best Leather Goods
Winner:
Oregon Leather Company
110 NW 2nd Ave. / 503.228.4105
oregonleatherco.com
The appeal of Oregon Leather Company isn't just the nice selection of leather clothes and riding gear—although there is plenty of that—it's in the large array of tools for the leather hobbyist also for sale.
Runner Up:
Tanner Goods
1308 W Burnside St. / 503.222.2774
tannergoods.com
Honorable Mention:
Orox Leather Co.
450 NW Couch St. / 503.954.2593
oroxleather.com
Best Meat Counter
Winner:
Gartner's Country Meat Market
7450 NE Killingsworth St. / 503.252.7801
gartnersmeats.com
Gartner's is the kind of butcher where the meat case stretches across nearly the entire building. It gets packed—it can feel like a DMV at times—but the wait is always worth it.
Runner Up:
Laurelhurst Market & Butcher Shop
3155 E Burnside St. / 503.206.3097
laurelhurstmarket.com
Honorable Mention:
New Seasons Market
Multiple locations.
newseasonsmarket.com
Best Men's Boutique
Winner:
Boys Fort
902 SW Morrison St. / 503.567.1015
boysfort.com
The eclectically curated, self-professed "manthropology" boutique is catered towards the manchild in all of us, be it a "BOYS TOWN" badge or a collection of pinned and framed butterflies.
Runner Up:
Threads Count
1536 NW 23rd Ave. / 503.224.0506
threadscount.us
Honorable Mention:
Mario's
Multiple locations.
marios.com
Best Motorcycle
Winner
See See Motorcycles
1642 NE Sandy Blvd. / 503.894.9566
seeseemotorcycles.com
This combination motorcycle accessory / coffee shop is both the Best Motorcycle Shop in Portland and the Most Portland Motorcycle Shop in Portland. Damned fine lattes, no motorcycles. Further proof that this is an unscientific poll.
Runner Up:
Latus Harley Davidson
870 E Berkeley St. / 503.249.8653
latus-hd.com
Honorable Mention:
MotoCorsa
2170 NW Wilson St. / 503.292.7488
motocorsa.com
Best Movie Theater
Winner:
Hollywood Theatre
4122 NE Sandy Blvd. / 503.493.1128
hollywoodtheatre.org
Maybe it's the ornate 1920s era architecture. Or maybe it's the beer. Or maybe it's the recently installed, breathtaking 70mm projection. Whatever it is, we in Portland are lucky to have the Hollywood.
Runner Up:
Living Room Theaters
341 SW 10th Ave. / 971.222.2010
livingroomtheaters.com
Honorable Mention:
Laurelhurst Theater
2735 E Burnside St. / 503.232.5511
laurelhursttheater.com
Best Musical Instrument Store
Winner:
Trade Up Music
Multiple locations.
tradeupmusic.com
Sell your old guitbox, buy a new one or maybe trade it in for a different, better axe—trade up, if you will— at one of Trade Up's two Portland locations. Maybe sign up for some uke lessons while you're at it.
Runner Up:
Portland Music Co.
Multiple locations.
portlandmusiccompany.com
Honorable Mention:
Artichoke Music
3130 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.232.8845
artichokemusic.org
Best Pet Store
Winner
Pets on Broadway
2762 NE Broadway St. / 503.282.5824
petsonbroadway.com
Portland's largest independent pet store doesn't sell dogs or cats, but it's got everything to keep your buddies happy and healthy. Hedgehog instead of a dog? Pets on Broadway's got you covered there, too.
Runner Up:
Healthy Pets Northwest
Multiple locations.
healthypetsnw.com
Honorable Mention:
Meat for Dogs and Cats
2244 E Burnside St. / 503.236.6971
meatforcatsanddogs.com
Best Real Estate Agent
Winner:
Heather Lamkins
971.255.9868
pdxrealestatebroker.com
teamlamkins@gmail.com
Heather Lamkins is a wardrobe stylist and thrift store treasure hunter with a BFA-turned-principal real estate broker for Portland's Think Real Estate.
Runner Up:
Beth Kellan
6443 SW Beaverton Hillsdale Hwy / 503.525.6684
bethkellan.com
Honorable Mention:
Rachel Freed
503.432.8126
urbannestpdx.com/rachel-freed/
Best Realtor (Company)
Winner:
Living Room Realty
Multiple locations. / 503.719.5588
livingroomre.com
Living Room Realty is a local real estate company serving Portland, Oregon's North Coast, and Vancouver, Washington. Whether you want to buy, sell, or rent, Living Room Realty can help you make room to live.
Runner Up:
Think Real Estate
2923 NE Broadway St. / 503.847.2722
think-portland.com
Honorable Mention:
Urban Nest Realty
Multiple locations. / 503.432.8126
urbannestpdx.com
Best Sex Toy Store
Winner:
She Bop
Multiple locations.
sheboptheshop.com
This sex-positive, female-friendly, all-inclusive sex shop draws its name from Cyndi Lauper's ode to sex and masturbation because she bop, he bop and we bop.
Runner Up:
Spartacus Leathers
300 SW 12th Ave. / 503.224.2604
spartacusleathers.com
Honorable Mention:
Fantacy
Multiple Locations
fantacyforadultsonly.com
Best Skate Shop
Winner:
Cal Skate
210 NW 6th Ave. / 503.248.0495
calsk8.com
Founded in 1976, Cal Skate Skateboards is the oldest skate shop on the planet. Or at least in Portland. It is rumored that a baby Tony Hawk spontaneously appeared on their doorstep.
Runner Up:
Rip City Skate
3213 NE Sandy Blvd. / 503.208.3793
ripcityboardshop.com
Honorable Mention:
Daddies Board Shop
5909 NE 80th Ave. / 503.281.5123
daddiesboardshop.com
Best Shoe Store
Winner:
Imelda's Shoes and Louie's Shoes for Men
3426 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.233.7476
imeldas.com
Looking for some two-toned Cushe Shakras? Maybe some Birkenstocks? Or how about a pair of good, old-fashioned walnut oxfords? You'll find them somewhere around Imelda's crowded floor of designer footwear.
Runner Up:
Clogs-N-More
6809 SE Milwaukie Ave. / 503.233.4146
clogsnmore.com
Honorable Mention:
pedX Shoes
2005 NE Alberta St. / 503.460.0760
pedxshoes.com
Best Smoke Shop
Winner:
Rich's Cigar Store
820 SW Alder St. / 503.228.1700
richscigarstore.com
In an era when more and more people are vaping or smoking newly legal weed, WW readers went with a throwback for Best Smoke Shop: Rich's Cigars & Magazines with its well-stocked humidor and ornate tobacco pipes.
Runner Up:
Third Eye Shoppe
3950 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.232.3393
3rdeyeshoppe.com
Honorable Mention:
Mary Jane's House of Glass
Multiple locations.
maryjaneshouseofglass.net
Best Summer Camp
Winner:
Rock 'n' Roll Camp for Girls
5340 N Interstate Ave. / 503.445.4991
girlsrockcamp.org
This camp is about more than just teaching girls how to rock out—though there's a LOT of rock happening, to be sure—it's about building self-esteem and giving girls a voice in this male-dominated (and oft misogynistic) genre.
Runner Up:
Trackers Earth
4617 SE Milwaukie Ave. / 503.345.3312
trackerspdx.com
Honorable Mention:
OMSI Camps and Classes
Location varies.
http://programs.omsi.edu/camps-and-classes
Best Tattoo Artist
Winner:
Cheyenne Sawyer
Sawyer has been honing his signature style—a blend of traditional tattoowork, naturalistic images and Native American iconography with vibrant colors—for over 20 years in Portland. Currently at Atlas Tattoo.
Runner Up:
Alice Kendall
Wonderland Tattoo
Honorable Mention:
Alice Carrier
Wonderland Tattoo
Best Tattoo Shop
Winner:
Atlas Tattoo
4543 N Albina Ave. / 503.281.7499
www.atlastattoo.com
Best Tattoo Artist Cheyenne Sawyer works here along with other noted Portland tattooers to form an all-star crew. You'll need to schedule an appointment way in advance or be prepared to wait in line for a walk-in on Sundays.
