In August, readers of the Daily News and the Amplifier were invited to nominate their favorites in over 100 categories. In September, the top three (or more in cases of ties) nominees in each category were then voted on by the readers to determine the best. The Best of Bowling Green is not scientific and does not pretend to be. It is offered for entertainment purposes only.

Best Place for Breakfast

* Cracker Barrel

– Judy’s Castle

– Waffle House

– Teresa’s

Best Place for Lunch

* Cambridge Market

– Buckhead Cafe

– Mariah’s

Best Casual Dining

* Rafferty’s

– Mariahs

– Longhorn

– Buckhead Cafe

Best Fine Dining

* Montana Grill

– Brickyard

– 440 Main

– Mandolin

Best Romantic Restaurant

* Mandolin

– Brickyard

– 440 Main

– Mariah’s

Best Place for Family Friendly Dining

* Cracker Barrel

– O’Charley’s

– Ryan’s

Best Place for Cheap Eats

* Wendy’s

– Taco Bell

– McDonald’s

Best Restaurant Overall

* Mariah’s

– Montana Grill

– Longhorn

– Rafferty’s

Best Restaurant Service (Waiters/Waitresses)

* Rafferty’s

– Longhorn

– Montana Grill

Best Place for a Burger and Fries

* Culver’s

– Steak ‘n Shake

– Wendy’s

Best Place for Barbeque

* Smoky Bones

– Smoky Pig

– Split Tree

Best Place for Pizza

* Pizza Hut

– Mancinos

– Papa Johns

Best Place for a Steak

* Longhorn

– Outback

– Logan’s

Best Place for Fish

* Red Lobster

– Catfish House

– Captain D’s

Best Place for Chicken

* Zaxby’s

– Chic-fil-a

– Kentucky Fried Chicken

Best Place for Wings

* Buffalo Wild Wings

– Zaxby’s

– Toot’s

Best Place for a Salad

* O’Charley’s

– Rafferty’s

– Mariah’s

Best Place for Sandwiches

* Subway

– Cambridge Market

– Linzie’s Exceptional Sandiches

Best Place for Ice Cream

* Chaney’s

– Bruster’s

– Baskin-Robbins

Best Place for Asian food (Chinese, Japanese, Thai, etc)

* Shogun

– Ichiban

– Kyoto

Best Place for Mediterranean food (Italian, Greek, Bosnian, etc)

* Brickyard

– Anna’s

– Verdi

Best Place for Mexican / Hispanic food

* Puerto Vallarta

– El Mazatlan

– Pepper’s

Best Place for Coffee

* Starbucks

– Spencer’s Coffeehouse

– McDonald’s

Best Buffet

* Ryan’s

– Country Mill

– China One

Best Bakery

* Riley’s Bakery

– Panera Bread

– Vincent’s Bagels and Bites

Best Caterer

* Cambridge Market

– WKU – Aramark

– BBQ Junction

Best Dentist

* Eli Jackson

– John Buchanan

– Jeffrey Morgan

Best Physician

* William Wade

– Jack Glasser

– Tim Long

Best Pediatrician

* Debra Sowell

– Chris Smith

– Augusta Mayfield

Best Eye Doctor

* John Breiwa

– Tammy Love

– Trina Warden

Best LASIK doctor

* John Downing

– Jennifer Wentworth

– James Rynerson

Best Drug Store

* Walgreens

– Sheldon’s Express

(formerly Nation’s)

