Every year in our Best & Worst survey, we ask Richmond residents to name their favorite local businesses across the region. Now, for the first time ever, we’ve compiled 37 years’ worth of winners — more than 2,500 of them across 15,000 categories — to discover which services, stores, dining spots and entertainment options our readers have voted for most often.* Some winners are longtime favorites, while others are meteorically successful newcomers, and, thanks to a quirk of the write-in survey, some are specific businesses or events and others are general locales; the Richmond SPCA Dog Jog and The Fan are both winning Places & Spaces in the Pets category. Regardless, they have all impressed over the years and across the categories. They are the best of the best!
*Super Star businesses represent the top 10% of Best & Worst winners. Businesses are listed in alphabetical order. Only categories with winning businesses are represented. Categories have been standardized and simplified to account for differences in wording over the length of the survey.
THE ALL-TIME BEST
Special congratulations to the following businesses, which have each won more than 50 awards since the Best & Worst survey began.
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (100+ wins across 62 categories)
Can Can Brasserie
Franco’s Fine Clothier
Joe’s Inn
Lemaire at The Jefferson Hotel
Maymont
Mekong
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
The Tobacco Company
YMCA
LOCAL
News
Best Richmond happening in the past 30 years: Richmond Folk Festival
Source of most of Richmond’s proudest sports moments: Virginia Commonwealth University basketball
People & Personalities
Local band that always gets the party going: No BS! Brass Band
Beloved mascot: The Flying Squirrels’ Nutzy
U.S. Sen. Tim Kaine: Sen. Kaine’s 20 awards in 25 years include a 2000 win for “Best spokesman for the city” when he was mayor, 2017’s “Best elected official in the Richmond region right now” and 2025’s “Richmonder you’d like to grab a meal with.”
Former Mayor Levar Stoney: Stoney’s election as mayor was hailed in 2017 as “Proudest Richmond region moment of the past year,” and he collected over a dozen accolades during his time in office, but sentiment turned against him over time, and in 2024 and 2025 he was named “Elected official we never want to see again.”
The Ukrop family: Accolades for Richmond’s favorite family include “brilliant entrepreneurs,” “unsung heroes,” “civic leaders,” “making the biggest difference” and, simply, “nicest.”
Places & Spaces
Best side-street parking: Carytown
Best architecture: Institute for Contemporary Art at VCU
Best thing about the city: James River
Best new use for an old building: Old Original Bookbinder’s Seafood & Steakhouse
Best lobby; Best public restrooms: The Jefferson Hotel
Media & Digital
Best local TV news: WWBT (12 On Your Side)
Most engaging local television personality: Curt Autry, WWBT (12 On Your Side); Andrew Freiden, WWBT (12 On Your Side)
Most admired local media personality: Bill Bevins, WTVR/The Breeze; Melissa Chase (after leaving RVA and 103.7 Play in 2021, Chase is back and looking to parlay her long run of radio wins into onscreen success)
Best journalist: Michael Paul Williams, Richmond Times-Dispatch
Business
Best business slogan: Agee’s Bicycles’ “Bring out the best in you”
Best corporate citizen: Capital One
Most unusual business name: En Su Boca; L’Opossum
Best longstanding retailer: Franco’s Fine Clothier, Saxon Shoes
Best homegrown company: CarMax; Hardywood Park Craft Brewery; Legend Brewing Co.
Best family-owned business: Joe’s Inn; Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods/Market Hall (but we still miss the store!)