Runner Up:
Wonderland Tattoo
7036 SE 52nd Ave. / 971.254.4352
www.wonderlandpdx.com
Honorable Mention:
Oddball Tattoo
2716 SE 21st Ave. / 503.231.1344
www.oddballstudios.com
Best Toy Store
Winner:
Finnegan's Toys and Gifts
820 SW Washington St. / 503.221.0306
www.finneganstoys.com
Train sets, LEGOs, a copy of the Punk Rock Writers Journals, a three-story dollhouse with a solar paneled roof…if you're not careful, your inner child might just get lost in the rows upon rows of colorful boxes at the largest independent toy store in the Pacific Northwest.
Runner Up:
Thinker Toys
7784 SW Capitol Hwy. / 503.245.3936
www.thinkertoysoregon.com
Honorable Mention:
Kid at Heart Toys
3445 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.231.2954
www.kidsathearttoys.com
Best Wine Shop
Winner:
Blackbird Wine Shop
4323 NE Fremont St. / 503.282.1887
blackbirdwine.com
Wine is often paired with cheese. It is, however, not often paired with "Atomic" cheese as it is at Blackbird. Owner Andy Diaz is also one of the few wine connoisseurs who genuinely loves rosés, leading to an impressive selection.
Runner Up:
Vino
137 SE 28th Ave. / 503.235.8485
www.vinobuys.com
Honorable Mention:
Division Wines
3564 SE Division St. / 234.7281
www.divisionwines.com
Best Women's Boutique
Winner:
Paloma Clothing
6316 SW Capitol Hwy. / 503.246.3417
www.palomaclothing.com
The majority of the clothing lines carried in this Hillsdale boutique are made in the USA using eco-friendly means. Paloma Clothing's friendliness is not limited to the ecosystem, mind you, it also mails thank you cards to its reliable customers.
Runner Up:
Sloan Boutique
Multiple locations.
www.sloanpdx.com
Honorable Mention:
XtaBay
2515 SE Clinton St. / 230.2899
xtabayvintage.com
Best Veterinary Practice
Winner:
Mt. Tabor Veterinary Care
4246 SE Belmont St. / 503.200.5555
www.mttaborvetcare.com
Let's be real here: Nobody likes going to the vet. But Mt. Tabor makes it as pleasant as it can be for all parties involved, be it covering medications in easy cheese for the dog or a cup of french press coffee for you.
Runner Up:
Rose City Veterinary Hospital
809 SE Powell Blvd. / 503.232.3105
rosecityvet.com
Honorable Mention:
Fremont Veterinary Clinic
5055 NE Fremont St. / 503.282.0991
fremontvet.com
Food and Drink
Best Bagel
Winner:
Bowery Bagel
310 NW Broadway / 227-6674
bowerybagels.com
Genuine N.Y.-style bagels from a transplanted New Yorker, now delivered by bicycle to your door in genuine Portland style.
Runner-up:
Spielman Bagels
2128 SE Division St. / 467-0600
spielmanbagels.com
Honorable mention:
Kenny & Zuke's
2376 NW Thurman St. / 954.1737
kennyandzukes.com/bagelworks
Best Banh Mi
Winner:
Best Baguette
8308 SE Powell Blvd. / 788-3098
thebestbaguette.com
Portland's outer Southeast drive-thru banh mi shop offers one of the largest, most sensibly priced selections of these delectable Vietnamese sandwiches.
Runner-up:
Lardo
Multiple locations.
lardosandwiches.com
Honorable mention:
Luc Lac
835 SW 2nd Ave. / 222-0047
luclackitchen.com
Best BBQ
Winner:
Podnah's Pit
1625 NE Killingsworth St. / 281-3700
podnahspit.com
Tex-Mex meets Tex 'cue at this beloved Portland standard-bearer on Killingsworth. Keep it slow and low, Rodney.
Runner-up:
Russell St. BBQ
325 NE Russell St. / 528-8224
russellstreetbbq.com
Honorable mention:
Smokehouse 21
413 NW 21st Ave. / 971-373-8990
smokehouse21.com
Best Bloody Mary
Winner:
Tasty n Sons
3808 N Williams Ave., Suite 3 / 621-1400
tastynsons.com
Chef John Gorham's popular brunch joint doesn't just have one killer bloody mary, it has an entire menu of them. Want some jerky or aquavit in your mary? Tasty n Sons is way ahead of you.
Runner-up:
Genies Cafe
1101 SE Division St. / 445-9777
geniesdivision.com
Honorable mention:
Holman's Restaurant
15 SE 28th Ave. / 231-1093
Best Bread
Winner:
Grand Central Bakery
Multiple locations.
grandcentralbakery.com
If GCB were just a cafe slinging breakfast sandwiches and scones instead of a bakery, it would still be packed every day. But it is a bakery. One hell of a bakery.
Runner-up:
Dave's Killer Bread
5209 SE International Way / 335-8077
daveskillerbread.com
Honorable mention:
Ken's Artisan Bakery
338 NW 21st Ave. / 248-2202
kensartisan.com
Best Brunch
Winner:
Tasty n Sons
3808 N Williams Ave., Suite 3 / 621-1400
tastynsons.com
Which came first: the best bloody mary in Portland or the best brunch? Tasty n Sons offers the most complimentary pair of awards in this year's Best of Portland tally.
Runner-up:
Screen Door
2337 E Burnside St. / 542-0880
screendoorrestaurant.com
Honorable mention:
Broder
2508 SE Clinton St. / 736-3333
broderpdx.com
Best Burger
Winner:
Killer Burger
Multiple locations.
killerburger.biz
Bacon. A burger patty. Some sauce. Some more bacon. There aren't any secrets to Killer Burger's success, just a hell of a lot of juicy, gut-busting goodness.
Runner-up:
Little Big Burger
Multiple locations.
littlebigburger.com
Honorable mention:
Tabor Tavern
5325 E Burnside St. / 208-3544
tabortavern.com
Best Burrito
Winner:
Los Gorditos
Multiple locations.
losgorditospdx.com
Gigantic, inexpensive burritos are a blessed dime a dozen in this town. Los Gorditos separates itself from this loaded file by providing the finest vegan and vegetarian options in Portland.
Runner-up:
La Bonita
Multiple locations.
labonitarestaraunt.net
Honorable mention:
Robo Taco
607 SE Morrison St. / 232-3707
robotacopdx.com
Best Chef
Winner:
Naomi Pomeroy
The 2014 James Beard winner is famous for the six-course prix fixe meals at Beast, but Portlanders can also hop across the street and treat themselves to her bar snacks at Expatriate.
Runner-up:
Gregory Gourdet
Honorable mention:
John Gorham
Best Chowder
Winner:
Mo's
Portland International Airport / 493-7458
moschowder.com
The much-beloved chowder chain finally opened up shop in Portland after nearly 70 years of feeding locals, tourists, Paul Newman and RFK alike along the Oregon Coast. The catch: It's literally at PDX, but a true layover luxury.
Runner-up:
Jake's Famous Crawfish
401 SW 12th Ave. / 226-1419
mccormickandschmicks.com
Honorable mention:
Ox
2225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. / 284-3366
oxpdx.com
Best Delivery
Winner:
Hot Lips Pizza
Multiple locations.
hotlipspizza.com
Portland's venerable (since 1984!) pizza place and fruit soda maker now has enough locations throughout the city to deliver to most neighborhoods.
Runner-up:
Sizzle Pie
Two locations on Burnside Street / 234-7437
sizzlepie.com
Honorable mention:
Pizzicato Pizza
Multiple locations.
pizzicatopizza.com
Best Doughnut
Winner:
Blue Star DONUTS
Multiple locations.
bluestardonuts.com
Blue Star's doughnuts—made fresh daily from brioche dough that takes 18 hours to make!—may sound daunting or hoity-toity at first, but you can actually taste the love.
Runner-up:
Pips Original
4759 NE Fremont St., Suite C / 206-8692
pipsoriginal.com
Honorable mention:
Voodoo Doughnut
Multiple locations.
voodoodoughnut.com
Best Ethiopian
Winner:
Queen of Sheba
2413 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. / 287-6302
queenofsheba.biz
At nearly 20 years old, Queen of Sheba is more than the city's most established Ethiopian restaurant: It's a culinary institution in its own right.