– CVS Pharmacy

Best Health Club or place to Workout / Exercise

* Bowling Green Athletic Club

– Total Fitness Connection

– BG Parks & Rec

– WKU – Preston Center

Best Personal Trainer

* Travis Langman

– Annette Finwood

– Charmaine Barlow

Best Place for a Massage

* Bella Salon and Spa

– Sun Suites

– Regina Webb’s Salon & Spa

Best Place for Martial Arts Instruction

* Jeremy Black’s Tae Kwon Do

– Total Fitness Connection

– East/West Kung-Fu Academy

Best place to help you lose weight

* Weight Watchers

– Total Fitness Connection

– Bowling Green Athletic Club

Best Chiropractor

* John Erskine

– Mark Woodward

– Brandon Crouch

Best Retirement Community

* Bowling Green Retirement Village

– Morningside

– Village Manor

Best Auctioneer

* Ken Byrd

– Joe Houchens

– Lonnie Gann

Best Real Estate Agent

* Jeremy Dawson

– Andy Howell

– Zack Dawson

Best Plumber

* Raymond Hymer

– Millard Martin

– Joe Walton

Best Landscaper and/or Lawn Service

* A Cut Above Lawn Care

– Cutting Edge

– Grade A Lawn and Landscape

Best place for Lawn Equipment Sales & Service

* Lowes

– Faxon’s Outdoor Power Equipment

– Hartland Equipment

Best Pest Control Service

* Tobys Pest Control

– Guarantee Pest Control

– Wheeldon Company

Best Photographer

* Limestone Lake Photography

– Alan Davis

– Lori Dawson Photography

Best Place for Photo Processing

* Shutterbug

– Walmart

– Walgreens

Best Place for Custom Framing

* Hobby Lobby

– B&J Gallery

– Suitable for Framing

Best Place to buy Beauty Supplies / Cosmetics

* Sally’s

– Walmart

– Bella Salon & Spa

Best Hair Salon

* Bella Salon & Spa

– Regina Webb Salon & Spa

– Friendz Salon

Best Barber Shop

* Sports Cuts

– Hair Den

– Dye’s Barber Shop

Best Manicure / Pedicure

* Bella Salon & Spa

– Sun Suites

– Friendz Salon

Best Tanning Salon

* Express Tan

– Sun Tan City

– Solar Connection

Best Florist

* Deemer’s

– Stems & Thee

– Flowers by Shirley

Best Veterinarian

* Stan Snodgrass

– Jerry Smith

– Don Denton

Best Bank or Credit Union

* US Bank

– South Central Bank

– Service One Credit Union

Best Place for a Mortgage / Loan

* US Bank

– South Central Bank

– Service One Credit Union

Best Place for Investments (stocks, mutual funds, 401-k, IRA, etc)

* US Bank

– South Central Bank

– Monticello Banking Company

Best Insurance Agency

* State Farm

– Charles M Moore

– Blake, Hart, Taylor & Wiseman

Best Dry Cleaner

* Big B Cleaners

– Hinton’s Cleaners

– Fabric Dry Cleaners

Best Place for an Oil Change

* Walmart

– Vavoline Express Lube

– Tech Tune

Best Auto Service Shop

* Midas

– Brooks Auto Service

– Modern Automotive

Best Place to get your car washed

* Waterworks

– Regal Auto Wash

– Speedwash

Best Travel Agency

* AAA

– Paradise Vacations

– Let’s Travel

Best Place to have a Business Meeting

* WKU South Campus / Knicely Center

– Mariah’s

– University Plaza / Sloan Convention Center

– Hilton Garden Inn

Best Place to buy Pet Supplies

* Petco

– Walmart

– Fishey Business

Best Place for Creative Supplies (craft, art, scrapbooking, etc)

* Hobby Lobby

– Walmart

– Crafty Hands

Best Place for Music Supplies / Services (studios, instruments, etc)

