Best of the 'Bus 2019 Party!
Estate at New Albany | July 18 | 5:30-8 p.m.
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Best Civic Leader
Talk about a people pleaser! Former Governor John Kasich has been elected for a third term as Best Civic Leader. Perhaps this will be the impetus for a future presidential run?
Best Charitable Gala
Dress for Success’s Dine. Drink. Dress.
Dine. Drink. Dress. Repeat. Unseating Zoofari this year is the Dress for Success Gala, which has been celebrating the empowerment of women to achieve economic independence since 2007.
Best Socially Responsible Business
Winning the title of Best Socially Responsible Business for the third consecutive year, Hot Chicken Takeover is establishing a dynasty in Columbus. Who will up their philanthropic game to unseat this socially responsible royalty?
Best Volunteer Experience
Year in and year out, this Best of the ‘Bus category receives the most nominations, which just goes to show how much central Ohioans love to give back. Mid-Ohio Foodbank is now on a winning streak with their second consecutive category win.
Best Fitness Center
Premier at Sawmill Athletic Club
Fitness fanatics rejoice! This category is one of the most hotly contested, with no establishment winning consecutive years…until this year! Premier at Sawmill is now on a roll with its second consecutive win. All challengers better pump as much iron as possible if there’s any hope of winning next year.
Best Yoga Studio
This southwestern Columbus yoga studio stretched across the finish line to win the brand-new 2019 category, Best Yoga Studio. Namaste.
Best Fourth of July Celebration
Ohio’s largest fireworks display exploded into this year’s winner for Best Fourth of July Celebration. Arrive early with blankets and lawn chairs to watch this Independence Day marvel.
Best Nature Trails
Named for its massive 100-foot-high shale bluff towering over the Olentangy State Scenic River, tributary streams have created a number of deep ravines within this 1,200-acre park. Lace up your hiking boots, grab bug spray and enjoy the natural beauty!
Best Spot to Spend NYE
A night of live music and entertainment with friends and family is what you get at Ohio’s largest Vegas-style casino. It’s never too early to start planning for the party of the year.
Best Annual Event for Out-of-Towners
Wildlights at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium
With three different winners in the past four years, this category is one of the more competitive categories. Columbus Zoo and Aquarium is now on a winning streak, with their second consecutive win. Bring the family to visit Santa’s Home and see the zoo transformed into a winter wonderland covered in more than one million LED lights!
Best Local Tour
German Village Haus und Garten Tour
This year, the German Village Haus und Garden Tour ends Gallery Hop’s two-year winning streak. This tour, which has been going on for well over half a century, sees 4,000 ticket-holders. Satisfy the curiosity about what’s inside the homes within this vibrant historic neighborhood.
Best Record Shop
Named after San Francisco burlesque performer, radio personality, filmmaker and restauranteur Magnolia Thunderpussy (born Patricia Donna Mallon), this brick and mortar is a music enthusiast’s one-stop shop for vinyl, CDs, rock’n’roll T-shirts, posters, turntables and patches.
Best Bakery
On hiatus since 2017, this “Best of” category makes a comeback with the newly crowned Best Bakery – The Fat Girl Bakery. Beating out Schneider’s Bakery by the slimmest of margins, this confectionery is a one-stop shop for cakes, cake pops, cupcakes and cookies.
Lovely Lindey’s
Best Happy Hour
- Gluten-free options, calamari and shrimp, tequila old fashioned, and more. We’ll take one of everything from the Happy Hour menu, please.
Best Catering
Lindey’s
- Beating out the big dog (Cameron Mitchell), this winner comes as a pleasant surprise. From mouth-watering seared beef to grilled mojo shrimp skewers and chocolate-covered strawberries, any event catered by this local hotspot is sure to be fantastic.
Best Outdoor Dining
Lindey’s
- Lindey’s takes the Best Outdoor Dining title once again – and it makes sense. The two-story outdoor space surrounded by greenery and flowers is pure magic.
Best Urban Art Gallery
So much more than paintings and sculptures, Wexner Center for the Arts hosts film premiers, performing art productions, educational programs, artist talks and more.
Best Theatre Troupe
Want to know some Dirty, Little Secrets? One: Shadowbox Live takes home the award for Best Theatre Troup once again. And two: give a standing ovation because the resident theatre company is also celebrating 30 years of creating original rock n’ roll sketches and hilarious comedy routines.
Best Small Venue
Shadowbox Live
Low lighting, dinner and a show – even the wait staff puts on a performance. All-in-all, the intimacy of Shadowbox Live makes for one immersive experience.