Runner-up:
Bete-Lukas
2504 SE 50th Ave., Suite D / 477-8778
bete-lukas.com
Honorable mention:
Dalo's Kitchen
1533 NE Alberta St. / 740.0313
dalos-kitchen.com
Best Fish & Chips
Winner:
Horse Brass
4534 SE Belmont St. / 232-2202
horsebrass.com
The English-style pub that WW readers selected as the city's best Irish pub has also perfected this deep-fried staple of English pub cuisine. Pass the malt vinegar, please.
Runner-up:
The Frying Scotsman
9 SW Alder St. / 706-3841
thefryingscotsmanpdx.com
Honorable mention:
Hawthorne Fish House
4343 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 548-4434
hawthornefishhouse.com
Best Food & Drink Festival
Winner:
Oregon Brewers Festival
oregonbrewfest.com
In a city filled to the brim with booze and drinking festivals, the Oregon Brewers Festival is the sudsiest of them all. One hundred and five beers in the summer sun? You voted a resounding "Yes, please!"
Runner-up:
Bite of Oregon
biteoforegon.com
Honorable mention:
Feast
feastportland.com
Best Food Cart
Winner:
Nong's Khao Man Gai
Multiple locations. / 971-255-3480
khaomangai.com
While the menu has expanded, you want the khao man gai—a chicken-and-rice dish from Bangkok with Chinese origins—simple and borderline perfect. Show up before 1 pm and the chicken comes with skin. You want that, too.
Runner-up:
Koi Fusion
Multiple locations.
koifusionpdx.com
Honorable mention:
Grilled Cheese Grill
1027 NE Alberta St. / 206-8959
grilledcheesegrill.com
Best Food-Cart Pod
Winner:
SW 10th and Alder
When you're hungry and life is making you hungrier, you can always go downtown. Just listen to the sizzle of the food carts of the city. Linger on the sidewalk where the menu signs are pretty. How can you lose?
Runner-up:
Cartlandia
8145 SE 82nd Ave. / 358-7873
cartlandia.com
Honorable mention:
Cartopia
1200 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Best Frozen Yogurt
Winner:
Eb & Bean
1425 NE Broadway / 281-6081
ebandbean.com
Where fro-yo becomes more than a healthy alternative to ice cream: It becomes an artisanal delight all its own.
Runner-up:
Swirl
3538 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 235-0422
swirl-frozenyogurt.com
Honorable mention:
Nectar Frozen Yogurt
Multiple locations.
nectarfroyo.com
Best Gluten-Free Restaurant
Winner:
Harlow
3632 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 971-255-0138
harlowpdx.com
Wheat-o-phobes rejoice! The menu at Harlow, Prasad's bowl-driven sister restaurant, includes items like pasta, mac and cheese, and veggie burgers. There's not an ounce of gluten in any of them. Even the tap list skews gluten-free.
Runner-up:
Blossoming Lotus
1713 NE 15th Ave. / 228-0048
blpdx.com
Honorable mention:
Cultured Caveman
Multiple locations.
culturedcavemanpdx.com
Best Hot Pot
Winner:
Hot Pot City
1975 SW 1st Ave. / 224-6696
We cannot stress this enough: ALL YOU CAN EAT HOT POT, with the freshest and most varied ingredients and broths in town.
Runner-up:
Toji Korean Grill House
4615 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 232-8998
tojikoreangrillhouse.com
Honorable mention:
Beijing Hot Pot
2768 SE 82nd Ave. / 774-2525
thebeijinghotpot.com
Best Ice Cream
Winner:
Salt & Straw
Multiple locations.
saltandstraw.com
What can be said about this farm-to-cone operation that hasn't already been said by Willamette Week, Bon Appetit, and The Wall Street Journal? It's fantastic ice cream.
Runner-up:
Ruby Jewel
Multiple locations.
rubyjewel.com
Honorable mention:
Fifty Licks
2021 SE Clinton St. / 954-294-8868
fifty-licks.com
Best Indian
Winner:
Bollywood Theater
Multiple locations.
bollywoodtheaterpdx.com
Chef Troy MacLarty introduced Portland to the street food of India—kati rolls and Goan-Portuguese hybrid food—you don't find at most Indian restaurants stateside.
Runner-up:
Swagat
2074 NW Lovejoy St. / 227-4300
swagat.com
Honorable mention
Namaste
Multiple locations.
namasteindiancuisine.com
Best Irish Pub
Winner:
Horse Brass
4534 SE Belmont St. / 232-2202
horsebrass.com
Willamette Week readers decided—really?—that the very best Irish pub is, in fact, one that is not Irish at all. Great taps, darts and fish and chips. Not Irish.
Runner-up:
Kells
Multiple locations.
kellsirish.com
Honorable mention:
Biddy McGraw's
6000 NE Glisan St. / 233-1178
biddymcgraws.com
Best Italian
Winner:
Nostrana
1401 SE Morrison St. / 234-2427
nostrana.com
Perennial James Beard finalist Cathy Whims' regional Italian restaurant has been one of the city's premier eateries since it opened its doors a decade ago.
Runner-up:
Ava Gene's
3377 SE Division St. / 971-229-0571
avagenes.com
Honorable mention:
Piazza Italia
1129 NW Johnson St. / 478-0619
piazzaportland.com
Best Izakaya
Winner:
Biwa
215 SE 9th Ave. / 239-8830
biwarestaurant.com
Biwa offers the best burger you'll find at perhaps any izakaya restaurant, not just in Portland.
Runner-up:
Tanuki
8029 SE Stark St.
tanukipdx.com
Honorable mention:
Miho Izakaya
4057 N Interstate Ave. / 719-6152
mihopdx.com
Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant
Winner:
Slappy Cakes
4246 SE Belmont St. / 477-4805
slappycakes.com
Order a squeeze bottle of batter, a bloody mary pitcher and bond with your kids over make-your-own pancakes. Slappy Cakes FTW!
Runner-up:
Laughing Planet
Multiple locations.
laughingplanetcafe.com
Honorable mention
Hopworks
2944 SE Powell Blvd. / 232-4677
hopworksbeer.com
Best Late-Night Menu
Winner:
Montage
301 SE Morrison St. / 234-1234
montageportland.com
Montage didn't just win this category because it serves food until 2 am most nights—4 am on weekends—it's that Cajun-Creole food is perfectly designed for being three sheets to the wind.
Runner-up:
Luc Lac
835 SW 2nd Ave. / 222-0047
luclackitchen.com
Honorable mention:
Original Hotcake House
1002 SE Powell Blvd. / 236-7402
hotcakehouse.com
Best Local Coffee House
Winner:
Stumptown
Multiple locations.
stumptowncoffee.com
Portland's own Stumptown—now also in Seattle, New York and L.A.—is kind of like Starbucks if the latter had a soul and/or good coffee.
Runner-up:
Case Study
Multiple locations.
casestudycoffee.com
Honorable mention:
Barista
Multiple locations.
baristapdx.com
Best Local Coffee Roaster
Winner
Stumptown
Multiple locations.
stumptowncoffee.com
Stumptown roasts its beans every day and offers to deliver this fresh roast to your door every two weeks.
Runner-up:
Coava
2631 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 894-8134
coavacoffee.com
Honorable mention:
Heart
537 SW 12th Ave. / 224-0036
heartroasters.com
Best Local
Distillery
Winner:
New Deal Distillery
900 SE Salmon St. / 234-2513
newdealdistillery.com
One of Portland's oldest distilleries, New Deal shows the world just how great chocolate-infused vodka and dry gin can be. Also, drink Hot Monkey pepper-flavored vodka.
Runner-up:
Eastside Distilling
1512 SE 7th Ave. / 926-7060
eastsidedistilling.com
Honorable mention:
Clear Creek Distillery
2389 NW Wilson St. / 248-9470
clearcreekdistillery.com
Best Margarita
Winner
Por Que No?
Multiple locations.
porquenotacos.com
Por Que No? joins Tasty n Sons as a two-category winner for best style of cuisine (Mexican) and the drink that goes with said food—in this case its delicious, thirst-quenching margaritas.
