Best of Orlando 2014
Thousands of readers cast votes online for their top picks in dozens of categories, from Best Independent Coffee Shop to Best Local Burger to Best Public Golf Course, and more.
It's show time! Once again, Orlando magazine readers have spoken, picking their favorites in everything from brunches to day spas, sports figures to charity galas. This year, we asked the performers at Treasure Tavern Dinner Theatre near International Drive to help us lend a bit of levity to the lists. And did they ever. Enjoy their antics on the following pages as you dig into the favorites in 72 categories.
Goods and Services
Day Spa
1 Fitness Centre & Day Spa at
2 The Ritz Carlton
3 Primera Salon & Spa Workout Facility/Gym
1 Fitness Centre & Day Spa at
2 YMCA
3 LA Fitness Hair Salon
1 Stella Luca
2 SizzorS
3 Alchemy Nail Salon
1 Nina and Holly’s Nail Boutique
2 Primera Salon & Spa
3 Beauty Spot Spa & Boutique Barber Shop
1 Floyd’s 99 Barbershop
2 Kennedy’s All-American Barber Club
3 Justincredible Cutz Florist
1 In Bloom Florist
2 Lee James Floral Design
3 Harry’s Famous Flowers
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Men’s Clothing Store
1 John Craig Clothier
2 JoS. A. Bank Clothiers
3 Men’s Wearhouse Women’s Clothing Store
1 Macy’s
2 Nordstrom
3 White House / Black Market Preschool
1 Ladybird Academy
2 Jewish Community Center
3 St. Vincent’s Academy Private School, K-8
1 Windermere Preparatory School
2 Sweetwater Episcopal Academy
3 Park Maitland School Private School, 9-12
1 Trinity Preparatory School
2 Lake Highland Preparatory School
3 Windermere Preparatory School Golf Course—Public
1 Dubsdread Golf Course
2 Orange County National
3 Winter Park Country Club Golf Course—Private
1 Heathrow Country Club
2 Interlachen Country Club
3 Arnold Palmer’s Bay Hill Club & Lodge Car Dealer
1 Fields Auto Group
2 Lexus of Orlando
3 David Maus Volkswagen Plastic Surgeon
1 Thomas Fiala
2 George Pope
3 Edward Gross |
Chiropractor
1 Glenn Graham
2 Ben Kersenbrock
3 Brad Levine Optometrist
1 Vision Health Institute
2 Southwest Orlando Eye Care
3 Logan Eye Care Veterinary Hospital
1 Winter Park Veterinary Hospital
2 McAbee Veterinary Hospital
3 Loch Haven Veterinary Hospital Doggie Daycare
1 Ranger’s Pet Outpost and Retreat
2 Dog Day Afternoon
3 Happy Paws Pet Resort
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People and Media
Sports Figure
1 Victor Oladipo
2 Jameer Nelson
3 Blake Bortles Local Performer
1 Tony Brent
2 Cast of Sleuth’s
3 Boomershine Community Leader
1 Buddy Dyer
2 Teresa Jacobs
3 Patty Sheehan Pastor
1 Joel Hunter
2 David Uth
3 Bill Barnes |
Blogger
1 Mark Baratelli
2 Matt Broffman
3 Fiorella Reategui Columnist
1 Scott Maxwell
2 Mike Bianchi
3 Billy Manes Local TV Station
1 WESH-Channel 2
2 WFTV-Channel 9
3 Fox 35 TV News Team
1 Jim Payne and Martha Sugalski
2 Bob Frier and Sonni Abatta
3 Bob Opsahl and Martie Salt |
TV Sportscaster
1 Pat Clarke
2 David Baumann
3 David Pingalore TV Weather Forecaster
1 Tom Terry
2 Amy Sweezey
3 Tony Mainolfi Radio Music Station
1 XL 106.7 FM
2 Z88.3 FM
3 MIX 105.1 FM Local Radio Show
1 Johnny’s House
2 The Philips Phile
3 A Mediocre Time With
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Eat and Drink
Bakery
1 Panera Bread
2 Charlie’s Gourmet Pastries
3 Blue Bird Bake Shop Brunch
1 Keke’s Breakfast Cafe
2 First Watch
3 Dexter’s Independent Coffee Shop
1 Downtown Credo
2 Drunken Monkey Coffee Bar
3 Stardust Video and Coffee Local Burger
1 The Tap Room at Dubsdread
2 Johnny’s Fillin’ Station
3 B&B Junction Frozen Treat
1 Jeremiah’s Italian Ice
2 Twistee Treat
3 Menchie’s Downtown Restaurant
1 Citrus
2 Kres Chophouse
3 The Rusty Spoon |
I-Drive Restaurant
1 The Capital Grille
2 Café Tu Tu Tango
3 Texas de Brazil Restaurant Row Restaurant
1 Seasons 52
2 Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
