Best of Fresno Celebration (video updated 11/18/08 9:52 a.m.)

Fresno Magazine distributed thousands of ballots to readers and came up with a list of the "Best of Fresno" for 2008. The whole thing culminates with a huge celebration Wednesday, November 19, at 5:30 p.m. at Fresno's Downtown Convention Center New Exhibit Hall. Tickets are $40 if purchased in advance, and $50 at the door. Tickets purchased at the Chukchansi Park box office will benefit the Fresno Grizzlies Community Fund.

Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster on line or by calling 559-485-TIXS (8497). You can also purchase tickets at all Save Mart Supermarket locations, Chukchansi Park downtown and the Fresno Magazine office at Palm & Shaw

The following is a list of the winners:

Artist (Visual)
1. Margaret Hudson
2. Bebe Long
3. Joanne Margosian

Local Band Personality
1. Sippy & Old Guzzler
2. Mofo Party Band
3. Trey Tosh

Local Elected Official (Male)
1. Alan Autry
2. Henry Perea
3. Police Chief Jerry Dyer

Local Elected Official (Female)
1. Margaret Mims
2. Susan Anderson
3. Elizabeth Egan

Local Radio Personality
1. Ray Appleton
2. Laurie West
3. John Garabo

Local Sports Team
1. Fresno State Bulldogs
2. Fresno Grizzlies
3. Fresno Falcons

Most Influential Local Person
1. Alan Autry
2. Ray Appleton
3. Jeff Eben

Radio Station
1. KMJ 580
2. Kiss Country 93.7
3. It Just Rocks 104.1

Local Sports Personality
(Player or Coach)
1. Pat Hill
2. Margie Wright
3. Tim Murphy

Local TV Personality
1. Kopi Sotiropulos
2. Nicole Giordano
3. Graciela Moreno

Local TV Station
1. KMPH FOX 26
2. KFSN ABC 30
3. KSEE NBC 24

Best of the Best Dining
1. Erna's Elderberry House
2. The Ripe Tomato
3. Chef's Table

Bar-N-Grill
1. Dog House Grill
2. Max's Bistro and Bar
3. Applebee's Neighborhood Bar & Grill

Bakery
1. Eddie's Bakery Café
2. Max's Bistro and Bar
3. La Boulangerie

Bagels
1. Uncle Harry's New York Bagelry
2. Fresno Bagel Co.

Coffeehouse
1. Starbucks
2. Uncle Harry's New York Bagelry
3. Java Jet

Italian
1. DiCicco's Italian Restaurant
2. La Rocca's Ristorante Italiano
3. Five Restaurant

Mediterranean
1. Mediterranean Grill
2. By the Sea Restaurant
3. Phoenician Garden

Mexican
1. Sal's Mexican Restaurant
2. Toledo's Mexican Restaurant
3. Plaza Ventana

BBQ
1. Famous Dave's
2. Dog House Grill
3. Tony Roma's

Asian
1. Dai Bai Dang
2. P.F. Chang's China Bistro
3. White Lotus Thai Bistro

Sushi Bar
1. Wassabi
2. Yoshino's
3. Edo-Ya Tokyo Cuisine

Breakfast
1. Fresno Breakfast House
2. Yukon Jack's
3. Mimis Café

Pizza
1. Me-N-Ed's Pizzeria
2. Mother Mary's Wood Flavored Pizza
3. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

Seafood
1. Pacific Seafood & Catering
2. Yosemite Ranch Steak & Seafood
3. Red Lobster

Local Burger
1. In-N-Out Burger
2. Colorado Grill
3. Red Robin

Dessert
1. Cheesecake Factory
2. Max's Bistro and Bar
3. Eddie's Bakery Café

Deli
1. Sam's Italian Deli
2. Piemonte's Italian Delicatessen
3. Max's Bistro and Bar

Casino Dining
1. Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino
2. Table Mountain Casino
3. The Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino

Cheap Eats
1. In-N-Out Burger
2. Robertito's Taco Shop
3. Taco Bell

Caterer
1. Pardini's Catering and Banquets
2. Grand Occasions Catering and
Banquets
3. Love and Garlic