Runner-up:
Casa del Matador
Multiple locations.
matadorrestaurants.com
Honorable mention:
Nuestra Cocina
2135 SE Division St. / 232-2135
nuestracocina.com
Best Mediterranean
Winner:
Nicholas Restaurant
Multiple locations.
nicholasrestaurant.com
Nicholas has been Portland's go-to Mediterranean restaurant since it first opened up as a mom-and-pop pizza joint in 1986. It gradually added more and more Lebanese items to the menu until the city was hooked. Try the mezza.
Runner-up:
Mediterranean Exploration Company
333 NW 13th Ave. / 222-0906
mediterraneanexplorationcompany.com
Honorable mention:
Tarboush
3257 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 235-3277
tarboushbistro.com
Best Mexican Food
Winner:
Por Que No?
Multiple locations.
porquenotacos.com
Portlanders agree: Bryan Steelman's recreation of the taco feast he experienced in Morelia, Mexico, is worth waiting in a line around the block for.
Runner-up:
Nuestra Cocina
2135 SE Division St. / 232-2135
nuestracocina.com
Honorable mention:
Cha Cha Cha
Multiple locations.
chachachapdx.com
Best New
Restaurant
Winner:
Harlow
3632 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 971-255-0138
harlowpdx.com
Gluten is out, and Harlow is in. The bowl-focused, gluten-free eatery opened its doors to a salivating public last year.
Runner-up:
Kachka
720 SE Grand Ave. / 235-0059
kachkapdx.com
Honorable mention:
Pollo Norte
5427 NE 42nd Ave. / 287-0669
pollonorte.com
Best Omelet
Winner:
Mother's Bistro & Bar
212 SW Stark St. / 464-1122
mothersbistro.com
This classic downtown brunch spot's omelet special changes daily. The only things you can be sure of is that it will have three eggs, it will be delicious, and it will be as close to a home-cooked meal as you'll find in town.
Runner-up:
Zell's Cafe
1300 SE Morrison St. / 239-0196
zellscafe.com
Honorable mention
Gravy
3957 N Mississippi Ave. / 287-8800
eatatgravy.com
Best Pad Thai
Winner:
Pad Thai Kitchen
2309 SE Belmont St. / 232-8766
Pad Thai, like pizza, still tastes amazing reheated the next day. Pad Thai Kitchen understands this. That's why it serves you enough for tonight and tomorrow morning.
Runner-up:
Cha'Ba Thai
Multiple locations.
chabathaipdx.com
Honorable mention:
Sen Yai
3384 SE Division St. / 236-3573
pokpoksenyai.com
Best Patio
Winner:
White Owl Social Club
1305 SE 8th Ave. / 236-9672
whiteowlsocialclub.com
The White Owl's enormous patio boasts 6,000 square feet of dog-friendly space, and is continually teeming with beautiful people enjoying high-quality refreshments and food. The bar/music venue is a real jewel on Distillery Row.
Runner-up:
Roadside Attraction
1000 SE 12th Ave. / 233-0743
Honorable mention:
Rontoms
600 E Burnside St. / 236-4536
Best Pho
Winner:
Luc Lac
835 SW 2nd Ave / 222-0047
luclackitchen.com
It seems only fitting that this chic descendant of Pho PDX that offers a nice cocktail list with its spiced beef broth also wins the reader poll for Best Pho in Portland.
Runner-up:
Pho Hung
4717 SE Powell Blvd. / 775-3170
Honorable mention:
Pho Van
1919 SE 82nd Ave. / 788-5244
phovanrestaurant.com
Best Pizza
Winner
Apizza Scholls
4741 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 233-1286
apizzascholls.com
If there's one thing Willamette Week readers, the arts and culture staff and Anthony Bourdain can agree on, it's that Apizza Scholls is the best pizza in Portland.
Runner-up:
Sizzle Pie
Two locations on Burnside / 234-7437
sizzlepie.com
Honorable mention:
Life of Pie
3632 N Williams Ave. / 719-7321
lifeofpiepizza.com
Best Place to Eat Sustainably
Winner:
Bamboo Sushi
Multiple locations.
bamboosushi.com
A lot of restaurants talk about their sustainable practices, but not all of them will give you a pamphlet from an aquarium telling you exactly which seafood can be eaten sustainably at this time of year. Bamboo Sushi does.
Runner-up:
People's Food Co-op
3029 SE 21st Ave. / 674-2642
peoples.coop
Honorable mention:
Blossoming Lotus
1713 NE 15th Ave. / 228-0048
blpdx.com
Best Portland Brewery
Winner:
Breakside Brewery
820 NE Dekum St. (or 5821 SE International Way, Milwaukie) / 719-6475
breakside.com
Best Brewery in this suds-filled city is a difficult choice. In a way, they're all winners. In another, more accurate way, Breakside Brewery, which took home the gold medal from Denver's Great American Beer Festival in the competitive IPA category last year, has the hardware to prove it.
Runner-up:
Hopworks Urban Brewery
2944 SE Powell Blvd. / 232-4677
hopworksbeer.com
Honorable mention:
Deschutes Brewery
210 NW 11th Ave. / 296-4906
deschutesbrewery.com
Best Restaurant
Winner:
Pok Pok
3226 SE Division St. / 232-1387
pokpokpdx.com
Pok Pok is the steel-toed boot at the tip of Andy Ricker's culinary empire. Though other entities make appearances here (Sen Yai's honorable mention for Best Pad Thai, Pok Pok's runner-up for Best Wings), it's the flagship that brings home the trophy in this prestigious category.
Runner-up:
Andina
1314 NW Glisan St. / 228-9535
andinarestaurant.com
Honorable mention
Ox
2225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. / 284-3366
oxpdx.com
Best Sandwich Shop
Winner
Bunk Sandwiches
Multiple locations.
bunksandwiches.com
Bunk Sandwiches doesn't just make kickass sandwiches—that Cubano!—they're everywhere you want to be. Its sandwiches—named after "Bunk" Moreland from The Wire—can be had at indie-rock venues, Wonder Ballroom and the Moda Center, among others.
Runner-up:
Lardo
Multiple locations.
lardosandwiches.com
Honorable mention:
East Side Delicatessen
Multiple locations.
pdxdeli.com
Best Sausage
Winner:
Olympia Provisions
Multiple locations.
olympiaprovisions.com
The beloved charcuterie and salumeria has recently changed one letter in its name. Thank God that's the only thing it's changing.
Runner-up:
Otto's Sausage Kitchen
4138 SE Woodstock Blvd. / 771-6714
ottossausage.com
Honorable mention:
Edelweiss
3119 SE 12th Ave. / 238-4411
edelweissdeli.com
Best Smoothie/Juice Bar
Winner
KURE Juice Bar
Multiple locations.
kurejuicebar.com
Between the smoothies, oatmeal and acai bowls, Kure is an all-purpose healthy eat-and-drink stop. Recommended: the Sex Panther.
Runner-up:
Canteen
2816 SE Stark St. / 922-1858
canteenpdx.com
Honorable mention:
Greenleaf Juicing Company
810 NW 12th Ave. / 971-271-8988
greenleafjuice.com
Best SteakHouse
Winner
RingSide
2165 W Burnside St. / 223-1513
ringsidesteakhouse.com
Ringside has been serving steaks to Portlanders long enough that the late James Beard himself is said to have called its onion rings the best he'd ever had. Oh, and the steaks? Dry-aged, glazed with butter and cooked to perfection.
Runner-up:
Laurelhurst Market
3155 E Burnside St. / 206-3097
laurelhurstmarket.com
Honorable mention:
Ox
2225 NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. / 284-3366
oxpdx.com
Best Strip Club Food
Winner:
Acropolis Steakhouse
8325 SE McLoughlin Blvd. / 231-9611
acropolispdx.com
We like to think of Acropolis as a five-star steakhouse where people just happen to also take their clothes off. Also see: salad bar. Wait, salad bar?
