JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Showcasing the best that Jacksonville has to offer, JaxBest is a voter-centric guide to all of the local things that make our city unique.
Here’s a look at the winners from FY 2019-2020.
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Round 1 winners
Best animal attraction: Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary
Runners up:
2. Celestial Farms 3. Diamond D Ranch Inc.
Best brewery: SJ Brewing Company
Runners up:
2.Tabula Rasa Brewing 3. Wicked Barley Brewing Company
Best coffee shop: That Coffee Chic
Runners up:
2. Brass Tacks Coffee 3. Twisted Compass Brewing Co.
Best dog park: Julington Creek Animal Walk
Runners up:
2. BrewHound Dog Park + Bar 3. Ed Austin Regional Dog Park
Best fishing charter: Team Buck Rogers
Runners up:
2. Majesty Deep Sea Fishing 3. Southern March Fly Fishing Charters
Best golf course: Jacksonville Golf and Country Club
Runners up:
2. Long Point at The Amelia Island Club 3. Eagle Harbor Golf Club
Best public art: Guido van Helten's "Unity"
Runners up:
2. Case Maclaim: “The Function of Education” 3. Okuda: “The Dance of the Seven Sins Muses”
Best surf spot: Jacksonville Beach Pier
Runners up:
2. Vilano Beach 3. Big Talbot Island State Park
Best local trail: Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens
Runners up:
2. Amelia Island State Park 3. Timucuan Ecological and Historic Preserve
Best water sports rentals: Riptide Beach Services and Tours
Runners up:
2. Kayak Amelia 3. Amelia Island Paddle Surg Company
Round 2 winners
Best family-friendly park: Alpine Groves Park
Runners up:
2. Kathryn Abbey Hannah Park 3. Ed Austin Regional Park
Best live music: Daily’s Place
Runners up:
2. Cheers Park Avenue 3. Florida Theatre
Best place to dock and dine: Palms Fish Camp
Runners up:
2. River City Brewing Company 3. Safe Harbor Seafood
Best sports bar to watch Jaguars play: The Brix Taphouse
Runners up:
2. Big Dawgs Sports Restaurant 3. Harps American Pub & Grill
Best sunset views: Palms Fish Camp
Runners up:
2. River City Brewing Company 3. Black Sheep
Best tacos: El Agave Azul
Runners up:
2. TacoLu 3. El Taco Naco
Round 3 winners
Best vegan restaurant: Murray Hillbilly
Runners up:
2. Southern Roots Filling Station 3. House of Leaf & Bean
Best sandbar: Huguenot Memorial Park Sandbar
Runners up:
2. Guana River Sandbar 3. Katherine Abbey Hanna Park Sandbar
Best kayak and paddleboard launch site: Little Talbot Island State Park
Runners up:
2. Blue Cypress Park 3. Fort George Island Cultural State Park
Best restaurant for Mayport shrimp: Singleton’s Seafood Shack
Runners up:
2. Safe Harbor Seafood Market & Restaurant 3. Palms Fish Camp Restaurant
Best farmers market: Jacksonville Farmers Market
Runners up:
2. Riverside Arts Market 3. Fernandina Beach Market Place
Best historic neighborhood: Historic Springfield
Runners up:
2. Riverside/Avondale 3. San Marco Historic District
Round 4 winners
Best Oktoberfest: Beaches Oktoberfest
Runners up:
2. German Schnitzel Haus 3. Wicked Barley Oktoberfest
Best bait shop: On the Line Bait and Tackle Shop at Amelia
Runners up:
2. B&M Bait and Tackle 3. Rick’s Bait & Tackle
Best sweet shop: Southern Dessert Plate
Runners up:
2. Cinotti’s Bakery-Sandwich Shop 3. Sweet Pete’s Candy
Best history museum: Mandarin Museum and Historical Society
Runners up:
2. Kingsley Plantation 3. Clay County Historical Museum
Best haunted house: 13th Floor Haunted House
Runners up:
2. Haunt Nights at Adventure Landing 3. Amelia Island Museum Ghost Tours
Best boutique: Jaffi’s
Runners up:
2. Red Daisy 3. Sunrise Surf Shop
Round 5 winners
Best barbecue: Fae’s BBQ
Runners up:
2. Fred Cotten's Landmark BBQ 3. Gators BBQ
Best brewed fall beer: Bold City’s German Uncle
Runners up:
2. Octoberfest: Atlantic Brewing Company 3. Jax Boot: Legacy Ale Works
Best rooftop bar: River & Post
Runners up:
2. Casa Marina 3. Cowford Chophouse
Best pumpkin patch: Isle of Faith Pumpkin Patch
Runners up:
2. Orange Park United Methodist Church 3. Shepherd of the Woods Pumpkin Patch
Best kids attraction: Catty Shack Ranch Wildlife Sanctuary
Runners up:
2. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens 3. MOSH
Best band: Mandalla Music Band