Best company to work for: Keiter
Best downtown survivor: The Jefferson Hotel; The Tobacco Company
Best Nonprofit Organizations and Events
Art 180
Arts in the Park
Children’s Museum of Richmond
James River Park System
Lebanese Food Festival
Maymont
Richmond Greek Festival
Richmond SPCA and the Fur Ball
SPARC
Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts events
Virginia Repertory Theatre’s gala
Visual Arts Center of Richmond Collectors’ Night and Craft + Design Show
Weinstein JCC
YMCA
FOOD & DRINK
Places & Spaces
Best outdoor drinking or dining: The Boathouse at Rocketts Landing and Sunday Park; Legend Brewing Co.; Portico
Best restaurant decor/atmosphere: Can Can Brasserie
Best affordable restaurant/best value: Joe’s Inn
Most romantic restaurant: Lemaire at The Jefferson
Always worth the wait: Millie’s
Best restaurant for a splurge: Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Restaurant that epitomizes Richmond: The Tobacco Company
Best friends’ night out: Joe’s Inn; Shyndigz
Toughest place to snag a reservation: Stella’s; L’Opposum
Best Customer Service
Burger Bach
The Grapevine Greek & Italian Restaurant
Lehja
Lemaire at The Jefferson
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Shyndigz
Tazza Kitchen (varying locations)
Family-Friendly
Bottom’s Up Pizza
The Grapevine Greek & Italian Restaurant
Joe’s Inn (varying locations)
Kabuto Japanese
Lamplighter Coffee Roasters
Lehja
Mellow Mushroom (varying locations)
Mexico Restaurant (varying locations)
The Mill on MacArthur
Shyndigz
Top Restaurants
Acacia Midtown
The Boathouse (varying locations)
Bottoms Up Pizza
Buckhead’s Restaurant & Chop House
Buz & Ned’s Real Barbecue
Can Can Brasserie
Capital Ale House (varying locations)
The Daily Kitchen & Bar (varying locations)
The Hard Shell
Iron Horse Restaurant
Joe’s Inn (varying locations)
Lehja
Lemaire at The Jefferson Hotel
Mekong
Mexico Restaurant (varying locations)
Millie’s
Old Original Bookbinder’s Seafood & Steakhouse
Peking Restaurant
Peter Chang China Cafe (varying locations)
The Roosevelt
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Stella’s
Tazza Kitchen (varying locations)
The Tobacco Company
Yen Ching
Best in Category
Best Asian restaurant: Mekong
Best barbecue: Buz & Ned’s Real Barbecue; Q Barbeque
Best brunch: Lemaire at The Jefferson; Millie’s
Best burgers: Burger Bach
Best Chinese restaurant: Peking Restaurant; Peter Chang China Cafe (varying locations); Yen Ching
Best coffee shop: Lamplighter Coffee Roasters
Best ice cream/frozen treats: Gelati Celesti (varying locations)
Best Indian restaurant: Anokha; Lehja
Best Japanese restaurant: Kabuto Japanese
Best Mediterranean (Greek, Italian, etc.): Stella’s, Zorba’s
Best Mexican or Latin American fare: Casa Grande; Mexico Restaurant (varying locations)
Best pizza: Bottoms Up Pizza; Mary Angela’s Pizzeria
Best sandwiches: New York Deli
Best seafood or oyster restaurant: The Hard Shell
Best steakhouse: Buckhead’s Restaurant & Chop House; Ruth’s Chris Steak House
Best sushi: Osaka Steak & Sushi
Best takeout: 8 1/2
Best Vietnamese restaurant: Mekong
Restaurants (recommended)
Alewife
Boka Tako Truck
The Berkeley Hotel
Christopher’s Runaway Gourmay
Don’t Look Back
Dot’s Back Inn
Edo’s Squid
En Su Boca
Firebirds (Short Pump)
Five Guys Burgers & Fries
(varying locations)
Garnett’s Cafe
The Grapevine Greek & Italian Restaurant
The Jefferson Hotel
Julep’s New Southern Cuisine
L’Opossum
Lunch & Supper
Maggiano’s Little Italy (Short Pump)
Melito’s
Mellow Mushroom (varying locations)
The Melting Pot (Tuckahoe)
The Mill on MacArthur
Moore Street Cafe
Mosaic Restaurant
Padow’s Hams & Deli
Perly’s
Portico
Rappahannock
Sticky Rice
Tarrant’s
Vietnam 1
ZZQ
Food Shopping
Places & Spaces
Best grocery store customer service: Wegmans
Best chocolate and/or candy shop: For the Love of Chocolate; Gearharts Fine Chocolates
Best bakery: savory (bread and bagels): Sub Rosa Bakery
Best bakery: sweet (cakes, cupcakes, pastries and desserts): Pearl’s Bake Shoppe; Shyndigz; Westhampton Pastry Shop
Best grocery store: Kroger
Recommended
Ellwood Thompson’s
The Fresh Market (varying locations)
Publix
Stella’s Grocery
Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods/Market Hall
Wegmans
Whole Foods Market
Yellow Umbrella Provisions
Food-Related Services
Best caterer: Mosaic Catering + Events
Libations
Best craft brewery: Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Recommended
3 Monkeys Bar & Grill
Capital Ale House
The Jasper
Joe’s Inn
Legend Brewing Co.