Runner-up:
Casa Diablo
2839 NW St. Helens Road / 222-6600
casadiablo.com
Honorable mention (tie):
Lucky Devil Lounge
633 SE Powell Blvd. / 206-7350
luckydevillounge.com
Sassy's
927 SE Morrison St. / 231-1606
sassysbar.com
Best Sushi
Winner:
Bamboo Sushi
Multiple locations.
bamboosushi.com
Eating at the world's first certified-sustainable sushi restaurant means that the standout chef's sashimi sampler will always be fresh and in season. Easily Portland's most creative (and popular) sushi destination.
Runner-up:
Mio Sushi
Multiple locations.
miosushi.com
Honorable mention:
Yoko's Japanese Restaurant
2878 SE Gladstone St. / 736-9228
Best Taqueria
Winner:
Por Que No?
Multiple locations.
porquenotacos.com
Por Que No? scores the hat trick (Best Mexican, Best Margaritas, Best Taqueria) in the inaugural Best of Portland poll. DO believe the hype.
Runner-up:
Robo Taco
607 SE Morrison St. / 232-3707
robotacopdx.com
Honorable mention:
Mi Mero Mole
Multiple locations.
mmmtacospdx.com
Best Tallboy
Winner:
Rainier
rainierbeer.com
Huge upset here! Is it possible Rainier has unseated Pabst as Portland's favorite affordable refreshment? Or were you just trying to be contrarian? It's owned by the same company these days, so drink up friends, the joke's on you.
Runner-up:
Tecate
heinekenusa.com/brands
Honorable mention:
Pabst
pabstblueribbon.com
Best Tea House
Winner:
Townshend's Tea
Multiple locations.
townshendstea.com
What began as a project to craft a loose-leaf teahouse with the vibe of a casual coffeehouse at the University of Oregon quad is now thriving in five locations.
Runner-up:
The Tao of Tea
Multiple locations.
taooftea.com
Honorable mention:
Tea Chai Te
Multiple locations.
teachaite.com
Best Urban Winery
Winner
Hip Chicks Do Wine
4510 SE 23rd Ave. / 234-3790
hipchicksdowine.com
Why head out to rural wine country when you can just swing on by this industrial warehouse-turned-winery? Run by wine goddess Laurie Lewis and wine maven Renee Neely, HCDW is the oldest urban winery in Portland.
Runner-up:
SE Wine Collective
2425 SE 35th Place / 208-2061
sewinecollective.com
Honorable mention:
Coopers Hall
404 SE 6th Ave. / 719-7000
coopershall.com
Best Vegan Restaurant
Winner:
Blossoming Lotus
1713 NE 15th Ave. / 228-0048
blpdx.com
Blossoming Lotus prides itself on taking dishes from all across the globe and making them vegan and/or live and raw if possible. Meat-free? That's a given. Gluten-free? That's a perk. Soy-free? Blossoming Lotus can accommodate that, too.
Runner-up:
Bye and Bye
1011 NE Alberta St.
thebyeandbye.com
Honorable mention:
Harlow
3632 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 971-255-0138
harlowpdx.com
Best Wings
Winner:
Fire on the Mountain
Multiple locations.
portlandwings.com
Wings are great with beer. Wings are great with sports. Wings are also great on their own. So gather 'round and rejoice, Portland, for these fabulous fryers have 12 killer sauces, three locations, a brewery and a joint at the Moda.
Runner-up:
Pok Pok
3226 SE Division St. / 232-1387
pokpokpdx.com
Honorable mention:
NEPO 42
5403 NE 42nd Ave. / 288-8080
nepo42.com
Health and Body
Best Acupuncturist
Winner:
Working Class Acupuncture
Multiple locations.
workingclassacupuncture.org
Working Class' mission is to make this ancient Chinese treatment available and affordable to everyone. Acupuncture treatments are on a sliding scale of $15-$35, depending on how you feel comfortable paying.
Runner-up:
Colleen Donnelly Acupuncture
10490 SW Eastridge St. / 503.705.1812
portlandacupuncturenow.com
Honorable mention:
Caveman Medicine
503.939.9592
cavemanmedicine.net
Best Barbershop
Winner:
Bishop's
Multiple locations.
bishopsbs.com
By winning both Best Barbershop and Best Hair Salon, Bishop's has staked its claim as Portland's go-to hair place.
Runner-up:
Modern Man
Multiple locations.
themodernmanpdx.com
Honorable mention:
Rudy's Barbershop
Multiple locations.
rudysbarbershop.com
Best Chiropractor
Winner:
Peter E. Leitner
522 NW 12th Ave. / 503.227.2886
pdxdc.net
Leitner combines a deep understanding of therapeutic massage and Jungian psychology to improve clients health and mental well-being at his practice in the Pearl.
Runner-up:
Portland Chiropractic Group
2031 E Burnside St. / 503.224.2100
portlandchiropracticgroup.com
Honorable mention:
Bridgetown Chiropractic
Multiple locations. / 503.490.5647
bridgetownchiropractic.com
Best Crossfit
Winner:
CrossFit503
6050 SW Macadam Ave. / 503.564.8708
crossfit503.com
Looking to get swoll in the 503? More ripped than you've ever been? To become the physical manifestation of Shreddie Van Halen? That's what cross fit, and more specifically, CrossFit503 is all about.
Runner-up:
CrossFit Portland
418 NE 8th Ave. / 503.939.4839
crossfitportland.com
Honorable mention:
Crossfit X Factor
2202 NW Roosevelt St. / 503.830.9700
crossfitxfactor.com
Best Dentist
Winner:
Laurelhurst Dentistry
2520 E Burnside St. / 503.233.3622
laurelhurstdentistry.com
Picking the best in a category that you hope to only visit once or twice a year can be difficult. However, Laurelhurst Dentistry ended up with as many votes as the Runner-up and Honorable mention combined, likely due to its friendly staff, state-of-the-art technology and policy of being up-front about costs.
Runner-up:
Willamette Dental
Multiple locations. / 1.855.433.6825
willamettedental.com
Honorable mention:
Gentle Dental
Multiple locations.
gentle1.com
Best Gym
Winner
24 Hour Fitness
Literally everywhere.
www.24hourfitness.com
When it comes to determining the best gym, convenience might be the single most important factor. Or at least, that's how we're rationalizing WW readers picking the largest gym and fitness center chain in the world as Portland's best gym.
Runner-up:
Vive Fitness
4023 NE Hancock St.
vivefitnesspdx.com
Honorable mention:
Loprinzi's
2414 SE 41st Ave. / 503.232.8311
loprinzisgym.com
Best Hair Salon
Winner:
Bishop's
Multiple locations.
bishopsbs.com
In true Portland fashion, WW readers pick the place that'll give you a beer—a Session lager, in this case—while your friendly stylist touches up your undercut or turns your Audrey Hepburn purple.
Runner-up:
Aveda Institute
325 NW 13th Ave. / 503.294.6000
avedapdx.com
Honorable mention:
New Vintage Beauty Lounge
3864 N Mississippi Ave. / 503.327.8442
newvintagebeautylounge.com
Best Massage
Winner:
Classic Body Restoration
107 SE Washington St. / 503.239.2639
cbrpdx.com
From the Greco-Roman statue on the logo to its deceptively strong masseurs, Classic Body Restoration promises that this experience will be anything but another foo foo massage.
Runner-up:
The DragonTree Holistic Day Spa
2768 NW Thurman St. / 503.221.4123
thedragontree.com
Honorable mention:
Blooming Moon Wellness Spa
1920 N Killingsworth St. / 971.279.2757
bloomingmoonspa.com
Best Naturopath
Winner:
Dr. Suzanne Scopes
316 NE 28th Ave. / 503.230.0812
drscopesnaturalhealthcare.com
Dr. Scopes is interested in more than just helping people get healthier. She's about helping people be more comfortable in their own skin, be they clients or the people she works with while volunteering at Outside In's transgender services.
Runner-up:
Satya Ambrose, ND
16144 SE Happy Valley Town Center Dr, Happy Valley, Ore. / 503.658.7715
sunnysidecocare.com/#!satya-ambrose/cfz1
Honorable mention:
Bloom Natural Healthcare
125 NE Killingsworth St. / 503.223.3741
bloomnaturalhealthcare.com
Best Pilates Studio
Winner:
Pacific NW Pilates
5201 SW Westgate Dr. / 503.292.4409
pacificnwpilates.com
Pacific NW Pilates is where aspiring Pilates instructors go to gain certification and where savvy Portland Pilates enthusiasts go to get a solid workout in refreshingly small, intimate classes.