Best Barbeque
For the seventh year in a row, City Barbeque grills (or should we say barbeques?) the competition. Clearly, readers love this local chain.
Best Summer Concert Series
The Columbus Symphony Orchestra sure brings a pop to summer weekends. Lounge under the stars while artists jam out on stage – what’s better than that?
Best Ethnic Festival
Who needs luck when you have 100,000-plus attendees? The Dublin Irish Festival wins gold once again for its three-day long, kilt-wearing and Riverdance-performing festival.
Best Suburban Festival
Tie between Westerville Music & Arts Festival and Creekside Blues & Jazz Festival
We have a draw! Plus, both festivals beat out the long-standing winner – the Dublin Irish Festival – by just five votes. No more excuses for boring summer weekends, there are award-winning festivals to attend.
Best Suburban Art Gallery
Tie between Dublin Arts Council and McConnell Arts Center of Worthington
The votes are in and we have a tie. From Sundays at Scioto by the Dublin Arts Council to 20 summer camps by McConnell Arts Center, enjoy another summer of experiencing the arts in central Ohio.
Best Public Art Display
If you haven’t seen the Short North Temporary Mural Series titled Six in the Short North, stop reading this and go check it out. From abstract works to cartoon-like creations, the pieces are diverse and colorful, making it a clear winner for this category.
Best Salon
When people think of local hairdressers, Penzone comes to mind. The newly rebranded PENZONE Salon + Spa takes Best Salon.
Best Spa Day Out
PENZONE Salon + Spa
PENZONE Salon + Spa steals voters’ hearts and wins Best Spa Day Out for the first time ever. Feel like royalty with eyebrow-perfecting services, a range of facials, holistic massages and more.
Local On-Air Talent
Dom Tiberi is so much more than a sports anchor for WBNS 10TV. A Westerville-native and founder of Maria’s Message – a campaign that educates teens about distracted driving – Tiberi won the title of the first-ever Local On-Air Talent category.
Best Coffee Shop
Whenever a pick-me-up is needed, this local chain has us covered. Cheers to Stauf’s.
Best Social Media Influencer
It’s easy to just scroll and scroll through this Instagram. Plus, you’ll probably discover something about Cbus you didn’t know.
Best Photo Ops
From autumn leaves to snowy backdrops and sunshine-filled frames, readers clearly love striking a pose and embracing nature at Inniswood Metro Gardens.
Best Columbus Festival
The Columbus Arts Festival won by a whopping amount of votes this year. From the new virtual-reality tent to exciting Emerging Artists, the 2019 festival was a success!
Best 2018-19 Arts Performance
The show that swept the nation, not surprisingly, takes this award by a landslide.
Best Artistic Director
Bill Goldsmith (Columbus Children’s Theatre)
Bill Goldsmith takes this honor as he bows his last bow as director and moves toward more acting roles. Read about his final months at the CCT in our June issue of CityScene Magazine!
Best Doughnuts
Buckeye Donuts reclaimed its spot after a loss by one vote last year.
Best Chocolate Treats
As the destination spot for chocolate peanut butter buckeyes, it’s no wonder Anthony Thomas took this sweet victory.
Best Locally Owned Boutique
This winner comes with a warning – all who enter will leave with kitchen décor, scented candles, an inspirational quote pillow and stylish clothes. It’s inevitable.
Best Farmers’ Market Experience
A returning winner, Worthington Farmers Market makes your experience easier this year with the ability to search for featured food or product online. Easy-peasy.
Best New Restaurant
Columbus has clearly given Hen Quarter a warm welcome as Best New Restaurant, and they’ve given Columbus even warmer southern fried chicken and sweet waffles.
Best Steakhouse
3-way tie between Jeff Ruby’s Steakhouse, The Top Steak House, Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse
This first time ever three-way tie has us applauding these restaurants, in the same manner, we like our steaks – well done!
Raise a Glass – of Bier!
Best Restaurant to Take Out-of-Towners
- Schmidt’s is totally brag-worthy, which is why you bring your friends, mothers-in-law, uncles, brothers and even enemies for lunch.
Best Hometown Product
Schmidt’s Bahama Mama
- Schmidt’s nabs yet another category – their Bahama Mamas are wildly sought after all around the country.
Best Food Truck Menu
Schmidt’s Sausage Truck
- What more can we say? Schmidt’s is, yet again, the wiener…winner!
Best Appetizer Options
The Pearl’s appetizers are as exciting as its namesake – the teriyaki octopus is better than any treasure found under the sea.
