Best Of Atlanta 2009 Header Large

2009 Index of Winners

Best tattoo studio BOA Award Winner

Memorial Tattoo - East Atlanta/Ormewood Park

Runner-up
13 Roses Tattoo
524 Flat Shoals Ave., 404-880-0713, thirteenroses.squarespace.com

Best used CDs BOA Award Winner

Criminal Records

Runner-up
Decatur CD
356 W. Ponce de Leon Ave., Decatur, 404-371-9090, www.decaturcd.blogspot.com

Best yoga studio BOA Award Winner

Kashi Atlanta Ashram

Runner-up
Urban Body
742 Ponce de Leon Place, 404-201-7994, www.urbanbodyfitness.com

Filthy pick: Best bins for bargain-hunting BOA Award Winner

Nearly New Shop

Not all thrift stores are created equal. Some are basically indoor flea markets with dozens of shoppers picking through crowded racks and overflowing shelves. We like those places, too, but sometimes you want a thrift store that&#146;s more like a boutique, with a quieter vibe and better merchandise. The NEARLY NEW SHOP, operated by the Junior League of Atlanta, is pricier than Goodwill, but where else are you likely to find Kate Spade bags, Ferragamo shoes, Brooks Brothers suits and Thomas Pink dress shirts? Like any thrift store, the stock turns over constantly, but since Nearly New has a highfalutin donor pool, it&#146;s not unusual to walk out with secondhand haute couture for a steal. 1715 Howell Mill Road. 404-355-3547. www.jlatlanta.org/nearlynew. less...

Best bakery BOA Award Winner

Alon's Bakery & Market - Morningside

Runner-up
Highland Bakery
655 Highland Ave., 404-586-0772, www.highlandbakery.com

Best brew pub BOA Award Winner

5 Seasons Brewing

Runner-up

Twain's Billiards & Tap
211 E. Trinity Place, Decatur, 404-373-0063, www.twains.net

Editor's Note: The incorrect winner was previously listed. The error has been fixed as of 10/1/09.

Best Burger BOA Award Winner

The Vortex - Little Five Points

Runner-up
Flip Burger Boutique
1587 Howell Mill Road, 404-343-1609, www.flipburgerboutique.com

Best chef BOA Award Winner

Restaurant Eugene

Best chef BOA Award Winner

Rathbun's

Runner-up
Richard Blais of Flip Burger Boutique
1587 Howell Mill Road, 404-352-3547, www.flipburgerboutique.com

Best Chinese BOA Award Winner

Tasty China

Like many Chinese restaurants, TASTY CHINA has gone through numerous chefs and staff changes &#151; the charmingly abrasive hostess Phuong departed this year under mysterious circumstances. But, like a phoenix, the Marietta Szechuan restaurant manages to rise triumphant from every transition. Skip the "American" menu and go straight for the good stuff &#151; anything made with Sichuan peppercorns. The french fry-like batons of dry-fried eggplant are as crispy and addictive as ever. The "Shan City chicken" &#151; a pile of boneless or bone-in chicken fried to a crisp with toasted peppercorns and dried red chilis &#151; will have your mouth tingling long after you depart. If the heat is too much to bare, dishes such as the "Slice fish and sour cabbage soup&#148; &#151; a silky and tangy broth swimming with tender pieces of white fish &#151; are mild enough for tamer palates without sacrificing any of the wow factor. 585 Franklin Road, Marietta. 770-419-9849. less...

Best desserts BOA Award Winner

Alon's Bakery & Market - Morningside

Runner-up
Cafe Intermezzo
1845 Peachtree Road, 404-355-0411
4505 Ashford-Dunwoody Road, Dunwoody, 770-396-1344
www.cafeintermezzo.com

Best fried chicken BOA Award Winner

Watershed on Peachtree

Runner-up
South City Kitchen
1144 Crescent Ave., 404-873-7358
1675 Cumberland Parkway, Smyrna, 770-435-0700
www.southcitykitchen.com

Best Indian BOA Award Winner

Bhojanic

Runner-up
Udipi Cafe
1850 Lawrenceville Highway, Suite 700, Decatur, 404-325-1933

Best Japanese and Best sushi BOA Award Winner

Sushi Hayakawa

SUSHI HOUSE HAYAKAWA is one of those rare Japanese restaurants that does exceptionally well on two fronts: The sushi and sashimi is expertly cut, fresh and fabulous, and the hard-to-find home-style Japanese dishes and nightly specials elevate Hayakawa to destination-restaurant status. Golden-fried squid legs served with Japanese mayo, crispy croquettes with a creamy center, roasted gingko nuts, seductively slippery seaweed salads and an assortment of noodle dishes are perfect with an ice-cold carafe of sake from the restaurant's small, but excellent selection. 5979 Buford Highway. 770-986-0010. www.atlantasushibar.com. less...

