Top of the Town 2023 Results

In September, we launched our 2023 Top of the Town contest by wondering if friendly aliens were to visit Greater Lansing, what would they think was the best we have to offer in what has grown to 338 categories—almost everything imaginable in dining, shopping, services, people, hangouts and more.

Well, the grateful visitors have returned to their home planet after making their voices heard — and so have you. After more than 20,000 of you registered and cast 247,000 votes, we’re finally ready to reveal all of your winners and top threes to the world.

BAR

 

Best Bar Food 

1. Art’s Pub
2. Dagwood’s Tavern & Grill
3. Crunchy’s 

Best Cocktails 

1. (Tie) American Fifth Spirits 

& One North Kitchen & Bar

3. Zoobie’s Old Town Tavern  

Best Dance Bar

1. The Green Door
2. The Avenue
3. The Junction 

Best Dive Bar

1. Dagwood’s Tavern & Grill
2. Stober’s Bar
3. B&I Bar 

Best Happy Hour

1. The Peanut Barrel
2. One North Kitchen & Bar
3. Stober’s Bar

Best Jam Night

1. Moriarty’s Pub
2. Lansing Shuffle
3. Dimes Brewhouse

Best Karaoke

1. Crunchy’s
2. The Avenue
3. The Green Door

Best LGBTQ-Friendly Bar 

1. The Avenue
2. Esquire Bar
3. The People’s Kitchen 

Best Lansing-Area Brewery

1. BAD Brewing Co.
2. EagleMonk Pub and Brewery
3. Looking Glass Brewing Co. 

Best Lansing-Area Distillery

1. American Fifth Spirits
2. Sanctuary Spirits
3. Red Cedar Spirits

Best Margarita

1. El Azteco
2. Acapulco Mexican Grill
3. Barrio East Lansing 

Best Mocktails

1. The Avenue
2. One North Kitchen & Bar
3. EnVie 

Best Neighborhood Bar 

1. Dagwood’s Tavern & Grill
2. Harry’s Place
3. The Avenue 

Best Open Mic Night

1. Mac’s Bar
2. Blue Owl Coffee – REO Town
3. One North Kitchen & Bar 

Best Pub/Tavern 

1. Dagwood’s Tavern & Grill
2. Art’s Pub 
3. The Peanut Barrel 

Best Spartan Sports Hangout

1. Crunchy’s
2. Reno’s East
3. Harrison Roadhouse

Best Sports Bar

1. Nuthouse Sports Grill
2. Crunchy’s
3. One North Kitchen & Bar

 

CANNABIS 

 

Best Budtender

1. Quinn Kelly (Pure Options)
2. Malissa Summerlott (Bazonzoes)
3. Roli Saghy (Dispo Lansing)

Best CBD Store/Boutique

1. Local Roots Cannabis 
2. Pincanna – East Lansing 
3. (tie) JARS Cannabis – Lansing 

& Skymint

Best Cannabis Flower – Hybrid

1. Moonbow #112 (Pure Options)
2. Flo (Skymint)
3. First Class Funk (Franklin Fields) 

Best Cannabis Flower – Indica

1. Wedding Cake (Pure Options)
2. Superboof (The Botanical Co.)
3. GGB (Pincanna – East Lansing)

Best Cannabis Flower – Sativa 

1. Orange Zkittlez (The Botanical Co.) 
2. Lunar Lemon (Pro Gro) 
3. The Smallz (Pincanna – East Lansing) 

Best Cannabis Growing Brand

1. Pincanna – East Lansing 
2. Dispo Lansing
3. Skymint

Best Distillate Cartridge

1. Fruit & Fuel (Pincanna – East Lansing) 
2. Traverse City Cherry Punch (Skymint) 
3. Pro Gro Distillate Disposable Cartridge (Pure Options) 

Best Gummy Edible (Cannabis) 

1. Funky Extracts (Pincanna – East Lansing) 
2. True North Traverse City Cherry (True North Collective) 
3. Thunder Canna Gummies (Pure Options) 