Best Brunch
Matt the Miller’s Tavern has an endless brunch buffet, which is perfect since you could eat barrels of their award-winning shrimp and grits.
Best Healthy Dining
We may not know what the heck a falafel is, but Brassica makes us feel like we’ve been missing out our entire lives.
Best Place to Drink Your Brunch
It wouldn’t be brunch without booze – and Cimi’s Bistro at Pinnacle has lots of it. One Beermosa and an Irish coffee, please!
Best Local Pizzeria
For the second year in a row, Columbus shows exactly how much they love Tommy’s Pizza (ugh, so cheesy).
Best Burgers
Thurman Café demolishes this category by a landslide. If any other burger has a beef with The Thurmanator, they better come prepared next year.
Best Sporting Event Experience
The Buckeyes, year in and year out, continue to prove they are kings of the sporting world in Columbus. Buckeye Nation spreads far and wide, but if you are one of the 104,944 piled into the ‘Shoe on autumn Saturdays, you know there is truly no experience like it.
Best Hometown Mascot
Everyone’s favorite nut takes the crown once again this year. Brutus is not only a national champion and an inductee in the Mascot Hall of Fame, but is now a three-time Best of the ‘Bus winner!
Best Columbus Crew Player
Will Trapp is a Columbus native and serves as captain for the Crew. This year he is CityScene’s first ever Best Columbus Crew player.
Best Columbus Blue Jackets Player
Bobrovsky’s post-season performance was nothing short of amazing. Here’s hoping this Best of the ‘Bus serves as a last-ditch effort to keep Bobvrosky in Columbus! Next round is on us!
Best Current Ohio State Athlete
When J.K. Dobbins first took the field for the Buckeyes at Indiana in 2017 and carried the ball for 181 yards on 29 carries and then went on to set the freshman record with 1,403 yards and seven touchdowns that season, the Buckeyes knew they had someone destined to win Best Ohio State Athlete for CityScene Magazine.
Best Face of Columbus
Jack Hanna was dethroned last year by Urban Meyer, but this year reclaims his spot as the Face of Columbus.
Best 2018-19 Concert
Elton John @ The Schottenstein Center
For more than 50 years, Sir Elton John has captivated audiences all over the world. In September of 2018, the musician began his final tour which will conclude in 2020. Columbus was able to bid Farewell to Yellow Brick Road with a sold-out performance from the Rocket Man himself.
Best Drink Themed Festival
Heart of Grove City Wine and Arts Festival
Set in the historic Heart of Grove City, the Heart of Grove City Wine and Arts Festival is the perfect event for Ohio wine, food and arts enthusiasts alike.
Best Food Themed Festival
The Columbus Food Truck Festival
Last year the Columbus Food Truck Festival moved locations from the Columbus Commons to the Scioto Mile to accommodate its continually growing popularity. With more than 60 food vendors, this festival gives you no excuse to say, “But I never see any food trucks by me.”
Best Local Musician
The Urban Jazz Coalition has offered its unique blend of R&B/jazz/fusion to the world for more than 20 years and continues to be one of the most in-demand backing bands in the smooth jazz scene. This is its first in Best of the ‘Bus, narrowly edging out Columbus funk legends Hoo Doo Soul Band.
Best Brewery
With more than 20 taps of artfully crafted brews, there is no shortage of unique tastes. We were big fans of the Jolly Pirate Donut collaborations this year – yes, you read that right, donuts and beer!
Best Distillery
Chances are if you have ordered vodka, gin or bourbon throughout the city– Watershed has supplied. Not to mention they have plenty of killer specialty cocktails at their own bar.
Best Winery
Located in the same building as Grove City Brewing Company, Plum Run Winery actually started as a 14-acre farm south of Grove City and now is the place to go for wine in Columbus.
Best Retail Wine Selection AND Best Retail Beer Selection
For eight years straight, Giant Eagle Market District has been the only place our readers have purchased their beer and wine. Is it safe to say there is something for everyone there?
Best Fitness Event
This year, 22,000 athletes from 60 nations in more than 80 sports and events competed at the Arnold Sports Festival. Year in and year out, the Arnold is deemed Columbus’ favorite fitness event.
Best Golf Course
Once again, this Jack Nicklaus-designed course takes home the crown of best golf course. It’s no wonder the PGA chooses to host the Memorial Tournament here every year.
Best New Exhibit
COSI’s The Power of Poison
From the medical world, to fantasy and nature, poison plays a powerful role. COSI uncovered the powers of poison in their latest exhibit and we lived to tell the story!