Best-looking waitstaff BOA Award Winner

Tavern at Phipps

Runner-up
Apres Diem
931 Monroe Drive, 404-872-3333, www.apresdiem.com

Best restaurant for late-night dining BOA Award Winner

Taqueria El Rey Del Taco

Finding something to eat in the wee hours of the morning can be a tough task if greasy spoons aren&#146;t your thing. But Buford Highway has plenty of ethnic options serving food designed to soak up for a belly full of alcohol. TAQUERIA EL REY DEL TACO is one of the best taquerias in Atlanta that just so happens to be open daily from 10 to 5 a.m. Handmade tortillas, an abundance of taco fillings, large seafood cocktails and some stellar salsa with serious kick are just as good at 4 in the morning as they are at lunchtime. And the occasional group of rowdy Latina drag queens only adds to the already colorful scenery. 5288 Buford Highway, Doraville. 770-986-0032. less...

Best restaurant to take visitors BOA Award Winner

TWO urban licks

Runner-up
Mary Mac's Tea Room
224 Ponce de Leon Ave., 404-876-1800, www.marymacs.com

Best restaurant trend BOA Award Winner

Organic/sustainable

Runner-up
Farm to table

Best restaurant when someone else is paying BOA Award Winner

Bacchanalia

Runner-up
Kevin Rathbun Steak
112 Krog St., 404-524-5600, www.kevinrathbunsteak.com

Best sandwiches BOA Award Winner

Alon's Bakery & Market - Morningside

Runner-up
Star Provisions
1198 Howell Mill Road, 404-365-0410, www.starprovisions.com

Best seafood BOA Award Winner

Atlanta Fish Market

Runner-up
Six Feet Under
415 Memorial Drive, 404-523-6664
685 11th St., 404-810-0040
www.sixfeetunderatlanta.com

Best Southern BOA Award Winner

Mary Mac's Tea Room

Runner-up
Colonnade
1879 Cheshire Bridge Road, 404-874-5642, www.colonnadeatl.com

Best Southwestern BOA Award Winner

Agave Restaurant

Runner-up
Nava
3060 Peachtree Road, 404-240-1984, www.buckheadrestaurants.com

Best steaks BOA Award Winner

Kevin Rathbun Steak

Runner-up
Bones
3130 Piedmont Road, 404-237-2663, www.bonesrestaurant.com

Best Sushi BOA Award Winner

MF Sushi

Runner-up
Ru San's
1529 Piedmont Ave., 404-875-7042, rusans.com
And other metro Atlanta locations.

Best Thai BOA Award Winner

Little Bangkok

Runner-up
Nan Thai Fine Dining
1350 Spring St., Atlanta, 404-870-9933, www.nanfinedining.com

Best Veggie Burgers BOA Award Winner

Houston's

And other metro Atlanta locations.
Runner-up
The Vortex Bar and Grill
438 Moreland Ave., 404-688-1828
878 Peachtree St., 404-875-1667, www.thevortexbarandgrill.com

Best veggie meal at a non-vegetarian restaurant BOA Award Winner

Watershed on Peachtree

Runner-up
The Vortex Bar and Grill
438 Moreland Ave., 404-688-1828
878 Peachtree St., 404-875-1667
www.thevortexbarandgrill.com

Filthy Pick: Best recession dining deal BOA Award Winner

Shaun's Restaurant

SHAUN'S RESTAURANT has been a favorite Inman Park hangout since it opened in 2007. But chef Shaun Doty's recent debut of his family-friendly Sunday night pasta dinners has lured droves of new customers and long-time regulars alike. For a mere $12, diners receive a three-course meal, which includes a family-style salad, a heaping portion of pasta from a handful of choices &#151; the spaghetti and meatballs may be Atlanta's best &#151; and a dessert. Affordable carafes of extremely drinkable wine selections are sold by the half-liter or liter. The rest of the menu is also available, but why bother when you can get such great food on the cheap? 1029 Edgewood Ave. 404-577-4358. http://www.shaunsrestaurant.com. less...

