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2017 Index of Winners

Best Hamburger BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Oral Pleasures » Readers Pick
Grindhouse Killer Burgers (5 ATL Locations)

Best French Fries BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Oral Pleasures » Readers Pick
Fred’s Meat and Bread

Best Veggie Burger BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Oral Pleasures » Readers Pick
Grindhouse Killer Burgers (5 ATL Locations)

Best mixologist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Oral Pleasures » Readers Pick
Bob Ruede

Best Farmer’s Market BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Oral Pleasures » Readers Pick
Grant Park Farmers Market

Best Biscuits BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Oral Pleasures » Readers Pick
Flying Biscuit (13 ATL Locations)

Best Bizarro Local News Story BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
I-85 bridge collapse

Best Nonprofit BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Bert’s Big Adventure

Best Local Hero BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
John Lewis
johnlewis.house.gov

Best Local Rabble-Rouser/Activist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Vanessa Toro

Best Local Political Figure BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
John Lewis
johnlewis.house.gov

Best Local Celebrity BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Romeo Cologne

Best Local Athlete BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Human Missile Crisis aka Nikita Raper

Best Local Sports Team BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Atlanta United FC

Best Street Character BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Baton Bob
batonbob.weebly.com

Best Tourist Trap BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Doll’s Head Trail

Best Coffee House/Coffeeshop BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Octane Coffee

Best Landmark BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Fox Theatre

Best Hotel BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Hotel Indigo Atlanta Midtown

Best Overall Neighborhood BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Virginia-Highland

Best of MARTA BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
MARTA Peachtree Station

www.itsmarta.com

photo by: Joeff Davis/ CL File

Best Neighborhood Festival BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Inman Park Festival

Best Spot to Commune with Nature/Best Park BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Piedmont Park

Best Dog Park BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Piedmont Dog Park

Best Rec League BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Atlanta Rollergirls

www.atlantarollergirls.com

photo by: Lindsey Max/ CL File

Best Playground BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Piedmont Park

Best Library BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Decatur Library

Best Hiking Trail BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Chattahoochee River Park

Best Spot to Commune with Nature/Best Park BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area

Best City View BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
I-85 South access bridge

Best Radio DJ/Personality BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
English Nick

Best Radio Station BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Rock 100.5 (WNNX-FM)

Best Local Podcast BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
“Sis & Tell”

Best Public Pool BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Piedmont Park Aquatic Center

Best Public Skatepark BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Historic Fourth Ward Skatepark

Best Local TV News BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Russ Spencer

Best Columnist/Journalist BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Dan Wisenhunt

Best Local Blog/Zine BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Decaturish

Best Local Twitter Feed BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
@ATL_Events

Best Local Instagram Feed BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
@MyPigMeUp

Best Community Garden BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Wylde Center

Best Startup/Incubator BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Readers Pick
Scamper Van

Best Weed Warrior BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Critics Pick
Allen Peake
A handful of politicos pushed pot policy reforms this year, but only one of those efforts bore fruit. State Rep. ALLEN PEAKE passed legislation that expanded the list of ailments a person must have to be eligible for a medical cannabis oil prescription. The THC limit is still capped at 5 percent, somore...

A handful of politicos pushed pot policy reforms this year, but only one of those efforts bore fruit. State Rep. ALLEN PEAKE passed legislation that expanded the list of ailments a person must have to be eligible for a medical cannabis oil prescription. The THC limit is still capped at 5 percent, so patients aren’t exactly getting stoned just yet. But Peake is also a proponent of establishing an in-state cultivation model, so Georgia could start regulating its own bud market. We’ll have to wait until the next legislative session to see how that shakes out. Meantime, state Sen. Vincent Fort, D-Atlanta, and Councilman Kwanza Hall are driving local efforts to relax weed laws in Atlanta. Stay tuned. www.allenpeake.com.

