Best of the 'Bus 2015

For our fourth annual Best of the ’Bus feature, we saw some impressive first-time victories, some stalwart returning champions and some serious winner representation from Grove City and Westerville.

Read on to see who took home top honors this year.

Arts & Entertainment

Best Art Gallery

Dublin Arts Council gallery

It’s two in a row for the Dublin Arts Council, which is in the midst of a series on war: an exhibition of Eddie Adams’ photography from the Vietnam War until Sept. 11, then sculptures by Holocaust survivor Alfred Tibor Sept. 22-Dec. 18.

Best Interactive Arts Activities

COSI

It was a runaway victory for COSI, thanks to its plethora of hands-on activities for children and adults alike.

Best Orchestra

Columbus Symphony Orchestra

The Columbus Symphony Orchestra is a formidable opponent, but give credit to the Westerville Symphony and Columbus Jazz Orchestra for keeping this race interesting.

Best Theater Troupe

Little Theatre Off Broadway

Community theater companies such as those in Dublin and Galena got their share of votes, but Grove City’s managed to top them, along with the rest of the competition.

Best Event for People-Watching

ComFest

For the fourth year in a row, ComFest’s people-watching opportunities outstrip all comers. The community-minded festival is always a sight to see.

Best Performance Venue

Ohio Theatre

This makes the fourth consecutive victory for one of central Ohio’s most visually stunning venues.

Best Annual Event for Out-of-Towners

Red, White & Boom!

The Ohio State Fair and Memorial Tournament came close, but for pure visual impressiveness, it’s tough to beat the massive festival and fireworks display that is Red, White & Boom!.

Best Dog Park

Alum Creek Dog Park

This Lewis Center dog park is a big draw for dog owners from miles around.

Best Suburban Arts Festival

Grove City Town Center Wine and Arts Festival

The Dublin Irish Festival and Westerville Area Chamber of Commerce Music & Arts Festival made this one close, but a year after placing second, Grove City Town Center’s Wine and Arts Festival moves into the top spot.

Best Music Director

Peter Stafford Wilson

It was a tough fight, but Peter Stafford Wilson, who has conducted for the Columbus Symphony Orchestra and Westerville Symphony, was able to fend off challengers such as Albert-George Schram, Byron Stripling and Timothy Sarsany.

Best Bar/Restaurant for Live Music

Jimmy V’s Grill & Pub, Westerville

Jimmy V’s Uptown Westerville patio is a popular destination when the weather’s nice, as its victory shows.

Best Movie Theater Seating

Marcus Crosswoods Cinema

The movie theater industry is making big strides in comfortable seating, but Marcus Crosswoods’ DreamLounger seats seem to have impressed the most readers this time.

Best Charitable Event

Chilly Open

This annual event, organized by the Westerville Sunrise Rotary Club and held at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium, raises money for a bevy of children’s charities.

Best In-State Weekend Trip

Best Place to Propose

Hocking Hills

The wealth of recreation opportunities and beautiful vistas of the Hocking Hills made it one of this year’s few two-category winners.

Best Out-of-State Road Trip

Chicago

Nashville put up a good fight, but this year, the Blackhawks triumph over the Predators.

Best Suburban Fireworks

Grove City

This was a competitive race, and though Westerville, Dublin and Upper Arlington all put in good showings, they weren’t able to topple Grove City.

Best Run/Fitness Event

Field of Heroes 5K Run/Walk

This run, which is part of the Memorial Day weekend Field of Heroes event in Westerville, is also organized by the Westerville Sunrise Rotary Club, making the club a double winner.

Best Fitness Trail

Olentangy Trail

It’s tough to compete with a nearly 14-mile, multi-use trail that runs from Worthington Hills to downtown Columbus, as the Olentangy Trail’s commanding victory demonstrates.

Best Face of Columbus

Jack Hanna

It’s three wins in a row for the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium’s hugely popular director emeritus, but Buckeye football coach Urban Meyer didn’t make it easy for Jungle Jack.

