Orange and Chatham county readers have waited long enough to learn the local winners of our annual INDY Best of the Triangle readers’ choice awards.
Like they have for the past two decades, readers nominated their local favorites (in categories covering food and drink, the arts, places to go, and more) for the Best of the Triangle awards. Over the past few months, we’ve been rolling out the winners by county—first Wake, then Durham, and now Orange and Chatham have their turn.
Below you’ll find readers’ own picks for the places, people and organizations that make Orange and Chatham counties unique. We’ve got everything from the best burgers and chefs to the best concert venues and museums to the best preschools and yoga studios. We hope you’ll find this guide handy and take some time to try something new or revisit an old favorite.
Thanks to our readers for nominating their favorites, and big congratulations to the finalists.
If you missed our Wake and Durham winners (announced back in April and July, respectively) find them online at indyweek.com/best-of-the-triangle. And stay tuned for the final round—a special print edition in December rounding up the best of the best across the Triangle.
Best Wings
Wooden Nickel Pub
Runners up: Heavenly Buffaloes, Four Corners
Best Wine List
Glasshalfull
Runners up: Hawthorn and Wood, Oakleaf
Best Vegetarian Eatery
Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe
Runners up: Spotted Dog, Coco Bistro
Best Thai Restaurant
Cham Thai
Runners up: Thai Station, Thai Palace
Best Sushi
Akai Hana Japanese Restaurant
Runners up: Iza Whiskey and Eats, Kurama Sushi & Noodle Express
Best Southern Food
Acme Food & Beverage
Runners up: Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen, Virlie’s Grill
Best Small Plates/Tapas
Glasshalfull
Runners up: Proximo, The Beagle
Best Seafood
Tom Robinsons Seafood
Runners up: Squid’s Restaurant, Postal Fish Company
Best Wine Retail Store
Rocks + Acid
Runners up: Hillsborough Wine Shop, Wooden Nickel Bottle Shop
Best Pizza
Pizzeria Mercato
Runners up: Napoli Pizzeria & Gelateria, Pizza Cornicione
Best Non-Alcoholic Drinks (not coffee)
Wooden Nickel Pub
Runners up: Carolina Hemp Hut – Mocktail & Slushy Bar, Krave
Best New Restaurant (within 12 months)
Wedgewood Cheese Bar
Runners up: Proximo, The Flying Pierogi
Best Neighborhood Bar
Wooden Nickel Pub
Runners up: Orange County Social Club (OCSC), Speakeasy
Best Mexican Restaurant
Fiesta Grill
Runners up: Carrburritos, El Restaurante Ixtapa
Best Late Night Meal (Past 10 p.m.)
Cosmic Cantina
Runners up: Time Out, Sup Dogs
Best Japanese Restaurant
Akai Hana Japanese Restaurant
Runners up: Iza Whiskey and Eats, OiShii
Best Italian Restaurant
Pizzeria Mercato
Runners up: Osteria Georgi, 411 West Italian Cafe
Best Indian Restaurant
Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe
Runners up: CholaNad Restaurant & Bar, Chimney Indian Kitchen + Bar
Best Food Truck
Chirba Chirba Dumpling
Runners up: Drunken Noodles Food Truck, Garnachas Rivera
Best Ethnic Grocery Store
Mediterranean Deli
Runners up: Mariakakis Fine Food & Wine, Weaver Street Market
Best Draft Selection
Wooden Nickel Pub
Runners up: Beer Study, The Casual Pint of Chapel Hill
Best Desserts
Guglhupf
Runners up: Kim’s Bake Shop, Hillsborough Bakeshop & Pasta Co
Best Coffee Shop
Caffè Driade
Runners up: Open Eye Cafe, Kim’s Bake Shop
Best Chinese Restaurant
Jade Palace
Runners up: Gourmet Kingdom, Red Lotus
Best Cheese Shop
Wedgewood Cheese Bar
Runners up: Weaver Street Market, The Cheese Shop
Best Cheap Eats
Carrburritos
Runners up: Wooden Nickel Pub, Sup Dogs
Best Catering
Mediterranean Deli
Runners up: Beau Catering, The Travelling Cafe
Best Burger
Al’s Burger Shack
Runners up: Wooden Nickel Pub, Town Hall Burger & Beer
Best Brunch Restaurant
Breakaway Cafe
Runners up: Bluebird, Grata Diner
Best Brewery (brewed locally)
Steel String Brewery
Runners up: Eno River Brewing, Carolina Brewery
Best Biscuits
Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen
Runners up: Neal’s Deli, Rise Southern Biscuits & Righteous Chicken – Chapel Hill
Best Beer Retail Store
Beer Study
Runners up: Wooden Nickel Bottle Shop, Weaver Street Market
Best Barbecue
The Pig
Runners up: Hillsborough BBQ Company, Allen & Sons
Best Bakery
Guglhupf Bake Shop
Runners up: Kim’s Bake Shop, Hillsborough Bakeshop & Pasta co
Best Bagel
