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 2020-2021.
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Want to see all the winners from the year before? Click here.
Round 1 winners
Jacksonville’s best animal attraction: St. Augustine Wild Reserve
Runners up:
2) Celestial Farms 3) Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens
Jacksonville’s best brewery: SJ Brewing Company
Runners up:
2) Wicked Barley Brewing Company 3) Legacy Ale Works
Jacksonville’s best coffee shop: That Coffee Chic
Runners up:
2) Java Game Haus Café 3) Maple Street Biscuit
Jacksonville’s best dog park: BrewHound Dog Park + Bar
Runners up:
2) Dogwood Park of Jacksonville 3) Julington Creek Animal Walk
Jacksonville’s best fishing charter: Team Buck Rogers
Runners up:
2) River City Charters 3) The Legend Fishing Adventures
Jacksonville’s best golf course: Jacksonville Golf & Country Club
Runners up:
2) Cimarrone Golf Club 3) Jacksonville Beach Golf Club
Jacksonville’s best public art: Spiritualized Life, Memorial Park Riverside
Runners up:
2) Jax Beach Whales 3) Guido Van Helten: “Unity”
Jacksonville’s best surf spot: Hanna Park – Mayport Poles
Runners up:
2) Blow Hole Anastasia Beach St. Augustine 3) Huguenot Park
Jacksonville’s best local trail: Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens
Runners up:
2) Black Creek Park and Trail 3) Spanish Pond Trailhead
Jacksonville’s best water sports rentals: Amelia Island Kayak Excursions
Runners up:
2) Riptide Beach Services and Tours 3) Amelia Island Adventures Kayaking
Round 2 winners
Jacksonville’s best family-friendly park: Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park
Runners up:
2) Ed Austin Regional Park 3) South Beach Park & Sunshine Playground
Jacksonville’s best live music: Blue Jay Listening Room
Runners up:
2) Florida Theatre 3) Iggy’s Bar and Grill
Jacksonville’s best place to dock and dine: Whitey’s Fish Camp
Runners up:
2) Palm Valley Outdoors Bar & Grill 3) Palm’s Fish Camp
Jacksonville’s best sports bar to watch Jaguars play: Big Dawgs Sports Restaurant
Runners up:
2) The Brix Taphouse 3) Mudville Grille
Jacksonville’s best sunset view: Sunset Tiki Bar, Doctors Lake Marina
Runners up:
2) Palms Fish Camp 3) Cap’s on the Water
Jacksonville’s best tacos: Taco Lu
Runners up:
2) El Agave Azul 3) Casa Leon Mexican Restaurant
Round 3 winners
Jacksonville’s best vegan restaurant: TeaPosh Natural Café
Runners up:
2) Murray Hillbilly 3) KraVegan
Jacksonville’s best sandbar: Pineapple Point
Runners up:
2) Bayard Point Sandbar 3) Fort George Island Sandbar
Jacksonville’s best kayak and paddleboard launch site: Dutton Island Park & Preserve
Runners up:
2) Nocatee Kayak Launch 3) Camp Chowenwaw Park Launch
Jacksonville’s best restaurant for Mayport shrimp: Sandollar Restaurant
Runners up:
2) Shrimply Delicious 3) Palms Fish Camp
Jacksonville’s best farmers market: Orange Park Farmers Market
Runners up:
2) Jacksonville Farmers Market 3) Riverside Arts Market
Jacksonville’s best historic neighborhood: Murray Hill
Runners up:
2) Historic Springfield 3) Riverside/Avondale
Round 4 winners
Jacksonville’s best Oktoberfest: German Schnitzel Haus
Runners up:
2) Five Points Oktoberfest 3) Wicked Barley Oktoberfest
Jacksonville’s best bait shop: Steve’s Tackle Box
Runners up:
2) Black Creek Marina 3) Arlington Bait & Tackle
Jacksonville’s best sweet shop: Southern Dessert Plate
Runners up:
2) Funnel Cake Queen 3) Cupcake Fifty Etc.
Jacksonville’s best history museum: Mandarin Museum & Historical Society
Runners up:
2) Beaches Museum & History Park 3) Durkeeville Historical Society
Jacksonville’s best haunted house: CUI Holler–ween Fest
Runners up:
2) 13th Floor Haunted House 3) Haunt Nights at Adventure Landing
Jacksonville’s best boutique: Classic Maven
Runners up:
2) Simply Ke’say Boutique 3) Market Street Boutique
Round 5 winners
Jacksonville’s best rooftop bar: River & Post
Runners up:
2) Oktoberfest Lager, Intuition Ale Works 3) Pumpkin Beer, Wicked Barley
Jacksonville’s best barbecue: Woodpeckers Backyard BBQ
Runners up:
2) The Bearded Pig 3) ABBQ Meat & Drink
Jacksonville’s best locally brewed fall beer: Aard-Toberfest, Aardwolf Brewing
Runners up:
2) Black Sheep Restaurant 3) Cowford Chophouse
Jacksonville’s best pumpkin patch: Mandarin United Methodist Church
Runners up:
2) Isle of Faith Pumpkin Patch 3) Amazing Grace Family Farms
Jacksonville’s best kids attraction: Bay & Bee
Runners up:
2) Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens 3) Black Raven Pirate Ship
Jacksonville’s best local band: Mandalla Music Band
Runners up:
2) GFM Band 3) Dancing With Ghost
Round 6 winners
Jacksonville’s best makery: Paisley Grace Makery
Runners up:
2) Atlantic Beach Arts Market 3) Amelia Makery
Jacksonville’s best holiday event: Deck The Chairs
Runners up:
3-way tie: 2) Nutcracker 2) Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Zoolights 2) St. Johns Town Center Holiday Spectacular
Jacksonville’s best lights display: Girvin Road
Runners up:
2) St. Augustine Nights of Lights
Jacksonville’s best scenic trail: Timucuan Preserve
Runners up:
2-way tie: 2) Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens 2) Jennings State Forest Pioneer Trail
Jacksonville’s best happy hour: Bistro Aix
Runners up:
2) Cheers Park Avenue 3) The Volstead
Jacksonville’s best food truck: Bawk Bawk Chicken Truck
Runners up:
2) Abstrakt Filipino Essence 3) Khloe’s Kitchen
Round 7 winners
Jacksonville’s best wine bar: Coastal Wine Market & Tasting Room
Runners up:
2) The Wine Bar 3) Vito’s Italian Restaurant
Jacksonville’s best pizza: D&LP Subs
Runners up:
2) V Pizza 3) Tony D’s New York Pizza
Jacksonville’s best gym or place for Crossfit: Brandon Fitness
Runners up:
2) BEAST Performance 3) PhysWell Fitness & Rehab
Jacksonville’s best meal prep: Ready Prep Go
Runners up:
2) Lean Impact Nutrition 3) Island Fresh
Jacksonville’s best breakfast: The Avenue Grill
Runners up:
2) The Open Grill Café 3) Metro Diner
Jacksonville’s best yoga studio: Rebel Studio
Runners up:
2) Grow Happy Family Yoga 3) Power Yoga San Marco
Round 8 winners
Jacksonville’s best burger: The Avenue Grill
Runners up:
2) Jumping Jax House of Food 3) Epik Burger
Jacksonville’s best chocolate shop: Peterbooke Chocolatier
Runners up:
2) Makenu Chocolate 3) Sweet Pete’s
Jacksonville’s best bed and breakfast: Carriage Way Inn
Runners up:
2) St. Francis Inn 3) Casablanca Inn
Jacksonville’s best flower shop: Hurst Florist
Runners up:
2) Kuhn Flowers 3) Arlington Flower Shop
Jacksonville’s best jewelry store: Kingsley Jewelry
Runners up:
2) Pickett Brothers Jewelers 3) Midnight Sun Imports
Jacksonville’s best romantic dinner: River and Post
Runners up:
2) Black Sheep 3) Marker 32
Round 9 winners
Jacksonville’s best road race: Gate River Run
Runners up:
2) Donna Marathon 3) Ameris Bank Marathon
Jacksonville’s best Irish Pub: Lynch’s Irish Pub
Runners up:
2) Culhane’s Irish Pub 3) The Stout Snug
Jacksonville’s best group outing: Flying Hawk’s Axe Throwing II
Runners up:
2) Beautifully Devine 3) Austin Karaoke
Jacksonville’s best kid-friendly restaurant: Clark’s Fish Camp
Runners up:
2) The Bearded Pig 3) ABBQ Meat & Drink
Jacksonville’s best summer camp: Smitty’s Camp
Runners up:
2) Aquatics Camp 3) Doing Dishes Pottery Camp
Jacksonville’s best juice bar: Roots and Fruits
Runners up:
2) Ajeen & Juice Café 3) Juice Tap Jax
Round 10 winners
Jacksonville’s best doughnut: The Donut Shoppe
Runners up:
2) Cinotti’s Bakery 3) The Mini Bar
Jacksonville’s best fishing tournament: Flounder Pounder
Runners up:
2) El Cheapo Jacksonville 3) Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament
Jacksonville’s best pet boarding: Bark on Park
Runners up:
2) Happy Hound Dog Resort 3) Sunland Acres
Jacksonville’s best sushi: Tokyo Sushi
Runners up:
2) Sushi Bear 3) (Tie) Sushi House & Grille, Sushi House of Baymeadows
Jacksonville’s best flea market: Ramona Flea Market
Runners up:
2) Pecan Park Farmers & Flea Market 3) Avonlea Antiques & Interiors
Jacksonville’s best gallery: The Art Center Cooperative
Runner up:
Cummer Museum
Round 11 winners
Jacksonville’s best bike shop: Champion Cycling
Runners up:
2) LakeShore Bicycles 3) ZenCog Bicycle Company
Jacksonville’s best brunch: Biscottis
Runners up:
2) Culhane’s Irish Pub 3) Jax Beach Brunch Haus
Jacksonville’s best pet bakery: Redbones Gourmet Dog Bakery and Boutique
Runners up:
2) Bark on Park 3) Faux Paws Dog Shoppe
Jacksonville’s best speakeasy: Ice Plant
Runners up:
2) The Volstead 3) Grape and Grain Exchange
Jacksonville’s best biscuit: Maple Street Biscuit Company
Runners up:
2) Beach Road Fish House & Chicken Dinners 3) Grumpy’s Restaurant
Jacksonville’s best museum: The Brumos Collection
Runners up:
2) Mandarin Museum & History Society 3) Museum of Science & History
Round 12 winners
Jacksonville’s best waterfront dining: Cap’s on the Water
Runners up:
2) Clark’s Fish Camp 3) Down Under Restaurant
Jacksonville’s best sports team: Jacksonville Icemen
Runners up:
2) Jacksonville Axemen 3) Jacksonville Sharks
Jacksonville’s best sandwich: Blue Boy Sandwich Shop
Runners up:
2) Angie’s Subs 3) Firehouse Subs
Jacksonville’s best wine list: Bistro Aix
No runners up
Jacksonville’s best surf shop: Aqua East
Runners up:
2) Sunrise Surf Shop 3) Driftwood Surf Shop
Jacksonville’s best fried chicken: Bawk Bawk Chicken Truck
Runners up:
2) The Avenue Grill 3) Trap House Chicken