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The results are in! With more than 1,000 votes cast in print and online, Michiana residents have spoken, and the Best of the Best businesses have been named. The winners of Leader Publications’ 2020 Best of the Best Contest are as follows:

DINING AND ENTERTAINMENT

Best Restaurant in Niles
Gold: Iron Shoe Distillery
Silver: Pizza Transit
Bronze: Jim’s Smokin’ Cafe at Paris Soda Co.

Best Restaurant in Dowagiac
Gold: Wood Fire Trattoria
Silver: Wounded Minnow Saloon
Bronze: Round Oak Revisited

Best Restaurant in Edwardsburg
Gold: Fat Cam’s at Garver Lake
Silver: Stacey’s
Bronze: Maple Cafe

Best Restaurant in Cassopolis
Gold: Lindy’s
Silver: Broadway Cafe
Bronze: George’s The B&C

Best Restaurant in St. Joseph/Benton Harbor
Gold: Silver Beach Pizza
Silver: Mason Jar Cafe
Bronze: The Buck

Best Restaurant in South Bend/Mishawaka/Granger
Gold: Temper Grille
Silver: Hacienda
Bronze: Evil Czech & Jesus Latin Grill

Best Restaurant in all of Michiana
Gold: Fat Cam’s at Garver Lake
Silver: Iron Shoe Distillery
Bronze: Pizza Transit

Best Bakery
Gold: Gabrizio Italian Cafe and Bakery
Silver: The Baker’s Rhapsody
Bronze: Country Bake Shop

Best Ice Cream
Gold: Swirlyz
Silver: PaddyShack
Bronze: Jim’s Smokin’ Cafe at Paris Soda Co.

Best Dessert
Gold: Yesterday’s
Silver: Gabrizio Italian Cafe and Bakery
Bronze: Swirlyz

Best Burger
Gold: Iron Shoe Distillery
Silver: The Tavern
Bronze: Jim’s Smokin’ Cafe at Paris Soda Co., Laura’s Little Burger Joint, Wegner’s Lakeside Bar & Grill

Best French Fries
Gold: Iron Shoe Distillery
Silver: Culver’s Niles
Bronze: Fat Cam’s at Garver Lake, Wegner’s Lakeside Bar & Grill

Best Steak
Gold: Jim’s Smokin’ Cafe at Paris Soda Co.
Silver: Fat Cam’s at Garver Lake
Bronze: Copper Rock Steak House

Best Seafood
Gold: Fat Cam’s at Garver Lake
Silver: Iron Shoe Distillery
Bronze: Jim’s Smokin’ Cafe at Paris Soda Co.

Best Wings
Gold: Wings Etc. Niles
Silver: Good Anuff Pub
Bronze: Curly Q’s BBQ, Jay’s Lounge

Best Pizza
Gold: Pizza Transit
Silver: Front Street Pizza Pub
Bronze: Pete’s Patio

Best Sandwich
Gold: Jim’s Smokin’ Cafe at Paris Soda Co.
Silver: Pizza Transit
Bronze: Iron Shoe Distillery

Best Vegetarian
Gold: The Rage
Silver: Aladdin’s
Bronze: Iron Shoe Distillery

Best Italian Food
Gold: Pete’s Patio
Silver: Wood Fire Italian Trattoria
Bronze: Gabrizio Italian Cafe and Bakery

Best Asian Food
Gold: Ho Ping Garden
Silver: Hot Wok
Bronze: China One

Best Mexican Food
Gold: El Amigo Pepe
Silver: Hacienda
Bronze: Tacqueria Don Chepe

Best Breakfast
Gold: Rise N Shine Cafe
Silver: Prime Table
Bronze: Hob Nob Bistro

Best Romantic Dinner
Gold: Fat Cam’s at Garver Lake
Silver: Wood Fire Trattoria
Bronze: Iron Shoe Distillery

Best Brewery
Gold: Sister Lakes Brewing Co.
Silver: Evil Czech
Bronze: River St. Joe

Best Winery
Gold: Round Barn Winery
Silver: Tabor Hill
Bronze: Dablon Winery

Best Cocktails
Gold: Iron Shoe Distillery
Silver: The Brass Eye
Bronze: Fat Cam’s at Garver Lake

Best Bar
Gold: The Brass Eye
Silver: Front Street Pizza Pub
Bronze: Wegner’s Lakeside Bar & BGrill

Best Bartender
Gold: Joline, Fat Cam’s at Garver Lake
Silver: Chris, Wood Fire Trattoria
Bronze: Bryan Williams & Katie Oleson, The Brass Eye