Shopping & Retail

Best Spa

Woodhouse Day Spa

Dublin-based Woodhouse is always a formidable contender in this category, but give credit to runner-up Massage Envy Spa for coming as close as it did.

Best Farmers’ Market

Worthington

This makes a grand slam for the Worthington Farmers’ Market, which has won every year since Best of the ’Bus began in 2012.

Best Food- or Drink-Themed Festival

Jazz & Rib Fest

This first-time category saw a diverse list of nominees, but this barbecue powerhouse couldn’t be stopped.

Best Pick-Your-Own Produce

Lynd Fruit Farm

Mark your calendar: Picking season typically starts in late August at this Pataskala farm.

Best Gym

Premier at Sawmill

For a single gym, it’s tough to go up against chains with multiple locations, but the Premier’s top-notch offerings and legendary status allow it to not only compete with, but overcome, the best.

Best Bakery

Capital City Cakes

This was one of the closer races, with Pistacia Vera (German Village), Der Dutchman (Plain City), Schneider’s Bakery and 2 Chicks and a Cookie (both Westerville) putting up good showings against the Grove City-based winner.

Best Locally Owned Boutique

Déjà Vu

It was hard to pick a winner here – literally, as it turns out there are actually two Déjà Vu boutiques in central Ohio, one in Westerville and one in Grove City. Rather than flip a coin, we’re having them share the victory, though it has to be noted that Simply Rr’s at the Mall at Tuttle Crossing made this one mighty close.

Best Cakes

Mrs. Goodman’s

Mrs. Goodman’s, of Worthington, is known for its elaborate celebration cakes, and its win here reflects their popularity.

Best Vintage Item Store

Rag-o-Rama

Westerville and Grove City came within inches here thanks to Country Hearth Primitive and A Gal Named Cinda Lou, respectively (the latter also has a location in the Short North), but Clintonville legend Rag-o-Rama is the winner.

Best Yoga Studio

The Yoga Factory

Competition was fierce here; clearly, Columbus-area residents feel strongly about their yoga studios. The Yoga Factory, of Westerville, wins the day.

Best Pies

Just Pies

Well, here’s a company that knows how to focus on what it does well. Just Pies – with locations in Clintonville, Gahanna and Westerville – pulled out a squeaker over Der Dutchman.

Best Local Beer

Columbus Brewing Company

CBC is always a juggernaut in this category, but let’s show some love for some of its closest competitors, which include Temperance Row Brewing Co., Elevator Brewery & Draught Haus, Seventh Son Brewing Co., Barley’s Brewing Company and Jackie O’s Brewery.

Best Beer Selection – Retail

The Andersons

The Andersons’ victory here was one of the closest this year, with Giant Eagle Market District only a few votes behind.

Best Wine Selection – Retail

Giant Eagle Market District

Market District – which now has locations in Dublin, Upper Arlington and Grandview Heights – has yet to be beaten in this category.

Best Cupcakes

Gigi’s Cupcakes

The frosting-loaded treats of Gigi’s – with locations at Polaris and in Pickerington – proved unbeatable this year, fending off such rivals as the Lollipop Stop, Our CupCakery and Pink Moon Cupcake Bakery.

Best Hometown Product

Jeni’s Splendid Ice Creams

With more than twice the votes of the second-place finisher, it’s readily apparent that central Ohio residents continue to love their Jeni’s, and the massive outpouring of support after the company’s recent listeria scares only reinforce that point.

Best Place for a First Date

Columbus Zoo and Aquarium

The zoo could not have sent us a more perfect picture for this category. Just try to claim that’s not positively adorable.

Best Public Bathroom

Von Maur

Von Maur fights back to the top spot after being dethroned last year by Nordstrom at Easton Town Center, but it was a close one for sure.

