What is Best of the Bay? Beyond thousands and thousands of voters expressing their love for the local people, places, and things that make this the Best Place on Earth, the annual Bay Guardian Best of the Bay (our 47th!) takes a temperature of the times. This is the 17th Best of the Bay I’ve edited, and I’ve seen the booms, busts, shifts, and slants of the city reflected in each one. This one was tough. So many winners from years past have tragically closed or left, so many categories had to be reconfigured so that they could be properly competitive in this time of online shopping, working from home, chain monopolies, not to mention stress about what’s happening in the world.
But it was also beautiful. So many of you voted for brilliantly San Francisco and Bay Area things, showing how much you care, and how much local businesses, arts organizations, music-makers, cocktail shakers, and everything else inside the Golden Gate matters to who we are and how we live. We have so many new and classic winners. We’re still here, dammit. Please join us to celebrate the winners and the runners up—as well as 48 Hills’ 9th anniversary!—at our Fall Fling, November 3, 6pm-9pm at El Rio, SF. (More info here.) We’d love to party with you all, the true Best of the Bay. And hey, if you’d like to see this Bay Area tradition continue, please join us as a member or donate today.
CITY LIVING
BEST STREET FAIR
FOLSOM STREET FAIR
www.folsomstreetevents.org
Runners Up: How Weird, Haight Street Fair
BEST HOTEL
PHOENIX HOTEL
www.phoenixsf.com
Runners Up: Fairmont San Francisco, Argonaut
BEST TOUR
SKIP THE BUS
www.skipthebus.com
Runners Up: Blandina Farley’s Fabulous Tours, Rides By Me
BEST KIDS’ VENUE
EXPLORATORIUM
www.exploratorium.edu
Runners Up: Randall Museum, House of Air
BEST POLITICIAN
HONEY MAHOGANY
Runners Up: Dean Preston, Chesa Boudin
BEST NONPROFIT
CREATIVITY EXPLORED
www.creativityexplored.org
Runners Up: Rocket Dog Rescue, Pacific Center for Human Growth
BEST LOCAL WEBSITE
BROKE-ASS STUART
www.brokeassstuart.com
Runners Up: Mission Local, Funcheap
BEST PODCAST
BITCH TALK
www.bitchtalkpodcast.com
Runners Up: Storied San Francisco, East Bay Yesterday
BEST RADIO STATION
BFF.FM
www.bff.fm
Runners Up: KQED, KPOO
BEST ANIMAL RESCUE
ROCKET DOG RESCUE
www.rocketdogrescue.org
Runners Up: Muttville, SFSPCA
BEST DOG WALKERS
DOG TALES
www.dogtalesunleashed.com
Runners Up: Sniff and Go, Citizen Hound
BEST DOG GROOMERS
VIP GROOMING
www.vipgroomingsf.com
Runners Up: The Pawber Shop, Kosita’s
BEST PLUMBING
SUGAR BEAR PLUMBING
www.sugarbearplumbing.com
Runners Up: Plumb ‘Em All, Heise’s
BEST ELECTRICIAN
PAURIC ELECTRIC
www.thesfelectrician.com
Runners Up: Ike’s Electric, Wells Electric
BEST MOVING SERVICE
DELANCEY STREET MOVERS
www.delanceystreetfoundation.org
Runners Up: One Big Man & One Big Truck, Shamrock
BEST HOUSE CLEANERS
LA COLECTIVA
www.lacolectivasf.com
Runners Up: BerryClean, Immaculate Cleaning
BEST AUTO MECHANICS
PAT’S GARAGE
www.patsgarage.com
Runners Up: Noe Valley Auto Works, Action Auto Care
BEST BICYCLE REPAIR
BOX DOG BIKES
www.boxdogbikes.com
Runners Up: Valencia Cyclery, Missing Link Bicycle Cooperative
BEST TAILOR
AL’S ATTIRE
www.alsattire.com
Runners Up: Michelle’s Tailor, HB Alterations
BEST SALON
RAUL ANTHONY PRO
www.raulanthonypro.com
Runners Up: Ginger Rubio, Glamarama