The Tobacco Company
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts & Best Cafe
NEIGHBORHOODS
Best in the City
Carytown
Church Hill
Museum District
Rocketts Landing
Scott’s Addition
The Fan
West Broad Village
Best in the Counties
Brandermill
Hallsley
Magnolia Green
Rocketts Landing
Rutland
West Broad Village
Woodlake
Best for 50-Plus
Brandermill
Brandermill Woods Retirement Community
Cedarfield
Church Hill
Hallsley
Lakewood
Museum District
Rocketts Landing
Scott’s Addition
The Fan
West Broad Village
Westminster Canterbury Richmond
Woodlake
Best Apartments & Condos
Rocketts Landing
Scott’s Addition
West Broad Village
Most Family-Friendly
Brandermill
Church Hill
Hallsley
Magnolia Green
Museum District
Rutland
The Fan
Woodlake
PETS
Places & Spaces (pet-friendly or pet-focused)
Belle Isle
Burger Bach (outdoors only)
Byrd Park
Can Can Brasserie (outdoors only)
Church Hill
Deep Run Park
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery (outdoors only)
Museum District
Richmond SPCA Dog Jog, 5K and Block Party
Stony Point Fashion Park
The Fan
Woodlake
Best Services
Diamond Dog House
Dogma Grooming + Pet Needs
Holiday Barn Pet Resorts
Impawsible Pups
Locke A. Taylor DVM & Associates
Richmond SPCA
Best Shopping
Dogma Grooming + Pet Needs
Fin & Feather Pet Center (Lakeside)
Mongrel
RECREATION
Best Customer Service
The Jefferson Hotel
Places & Spaces
Best place for a first date: Maymont
Best friends’ night out: Quirk Hotel; Scott’s Addition
Best place to take a first-time Richmond visitor: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Best outdoor recreation venue: Belle Isle; James River; James River Park System
Best place to people-watch: Carytown
Best hiking: Pocahontas State Park
Best nightclub: The Tobacco Company
Best day trip destination: Charlottesville; Williamsburg
Best staycation destination: The Jefferson Hotel
Best author/book events: Shelf Life Books (formerly Chop Suey Books)
Best Activities & Classes
ACAC
American Family Fitness
Greater Richmond School of Music
Hollywood Cemetery (walking tours)
Maymont (walking tours)
Mellow Mushroom (trivia night)
New York Deli (trivia night)
Richmond Flying Squirrels
School of Richmond Ballet
SoulShine Studios
Spirited Art
Sticky Rice (karaoke night)
The Music Tree School of Music
University of Richmond School of Professional & Continuing Studies
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Best in Arts & Culture
1708 Gallery
Art 180
Arts in the Park
Broadway in Richmond
Children’s Museum of Richmond
Gallery5
Hollywood Cemetery (best historical or history-related attraction)
Quirk Gallery
Richmond Ballet
Richmond Symphony
Science Museum of Virginia
SPARC
The Richmond Forum
University of Richmond Jepson Leadership Forum
VCU (incl. campus, jazz and Siegel Center)
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts and sculpture garden
Virginia Repertory Theatre
Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Best Entertainment & Events
After Hours Concert Series (Doswell; Innsbrook)
Arts in the Park
The Broadberry
Brown’s Island
BTM Movieland at Boulevard Square
The Byrd Theatre
CMX CiněBistro
Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Dominion Energy Riverrock
Friday Cheers
Kings Dominion
Lebanese Food Festival
Music at Maymont
The National
Pocahontas Premieres
Richmond Ballet; “The Nutcracker”; Moving Art Series (formerly Studio Series)
Richmond Folk Festival
Richmond Greek Festival
Richmond Jazz and Music Festival
Richmond Marathon, Half and 8K
Richmond SPCA Dog Jog, 5K and Block Party
Richmond SPCA Fur Ball
Richmond Symphony and Symphony Chorus
SPARC
The Tin Pan
Ukrop’s Monument Avenue 10k
VCU Rams basketball
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts (incl. Jazz Café, happy hours and events)
Best for Families & Kids
Outdoors
Belle Isle
Byrd Park
Deep Run Park & Recreation Center
The Goddard School (best preschool playground)
James River Park System
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Maymont
Pocahontas State Park
Short Pump Town Center (children’s play area; teen hangout)
Camps & Classes
ACAC
Art 180
Greater Richmond School of Music
The Music Tree School of Music
Richmond SPCA Critter Camp
Richmond Symphony Youth Orchestra
School of Richmond Ballet
SPARC
Spirited Art
Tuckaway Child Development Center
VCU Basketball Camp
