If you’re going to spend an hour working your booty, thighs and quads, a boutique studio with a colorful mural and energetic “barretender” instructors sounds like a good way to go. With new exercises offered at every class, Body Sculpt Barre Studio is a one-stop shop for glistening toward your fitness goals. And if you need some new workout gear or cute earrings after you’ve pounded, kicked and kettlebell trained through your barre workout, check out its boutique shop on the way out.
Golf like a Tiger at The University Club. The par-72 course is the permanent home of LSU’s golf teams, and it was designed to be championship caliber.
Runners up: Country Club of Louisiana — 12.4%
Baton Rouge Country Club — 12.4%
BREC’s Santa Maria Golf Course — 8.6%
The Bluffs Golf and Sports Resort — 7.9%
Editor’s note: Topgolf was originally on the ballot and would have won with 25.8% of votes. But upon further examination, our staff removed it, as it is not a true golf course.
BEST TATTOO SHOP
HIGH RESOLUTION TATTOO — 19.6%
Make sure to carve out a few hours for your custom tattoo when visiting this clean and inviting Perkins Road shop. Its tattoo artists take their time discussing, designing and inking your dream image onto your skin.
Runners up: Black Torch Tattoo — 18.8%
Leviathan Studios Custom Tattoos — 13.3%
Art Addiction Tattoo Studio — 10.9%
Tattoo’s by Dody — 7.9%
BEST HAIR SALON
PARIS PARKER AVEDA SALON & SPA — 14.9%
Its motto is “Be your best self, live your best life.” And with its relaxing salon, friendly hairstylists and a ton of Aveda products available, your dull locks will be sure to shine when you’re done getting did.
Runners up: SOHO Boutique Salon — 13.2%
House of Eggie Salon — 11.1%
Garrett Neal Studio — 11%
Salon Eden — 8.2%
BEST PLACE TO GET A MASSAGE
BUMBLE LANE — 37%
There’s something about the smell of the candles, lotions and body scrubs in Bumble Lane’s lobby—they calm the nerves as soon as you check in for your massage. But the fluffy robes, soothing oils and massage itself melts the stress away for the rest of the day.
Runners up: The Woodhouse Day Spa — 17.2%
Massage Envy — 9.9%
Avant Tous Beauty Bar & Spa — 9.6%
Le Roche Bleu Day Spa — 8.5%Visit Site
BEST LOCAL SHOP FOR CHILDREN & INFANTS
OH BABY! — 22.8%
Whether you need some cute clothes to jazz up your kids for a family photo shoot or the perfect newborn baby gift, this Bocage boutique offers classic and timeless styles for children and infants. And if you need some help, ask Mama Lou James, who has owned the boutique for a decade. She knows style, and she knows how to pick out a savvy outfit.
Sisters Chelsey Blankenship and Annie Claire Bass carved out a section of their Port Allen shop and called it the “local loves area”—where they support fellow entrepreneurs by selling local brands. It even features jewelry designed by Bass. The boutique sells women’s clothing for all body sizes, including plus-size. Its online shop is solid, too.
Runners up: Hey, Penelope — 11.6%
Frock Candy — 11.5%
Head Over Heels — 9.2%
Wanderlust By Abby — 9.9%
BEST LOCAL MEN’S CLOTHING STORE
CARRIAGES FINE CLOTHIER — 34.6%
It’s the full racks of quality men’s clothing, custom suits, brands like Tommy Bahama, and a staff with a tireless ability to help each customer find exactly what they’re looking for that makes this Bocage men’s clothing store a Baton Rouge favorite.
Runners up: Perlis — 22.8%
McLavy Ltd. — 13.2%
Harper’s Haberdashery — 11.8%
Brown & Brown Custom Clothiers — 7.1%
BEST LOCAL SHOP FOR GAME DAY ATTIRE
BENGALS & BANDITS — 18%
The location of this North Gates game day attire shop and its unique and soft T-shirts, buttons, stickers and decals are the reasons that LSU and Saints fans love to shop here.
Make sure you set aside a couple of hours to peruse through this home decor shop, because you will be sure to find more than what you came in for: soft, drapey T-shirts, dangly colorful earrings, summer tea towels with beach blues and greens, all with prices that will leave you ready to come back for more.