Runner-up:
barre3
Multiple locations.
barre3.com
Honorable mention:
Studio Blue Pilates
Multiple locations.
studiobluepdx.com
Best Rock Gym
Winner:
The Circuit Bouldering Gym
Multiple locations.
thecircuitgym.com
With three locations sprinkled throughout the city and surrounding metro area, The Circuit is for Portlanders eager to climb up, down and around different rock faces without leaving city limits. It's family friendly enough to get your kids hooked, too.
Runner-up:
Portland Rock Gym
21 NE 12th Ave. / 503.232.8310
portlandrockgym.com
Honorable mention:
Planet Granite
1405 NW 14th Ave. / 503. 477.5666
planetgranite.com
Best Waxing Salon
Winner:
Urban Waxx
Multiple locations.
urbanwaxx.com
Summer's here, and Portlanders are showing more skin all around. Whether you want to reshape your eyebrows or get your speedo zone cleaned up before the Big Float, the all-female staffed Urban Waxx is here to help with your unsightly body hair.
Runner-up:
Sugar Me
1313 NE Fremont St. / 503.287.4901
sugarmeportland.com
Honorable mention:
Wax On Spa
Multiple locations.
waxon.com
Best Yoga Studio
Winner:
People's Yoga
Multiple locations.
thepeoplesyoga.org
Yoga is more than an exercise, it's a way of life for many Portlanders. Unfortunately, as anyone who has signed up for Bikram classes knows, it can be pricey. People's Yoga was created to make yoga affordable and accessible to the people.
Runner-up:
Yo Yo Yogi
1306 NW Hoyt St. / 503.688.5120
yoyoyogi.com
Honorable mention:
Yoga Shala of Portland
3808 N Williams Ave. / 503.963.9642
yogashalapdx.com
Media and Personalities
Best Meteorologist
Winner:
Matt Zaffino
KGW
Whether we're curious if it'll be nice at the Coast, or if we can expect another month of Qatari weather, Portlanders still turn to Matt Zaffino as our most trusted weather-talking guy. Clean sweep of TV categories for KGW.
Runner-up:
Rhonda Shelby
KATU
Honorable mention
Andy Carson
KPTV
Best Local Podcast
Winner:
Live Wire Radio
3606 N Mississippi Ave. / 503.548.4920
livewireradio.org
Live Wire Radio, which is taped in front of live studio audience at Revolution Hall, is kind of like A Prairie Home Companion's younger, more entertaining half-sister who left the Midwest for the artisanal quirk of Portland.
Runner-up:
Kick Ass Oregon History
orhistory.com
Honorable mention:
Funemployment Radio
funemploymentradio.com
Best Local TV Newscast
Winner:
KGW
The local NBC affiliate and platform for Blazer bullhorn John Canzano continues bringing the bald-faced truth to the people of Portlanders, whether it's an exclusive scoop or an embarrassing selfie fail caught on live TV.
Runner-up:
KATU
Honorable mention:
FOX 12
Best Professional Athlete
Winner
Damian Lillard
Portland Trailblazers
The All-Star sharpshooter and creator of #DameFace just inked a 5-year, $125 million extension. Look for him to throw the lob to Plumlee early and often come this November. Also: if you have a problem with the runner-up and Honorable mention selections here, talk to Neil Olshey.
Runner-up:
LaMarcus Aldridge
San Antonio Spurs
Honorable mention
Robin Lopez
New York Basketball Knicks
Best Local Radio Show
Winner:
Daria, Mitch & Ted
105.1 The Buzz
All the feverish excitement, awkward pauses and joy that Portlanders need to maintain their sanity during the daily commute.
Runner-up:
Morning Session with Derek Smith
KMHD
Honorable mention:
The Future of What
XRAY.fm & Kill Rock Stars
Best Radio Personality
Winner:
Daria
105.1 The Buzz
Portland's radio queen—and occasional play actor—continues to hold an iron grip over any and all radio personality polls. A Woody Allen brain in a bombshell frame? Works for us.
Runner-up
Gustav
94/7
Honorable mention
Carl Wolfson
107.1 XRAY
Best Radio Station (Music)
Winner:
107.1 XRAY
xray.fm
The upstart non-profit has become the voice of progressive radio in Portland, giving a voice to Best Radio Personality Honorable mention Carl Wolfson and former mayoral candidate Jefferson Smith. Also: spinning a great mix of eclectic music programming with a variety of cool specialty shows hosted by local tastemakers.
Runner-up:
KMHD Jazz
Honorable mention:
94/7 KNRK
Nightlife
Best Bar
Winner:
White Owl Social Club
1305 SE 8th Ave. / 503.236.9672
whiteowlsocialclub.com
Whether you're looking to have some S'mores by the fire pit or maybe just kick back and a have beer with your best friend on this expansive, dog-friendly patio, White Owl Social Club is Portland's favorite place to socialize and imbibe this summer.
Runner-up:
Rum Club
720 SE Sandy Blvd. / 503.265.8807
rumclubpdx.com
Honorable mention:
Victory
3652 SE Division St. / 503.236.8755
thevictorybar.com
Best Cocktail Lounge
Winner:
Secret Society
116 NE Russell St. / 503.493.3600
secretsociety.net
The decor and accoutrements in this converted 1907 Victorian house take one back to a simpler, more elegant time when well-to-do Oregonians ducked into secret lounges to get liquored up.
Runner-up:
Rum Club
720 SE Sandy Blvd. / 503.265.8807
rumclubpdx.com
Honorable mention:
The Teardrop Lounge
1015 NW Everett St. / 503.445.8109
teardroplounge.com
Best Bartender
Winner:
Amy Snyder (Devils Point)
Amy Snyder is many things. She's a fashion designer. She's a go-go dancer. She's also just been voted the best bartender in Portland! Roll on up to Devils Point and find out what she's slinging tonight!
Runner-up:
Tony (Gladstone Street Pub)
Honorable mention:
Jeffrey Morgenthaler (Clyde Common)
Best Beer Selection on Tap
Winner:
Apex
1216 SE Division St. / 503.273.9227
apexbar.com
A lot of places in Portland have 20 fantastic beers on tap. Some even have 30. And then there's Apex. This cash-only suds shop on Division has 50 delicious, sometimes rare craft brews on tap and also features one of our finer tap house patios.
Runner-up:
Green Dragon
928 SE 9th Ave. / 503.517.0660
pdxgreendragon.com
Honorable mention:
Bailey's Taproom
213 SW Broadway / 503.295.1004
baileystaproom.com
Best Date Bar
Winner:
Sapphire Hotel
5008 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.232.6333
thesapphirehotel.com
The deep red walls and dim lighting make the Sapphire Hotel an intimate setting for dates, with the ghost of its lusty past as a brothel hanging in the air. Nice food and fresh cocktails all add up to brown chicken / brown cow.
Runner-up:
Secret Society
116 NE Russell St. / 503.493.3600
secretsociety.net
Honorable mention:
Gold Dust Meridian
3267 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.239.1143
golddustmeridian.com
Best Dive Bar
Winner:
Club 21
2035 NE Glisan St. / 503.235.5690
Club 21 is the rare dive bar that looks a ski lodge on the interior and a wizard's hut on the outside. This bar, one of Portland's favorite watering holes since 1958, has a healthy mix of punk rock, cheap beer and pinball. Like all dives should.
Runner-up:
Low Brow Lounge
1036 NW Hoyt St. / 503.226.0200
facebook.com/lowbrowlounge
Honorable mention
Reel M Inn
2430 SE Division St / 503.231.3880
Best DJ
Winner:
DJ Wicked
justplainterror.com
Kirk Kirkpatrick, stage name DJ Wicked, is a member of the old guard of Portland Hip Hop. The fiercely independent vinyl purist has been spinning in this town for over two decades, and joins Cool Nutz as two of the city's underground stalwarts walking away with hardware this year.