Best Indoor Grow Shop 

1. Pure Options
2. Pincanna – East Lansing 
3. Skymint

Best Marijuana Provisioning Center 

1. Local Roots Cannabis
2. Pure Options
3. Dispo Lansing 

Best Marijuana Provisioning Center – East Lansing 

1. Pincanna – East Lansing 
2. Flora 
3. Pleasantrees East Lansing 

Best Non-Gummy Edible (Cannabis) 

1. Hot Cheese Curls (Pincanna – East Lansing) 
2. Potdots (Lion Labs) 
3. Mojo Nuggy Caramel Peanut (Pure Canna) 

Best Non-Solvent Concentrate 

1. Element (Pure Options x Lions Labs)
2. Clemendo (Pincanna – East Lansing x Peninsula Gardens) 
3. Cherry Cookie Breath Bubble Hash (Bazonzoes)

Best Solvent Concentrate

1. Element (Pure Options x Lions Labs)
2. Clemendo (Pincanna – East Lansing x Peninsula Gardens) 
3. 710 Savant (LIV Cannabis – Lansing) 

Best Topical 

1. Michigan Organic Rub (Pincanna – East Lansing) 
2. Mary’s Medicinals (Pure Options) 
3. Rise Recovery Cannabis Cream 1:1:1 (JARS Cannabis – Lansing) 

 

DINING

 