BEST GYM
FITNESS SF
www.fitnesssf.com
Runners Up: Bay Club, JCCSF
BEST TRAINER
ACE MORGAN
www.acemorganfitness.com
Runners Up: Dudley Flores, Graylon Sanders
BEST YOGA STUDIO
NEW MISSION YOGA
www.newmissionyoga.com
Runners Up: Yoga Garden, Love Story Yoga
FOOD AND DRINK
BEST OVERALL RESTAURANT
BLUE PLATE
www.blueplatesf.com
Runners Up: Original Joe’s, Flour + Water
BEST BUDGET RESTAURANT
TU LAN
8 Sixth St., SF.
Runners Up: 7 Mile House, Tommy’s Joynt
BEST TAKEOUT
SOUVLA
www.souvla.com
Runners Up: Local Kitchens, DNA Pizza
BEST FOOD TRUCK
AL PASTOR PAPI
www.alpastorpapi.com
Runners Up: Señor Sisig, Vegan Mob
BEST FARMERS’ MARKET
ALEMANY
sf.gov/location/alemany-farmers-market
Runners Up: Ferry Plaza, Clement Street
BEST VEGETARIAN
GREENS
www.greensrestaurant.com
Runners Up: Ananda Fuara, Gracias Madre
BEST VEGAN
WILDSEED
www.wildseedsf.com
Runners Up: Souley Vegan, Shizen
BEST PIZZA
TONY’S PIZZA NAPOLETANA
www.tonyspizzanapoletana.com
Runners Up: Little Star, Golden Boy
BEST BURRITO
EL FAROLITO
www.elfarolitosf.com
Runners Up: La Taqueria, Taqueria Cancun
BEST SANDWICHES
RHEA’S DELI
800 Valencia, SF.
Runners Up: Lou’s Cafe, Alimento
BEST BURGER
SCOPO DIVINO
www.scopodivino.com
Runners Up: Super Duper, 7 Mile House
BEST BBQ
4505 Burgers & BBQ
www.4505burgersandbbq.com
Runners Up: Horn, Everett & Jones
BEST SUSHI
EBISU
www.ebisusushi.com
Runners Up: Elephant Sushi, Live Sushi
BEST CHINESE
ERIC’S
www.erics-restaurant.com
Runners Up: Eliza’s, Yank Sing
BEST ITALIAN
CAFFÉ MACARONI
www.caffemacaroni.com
Runners Up: Sodini’s, Vega
BEST INDIAN
MISSION CURRY
2434 Mission, SF.
Runners Up: Pakwan, Tilak
BEST MEXICAN
PUERTO ALEGRE
www.puertoalegresf.net
Runners Up: La Taqueria. San Jalisco
BEST BRUNCH
ZAZIE
www.zaziesf.com
Runners Up: Plain Jane, Plow
BEST CAFE
FARLEY’S
www.farleyscoffee.com
Runners Up: Milk, Pinhole
BEST BAKERY
ARSICAULT
www.arsicault-bakery.com
Runners Up: Jane the Baker, Arizmendi
BEST CANNABIS EDIBLES
INCREDIMEDS
www.incredimeds.org
Runners Up: Green Cross, Purple Star
BEST OVERALL BAR
MADRONE ART BAR
www.madroneartbar.com
Runners Up: The Factory Bar, Oasis
BEST DIVE BAR
EL RIO
www.elriosf.com
Runners Up: Bender’s, St. Mary’s Pub
BEST SPORTS BAR
HI-TOPS
www.hi-topssf.com
Runners Up: SF Athletic Club, Kezar Pub
BEST QUEER BAR
EL RIO
www.elriosf.com
Runners Up: Oasis, Wild Side West
BEST WINE BAR
SCOPO DIVINO
www.scopodivino.com
Runners Up: Bar Part Time, 20 Spot
ARTS & NIGHTLIFE
BEST MOVIE THEATER
ROXIE THEATER
www.roxiesf.com
Runners Up: Castro Theatre, Balboa Theater
BEST MUSEUM
DE YOUNG
deyoung.famsf.org
Runners Up: Asian Art Museum, Legion of Honor
BEST ART GALLERY
HAIGHT STREET ART CENTER
www.haightstreetart.org
Runners Up: Creativity Explored, Round Weather
BEST DANCE COMPANY
RAWDANCE
www.rawdance.org
Runners Up: ODC, David Herrera Performance Company
BEST THEATER COMPANY
BERKELEY REP
www.berkeleyrep.org
Runners Up: SF Neo-Futurists, Ray of Light
BEST PERFORMANCE SPACE
PIANOFIGHT
www.pianofight.com
Runners Up: Oasis, Z Space
BEST ARTS/MUSIC FESTIVAL
HARDLY STRICTLY BLUEGRASS
www.hardlystrictlybluegrass.com
Runners Up: Stern Grove, Oaklash
BEST RECORD LABEL
BROKEN CLOVER RECORDS
www.brokenclover.com
Runners Up: Dark Entries, Storefront
BEST BAND
LOLLY GAGGERS
www.facebook.com/lollygaggers
Runners Up: Fantastic Negrito, Californicorns