Best art event BOA Award Winner

Of all things glittery and shiny we witnessed just before the economy officially flew off the rails, nothing was glitterier or shinier than last...

Best art event BOA Award Winner

Eyedrum Art and Music Gallery

www.gatheratlanta.com Runner-up Le Flash www.leflash-atl.com

Best art exhibit in a gallery BOA Award Winner

Wm Turner Gallery

Runner-up Jason Phillips Studio 313-377-7225, www.jasonphillipstudio.com

Best book by a local author BOA Award Winner

www.susanrebeccawhite.com Runner-up Trailer Trashed by Hollis Gillespie www.hollisgillespie.com

Best comedic threesome BOA Award Winner

Last fall, Actor&#146;s Express&#146; production of Paul Rudnick&#146;s The New Century presented a dream team of Atlanta comic talent with LALA COCHRAN,...

Best dance performance BOA Award Winner

www.brooksandcompanydance.blogspot.com. Runner-up Trey McIntyre Project

Best emerging visual artist BOA Award Winner

www.joshdweiss.com Runner-up Brett Thompson www.fluidtoons.com

Best local arts blog BOA Award Winner

Runner-up thoughtmarker.blogspot.com

Best local spoken word artist BOA Award Winner

www.myspace.com/thesubliminator Runners-up Kodak Harrison and Theresa Davis

Best new theatrical venue BOA Award Winner

The SOUTHWEST ARTS CENTER is the long overdue cultural venue on Atlanta&#146;s southwest side &#151; but the name doesn&#146;t convey just how impressive...

Best opening BOA Award Winner

Gallery at East Atlanta Tattoo

Runner-up Emergence at Spruill Gallery 4681 Ashford Dunwoody Road, 770-394-4019, www.spruillarts.org

Best place to score affordable art BOA Award Winner

Young Blood Gallery

Best place to score affordable art BOA Award Winner

Young Blood Gallery

Runner-up Art festivals

Best underground art space BOA Award Winner

Eyedrum Art and Music Gallery

Runner-up WonderRoot Community Arts Center 982 Memorial Drive, 404-254-5955, www.wonderroot.org

Best after-hours/late-night spot BOA Award Winner

El Bar

Runner-up
Clermont Lounge
789 Ponce de Leon Ave., 404-874-4783, www.clermontlounge.net

Best Atlanta-based online music magazine BOA Award Winner

Pine Magazine

No one in town is on top of the interwebs more than Holly Lang's PINE MAGAZINE. Lang's site is linked to the gills with videos, MP3s and listings for the discerning Atlanta music patron. In light of so much quality independent news, arts, opinion and music coverage she provides, it seems dismissive to relegate her site to the blog ghetto. But Pine sets a higher standard for the local fire starters while placing an emphasis on the art of disseminating information, not attitude. But the real secret weapons giving Pine so much street cred are the free, first Thursday of the month showcases at the Star Bar. Since starting the monthly concert series in January 2008, Pine has hosted more than 100, mostly Atlanta-based acts. If you're looking for a show, an interview, a news bulletin or anything else that might enhance your time in the cubicle, Pine is the most user-friendly URL on the block. www.pinemagazine.com. less...

Best blues club BOA Award Winner

Northside Tavern

Runner-up
Blind Willie's
828 N. Highland Ave., 404-873-2583, www.blindwilliesblues.com

Best club event BOA Award Winner

Fuck Yesss

The disco-punk jet set always looks its best come the first Thursday night of the month when FUCK YESSS rolls through the Drunken Unicorn. The scene says it all: Hipsters stand in a line that trails back to the Book House trying to get in on Atlanta's premiere dance party. Le Castle Vania, Treasure Fingers, RRRUMP and hordes of other local talent spin records and click mice as they keep the dance floor grooving to the sounds of indie, electro, hyfy beats and world-class robot rock jams. www.myspace.com/fuckyesssatl. less...