Best Server
Gold: Addie, Front Street Pizza Pub
Silver: Harley, Pizza Transit
Bronze: Jenny’s, Wegner’s Lakeside Bar & Grill

Best Coffee
Gold: Brew Ha Ha
Silver: Gabrizio Italian Cafe and Bakery
Bronze: Union Coffee House

Best Outdoor Dining
Gold: Fat Cam’s at Garver Lake
Silver: Front Street Pizza Pub
Bronze: Wegner’s Lakeside Bar & Grill

Best Family Restaurant
Gold: Prime Table
Silver: Pizza Transit
Bronze: Fat Cam’s at Garver Lake, Iron Shoe Distillery

Best Place to buy Chocolate
Gold: Veni’s Sweet Shop
Silver: South Bend Chocolate Company
Bronze: Caruso’s Candy Kitchen

Best Live Music Venue
Gold: Front Street Pizza Pub
Silver: Mendel Center
Bronze: Smoke Stack Brewery

Best Fine Artist
Gold: Christina Casperson
Silver: O’Larry Collins
Bronze: Sharon Ott

Best Performing Arts Theater
Gold: Beckwith Theatre
Silver: The Mendel Center

Best Musician/Band
Gold: 5th & Syc
Silver: Blammo
Bronze: Hey Annie

Best Interactive Experience
Gold: Niles Scream Park
Silver: Locked Up Escape Room
Bronze: Potawatomi Zoo

 

RETAIL

Best Consignment Shop
Gold: The Market Place
Silver: ‘Cross the Street Collectibles
Bronze: Who kNew Consignment

Best Furniture/Home Decor
Gold: Imperial Furniture
Silver: The Market Place
Bronze: Flowers by Anna, Schroeder Furniture

Best Gift Shop
Gold: Flowers by Anna
Silver: Deck the Halls
Bronze: The Market Place

Best Garden Center
Gold: Shelton’s Farm Market
Silver: Vite Greenhouses
Bronze: Varner’s Greenhouse & Nursery

Best Flower Shop
Gold: Flowers by Anna
Silver: East Main Gardens
Bronze: The Flower Cart

Best Place to Buy Meat
Gold: Shelton’s Farm Market
Silver: Lowery’s
Bronze: Wright Farms Market

Best New Car Dealership
Gold: Campbell Ford Lincoln Mercury
Silver: Tyler Automotive
Bronze: C Wimberley Auto Mall

Best Tire Shop
Gold: Zolman Tire, Niles
Silver: Tire Rack
Bronze: Division Tire & Battery

Best Used Car Dealership
Gold: Tyler Automotive
Silver: C. Wimberley Auto Mall & Campbell Ford Lincoln Mercury
Bronze: Gates of Granger

Best Women’s Apparel Shop
Gold: The Marshall Shoppe
Silver: The Market Place
Bronze: Oh My LLC

Best Liquor Store
Gold: Brass Eye Bottle Shop
Silver: Crocker’s
Bronze: Belmont Beverage

Best Farmers Market/Fruit Stand
Gold: Shelton’s Farm Market
Silver: Buchanan Farmer’s Market
Bronze: Eckler’s Produce

Best Motorcycle/ATV dealer
Gold: Hoosier Harley Davidson
Silver: North End Cycle
Bronze: McDaniels Harley Davidson

Best Hunting & Fishing
Gold: Rusty Hooks Bait & Tackle
Silver: Hale’s True Value
Bronze: The Market Place

Best Locally Owned Hardware/Lumber Yard
Gold: U.S. Lumber
Silver: Hale’s True Value
Bronze: Redbud Hardware

Best Chain Hardware/Lumber Yard
Gold: Lowe’s Niles
Silver: Menard’s Mishawaka
Bronze: Home Depot Benton Harbor

Best Place to Buy Appliances
Gold: Camden Appliances
Silver: Bill’s Appliances
Bronze: ABC Warehouse

Best Antiques
Gold: Picker’s Paradise
Silver: The Market Place
Bronze: ‘Cross the Street Collectibles

Best Grocery Store
Gold: Martin’s Supermarket Niles
Silver: Shelton’s Farm Market
Bronze: Harding’s Niles

 

LIFESTYLE AND SERVICES

EDUCATION & COMMUNITY
Best Teacher
Gold: Ashlee Reed
Silver: Donna Dodge
Bronze: David Schiele

Best Elementary School
Gold: Howard Ellis Elementary
Silver: Brandywine Elementary
Bronze: Eastside Connections

