Another year, another round of winners in the INDY’s much-imitated, never-replicated Best of the Triangle contest, where you tell us who’s the best of the best in our beloved region.
While Best of the Triangle has been running for two decades now, astute readers and INDY fans will notice that we’re doing things a little differently. Instead of presenting all winners in all categories, ranging from restaurants, bars, and yoga studios to hair salons, museums, and preschools, all at once, we’re running individual contests and presenting winners in different categories one county at a time—Wake, Durham, and Orange and Chatham—now, we’re on Orange and Chatham Counties.
This year’s list of Orange and Chatham winners, as voted by our readers, is a wonderful reflection of the community in Orange and Chatham Counties and all that they have to offer. You could make a perfect local day—or several—out of dining at the restaurants, touring the parks and museums, and shopping at all the stores for which our readers cast their ballots. There’s so much else to do, too: catch a show, a play, or a movie at one of Orange and Chatham’s premier venues, drop in at a bookstore, or support a local nonprofit.
Thank you for nominating and voting for all of your favorites! Congratulations to all of the finalists in Orange and Chatham who will receive our coveted star decal to display in their windows. Winners will also receive a poster to display in their shop.
Look forward to celebrating all of our winners in all three counties in our special-edition paper in December.
Sarah Edwards
Culture Editor
Best brewery
Runners-up: bmc brewing, Top of the Hill Restaurant & Brewery – Chapel Hill
Best Cheese Shop
Runners-up: Weaver Street Market, (Tied for 2nd) Boxcar Handmade Cheese & Trader Joe’s, Chapel Hill Creamery
Best Ethnic Grocery Store
Mediterranean Deli, Bakery and Catering
Runners-up: Lupitas Meat Market and Taqueria, Mikyin’s Asian Market
Best Indian Restaurant
Runners-up: Lime & Lemon Indian Grill & Bar, Nomad
Best Neighborhood Bar
Runners-up: Orange County Social Club, House of Hops-Pittsboro
Best Vegetarian Eatery
Mediterranean Deli, Bakery and Catering
Runners-up: Spotted Dog, Kim’s Bake Shop
Best Hotel Lounge
Runners-up: Siena, Graduate Chapel Hill
Best Karaoke Place/Event
Runners-up: Northside District, House of Hops Music Bingo
Best Place to People Watch
Runners-up: Franklin Street, Shakori Hills Grassroot Grassroots Festival
Best Preschool/Early Education Program
Runners-up: Schoolhouse of Wonder, Binkley Preschool
Best Sports Bar
Runners-up: Runners-up: Carolina Brewery, House of Hops, Four Corners
Best Chef
Leslie Chartier, The Travelling Cafe & John Horn, Wooden Nickel Pub
Runners-up: Sera Cuni at Root Cellar Cafe
Best DJ
DJ Wilder
Runners-up: DJ Special K House of Hops, Mista Illz Marcus Ward
Best Draft-Slinger
Kacie Walker, House of Hops (Pittsboro)
Runners-up: James Peery at The Kraken, Vicky Bacskay at House of Hops
Best Local Activist Group
Orange County CFAC
Runners-up: Hillsborough Progressives Taking Action, Love Chapel Hill
Best Mixologist
Britton Murray, Wooden Nickel Pub
Runners-up: Zach White at The Belltree, Jess Donnell at Northside District
Best Politician
Graig Meyer
Runners-up: Jamezetta Bedford, Meaghun Darab
Best Reason to Leave DURHAM County
Rising prices
Runners-up: Traffic, Chatham Park
Best Reason to Love DURHAM County
The vibes
Runners-up: Green areas, College county
Best Use of Public Money
Schools
Runners-up: Affordable Housing, Hillsborough Skate Park
Biggest Waste of Public Money
Developer Incentives
Runners-up: Construction on Estes, VinFast
Best Barber Shop
Friendly Barber Shop
Runner-up: Midway Barber Shop, Cadle’s Barber Shop
Best Childcare
Runners-up: Casa Club Spanish Immersion, Harvest Learning Center
Best Chiropractic Practice
Runners-up: NC Chiropractic, Circle City Chiro
Best Dental Practice
Runners-up: Carrboro Family Dentistry, Cornerstone Family Dentistry
Best Dermatological Practice
Runners-up: UNC Dermatology and Skin Cancer Center at Southern Village, Central Dermatology Center
Best Gym
UNC Wellness Center at Meadowmont
Runners-up: Planet Fitness Chapel Hill, O2 Fitness Chapel Hill – North Chatham
Best Holistic Medicine
Runners-up: Holistic Health & Medicine, Integrative Functional Medicine
Best Pediatric Practice
Runners-up: Therapy Smarts, Inc., Emerge Pediatric Therapy
Best Veterinary Practice
Carrboro Plaza Veterinary Clinic
Runners-up: Hope Crossing Animal Hospital, Vine Veterinary Hospital
Best Women’s Health Practice
Runners-up: Planned Parenthood, The UNC Family Medicine Center at Chapel Hill
Best Auto Dealer
Mark Jacobson Toyota (Serving Orange County)
Runners-up: University Ford Chapel Hill, ABW Imports
Best CBD/Head Shop
Carolina Hemp Hut – Hillsborough Dispensary
Runners-up: Cannabliss, Maxx Vape & Juul
Best Dance Studio
Runners-up: Hillsborough Cheer, Dance, and Gymnastics, Ballet School of Chapel Hill
Best Dog Grooming
Hair of the Dog Grooming Studio
Runners-up: Eno Animal Hospital, Livy’s Lavish Self Wash & Grooming
Best Electrician
Runner-up: Klassic Electrical Services Inc., Robert Rockett at Triangle Electric
Best Insurance Company
Runner-up: Pam Herndon State Farm, High and Rubish
Best Jeweler/Jewelry Store
Runners-up: Womancraft Fine Handcrafted Gifts, Rings True
Best Local Bookstore
Runners-up: Golden Fig Books, Circle City Books & Music
Best New Business
Runners-up: Anne and Arthur Fine Art Supply, Finders and Seekers Emporium
Best Place to Buy Locally Made Art
Womancraft Fine Handcrafted Gifts
Runners-up: Gold Hand Gallery, Peel Gallery + Photo Lab
Best Real Estate Company
Runners-up: Triangle Key by Flex Realty, Premier Agents Network
Best Vintage Store
Runners-up: Reclamation Home Furnishings, Carlisle and Linny Vintage Jewelry
Best Art Gallery
Runners-up: Womancraft Fine Handcrafted Gifts, Peel Gallery + Photo Lab
Best Art Museum
Best Drag Show/Event
Carrboro Pride
Runners-up: Drag show w/Kiki Diamond & Friends, Cafe Root Cellar
Best Electronic Concert Venue
Best Local/Regional Podcast
WCHL
Runners-up: Aye-aye Pod (Duke Lemur Center), Inside Carolina: A UNC athletics podcast
Best Theatre Company
Playmaker Theatre, UNC, Chapel Hill
Runners-up: Center Theatre Company, Company Carolina
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