photo by: Joeff Davis/ CL File

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Best Fighters for Atlanta’s Soul BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Critics Pick
Mercedes-Benz Stadium
Sure, MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM is shiny and new, and we’d be fine with it if it was done strictly with private money. But the use of at least $700 million of public money that will primarily benefit a football team owner with a net worth upward of $3.4 billion seems shady at best, especially when so manymore...
Sure, MERCEDES-BENZ STADIUM is shiny and new, and we’d be fine with it if it was done strictly with private money. But the use of at least $700 million of public money that will primarily benefit a football team owner with a net worth upward of $3.4 billion seems shady at best, especially when so many local projects could benefit from that type of funding. While the Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation has “donated” upward of $20 million to the impoverished Westside neighborhoods next to the stadium, that hardly makes up for the hundreds of millions of dollars in public money that has gone to the stadium construction increasing the value of the Atlanta Falcons. At the end of last year the Falcons had already inked deals worth $900 million in stadium sponsorships! Imagine the impact if the public money used for construction was directed to neighborhood organizations in the poorest areas of the city. Or imagine the impact on Atlanta if 700 small businesses were given $1 million each to grow their businesses. We can only dream of a society where individuals and small businesses are more important than large corporations and billionaires. less...

Best Nonprofit BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Critics Pick
Westside Works
Like we said, the deal to build Mercedes-Benz Stadium was incredibly lopsided in favor of the rich guys, but one good thing did come out of it: WESTSIDE WORKS. The long-term training program was designed to prepare residents of Westside neighborhoods (such as Vine City, Castleberry Hill and more) formore...
Like we said, the deal to build Mercedes-Benz Stadium was incredibly lopsided in favor of the rich guys, but one good thing did come out of it: WESTSIDE WORKS. The long-term training program was designed to prepare residents of Westside neighborhoods (such as Vine City, Castleberry Hill and more) for jobs in construction, the culinary arts and education, among other fields. And according to data captured by Westside Works, it looks like the program is having a positive impact, with more than 500 people receiving training and 78 percent of them retaining a living wage after one year. Time will tell if these changes will truly alter the lives of the students who have participated and the neighborhoods they live in, but for now, it’s looking like a success story. www.westsideworks.org. less...

Best New Addition to the Cityscape BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Critics Pick
The Gathering Spot ATL
Launched by Ryan Wilson and TK Peterson in 2016 with a mission to serve as a members-only club for the city’s growing population of professionals, creatives and entrepreneurs, THE GATHERING SPOT could have easily turned into nothing more than a see-and-be-seen kind of destination. But, serving as amore...

Launched by Ryan Wilson and TK Peterson in 2016 with a mission to serve as a members-only club for the city’s growing population of professionals, creatives and entrepreneurs, THE GATHERING SPOT could have easily turned into nothing more than a see-and-be-seen kind of destination. But, serving as a venue for conversations on investing in local artists and for launching new businesses like the African-American culture website Cassiuslife.com, it quickly evolved into a space where some of Atlanta’s best and brightest congregated to work and collaborate — not pose. And with plans in the works to open a second Gathering Spot in another market, chances are good that opportunities to connect and develop community will grow as well. 384 Northyards Blvd. N.W. 404-948-2459. www.thegatheringspot.club.

Spot for Atlanta’s Shakers and Movers

photo by: Lindsey Max

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Best Way to Celebrate Mother’s Day BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Critics Pick
Black Mama’s Bail Out
Organized by members of the Atlanta-based group Southerners on New Ground and a coalition of other concerned local organizations, BLACK MAMA’S BAIL OUT took an often-commercial holiday and flipped it into an opportunity to help transform lives. The initiative raised $520,000 to bail out mothers frommore...

Organized by members of the Atlanta-based group Southerners on New Ground and a coalition of other concerned local organizations, BLACK MAMA’S BAIL OUT took an often-commercial holiday and flipped it into an opportunity to help transform lives. The initiative raised $520,000 to bail out mothers from jails in 16 cities across the nation, including Atlanta. The AJC reported in May that the two-day effort freed 17 women locally who otherwise didn’t have resources to get bailed out on their own. In a system that affects the lives of minorities and the poor in the worst ways, programs like this are sadly needed to tip the scales, if ever so slightly. www.southernersonnewground.org.