3 Rocco’s Tacos & Tequila Bar Winter Park Restaurant
1 Prato
2 Luma on Park
3 The Ravenous Pig Seminole County Restaurant
1 Hollerbach’s Willow Tree Café
2 Enzo’s on the Lake
3 FishBones Restaurant to Seal the Deal
1 Christner’s Prime Steak & Lobster
2 Seasons 52
3 Ruth’s Chris Steak House Place to Eat After Church With the Kids
1 First Watch
2 Keke’s Breakfast Cafe
3 Cracker Barrel Old Country Store |
Watering Hole
1 Redlight Redlight Beer Parlour
2 Wally’s
3 Miller’s Ale House Wine Bar
1 The Wine Room
2 Eola Wine Company
3 Quantum Leap Winery Hotel Lounge
1 Bösendorfer Lounge
2 The Alfond Inn
3. WXYZ Bar Sports Bar
1 Miller’s Ale House
2 Buffalo Wild Wings
3 Gator’s Dockside Specialty Foods Store
1 Whole Foods Market
2 The Fresh Market
3 Petty’s Meat Market Wine Store
1 Total Wine
2 ABC Fine Wine & Spirits
3 Tim’s Wine Market |
Potpourri
Place for a Staycation
1 Walt Disney World Resort
2 Ritz Carlton Orlando, Grande Lakes
3 Gaylord Palms Resort & Convention Center Farmers Market
1 Winter Park Farmers’ Market
2 Orlando Farmers Market
3 Winter Garden Farmers Market Art Gallery
1 CityArts Factory
2 Snap! Space
3 Gallery On The Edge Museum
1 Morse Museum of American Art
2 Orlando Museum of Art
3 Orlando Science Center Performing Arts Group
1 Central Florida Community Arts
2 Orlando Ballet
3 Orlando Shakespeare Theater |
Charity Gala
1 Runway to Hope
2 Headdress Ball
3 UCP An Evening at the Palace Entertainment Experience
1 Sak Comedy Lab
2 Cirque du Soleil’s “La Nouba”
3 Blue Man Group Music Venue
1 House of Blues
2 Hard Rock Live Orlando
3 The Social Place to Get Married
1 Disney’s Wedding Pavilion
2 Lake Mary Events Center
3 Harry P. Leu Gardens Theme Park Ride
1 The Incredible Hulk Coaster
2 Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey
3 Manta |
Foot Race
1 Walt Disney World
2 IOA Corporate 5K
3 Fleet Feet Sports Orlando Festival
1 Winter Park Sidewalk Art Festival
2 Orlando International Fringe Theatre Festival
3 Epcot International Food & Wine Festival Bike Trail
1 West Orange Trail
2 Seminole Wekiva Trail
3 Cady Way Trail Place for People Watching
1 Lake Eola Park
2 Park Avenue
3 Walt Disney World Reason to Live in Orlando1 Weather 2 Theme Parks 3 The People |
Editor's Picks
Best Place to Stock Up on Cookie Butter
Trader Joe’s. The decadent stuff is made of crunchy Belgian cookies that have somewhat of a gingerbread flavor. And you can get it creamy or crunchy. traderjoes.com
Best Venue to Get Dazed and Confused
Get lost in the cornfield at Scott’s Maze Adventures in Mount Dora—but have a blast doing it. Operates October 4 – December 14. longandscottfarms.com
Best Hidden Treasure (with Strings Attached)
The International Harp Museum, nestled on a dead-end street in downtown Orlando, tells the history of the stringed treasures and sponsors concerts throughout the year. internationalharpmuseum.org
Best Use of Truffle Oil
A single order of the Enzian theater’s truffled fries costs $6.50. Plan to spend a fortune. enzian.org
Best Spiritual Place for Lunch
At the Hindu Temple of Central Florida in Casselberry, a dedicated kitchen hand-makes an all-vegetarian menu of masala dosas, spicy coconut chutney and sambhar soup for weekend visitors. hindutempleorlando.org
Best Bar to Get Bleary-Eyed Watching the Bouncing Ball
The Hammered Lamb on Orange Avenue. Playing ping-pong with friends, of course. thehammeredlamb.com
Best Place to Get High on I-Drive
The Orlando Eye observation wheel (400 feet tall, under construction) and the Skyscraper roller coaster (proposed, 570 feet high). idrivedistrict.com
Best Place to Have a Meltdown in Traffic
Any entrance or exit ramp at Interstate 4 and the 408. The ultimate I-4 project should take care of the traffic jams, but construction will take six years. And that means more… well, you know. moving-4-ward.com