Brandwein’s Bagels
Runners up: Weaver Street Market, Alpine Bagels
Best Alcoholic Cocktails
The Crunkleton
Runners up: Wooden Nickel Pub, Atlas Cocktail Bar
Best Preschool/Early Education Program
Carolina Friends School
Runners up: The Preschool at Chestnut Ridge, Chapel Hill Cooperative Preschool
Best Trivia Bar/Event
Lanza – Carrboro – Thursday night trivia
Runners up: Hammered Trivia at Haw River Tap and Table, Four Corners
Best Summer Camp
Camp Chestnut Ridge
Runners up: Carolina Friends School (Summer Programs), Schoolhouse of Wonder
Best Sports Bar
Wooden Nickel Pub
Runners up: Four Corners, Carolina Ale House
Best Place to People Watch
Weaver Street Market
Runners up: Franklin Street, Wooden Nickel Pub
Best Karaoke Place/Event
Speakeasy Carrboro
Runners up: Wooden Nickel Pub, Goodfellows
Best Hotel Lounge
The Carolina Inn
Runners up: The Colonial Inn, The Graduate
Best Hotel
The Carolina Inn
Runners up: The Colonial Inn, Siena Hotel
Best Dance Venue
Cat’s Cradle
Runners up: The Kraken, Stilllife
Best Arboretum or Garden
North Carolina Botanical Garden
Runners up: Coker Arboretum, Montrose
Best Alcohol-Free Venue
Carrboro Town Commons
Runners up: Forest Theater, Sunrise Community Farm Center
Biggest Waste of Public Money
“Flood control” for massive new development in our creeks’ small watersheds
Runners-up: Redoing Eastegate’s parking, Transit Tax
Best Use of Public Money
Parks and trails
Runners-up: Chapel Hill Transit, Orange County Public Library – Southern Branch
Best Reason to Leave Orange/Chatham County
High cost of living
Runners-up: High Taxes, The flood plains in Chapel Hill
Best Politician
Valerie Foushee
Runners-up: Graig Meyer, Jess Anderson
Best Reason to Love Orange/Chatham County
Nature access
Runners-up: Smart people, Carrboro town commons
Best Kids Non-Profit
Camp Chestnut Ridge
Runners-up: Schoolhouse of Wonder, Learning Outside
Best Non-Profit
PORCH Chapel Hill – Carrboro
Runners-up: Inter-Faith Council for Social Service, Extraordinary Ventures
Best Local Activist Group
PORCH Chapel Hill – Carrboro
Runners-up: Orange County Dems, EMPOWERment Inc.
Best Mixologist
Emma – Lantern
Runners-up: Danica Ronco – Wooden Nickel Pub, Michael Cochran- Wooden Nickel Pub
Best Draft-Slinger
Bella – Steel String Brewery
Runners-up: Britton Murray – Wooden Nickel Pub, Danica Ronco – Wooden Nickel Pub
Best DJ
DJ Wilder
Runners-up: Ethan Brewer, DJ ArtyDub
Best Chef
Vimala Rajendran – Vimala’s Curryblossom Cafe
Runners-up: John Horn – Wooden Nickel Pub, Leslie Chartier – The Travelling Cafe
Best Yoga Studio
Franklin Street Yoga Center
Runners up: Carrboro Yoga Company, YogaSix Chapel Hill
Best Women’s Health Practice
Chapel Hill Ob-Gyn
Runners up: Chapel Hill Family Medicine, Unorthodoc
Best Veterinary Practice
Carrboro Plaza Veterinary Clinic
Runners up: Meadowmont Animal Hospital, The Animal Hospital of Carrboro
Best Spa
Hillsborough Spa and Day Retreat
Runners up: Wax Poetic Carrboro, The Spa at Fearrington
Best Pediatric Practice
Chapel Hill Pediatrics
Runners up: Chapel Hill Children’s Clinic, Play to Grow OT LLC
Best Massage Therapist
Kathryn Kager Massage and Bodywork
Runners up: Carole L. Pope, Allen Johnson with in wellness
Best Holistic Medicine
Carolina Hemp Hut
Runners up: Heartwood Holistic, Magic on 70 Cafe & Shoppe
Best Hair Salon
To The Woods
Runners up: Cut Chemist, Ceremony Salon
Best Gym
FIT Carrboro
Runners up: O2 Fitness, Planet Fitness
Best Dermatological Practice
Chapel Hill Dermatology
Runners up: Central Dermatology, Dermatology and Laser Center of Chapel Hill (DLC)
Best Dental Practice
Holman Family Dental Care
Runners up: Ellis Family Dentistry, Wagoner Dental
Best Chiropractic Practice
Chapel Hill Family Chiropractic
Runners up: Dr. Chas Gaertner – North Carolina Chiropractic, Partners in Health & Wellness
Best Childcare
Chapel Hill Cooperative Preschool
Runners up: Schoolhouse of Wonder, Play to Grow OT
Best Barber Shop
Snip-Ish
Runners up: Chapel Hill Barber, Le Chevau Hair Salon
Best Vintage Store
Rumors
Runners up: The Consignors, Screaming for Vintage
Best Place to Buy Locally Made Art
Peel Gallery + Photo Lab
Runners up: FRANK Gallery, Say it With Glass
Best Realtor
Shelby Bishop
Runners up: Mary Lopez Carter, Justin Burleson
Best Real Estate Company
Inhabit Real Estate
Runners up: Weaver Street Realty, Chapel Hill Realty Group – Inc.