(from left - Shanti Moore, Akiva Freidlin, Mary Hooks, Kate Shapiro and Micky Bradford)

photo by: Brandon English

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Best Spot to Commune with Nature/Best Park BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Critics Pick
Sweetwater Creek State Park
A quick drive west on I-20 from the connector delivers you to a serene environment that feels far, far away from the chaos of Atlanta’s urban center. At SWEETWATER CREEK STATE PARK you can find your bliss in myriad ways: Rent a canoe and go out on the 215-acre reservoir and contemplate the interconnectednessmore...

A quick drive west on I-20 from the connector delivers you to a serene environment that feels far, far away from the chaos of Atlanta’s urban center. At SWEETWATER CREEK STATE PARK you can find your bliss in myriad ways: Rent a canoe and go out on the 215-acre reservoir and contemplate the interconnectedness of us all or take a hike and praise the creator of your choice (or none at all, if that’s your thing). The best hike combines the White Trail with the Red Trail, leaving the visitor center and heading counterclockwise for a 4.5-mile loop jaunt. Starting with a warning not to disturb rattlesnakes about a mile in before winding through a forest past a turtle pond and climaxing with a roughly 2-mile ramble on the red trail, hugging the whitewater swells of Sweetwater Creek beside you. The sounds alone will provide salvation. Bathe in the water for a rebirth, with plenty of deer checking you out in the brilliant afternoon light. Whatever your chosen journey, Sweetwater Creek will deliver the zen you seek. 1750 Mount Vernon Road, Lithia Springs. 770-732-5871. www.gastateparks.org/SweetwaterCreek.

(Courtesy of gastateparks.org/PressRoom).

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Best Nonprofit BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Critics Pick
re:Imagine ATL
You’ve got to love an organization whose sole mission is to help young adults channel their energy and creative into something positive — and that’s just what RE:IMAGINE ATL is all about. Founded and helmed by Executive Director Susanna Spiccia, the group teaches kids the fundamentals of videomore...
You’ve got to love an organization whose sole mission is to help young adults channel their energy and creative into something positive — and that’s just what RE:IMAGINE ATL is all about. Founded and helmed by Executive Director Susanna Spiccia, the group teaches kids the fundamentals of video production, filmmaking, podcasting and more, and then unleashes them to create their own content. The nonprofit also provides numerous opportunities for its teen creators to meet, learn from and be critiqued by professionals in the field at a variety of regular networking events. It’s a good group, y’all. Check ’em out, and show some support. www.reimagineatl.com. less...

Best Freedom Fighters BOA Award Winner

Year » 2017
Section » Print Features » Special Issue » Best of Atlanta » 2017 » Cityscapes » Critics Pick
Anita Beaty
Synonyms for the word “advocate” include: supporter, proponent, spokeswoman, fighter, crusader. ANITA BEATY, who used to run the Southeast’s largest homeless shelter, Peachtree-Pine, resembles all those descriptors and much more. For 20 years, she broke bread with the shelter’s “guests,”more...

Synonyms for the word “advocate” include: supporter, proponent, spokeswoman, fighter, crusader. ANITA BEATY, who used to run the Southeast’s largest homeless shelter, Peachtree-Pine, resembles all those descriptors and much more. For 20 years, she broke bread with the shelter’s “guests,” led them in marches to vote at the polls, spoke out alongside them in neighborhood meetings, and fought the City — among others — on their behalf time and time again. While we may no longer see her speaking from the City Hall podium as spokeswoman for Peachtree-Pine, which will close this month, we’re not convinced Beaty won’t remain the staunch advocate for a more just and equal Atlanta she’s long been. www.facebook.com/anita.l.beaty.

photo by: Joeff Davis/ CL File

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