BEST DJ
Charles Hawthorne
www.instagram.com/djcharleshawthorne/
Runners Up: Ion the Prize, The Tourist
BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE
BOTTOM OF THE HILL
www.bottomofthehill.com
Runners Up: Great American Music Hall, The Chapel
BEST NIGHTCLUB
DNA LOUNGE
www.dnalounge.com
Runners Up: F8, Public Works
BEST QUEER NIGHTCLUB
OASIS
www.sfoasis.com
Runners Up: Jolene’s, Beaux
BEST DANCE PARTY
DEATH GUILD
www.deathguild.com
Runners Up: Swagger Like Us, Princess
BEST JAZZ CLUB
SFJAZZ
www.sfjazz.com
Runners Up: Mr Tipples, Club Deluxe
BEST OPEN MIC
THE RIPTIDE
www.riptidesf.com
Runners Up: Hotel Utah, Storefront Market
BEST KARAOKE
THE MINT
www.themint.net
Runners Up: Festa, Neck of the Woods
BEST DRAG SHOW
REPARATIONS
www.sfoasis.com/reparations
Runners Up: Princess, Monster Show
BEST DRAG PERFORMER
NICKI JIZZ
www.instagram.com/nicki_jizz
Runners Up: Lady Camden, Peaches Christ
BEST BURLESQUE
HUBBA HUBBA REVUE
www.instagram.com/hubba_hubba_revue
Runners Up: Hex in the City, Baloney
BEST COMEDY VENUE
COBB’S COMEDY CLUB
www.cobbscomedy.com
Runners Up: Punchline, Pianofight
BEST COMEDIAN
MARGA GOMEZ
www.margagomez.com
Runners Up: Emily Van Dyke, Dhaya Lakshminarayanan
BEST STRIP CLUB
CONDOR CLUB
www.condorsf.com
Runners Up: Gold Club, Centerfolds
BEST SEX CLUB
EROS
www.erossf.com
Runners Up: Steamworks, Power Exchange
SHOPPING
BEST OVERALL STORE
BIORDI ART IMPORTS
www.biordi.com
Runners Up: When Modern Was, Cliff’s Variety
BEST STORE STAFF
RAINBOW GROCERY
www.rainbow.coop
Runners Up: When Modern Was, The Green Cross
BEST BOOKSTORE
GREEN APPLE BOOKS
www.greenapplebooks.com
Runners Up: City Lights, Dog-Eared Books
BEST COMIC BOOK STORE
MISSION COMICS AND ART
www.missioncomicsandart.com
Runners Up: Comix Experience, Isotope
BEST RECORD STORE
AMOEBA SF
www.amoeba.com
Runners Up: Vinyl Dreams, Tunnel Records
BEST GROCERY STORE
RAINBOW GROCERY COOPERATIVE
www.rainbow.coop
Runners Up: Gus’s Community Market, Berkeley Bowl
BEST CANNABIS DISPENSARY
THE GREEN CROSS
www.thegreencross.org
Runners Up: The Apothecarium, Purple Star
BEST WOMENS’ CLOTHING STORE
NOOWORKS
www.nooworks.com
Runners Up: Ambiance, Sui Generis
BEST MENS’ CLOTHING STORE
SUI GENERIS
www.suigenerisconsignment.com
Runners Up: Al’s Attire, Mr. Lin
BEST STORE FOR KIDS
Fiddlesticks
www.shopfiddlesticks.com
Runners Up: Tantrum, Chloe’s Closet
BEST FLEA MARKET
ALAMEDA POINT ANTIQUES FAIRE
www.alamedapointantiquesfaire.com
Runners Up: Alemany, Ashby
BEST VINTAGE STORE
RELIC VINTAGE
www.relicvintagesf.com
Runners Up: Held Over, Vacation, Mary’s Exchange
BEST THRIFT STORE
COMMUNITY THRIFT
www.communitythriftsf.org
Runners Up: Out of the the Closet, Mission Thrift
BEST SHOE STORE
ON THE RUN
www.ontherunshoes.com
Runners Up: Nice Kicks, Shoes on Solano
BEST HARDWARE STORE
COLE HARDWARE
www.colehardware.com
Runners Up: Cliff’s Variety, Papenhausen
BEST BIKE SHOP
VALENCIA CYCLERY
www.valenciacyclery.com
Runners Up: Mike’s Bikes, Box Dog Bikes
BEST PET GOODS STORE
JEFFREY’S
www.jeffreyspets.com
Runners Up: Bernal Beast, Pawtrero
BEST GIFT SHOP
LOCAL TAKE
www.localtakesf.com
Runners Up: Rare Device, Wishbone
BEST PLACE TO BUY EYEWEAR
VEO OPTICS
www.veooptics.com
Runners Up: Optical Underground, Eye Gotcha
BEST SWEETS SHOP
CHOCOLATE COVERED
www.chocolatecoveredsf.com
Runners Up: Dandelion, The Candy Store