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Visual Arts Center of Richmond
Weinstein JCC
YMCA
Family-Friendly Entertainment
The Byrd Theatre
Children’s Museum of Richmond
Dominion Energy GardenFest of Lights at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden
Dominion Energy Riverrock
Kings Dominion
Richmond Flying Squirrels
Richmond Folk Festival
Richmond SPCA
Science Museum of Virginia
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts
Best Parks & Locales
Belle Isle
Byrd Park
Deep Run Park & Recreation Center
Hollywood Cemetery
James River & James River Park System
Maymont
Pocahontas State Park
Rocketts Landing
Scott’s Addition
The Fan
Best Sports & Fitness
Teams, Events & Venues
Richmond Flying Squirrels
Richmond Marathon, Half and 8K
University of Richmond
VCU Rams basketball
VCU Siegel Center
Workouts & Classes
ACAC
American Family Fitness
Gold’s Gym
SoulShine Studios
Weinstein JCC
YMCA
Best Local Travel Options
The Berkeley Hotel
The Jefferson Hotel
Quirk Hotel
SERVICES
Best Customer Service
Puritan Cleaners
Virginia Credit Union
Best Auto Services
Allen Tire Trusted Auto Care
Bruce’s Super Body Shop
Car Pool Car Wash
CarMax
Flagstop Car Wash
Lexus of Richmond
McGeorge dealerships / Toyota / Mercedes-Benz
Paradise Garage
Wallace Automotive
West Broad Honda
Best Child Care
ACAC
Primrose School
The Goddard School
Tuckaway Child Development Center
VCU Health System
Weinstein JCC
Westminster Canterbury Richmond
YMCA
Best in Education (all levels)
Primrose School
The Goddard School
Tuckaway Child Development Center
University of Richmond
Virginia Commonwealth University
Weinstein JCC
Best Financial Services (banks and planning)
Atlantic Union Bank (formerly Union Bank & Trust, First Market, Union First Market)
Keiter
Truist
Virginia Credit Union
Wells Fargo
Best Legal Services
Allen, Allen, Allen & Allen
Best Personal Care Services
1213 Hair Studio
American Family Fitness
Atir Natural Nail Care Clinic
Fusion Nail Spa
Glow Med Spa
HAIR the Salon (recognized for adults and kids)
Mango Salon
Puritan Cleaners
Rituals Salon & Spa (recognized for adults and kids)
Scents of Serenity Organic Spa
Best Repair Services
Clothing Alterations
Franco’s Fine Clothier
Puritan Cleaners
Watches & Jewelry
Carreras Jewelers
Fink’s Jewelers
Lustre Fine Jewelry & Repairs (formerly Adolf Jewelers)
Schwarzschild Jewelers
Vera’s Fine Jewelers
SHOPPING
Best Customer Service
Mongrel
Saks Fifth Avenue
Tweed
Vera’s Fine Jewelers
World of Mirth
Places & Spaces
Best window displays: Bygones Vintage Clothing
Prettiest store interior: Quirk Gallery; Tweed
Most well-designed retail space: Short Pump Town Center; Stony Point Fashion Park
Best museum shop: Virginia Museum of Fine Arts gift shop
Best for Clothing & Accessories
Ashby
Bygones Vintage Clothing
Clementine
Franco’s Fine Clothier
Halcyon Vintage Clothing
Levys
Lex’s of Carytown
Penelope
Peter-Blair
Saks Fifth Avenue
Saxon Shoes
Tweed
Best for Families & Kids
Clover
Once Upon a Child
Saxon Shoes
Short Pump Town Center
Stony Point Fashion Park
World of Mirth
Best Gifts
Green Top Sporting Goods (gifts for men)
Mongrel
Penelope
Peter-Blair
Quirk Gallery
Richmond Flying Squirrels
(best RVA souvenirs)
Schwarzschild Jewelers
Tweed
Ukrop’s Homestyle Foods/Market Hall (best RVA souvenirs)
Vera’s Fine Jewelers
Vogue Flowers
World of Mirth
Best Jewelry
Arts in the Park
Bygones Vintage Clothing
Carrera’s Jewelers
Cocoanut Jewelry
Fink’s Jewelers (also recognized for watches)
Lex’s of Carytown
Lustre Fine Jewelry & Repairs (formerly Adolf Jewelers)
Penelope
Quirk Gallery
Schwarzschild Jewelers (also recognized for watches)
Vera’s Fine Jewelers
Shopping (recommended)
Shopping centers, areas and events
Arts in the Park
Carytown
Regency Mall
Short Pump Town Center
Stony Point Fashion Park
Stores, galleries and other spots
1708 Gallery
Agee’s Bicycles
Ashby
Bygones Vintage Clothing
Carytown Bicycle Co.
Coleman Brothers Flowers Inc.
Crossroads Art Center
Fountain Bookstore
Gallery5
Green Top Sporting Goods
The Great Big Greenhouse & Meadows Farms Nurseries
Hardywood Park Craft Brewery
Legend Brewing Co.
Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden gift shop
Mongrel
Quirk Gallery
Saks Fifth Avenue
Science Museum of Virginia gift shop
Shelf Life Books (formerly Chop Suey Books)
Strange’s
Tweed
Vera’s Fine Jewelers
Virginia Museum of Fine Arts gift shop
Vogue Flowers
World of Mirth