Best Middle School
Gold: Ring Lardner
Silver: Brandywine
Bronze: Edwardsburg

Best High School
Gold: Niles
Silver: Brandywine
Bronze: Buchanan

Best College
Gold: Southwestern Michigan College
Silver: Lake Michigan College
Bronze: University of Notre Dame

Best Library
Gold: Niles District Library
Silver: Dowagiac District Library
Bronze: Cass District Library

 

HEALTH & WELLNESS
Best Medical Facility
Gold: Spectrum Health Lakeland Niles Hospital
Silver: Cassopolis Family Clinic
Bronze: St. Joseph Regional Medical Center

Best Pharmacy
Gold: Martin’s Supermarket
Silver: Niles Wellcare Pharmacy
Bronze: Niles Community Health Center

Best Dentist
Gold: Dr. Gourlay
Silver: Dr. McGill
Bronze: Dr. Beckermeyer

Best Senior Living Facility
Gold: West Woods of Niles
Silver: Brentwood
Bronze: Buchanan Meadows & Woodland Terrace

Best Cosmetic Surgery
Gold: Stonegate Plastic Surgery

Best Medical and Health Services
Gold: Spectrum Health
Silver: St. Joseph Regional Medical
Bronze: Southwestern Medical Clinic

Best Eye Care Provider
Gold: Smoke Vision
Silver: Niles Vision Center
Bronze: Great Lakes Eye Care

Best Women’s Clinic
Gold: South Shore Women’s Clinic
Silver: Women’s Care Center
Bronze: Cass Family Clinic

Best Doctor
Gold: Dr. John Howard
Silver: Dr. Rosa Johnson
Bronze: Dr. Tracy Tackett

Best Hearing Aid Center
Gold: Beltone

Best Place to Work Out
Gold: SLR Pilates
Silver: Niles-Buchanan YMCA
Bronze: Traphouse 24

 

BEAUTY & SPA
Best Hair Salon
Gold: Envy Hair Studio
Silver: Creative Cuts
Bronze: Rana’s New Generation

Best Hair Stylist
Gold: Michelle Johnson, Envy
Silver: Becky Farr-Lapham
Bronze: Shanna Hightower

Best Nail Salon
Gold: Popular Nails
Silver: Nail Connections
Bronze: Rana’s New Generation

Best Spa/Massage
Gold: Autumn Moon Hollow
Silver: Clear Choice Chiropractic & ReNew Beauty & Body
Bronze: Niles-Buchanan YMCA

PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
Best Bank or Credit Union
Gold: United Federal Credit Union
Silver: Teachers Credit Union
Bronze: 1st Source Bank

Best IT/Computer Shop
Gold: Custom Computer Company
Silver: Fisher Innovative
Bronze: IT3 Solutions

Best Attorney
Gold: Bob Landgraf
Silver: Sean Drew & Jim Mollison
Bronze: Robert LaBre & Sara Senica

Best Realtor
Gold: Kyle Zelmer, D Mottl Realty
Silver: Cathie Waggoner, Berrien Property
Bronze: Brian & Debbie Floor, Tammy Anders, Nest Realty

Best Insurance Agent
Gold: MEEMIC
Silver: All State Brian Watson, Cindy McCall AAA, Farm Bronze: Bureau – Jeff Neumann, Tony Gaideski, Adam Hover

Best Pet Services/Groomer
Gold: Shampoochie Dog Salon
Silver: The Grooming Shop (Edwardsburg)
Bronze: Canine Country Club (Edwardsburg)

Best Funeral Home
Gold: Brown Funeral Home
Silver: Halbritter-Wickens
Bronze: Hoven

Best Veterinarian
Gold: River Valley Equine
Silver: East Shore, Edwardsburg
Bronze: Bergman Small Animal

 

AUTOMOTIVE
Best Auto Repair/Body Shop
Gold: Precision Auto
Silver: Jayson’s Auto
Bronze: Marsh Auto & Millin Automotive

Best Place for an Oil Change
Gold: Zolman
Silver: G&G Auto
Bronze: Jayson’s & Wimberley

 

HOME IMPROVEMENT
Best Heating & Cooling Service
Gold: Michiana Heating & Air Conditioning
Silver: AirLux Heating & Cooling
Bronze: Rohdy’s

Best Landscaping Service
Gold: Owens Lawn Care
Silver: AJL Total Property Landscape
Bronze: MAAC Property Services

Best Waste Management
Gold: Michiana Recycling and Disposal
Silver: Bordon
Bronze: Best Way

Best Plumber
Gold: Advantage Plumbing
Silver: Thornton Plumbing
Bronze: Al Hood & Roberts Services

Best Construction Company
Gold: Epic Builders
Silver: Floyd Brown Remodeling
Bronze: Seldge