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Wednesday, December 11, 2024

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2021 Best of the Bay

Welcome to the 46th Bay Guardian Best of the Bay, hosted by 48 Hills! PHEW! What a couple years, eh? The Bay Area has stood up through it all. While we’ve lost so much, it’s important to still celebrate who we are and how we’ve pulled through together. We’re beating back the monsters every day, and embracing our Best of the Bay beasts! Thus our 2021 theme: Beast Mode.

This year’s Best of the Bay is dedicated to the indomitable Bay Area spirit, in all its freaky, oft-foggy glory. Inside you’ll find the winners of more than 100 categories, voted on by thousands of fans. This year, we’re also publishing the runners up in each category, to spread more local love. We encourage everyone to pour all they can into supporting great local businesses, institutions, organizations, and wonderful people, starting with this edition as a guide.

We’ll be publishing our Editors’ Picks, highlighting folks and orgs that have made a difference, throughout the next two months to keep the positive vibes going.

Click below to see the winners in each category. Special thank you to our terrific designer Aaron Joseph of Identafire, my Hunky Beau who has stuck with me through 16 of these, and all the readers who make the Bay Area the Best Place to Live on Earth. You can see 2020’s winners here.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Shawna Virago

The groundbreaking 'fairy godmother' of trans country music is an outspoken voice for queer rights and local independent arts.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Berkeley Art Museum and Pacific Film Archive

This world-class treasure trove of film and other creative forms is the true work of art.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Blandina Farley

A most colorful tour guide acquaints all comers with the neighborhood she's made home since the '70s.

Welcome to Best of the Bay 2024: The New Classics!

Our 50th annual Readers' Poll celebrates everything that's Best about the Bay Area—from the people who live here.

More Best of the Bay stories

Best of the Bay 2024: City Living Winners

READERS' POLL: Best Salon, Best Bike Repair, Best Podcast, Best Politician, Best Hotel, Best Tour, Best Gym, more

Best of the Bay 2024: Food & Drink Winners

READERS' POLL: Best Burrito, Best Pizza, Best Chinese, Best Brunch, Best Dive Bar, Best Sports Bar, more

Best of the Bay 2024: Arts & Nightlife Winners

READERS' POLL: Best Nightclub, Best Art Gallery, Best Drag Queen, Best Karaoke, Best Live Venue, Best DJ, more

Best of the Bay 2024: Shopping Winners

READERS' POLL: Best Bookstore, Best Bike Shop, Best Store Staff, Best Cannabis Dispensary, Best Shoe Store, more

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Bhangra & Beats Night Market

The Non Stop Bhangra Crew revitalizes downtown with vibrant contemporary Punjabi music, food, and culture.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editor’s Pick: Sean Dorsey Dance Company

Led by Dorsey's ever-expansive vision for trans-queer liberation, the 20-year-old company invites everyone to see themselves on stage.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Humphry Slocombe’s Secret Breakfast

Influential as it is delicious, the iconic local flavor inspires knock-offs and even a 420 tribute.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: SF Live

Golden Gate Bandshell to Union Square, free music series sets the city's beloved spaces to a beat.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Bottega

A late-night, no-reservation plate of sachetti on Valencia? Nonna would be proud.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Arion Press

Literary time travelers reach back to classics—and into roster of contemporary Bay lit stars—to make ever-more-popular pages.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Starter Bakery

Kouign amann aside, it's community care that has us hooked on these inventive East Bay ovens.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Key Jo Lee

MoAD curator and scholar shines light for artists moving through complex times.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Fake Fruit

Group's debut outing perfectly revindicated post-lockdown Bay culture. Praise, its second LP just dropped.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: ‘Another Word for Love’ by Carvell Wallace

“I write about beautiful things because I live in an ugly place in an ugly world."

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Telegraph Hill Arts and Literature

Once a historic bakery, 1501 Grant now slings the finest English and Italian-language books in a much-needed community event space.

Best of the Bay 2024 Editors’ Pick: Cal Performances

Berkeley series' 119th season continues a visionary streak of diversity, from South African chamber opera to Brazilian folkloric ballet.