Runner-up:
Cooky Parker
facebook.com/pages/DJ-Cooky-Parker
Honorable mention:
DJ Gregarious
djgregarious.com
Best Happy Hour
Winner:
Gold Dust Meridian
3267 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.239.1143
golddustmeridian.com
At the GDM, happy hour runs from 2pm until 8 pm every day of the week. That's 42 hours of good times. Bubbly mac and cheese, salty deviled eggs, crispy wings and a notoriously heavy-handed bar staff make for a brilliant happy hour indeed.
Runner-up:
Aalto Lounge
3356 SE Belmont St. / 503.235.6041
aaltolounge.com
Honorable mention:
Bartini
2108 NW Glisan St. / 503.224.7919
bartinipdx.com
Best Karaoke
Winner:
Voicebox Karaoke
2112 NW Hoyt St. / 503.303.8220
voiceboxpdx.com
Some karaoke places put singers on a stage. Others have them singing on the floor with the lay people. Voicebox has a more intimate solution: private suites. You can sing with just your friends, loved ones and people who won't mind you belting out "Let It Go" one or two more times.
Runner-up:
Chopsticks Express
Multiple locations.
chopstickskaraoke.com
Honorable mention:
Alibi
4024 N Interstate Ave. / 503.287.5335
alibiportland.com
Best LGBT Bar
Winner:
Crush
1400 SE Morrison St. / 503.235.8150
crushbar.com
From the monthly Bi Bar event to the three different gendered bathrooms, Crush aims to be friendly and welcoming to all patrons. You're going to meet a lot of different people here. You're also going to have a blast.
Runner-up:
CC Slaughter's
219 NW Davis St. / 503.248.9135
ccslaughterspdx.com
Honorable mention:
Temporary Lesbian Bar @ Mississippi Pizza
3552 N Mississippi Ave. / 503.288.3231
mississippipizza.com
Best New Bar
Winner:
The Liquor Store
3341 SE Belmont St. / 503.754.7782
theliquorstorepdx.com
Willamette Week's runner-up for best bar in this year's Bar Guide walks away with the readers' pick for Portland's Best New Bar. Might be time to go and see for yourself.
Runner-up:
10 Barrel Brewery
1411 NW Flanders St. / 503.224.1700
10barrel.com
Honorable mention:
Jackknife
614 Southwest 11th Avenue
jackknifepdx.com
Best Place to Dance
Winner:
Holocene
1001 SE Morrison St. / 503.239.7639
holocene.org
This sprawling eastside warehouse is Portland's unquestioned champion of the clubbing and EDM scene. It's definitely for the cool kids, but is welcoming and fun for all — don't be intimidated to get down.
Runner-up:
Goodfoot Lounge
2845 SE Stark St. / 503.239.9292
thegoodfoot.com
Honorable mention:
Crystal Ballroom
1332 W Burnside St. / 503.225.0047
mcmenamins.com/CrystalBallroom
Best Place to Play Darts
Winner
Horse Brass Pub
4534 SE Belmont St. / 503.232.2202
horsebrass.com
It's only natural that the city's Best Irish Pub and maker of BOP-winning fish & chips also has a killer darts setup. Snag a Guinness—or maybe a better beer—and challenge a stranger to a round of cricket, even if you're only going to add more dents to the wall.
Runner-up:
The Moon and Sixpence
2014 NE 42nd Ave. / 503.288.7802
Honorable mention
Lucky Labrador
Multiple locations.
luckylab.com
Best Place to Play Ping Pong
Winner:
Pips & Bounce
833 SE Belmont St. / 503.928.4664
pipsandbounce.com
After a few years of bouncing around with pop up ping pong parties, Michael and Eugene Jung finally opened up this ping pong playground in Belmont. WW readers approve of the ping pong and drinks business model.
Runner-up:
Rontoms
600 E Burnside St. / 503.236.4536
Honorable mention:
The Nest
2715 SE Belmont St. / 503.764.9023
Best Place to Play Shuffleboard
Winner:
Speakeasy Tavern
609 SE Taylor St. / 503.234.8991
gils-speakeasy.com
Shuffleboard is no longer only the sport of septuagenarians on cruise ships. With its crowded floors, greasy snacks and affordable beer, Gil's Speakeasy has all the necessary components for a great shuffleboard experience.
Runner-up:
Life of Riley Tavern
300 NW 10th Ave. / 503.224.1680
lifeofrileytavern.com
Honorable mention:
Blitz
Multiple locations.
blitzsportspubs.com
Best Place to Play Pinball
Winner
Ground Kontrol
511 NW Couch St. / 503.796.9364
groundkontrol.com
Pinball machines are more than a way to have a good time, they're collectors items, windows into a forgotten time. At least, that's what you'll feel as you wander around the 80s and 90s themed collection on the second floor at Ground Kontrol.
Runner-up:
C Bar
2880 SE Gladstone St. / 503.230.8808
cbarportland.com
Honorable mention:
Goodfoot Lounge
2845 SE Stark St. / 503.239.9292
thegoodfoot.com
Best Place to Shoot Pool
Winner:
Goodfoot Lounge
2845 SE Stark St. / 503.239.9292
thegoodfoot.com
Goodfoot is a bustling bar and music venue but savvy Portlanders also flock here for its cheap—and often free—pool. Dancing with a pool cue in one hand and a beverage in the other is highly encouraged.
Runner-up:
Sam's Billiards
1845 NE 41st Ave. / 503.282.8266
portlandpoolhall.com
Honorable mention:
Rialto Poolroom Bar & Cafe
529 SW 4th Ave. / 503.228.7605
rialtopoolroom.com
Best Sports Bar
Winner:
Spirit of 77
500 NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. / 503.232.9977
spiritof77bar.com
This hallowed Blazers bar is named after the greatest moment in Portland's athletic city, an all-too-welcome reminder after this offseason of attrition. Also, beer, pop-a-shot, and epic nachos.
Runner-up:
Blitz
Multiple locations.
blitzsportspubs.com
Honorable mention:
Claudia's Sports Pub & Grill
3006 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.232.1744
claudiaspub.com
Best Strip Club
Winner:
Sassy's
927 SE Morrison St. / 503.231.1606
sassysbar.com
Somewhere between watching the acrobatic maneuvers of a heavily tattooed dancer and sipping on one of the 30 craft beers on tap, you'll realize that Sassy's isn't just the best strip club in town. It's one of Portland's best bars period.
Runner-up:
Devil's Point
5305 SE Foster Rd. / 503.774.4513
devilspoint.net
Honorable mention:
Casa Diablo
2839 NW St Helens Rd. / 503.222.6600
casadiablo.com
Best Stripper
Winner:
Pixie
Devils Point
Portland's most popular stripper graces the stage at Devils Point, long known for especially acrobatic dancers. We weren't able to catch Pixie in person before press time, but it's safe to say she knows her way around a pole.
Runner-up:
Elle
Lucky Devil
Honorable mention:
Sasha Meow
Best Trivia Night
Winner:
Geeks Who Drink
All over town / 303.532.4737
facebook.com/GeeksPDX
Geeks Who Drink is a Denver-based company predicated on a revolutionary concept: Smart people like to get drunk and prove it. Visit their Facebook page for a full list of bars and events.
Runner-up:
Quizissippi @ Mississippi Pizza
3552 N Mississippi Ave. / 503.288.3231
facebook.com/Quizissippi
Honorable mention:
ShanRock's Triviology
shanrockstrivia.com
Active and Outdoors
Best Bike Shop
Winner:
River City Bicycles
706 SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd. / 503.233.5973
rivercitybicycles.com
Between the free tune-ups, upstairs test track and the vast selection—including a nearby outlet— River City Bicycles has been Portland's one-stop bike mecca for over 20 years.
Runner-up:
Bike Gallery
12345 SW Canyon Rd, Beaverton / 503.641.2580
bikegallery.com
Honorable mention:
Velo Cult
1969 NE 42nd Ave. / 503.922.2012
velocult.com
Best Bike Trail
Winner:
Springwater Corridor Trail
A 40-mile loop of endless paved biking sprawl that doubles as a scenic shortcut through and around Southeast.