Chef
1. James Overbaugh
2. Roy Harland
3. Malachi Harland

Family Restaurant
1. Cool Hand Luke's
2. Red Robin
3. Yosemite Falls Caféning

Atmosphere
1. Slates
2. Max's Bistro and Bar
3. Cool Hand Luke's

Winery
1. Westbrook Wine Farm
2. Mariposa Wine Company
3. Engelmann Cellars

Place to Purchase Wine
1. Vino 100
2. Sierra Nut House
3. Engelmann Cellars

Wine List
1. Chef's Table
2. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse
& Wine Bar
3. Pangea

Dining Secret
1. Cracked Pepper
2. Chef's Table
3. Cool Hand Luke's

Late-Night Dining
1. Denny's
2. Taco Bell
3. Robertito's Taco Shop

Happy Hour
1. Casa Corona
2. Bobby Salazar's
3. Red Robin

Microbrewery
1. Sequoia Brewing Company
2. Full Circle Brewing Company
3. BJ's Restaurant & Brewhouse

Business Lunch
1. Max's Bistro and Bar
2. Elbow Room
3. Joe's Steakhouse & Grill

Outdoor Dining
1. Elbow Room
2. Campagnia
3. Pangea

New Restaurant
1. Pangea
2. Yukon Jack's
3. The Palms

Most Romantic
1. The Ripe Tomato
2. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse
& Wine Bar
3. Erna's Elderberry House

Service
1. Max's Bistro and Bar
2. Cool Hand Luke's
3. The Ripe Tomato

Sunday Brunch
1. Campagnia
2. Marie Callender's
3. Elbow Room

Steakhouse
1. Tahoe Joe's Famous Steakhouse
2. Cool Hand Luke's
3. Fleming's Prime Steakhouse
& Wine Bar

Vegetarian Selection
1. New Stars Vegetarian
2. Sweet Tomatoes
3. Au Lac

Take-Out
1. Dog House Grill
2. Tahoe Joe's Famous Steakhouse
3. Panda Express

Caterer
1. Pardini's Banquets & Catering
2. Grand Occasions Catering & Banquets
3. Love and Garlic

Worth the Wait
1. Tahoe Joe's Famous Steakhouse
2. Cool Hand Luke's
3. Olive Garden Italian Restaurant

In Downtown Fresno
1. Joe's Steakhouse & Grill
2. Basque Hotel

In Tower
1. The Landmark
2. Irene's Café
3. Thaiphoon Restaurant

In Clovis
1. Cool Hand Luke's
2. Trelio
3. Luna Pizzeria and Italian Restaurant

In Madera
1. The Vineyard Restaurant
2. Perko's Café & Grill

In Visalia
1. Vintage Press
2. Fugazzi's Bistro

In Bass Lake
1. Ducey's On the Lake
2. Mountain House Restaurant

In Shaver
1. The Trading Post
2. Trapper's Bar and Grill

Children's Clothing Boutique
1. Carmel Kids
2. Kid Dreams
3. Baby Gap

Men's Clothing
1. Macy's
2. Patrick James Men's Shop
3. Men's Wearhouse

Shopping Area, Center or
Mall
1. Fashion Fair Mall
2. Fig Garden Village
3. The Shops at River Park

Women's Boutique
1. P.J. Barrett's
2. b.b. Pepper
3. Christina's Fine Clothing

Place to Buy Clothing Acessories
1. P.J. Barrett's
2. Macy's
3. Gottschalks

Bridal Boutique
1. Madeleine's Bridal Boutique
2. David's Bridal
3. Carolina's Bridal

Bike Shop
1. Steven's Bicycle Shop
2. Tri-Sport Bike Shop
3. Cyclepath Bicycles of Fresno

Pet Boutique
1. Health Mutts
2. PetSmart
3. Elaine's Animal Inn and Spa

Country Club/ Golf Course
1. Fort Washington Golf & Country
Club
2. Copper River Country Club
3. San Joaquin Country Club

Health Club/Gym
1. George Brown's Sports Club
2. Gold's Gym
3. Yosemite Fitness

Car Dealership
1. Fresno Lexus
2. Mercedes Benz of Fresno
3. Haron Jaguar-Land Rover

Local Bank/Credit Union
1. EECU
2. Washington Mutual
3. Bank of America

Casino
1. Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino
2. Table Mountain Casino
3. The Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino

Live Theater House
1. Roger Rocka's Dinner Theater
2. 2nd Space Theater
3. Good Company Players

Party Rentals
1. Bargain Party Rental & Sales
2. Abbey Party
3. Walker-Lewis Rents