* Royal Music

– Kentucky Music

– Musician’s Pro

– The Tone Shop

Best Place for Hardware / Lumber

* Lowes

– Ace Hardware

– Home Depot

Best Replacement Windows

* Capitol Window & Door

– Window World

– Window City

Best Place to buy Carpet and/or Tile

* Shop at Home

– Grinstead’s

– Deweese

Best Place to buy Gardening Supplies / Plants

* Lowes

– Schott Gardens

– Ace Hardware

Best Pool/Spa store

* Aqualand

– Pool & Spa Depot

– Atlantic Pools

Best Place to rent Videos/DVDs

* Family Video

– Hollywood Video

– More Than Video

Best local place to buy books

* Barnes & Noble

– Family Christian

– The Book Gallery

– Waldenbooks

Best Consignment / Vintage Shopping

* Beverly Hills Bargain Boutique

– Grandma’s Attic

– Elite Repeats

Best Place to Bargain Shop

* T.J. Maxx

– Dollar Tree

– Beverly Hill Bargain Boutique

– Goodwill

Best Pawn Shop

* Jewelry Barn & Pawn Shop

– EZ Money

– Westside Pawn

Best Place for Cell Phones/Service

* AT&T

– Bluegrass Cellular

– T-Mobile

Best Place to buy Electronics

* Best Buy

– HH Gregg

– Home Theater Solutions

– The Place

Best Furniture Store

* Ford’s Furniture

– Ashley Furniture

– Thorton’s Furniture

– Haverty’s Furniture

Best Place for Home Accessories

* Kirkland’s

– Hobby Lobby

– Ford’s Furniture

Best Place to buy Bedding

* Bandy Bedding

– Trent Bedding

– Just Bedding

– Sit and Sleep

Best Gift Store

* Heartstrings

– Werner-Lowe

– Hallmark

Best Jewelry Store

* Kay’s Jewelry

– Morris Jewelry

– Wanda’s Jewelry

Best Place for Men’s Clothing

* Kohl’s

– Dillards

– Golden Farley

– Jim & Gil’s

Best Place for Women’s Clothing

* Kohl’s

– Dillards

– Macys

Best Place for Kids’ Clothing

* Kohl’s

– Children’s Place

– Chatter’s

Best Place to buy Shoes

* Shoe Carnival

– Hyder’s

– Dillards

Best Place to buy Sporting Goods

* Nat’s Sporting Goods

– Dunham Sports

– Gander Mountain

– Duke Sporting Goods

Best Place to get WKU merchandise

* University Bookstore

– Greenwood Mall

– Walmart

Best Place to buy a new car

* Gary Force

– Jim Johnson

– Martin

Best Place to buy a Pre-Owned Vehicle

* Gary Force

– Campbell

– Bettersworth

Best Place to buy Tires

* Big O Tires

– S&R Tire

– Kentucky Tire

Best Public Park

* Basil Griffin / Three Springs

– Keriakes

– Covington Woods

Best Golf Course

* Olde Stone

– Crosswinds at Hartland

– Bowling Green Country Club

Best Place for a Date

* Great Escape

– The Cellar

– Southern Lanes

Best Place to People Watch

* Greenwood Mall

– Fountain Square / Downtown

– Walmart

Best Place for a Family Outing

* Jackson’s Orchard

– Beech Bend

– Lost River

– Southern Lanes

Best Place for Teens to have fun

* Beech Bend

– Southern Lanes

– Bowling Green Skatepark

– Greenwood Mall

Best Hotel

* University Plaza

– Hilton Garden Inn

– Drury Inn

Best Place for Party Supplies or Services

* Party One

– Hobby Lobby

– Big Fun Entertainment

Best Place to play Billards

* Cue Time

– Southern Lanes

– Checks

– Utley’s

Best Sports Bar

* Double Dogs

– Buffalo Wild Wings

– Toot’s

Best Place for Happy Hour

* 440 Main

– Sonic

– Rafferty’s

– Mariah’s

Best Nightclub / Bar for Live Music

* 440 Main

– Wah-Bah

– Brewing Company

– Tidballs

Best Place to Dance

* The Brewing Company

– Betty’s

– Utley’s

Best Liquor Store

* Chuck Evans

– Shenanigans

– Vette City

Best Museum / Art Gallery

* Kentucky Museum at WKU

– National Corvette Museum

– Houchens Gallery at Capitol

Best Visual Artist

* David Jones

– Andee Rudloff

– Misha Ambrosia

– Bonnie McBain

Best Local Band (Group)

* Skip Bond and the Fugitives

– Blue Light Special

– Exit 4

Best Local Musician /Singer (Individuals)

* Brennan Graves

– Trevor Martin

– Michael Gough

Best Live Concert / Performance Venue

* Fountain Square

– Capitol Arts

– Tidballs

Best local Radio Station

* WBVR – The Beaver 96.7

– WKLX – SAM 100.7

– WUHU – Woohoo 107.1

– WPTQ – 103.7 The Point

Best local radio personality

* Scooter Davis (WBVR)

– Tony Rose (WKLX)

– Brooke Summers (WUHU)

– Rockin’ Rhonda (WDNS)

Best local TV station

* WBKO (13)

– WNKY (40)

– WKYU (24)

Best Local TV personality

* Radar the Weather Dog

– Chris Allen

– Gene Birk

Best Local Performer (actor, actress, comedian, dancer, etc)

* Steve Wilson

– Broadway the Clown

– Husky Stache

Best Local Politician

* Mike Buchanon

– Jim Decesare

– Brett Guthrie

Best Charity / Non-Profit Organization

* Big Brothers Big Sisters

– United Way

– BRASS

Best Bowling Green Festival / Event

* Concerts in the Park

– Balloons Tunes & BBQ

– BG International Festival

Best WKU coach (any sport)

* Mary Taylor Cowles

– David Elson

– Ken McDonald

Business that you wish would come to Bowling Green

* Olive Garden

– Whole Foods

– IHOP

– Bed Bath & Beyond

– Chilis