Runner-up:
Forest Park
West of downtown Portland / 503.823.4492
forestparkconservancy.org
Honorable mention:
Banks-Vernonia Trail
Best Dog Park
Winner:
1000 Acres
Crown Point Hwy, Troutdale / 503.695.2372
True to its name, 1000 Acre Dog Park gives your best friend a vast space to play and explore, including access to the Sandy River.
Runner-up:
Mount Tabor Park
SE Salmon Way / 503.823.2525
Honorable mention:
Laurelhurst Park
3756 SE Oak St. / 503.823.2525
Best Family Outing
Winner:
Oregon Coast
There are countless ways to enjoy the Oregon Coast. You can peep exotic aquatic creatures in tide pools, drink beer while crabbing off a dock in Newport, blaze over wind-swept sand dunes in a roaring dune buggy…Calgon, take me away.
Runner-up:
Hood River
Honorable mention:
Multnomah Falls
www.oregon.com/attractions/multnomah_falls
Best Golf Course
Winner:
Eastmoreland
2425 SE Bybee Blvd. / 503.775.2900
eastmorelandgolfcourse.com
At nearly 100 years old, Eastmoreland is Portland's first public golf course, and remains one of our most challenging. Side note: A PBR, basket of fries, and a bucket of balls at the range is a great afternoon getaway, too.
Runner-up:
Pumpkin Ridge - Ghost Creek
12930 NW Old Pumpkin Ridge Rd, North Plains, OR / 503.647.4747
pumpkinridge.com/ghost-creek
Honorable mention:
Glendoveer
14015 NE Glisan St. / 503.253.7507
playglendoveer.com
Best Hiking Trail
Winner:
Forest Park
West of downtown Portland / 503.823.4492
forestparkconservancy.org
The Wildwood Trail is over 30 miles of meandering, breathtaking goodness. Just try not to get Blair Witch spooked when you stumble upon the ominous stone house.
Runner-up:
Eagle Creek
oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Eagle_Creek_Trailhead
Honorable mention:
Dog Mountain
oregonhikers.org/field_guide/Dog_Mountain_Hike
Best Local Sports Store/Outdoor Outfitter
Winner:
Next Adventure
426 SE Grand Ave. / 503.233.0706
nextadventure.net
Next Adventure is, of course, Portland's premiere alternative sports and outdoor store. What separates them from the rest is that they take disc golf just as seriously as hiking, climbing or other ostensibly weightier activities — they'll treat you the same if you're or a car camper or planning an expedition to Everest.
Runner-up:
REI
Multiple locations.
rei.com
Honorable mention:
Andy and Bax Sporting Goods
324 SE Grand Ave. / 503.234.7538
andyandbax.com
Best Park
Winner:
Forest Park
West of downtown Portland / 503.823.4492
forestparkconservancy.org
This beautiful park overlooks the city while connecting to the Oregon Zoo, OHSU, Pittock Mansion and other landmarks of the wooded West Hills.
Runner-up:
Mount Tabor Park
SE Salmon Way / 503.823.2525
Honorable mention:
Laurelhurst Park
3756 SE Oak St. / 503.823.2525
Best Running Event
Winner:
Hood to Coast
6441 SW Canyon Ct. / 503.292.4626
hoodtocoast.com
Approximately 200 miles of sweat, blood and tears stand between Timberline Lodge on Mount Hood and coastal Seaside, but that hasn't stopped this Herculean 12-person relay from becoming one of the most popular runs in the land.
Runner-up:
Shamrock Run
shamrockrunportland.com
Honorable mention:
Bridge to Brews
terrapinevents.com/event/bridge-to-brews-portland-8k-10k-run/
Best Running Store
Winner:
Portland Running Company
800 SE Grand Ave. / 503.232.8077
portlandrunningcompany.com
Portland Running Company goes above and beyond selling excellent athletic shoes. Shoe fit is important, but PRC also makes sure the shoes fit your running style and provide support where you need it.
Runner-up:
Foot Traffic
Multiple locations.
foottraffic.us
Honorable mention:
Fleet Feet Sports PDX - Fit Right
2258 NW Raleigh St. / 503.525.2122
fleetfeetsports.com
Best Running Trail
Winner:
Forest Park
West of downtown Portland / 503.823.4492
forestparkconservancy.org
Apparently, Willamette Week readers really like Forest Park. So much so that this category's Runner-up is also in Forest Park. It's a big park, ok?
Runner-up:
Wildwood Trail
Honorable mention:
Tryon Creek State Park
11321 SW Terwilliger Blvd. / 503.636.4398
tryonfriends.org
Best Skatepark
Winner:
Burnside Skatepark
SE 2nd Ave
Portlanders' favorite illegally built—now city-approved—skatepark under the Burnside Bridge. Even if you haven't been here in person, you'll probably recognize it from the video games.
Runner-up:
Gabriel Park
SW Vermont St & SW 45th Ave. / 503.823.2525
Honorable mention:
Pier Park
10325 N Lombard St. / 503.823.7529
Best Swimming Spot
Winner:
Sauvie Island
sauvieisland.org
Once a prime hooch-smuggling spot during Prohibition, Sauvie Island remains a popular place for Portlanders to dive into the Columbia, now somewhat cancer fish-free!
Runner-up:
Sandy River
Honorable mention:
Clackamas River
Marijuana
Best Bud Tender
Winner
Jeremy Plumb / Farma
916 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.206.4357
farmapdx.com
As mentioned in WW's annual weed issue earlier this year, Farma's Jeremy Plumb is a bundle of frenetic energy bursting at the seams with cannabis knowledge. He created the popular Cinex strain.
Runner-up:
Yazmine / Collective Awakenings
9823 NE Sandy Blvd. / 503.206.9070
collectiveawakenings.com
Honorable mention:
Camilla / Human Collective
9220 SW Barbur Blvd / 503.208.3042
humancollective.org
Best Cannabis-Infused Product
Winner:
Elbe's Edibles
faceboom.com/elbesedibles
Elbe's butter-based edibles are those tasty treats you find at most dispensaries. The green stars are a helpful measure of strength: that bomb bowl of chili will set you up for a chill evening; that tangy lemon bar is going to get you high as an elephant's eye.
Runner-up:
True North Extracts
truenorthextracts.com
Honorable mention:
The Balm from Portland Premium
portlandpremium.com
Best Head Shop
Winner
Third Eye Shoppe
3950 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.232.3393
3rdeyeshoppe.com
Co-founded by legendary weed activist Jack Herer, Third Eye has in many ways been preparing for this day. This psychedelically painted home-turned-head shop on Hawthorne certainly looks like the physical manifestation of low-key stoner heaven.
Runner-up:
Mary Jane's House of Glass
Multiple locations.
maryjaneshouseofglass.net
Honorable mention:
Mellow Mood
Multiple locations.
mellowmood.com
Best Marijuana Strain
Winner:
Blue Dream
A pleasant hybrid of the Blueberry and Haze strains, WW readers' pick for best strain finds that crowd-pleasing middle ground between the cerebral high of the sativa and full body mellow of the indica.
Runner-up:
OG Kush
Honorable mention:
Sour Diesel
Best Medical Marijuana Dispensary
Winner:
Farma
916 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.206.4357
farmapdx.com
This Best Dispensary nod is helped by the services of Best Bud Tender, Jeremy Plumb. Out on Portland's original cannabis corridor, Farma lives up to its name in stressing the medical and technical aspects of Oregon's newly legal green.
Runner-up:
The Human Collective
9220 SW Barbur Blvd / 503.208.3042
humancollective.org
Nectar Cannabis
Multiple locations.
nectarpdx.com
Best Vape Shop
Winner:
Third Eye
3950 SE Hawthorne Blvd. / 503.232.3393
3rdeyeshoppe.com
The House that Jack Built is an all-purpose smoker's hardware store winning both Best Head Shop and best place to buy smoke-free tools to get blazed.
Runner-up:
Five Zero Trees
10209 SE Division St. / 971.242.8492
fivezerotrees.com
Honorable mention:
Merwin's Vape & Vintage
3611 SE Division St. / 503.235.3533
merwinsvape.com
Best People and Other Animals | Best Bytes | Best Bites | Best Sips and Puffs
Best Sounds | Best Sights | Best Words
Best Fun and Games | Bests of the Year | Readers' Poll
WWeek 2015