7th Annual Best of 225 Awards – The results of our unbiased 2012 reader survey

We at 225 spend 11 months a year discovering, writing about and photographing the people, issues, creativity and culinary bounty of our community. But once a year, you get to decide who graces
our pages. And now, for the seventh year running, we’ve handed the reins to you—faithful readers of our print publication, website and e-newsletters—and you’ve responded in overwhelming fashion. Here is what you have told us is the very Best of 225.

In January we partnered with Survey Communications Inc., our market research firm, to solicit subscribers of our e-newsletters for their nominations in more than 50 categories. Then we tallied the nominations, identified the finalists and, drawing from a pool of tens of thousands of readers and online subscribers, SCI randomly invited some to complete the scientific survey.

This year, participation was up 19% from 2011, and a record 3,991 of you completed the survey.

SCI’s methodology assures that your votes cannot be rigged or stacked. The results you see are a true reflection of what 225 readers say are this year’s Best of 225.

Some categories had seven or fewer finalists. In those cases, we have shown the top three and the percentage of the vote each received. For categories with eight or more finalists on the ballot, we’ve included the top five finishers.

Congratulations to three lucky readers who completed their surveys and were chosen at random to receive a $150 restaurant gift certificate to a Best of 225 award finalist of their choice: Eric Caffarel, Hunter Calix and Leslie Herpin.

Click below to see who won.

Dining
Entertainment and Nightlife
People
Shopping and services