Runners up: Lancaster House — 12%
Goodwood Hardware & Outdoors — 10.9%
The Foyer — 9.7%
The Market at Circa 1857 — 7.5%
BEST PLACE FOR PET SERVICES
CAMP BOW WOW — 30.6%
There’s a good chance your pup won’t be looking back when you drop him off for a daycation or a staycation at Camp Bow Wow. With indoor and outdoor play areas, friendly staff who take your pooch for a stroll, and live webcams you can monitor from your phone, you will never feel far from your fluffy friend.
Runners up: Petz Plaza — 21.5%
The Royal Treatment — 12.9%
Dogtopia of Baton Rouge — 11.8%
Lucky Dog Lodge — 6.7%
BEST HOTEL
WATERMARK BATON ROUGE — 37.2%
Stay the night at The Watermark and grab a bite from its stylish main floor restaurant, The Gregory. Make sure you learn a little bit of the history of this old bank-turned-hotel, because this downtown landmark has a story to tell in each lofted ceiling, painting and pillar.
Runners up: L’Auberge Casino & Hotel Baton Rouge — 19%
Renaissance Baton Rouge Hotel — 13.5%
Hilton Baton Rouge Capitol Center — 10.6%
Hotel Indigo Baton Rouge Downtown — 8.2%
BEST MECHANIC
CHABILL’S TIRE & AUTO SERICE — 24.6%
Mechanics at this locally owned tire dealer and repair shop will make sure that flat tires and low air pressure will not deflate your plans, thanks to its quick service and competitive prices.
Runners up: Ragusa’s Automotive — 18.2%
Tri-Care Automotive — 14%
Gordon & Sandifer Auto Service — 13.8%
Coy’s Diesel — 9.2%
BEST PRIVATE SCHOOL
ST. JOSEPH’S ACADEMY — 16.9%
Not only is the campus gorgeous and the school’s history rich, but this all-girls high school also has cutting-edge classroom technology, updated buildings and a 100% rate of graduates accepted to four-year colleges and universities.
Runners up: Catholic High School — 14.2%
Parkview Baptist School — 12.2%
The Dunham School — 11.9%
Episcopal School of Baton Rouge – 11.5%
BEST URGENT CARE CENTER
LAKE AFTER HOURS URGENT CARE — 37.8%
When you’re having a hard time getting an appointment with your regular doctor for a nagging illness or a minor cut or abrasion—and still want quick, clean and efficient service—head to Lake After Hours. If you have its app, save time and check in online.
Runners up: The Baton Rouge Clinic — 20.3%
Patient Plus Urgent Care Clinic — 12.3%
Central STAT Care — 8.2%
Baton Rouge General Express Care — 7%
BEST MARKET FOR MEAT
IVERSTINE FARMS BUTCHER — 24%
If you like to know where your meat comes from, how it’s farmed and how to cook a specific cut, Iverstine Farms Butcher is the spot. Walk in to the Perkins Road store and pick up some fresh brisket, pork belly, chicken breast and even some deli items like bacon and boudin that came straight from the family farm in Kentwood. You can even grab milk or craft beer here. Don’t feel like getting out? Sign up for a bundle, and have its fresh products delivered to your home.
Crispy fried chicken, an endless selection of wine and beer, and a bakery with some of the chunkiest chocolate chip cookies in town makes this Louisiana grocery store a fan favorite.
The Tony’s Seafood parking lot is packed all year round with people eager to buy fresh—often still swimming—seafood, bread pudding that melts in your mouth and a plate lunch that will leave your taste buds and your belly satisfied.
Chef Don Bergeron Enterprises knows how to satisfy the palates of small and large crowds alike. Stop by City Market on Jefferson Highway on your way home to pick up family meals like Spinach Madeline, crab and brie soup and chicken pot pie. Need to feed a large crowd? Book the catering group for an event. You’ll make your guests happy with dishes like Zapp’s Crusted Breast of Chicken with LSU sauce.
Runners up: City Pork Catering — 15.8%
Superior Grill — 11.9%
Gourmet Girls — 11.8%
Tramonte’s — 9%