Drinks & Dining

Best Pizza

Zamarelli’s Pizza Palace

We tend to get more nominees here than in any other category, so it’s always a tough row to hoe for the winner, but this year, Grove City-based Zamarelli’s takes the prize.

Best New Restaurant (since April 2014)

Hofbräuhaus

This category is always an exciting one, but the winner here was clear, as voters showed a clear preference for Grandview Heights’ spacious new German restaurant and bier hall.

Best Restaurant to Spend an Anniversary

The Refectory

The beloved northwest Columbus French restaurant is renowned as a popular anniversary spot, but Hyde Park Prime Steakhouse was a close second here.

Best Sushi

Akai Hana

This northwest Columbus gem is a bit off the beaten path, but clearly, our readers think it’s well worth finding.

Best Restaurant to Take Out-of-Towners to

Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus

No wonder Schmidt’s is so well-known to outsiders; their friends and family in town are clearly keen on taking visitors there.

Best Vegan Options

Northstar Café

Northstar – with locations in the Short North, Clintonville and Easton Town Center – is a powerhouse in the local vegan community, which makes its victory no surprise.

Best Food Coma Potential

Best Menu Item Name

Thurman Café

It’s no coincidence that Thurman Café won both these categories, because the winner of Best Menu Item Name – its colossal Thurmanator burger, sporting a whopping two pounds of meat – has no doubt caused a few food comas in its day.

Best Food Truck

Mikey’s Late Night Slice

Fans of the ever-popular Mikey’s might be heartened to know that the operation, which already has several trucks and storefronts, is further expanding its horizons: A full-service restaurant and bar is slated to open on South Fourth Street in downtown Columbus.

Best Barbecue

City Barbeque

You almost certainly know about City Barbeque’s overwhelming popularity in the local barbecue scene, but if you don’t know the full extent of it, chew on this: In a 10-nominee category, it scored more than 60 percent of the vote.

Best Sandwiches

Katzinger’s Delicatessen

A picture is worth a thousand words when it comes to explaining the longtime German Village deli’s victory here.

Best Business Lunch

Spaghetti Warehouse

The food and prices are good, but the real bonus to having a business lunch at Spaghetti Warehouse is the possibility that you might get the booth that looks like a repurposed carriage.

Best Outdoor Dining

Cimi’s Bistro

Located in Grove City’s Pinnacle community, this restaurant has gained recognition for its gardens and patio view.

Best Wine Selection – Bar/Restaurant

The Wine Bistro

This makes three wins in a row for the Wine Bistro, which has four locations throughout central Ohio.

Best Beer Selection – Restaurant/Bar

Hop Yard 62

This Grove City craft beer bar has made a big impact in a short amount of time – it only opened in February, and it’s already developed a sizable following.

Best Gluten-Free Options on Menu

Cap City Fine Diner and Bar

Cap City – a member of the Cameron Mitchell Restaurants family with locations in Gahanna and the Grandview Heights area – is certainly a versatile establishment, as evidenced by the assortment of categories it’s won over the years, which have also included Best Business Lunch and Best Comfort Food.

Best Family-Owned Restaurant

The Florentine

This 70-year-old Franklinton Italian restaurant has a good reputation for its family atmosphere, and an even better reputation for its amazing cream puff cake.

Best Chocolate Treats

Lollipop Stop

Even the mighty Anthony-Thomas Candy Company can be defeated, as it was here by Grove City’s Lollipop Stop. Mozart’s Bakery & Piano Café put on a good showing, too.

Best Signature Cocktail

16-Bit Bar + Arcade

Whatcha gonna do, brother, when the Hulk Hogan – a cocktail of vodka and lemonade, with a Bomp Pop stuck in it for extra patriotism – runs wild on you? (Flex, flex, flex, cup hand to ear, rip shirt)

Best Happy Hour

The Old Bag of Nails Pub

This one was definitely close, with Marcella’s Ristorante and the Buckeye Hall of Fame Grill putting up a good fight, but the multi-location Old Bag of Nails was not to be denied.