Best Painters
Gonzalez Painters & Contractors Inc
Runners up: Express Yourself Paint, Chapel Hill Painting Company
Best New Business
Say it With Glass
Runners up: Harmony Group Wealth Advisors, The Soap and Shine
Best Local Bookstore
Flyleaf Books
Runners up: Golden Fig Books, McIntyre’s Books
Best Landscaper
Jessica Davis – Roots & Sproots
Runners up: O’Mara Landscaping, Tarheel Turf
Best Jeweler/Jewelry Store
Melissa Designer Jewelry
Runners up: Olmaz Jewelers, William Travis Jewelry
Best Insurance Company
Bonnie Rose – NC Farm Bureau
Runners up: Chan Wright Insurance Agency, Heather Landin – Insurance of the Carolinas
Best HVAC Company
Boer Brothers Heating & Cooling
Runners up: Warren-Hay Mechanical, Jeff Daulton AC Systems
Best Electrician
Bonneville Electric
Runners up: Advanced Electric of Pittsboro, Todd Clark’s Electrical Service
Best Dog Walking
Walk & Wag
Runners up: Josephine’s Dog Walking and Pet Sitting, Barksboro
Best Dog Training
Top Dog Training and Resort
Runners up: New Hope Dog Training Center, K9 Disciples
Best Dog Grooming
Top Dog Training and Resort
Runners up: Hair of the Dog Grooming Studio, Best Friends Furever
Best Dog Boarding
Doggie Dude Ranch Kennel
Runners up: Top Dog Training and Resort, Doggie Spa and Day Care
Best Dance Studio
Hillsborough Cheer and Dance
Runners up: The Ballet School of Chapel Hill, 7 Dance Centre
Best Clothing Consignment
My Secret Closet
Runners up: Rumors, Stock Exchange
Best CBD/Head Shop
Carolina Hemp Hut
Runners up: Cannabliss, Magic on 70 Cafe & Shoppe
Best Auto Mechanic
Auto Logic
Runners up: Sanders Automotive, A Better Wrench
Best Auto Dealer
ABW Imports
Runner up: Lunsfords
Best Attorney
Sam Coleman
Runners up: Amy Walker Cagle, Kendall Page
Best Radio Station
WUNC
Runners up: WHUP 104.7, WCOM 103.5
Best Local/Regional Podcast
Embodied
Runners up: 27 Views, Arcane Carolinas
Best Film Theatre Venue/Event
Chelsea Theater
Runners up: Silverspot Cinema, Lumina Theater
Best Unplugged Concert Venue
Cat’s Cradle
Runners up: Community Church Concerts, Bynum Front Porch
Best Electronic Concert Venue
Cat’s Cradle
Runners up: Local 506, Mosaic at Chatham Park
Best Drag Show/Event
Speakeasy Queer Cabaret
Runners up: Pittsboro Pride Drag Show & Dance Party, Drag Show: Pride Never Dies!
Best Theatre Company
Playmakers Repertory Company
Runners up: Hidden Voices, Blue Box Theatre Company
Best Comedy Club/Event
Yonder – The Sunday Show w Jeremy Alder-Josh Rosenstein
Runners up: Steel string homegrown comedy w Josh and Rosie, Black Sheep Comedy
Best Science/History Museum
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
Runners up: Orange County Historical Museum, Hillsborough History Museum
Best Art Museum
Ackland Art Museum
Runners up: Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, Margaret Lane Gallery
Best Art Gallery (Art for Sale)
Peel Gallery + Photo Lab
Runners up: FRANK Gallery, Hillsborough Gallery of Arts