Annual Event
1. Sudz in the City
2. The Big Fresno Fair
3. Fresno Zoo Night

Dance Studio
1. The Dance Studio of Fresno
2. California ARTS Academy
3. Terry Clark Dance Centres

Local Charity
1. Poverello House
2. Hinds Hospice
3. Community Food Bank

Place to Propose
1. Woodward Park
2. Yosemite National Park
3. Pismo Beach

Getaway Locations on One Tank of Gas
1. Pismo Beach
2. Carmel
3. Bass Lake

Event Coordinating Company
1. StarEvents
2. Town & Country Party Rentals

Grocery Store
1. Save Mart Supermarket
2. Vons
3. Trader Joe's

Day Care
1. Nikki's Daycare
2. KinderCare Learning Center
3. Nana's Daycare

Family Entertainment
1. Grizzlies Baseball
2. Blackbeard's Family Fun Center
3. Boomers!

Retirement Community
1. Fairwinds Woodward Park
Retirement Community
2. San Joaquin Gardens
3. The Windham

Day Spa
1. Estancia Day Spa and Salon
2. Zena's Island Day Spa
3. Amenities Day Spa

Dry Cleaner
1. Crown Cleaners
2. One Hour Martinizing
3. Jones Cleaning Centers

Florist
1. Wild Rose Floral & Gifts
2. San Francisco Floral
3. Lou Gentile's Flower Basket

Hair Salon
1. Estancia Day Spa and Salon
2. Reflections Salon and Day Spa
3. Hungry Hair Salon

Cosmetic Surgeons
1. Mark A. Chin, MD, MPH
2. Carl C. Askren, MD
3. Hedieh A. Stefanacci, MD, FACS

Limo Service
1. First Class Limousine
2. Touch of Class Limousine Service
3. Limo for You

Auto Repair
1. Electric Laboratories
2. German Auto Repair
3. Goodguys Tire and Auto Repair

Photography Studio
1. Milne Photography
2. Village Studio of Photography
3. Rico's Digital Video Production

Antique Stores
1. Chesterfields Antiques
2. Fulton's Folly Antique Mall
3. Dug'O'Vic's European Antiques

Home Lighting
1. James Ashjian Lighting Co.
2. Lamps Plus
3. Lowe's

Home Builder
1. Wathen-Castanos, Inc.
2. Granville Homes
3. McCaffrey Homes

Places to Buy Window Treatments
1. Z Blinds Co. Inc.
2. Lowe's
3. JCPenney

Interior Design
1. Jennifer Green
2. Michael Weil
3. Your Home Interiors

Flooring Tile & Carpet
1. A & M Carpet
2. Filgas Carpet Co.
3. Cal Custom Tile

Handyman (or Woman)
1. Live 2 Build MG Construction
2. Bob Miller
3. Dave Myers

House Cleaning Service
1. Molly Maid
2. C.V. Janitorial
3. Busy Bee

Landscaper
1. Natural Landscaping Inc.
2. Parker Landscape Inc.

Furniture Store
1. Ethan Allen
2. Hemisphere Collection
3. P.J. Barrett's

Home Improvement Store
1. Lowe's
2. Home Depot
3. Orchard Supply Hardware

Home Acessories Store
1. HomeGoods
2. Ventana
3. JCPenney

Real Estate Company
1. Guarantee Real Estate
2. Century 21
3. London Properties

Editor's Picks
"I Love Fresno" Moment
Fresno State Winning the College Baseball National Championship

Place to be Seen
Fresno Magazine Launch Party

Made-From-Scratch Bloody Mary
Livingstone's Bloody Mary

Late-Night Hot Spot
ROE Restaurant

Restaurant We Miss the Most
Rhema

Bartender
April Bishop

New Green Entrepreneur
John Shegerian

Place to Seal the Deal
Downtown Club

Beer Selection
The Public House

Place for an Authentic Shoe Shine
Jack's Car Wash at Cedar and Shepherd

Renovated Building
Fresno Metropolitan Museum

Recognition that Fresno has Made it
Ruth's Chris Steak House

Head-Turning Ride
Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren Roadster

Fresno Magazine wants to thank all of its loyal readers. The company could not possibly be where it is now -- strong and continually growing -- without the wonderful community support. Come join us in celebration at our "Best of Fresno" party on November 19. The event not only celebrates the success of Fresno Magazine, but it brings to life the love we all have for local businesses and the people who have made Fresno into such a great city.