Runners up:
2. BabaCaiman 3. Blistur
Round 6 winners
Best makery: Paisley Grace Makery
Runners up:
2. Pineapple Creative Boutique 3. Atlantic Beach Arts Market
Best happy hour: Lemon Bar
Runners up:
2. The Volstead 3. Cheers Park Avenue
Best holiday event: Nights of Lights in St. Augustine
Runners up:
2. Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens ZOO Lights 3. Deck the Chairs
Best food truck: Cartels Kitchen Seafood & More
Runners up:
2. kraVegan 3. Alama Food Truck
Best scenic trail: Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens
Runners up:
2. Taye Brown Regional Park 3. Timucuan Preserve
Best spot for holiday lights: Girvin Road
Runners up:
2. St. Augustine Night of Lights 3. WillowWood in Winter
Round 7 winners
Best place for breakfast: Grumpy’s Restaurant
Runners up:
2. 1748 Bakehouse 3. Metro Diner
Best yoga studio: Rebel Studio
Runners up:
2. The Beat Fitness 3. Titanium Yoga
Best gym or place for Crossfit: BrandonFitness
Runners up:
2. Back2Basics 3. Crossfit Ferrum
Best wine bar: Carrera Wine Cellar
Runners up:
2. San Sebastian Winery 3. Aromas Cigar, Wine & Martini Bar
Best pizza restaurant: Tony D’s Pizza & Restaurant
Runners up:
2. Dolce’s Pizza Pizzeria & Italian Restaurant 3. Moon River Pizza
Best meal prep company: Lean Impact Nutrition
Runners up:
2. Superfit Foods 3. Kathy’s Table
Round 8 winners
Best flower shop: Spencer’s Designer Florist
Runners up:
2. The Little Flower Bunch 3. Daughters Flower Shop
Best burger: The Avenue Grill
Runners up:
2. Cacklacky’s 3. Tasty’s Fresh Burgers and Fries
Best bed & breakfast: Bayfront Marin House
Runners up:
2. The Riverdale Inn 3. River Park Inn
Best chocolate shop: Peterbrooke Chocolatier
Runners up:
2. Sweet Pete’s 3. Heavenly Chocolate Creations
Best jewelry shop: Pickett Brothers Jewelers
Runners up:
2. Frazier Jewelers 3. Lakewood Jewelers
Best romantic dinner: The Casbah Café
Runners up:
2. Wine Cellar 3. Restaurant Orsay
Round 9 winners
Best group outing: Creative Grain Studio
Runners up:
2. Flying Hawk Axe Throwing II 3. Escapology Jacksonville
Best Irish pub: The Stout Snug
Runners up:
2. Fionn Maccool’s 3. Culhane’s Irish Pub
Best road race: Swamp Battle OCR
Runners up:
2. Run for Peace 5K 3. Gate River Run
Best kid-friendly restaurant: Kim’s Korean BBQ
Runners up:
2. Mackey’s Munchies 3. Grub Burger Bar
Best summer camp: FALA Spanish Camp
Runners up:
2. Camp Chippewa 3. The Art Garage Art Camp
Best juice bar: Juicebox Jax
Runners up:
2. Juice Clinic Jax 3. Juice Tap Jax
Round 10 winners
Jacksonville’s best gallery: Through the Lens of Lee Margaret (nature gallery)
Jacksonville’s best flea market: Ramona Flea Market
Jacksonville’s best fishing tournament: Flounder Pounder
Jacksonville’s best sushi: Sushiko Japanese Restaurant
Jacksonville’s best doughnut: The Donut Shoppe
Jacksonville’s best pet boarding: Happy Hound Dog Resorts
Round 11 winners
Jacksonville’s best speakeasy: The Volstead
Runners up:
2. Buchner’s Bierhalle 3. Sidecar
Jacksonville’s best biscuits: Maple Street Biscuit Company
Runners up:
2. Bell Biscuit 3. Grumpy’s Restaurant
Jacksonville’s best museum: The Cummer Museum of Art & Gardens
Runners up:
2. MOSH 3. Beaches Museum
Jacksonville’s best brunch: Grumpy’s Restaurant
Runners up:
2. 3 Palms Grille 3. Beach Diner
Jacksonville’s best pet bakery: Bubba’s Bistro & Barkery
Runners up:
2. Redbones Gourmet Dog Bakery and Boutique 3. Bark on Park
Jacksonville’s best bike shop: Champion Cycling and Fitness
Runners up:
2. Open Road Bicycles 3. Bicycles Ect.
Round 12 winners
Jacksonville’s best sandwich: Pinegrove Market and Deli
Runners up: All American Hot Dog and Sandwiches, Blue Boy Sandwich Shop, Inc.
Jacksonville’s best waterfront dining: Palms Fish Camp Restaurant
Runners up: Sandollar Restaurant, Singleton’s Seafood Shack
Jacksonville’s best wine list: Barrique Kitchen and Wine Bar
Runners up: Restaurant Orsay, Wine Cellar
Jacksonville’s best surf shop: Aqua East Surf Shop
Runners up: Sunrise Surf Shop, Jax Surf & Paddle
Jacksonville’s best sports team: Icemen
Runners up: Jumbo Shrimp, Sharks
Jacksonville’s best fried chicken: The Avenue Grill
Runners up: Callahan Chicken, Bawk Bawk Chicken Truck