Best “Kids Eat Free” Restaurant

1. The Cosmos
2. Old Bag of Nails

Best BBQ

1. Meat BBQ
2. Saddleback BBQ REO Town
3. Smoke N’ Pig BBQ

Best BBQ Sauce 

1. Meat BBQ
2. Saddleback BBQ Okemos
3. Smoke N’ Pig BBQ

Best Bagels

1. Flour Child Bakery
2. New Daily Bagel
3. Big Apple Bagels 

Best Bakery

1. Flour Child Bakery
2. Groovy Donuts
3. Bake N’ Cakes 

Best Baklava

1. Woody’s Oasis
2. Social Sloth
3. Aladdin’s Restaurant

Best Breakfast

1. Good Truckin’ Diner
2. The People’s Kitchen
3. Sophia’s House of Pancakes

Best Brunch

1. Soup Spoon Café
2. The People’s Kitchen 
3. Good Truckin’ Diner

Best Bubble Tea 

1. Koala Bakery & Café
2. Bento Kitchen Cravings
3. Ding Tea East Lansing 

Best Buffet

1. Asian Buffet
2. Ohana Sushi and Bar
3. Hibachi Grill & Sushi Buffet

Best Burger

1. Kewpee Sandwich Shoppe
2. Dagwood’s Tavern & Grill
3. Crunchy’s

Best Chicken Strips/Tenders

1. Olympic Broil
2. Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen 
3. Eastside Fish Fry & Grill

Best Chinese Food Restaurant

1. Charlie Kang’s Restaurant 
2. Chen’s Restaurant
3. House of Hsu 

Best Cider

1. Uncle John’s Cider Mill 
2. Phillips Cider Bar and Market
3. Quality Dairy Co. 

Best Coney Dog

1. Sparty’s Coney Island
2. Nip N Sip Drive In
3. Olympic Broil

Best Crab Legs

1. The Tangy Crab
2. Mitchell’s Fish Market
3. The Ocean Crab

Best Cupcake

1. Flour Child Bakery
2. Gigi’s Cupcakes 
3. Bake N’ Cakes

Best Deli

1. Horrocks Farm Market
2. Stateside Deli
3. Babe’s Corner 

Best Dessert

1. Flour Child Bakery
2. MSU Dairy Store
3. Sweetie-licious

Best Diner

1. Good Truckin’ Diner
2. Fleetwood Diner
3. (tie) Dimitri’s Restaurant 

& Sparty’s Coney Island

Best Donuts 

1. Quality Dairy Co. 
2. Groovy Donuts
3. Strange Matter Coffee

Best Drive-Up Location

1. Olympic Broil
2. Nip N Sip Drive In
3. Culver’s 

Best Family Friendly Restaurant

1. Cugino’s 
2. Flour Child Bakery
3. Piazzano’s 

Best Fast Food

1. Olympic Broil
2. Culver’s 
3. (tie) Nip N Sip Drive In 

& Chick-fil-A  

Best Fish Fry

1. Eastside Fish Fry & Grill
2. Old Bag of Nails 
3. Harry’s Place 

Best Food Truck

1. El Oasis
2. Hard Knocks Food Truck
3. Pancho’s Taqueria (Food Truck) 

Best French Fries 

1. HopCat
2. Dagwood's Tavern & Grill
3. Meat BBQ

Best Greek

1. Lou and Harry's Bar & Grill
2. Olga's Kitchen
3. Niko's Taverna

Best Hibachi 

1. Ukai Hibachi Grill & Sushi Bar
2. Maru Sushi & Grill
3. Hibachi Grill & Sushi Buffet

Best Ice Cream 

1. MSU Dairy Store
2. Arctic Corner
3. Lick-ity Split

Best Indian

1. Swagath Indian Cuisine
2. Sindhu Indian Cuisine
3. Persis Indian Grill

Best Irish

1. Moriarty's Pub
2. Old Bag of Nails
3. Kelly's Downtown

Best Italian 

1. Cugino's
2. Spagnuolo's Restaurant
3. Falsetta's Casa Nova

Best Lasagna

1. Tony M's Restaurant
2. Cugino's
3. Spagnuolo's Restaurant

Best Late-Night Food 

1. Fleetwood Diner
2. Pizza House
3. Crunchy's

Best Mediterranean

1. Woody's Oasis
2. Zaytoon Mediterranean
3. ChouPli Wood-Fired Kabob

Best Mexican (chain)

1. Pablo's Mexican Restaurant (Old Town)
2. Acapulco Mexican Grill
3. Cancun Mexican Grill

Best Mexican (non-chain) 

1. El Azteco
2. El Oasis
3. Pancho's Taqueria

Best Nachos

1. Meat BBQ
2. Buddies Grill
3. Art's Pub

Best New Restaurant

1. Old Bag of Nails
2. Lansing Shuffle
3. Veg Head

Best Olive Burger

1. Kewpee Sandwich Shoppe
2. Dagwood's Tavern & Grill
3. Olympic Broil

Best Pancakes

1. Sophia’s House of Pancakes
2. The People's Kitchen
3. Good Truckin' Diner

Best Pho

1. Capital City BBQ
2. Asia's Finest
3. Pho 777 Okemos

Best Pizza

1. Klavon's Pizzeria & Pub
2. The Cosmos
3. Cugino's

Best Prime Rib 

1. Airport Tavern
2. The English Inn
3. Capital Prime

Best Ramen 

1. Ruckus Ramen
2. Bento Kitchen Cravings
3. Sapporo Ramen & Noodle Bar

Best Ranch Dressing

1. Jet's Pizza
2. Cugino's
3. Art's Pub

Best Restaurant Beer List

1. HopCat
2. One North Kitchen & Bar
3. Looking Glass Brewing Co.

Best Restaurant Wine List

1. Dusty's Cellar
2. Soup Spoon Café
3. Bridge Street Social

Best Restaurant for Seniors

1. Soup Spoon Café
2. Coral Gables
3. Bob Evans

Best Reuben

1. Stateside Deli
2. Soup Spoon Café
3. Harry's Place

Best Salad

1. Horrocks Farm Market
2. Soup Spoon Café
3. Leaf Salad Bar

Best Sandwich/Wrap

1. Jersey Giant Subs
2. Flour Child Bakery
3. Soup Spoon Café

Best Seafood Restaurant

1. Mitchell's Fish Market
2. The Tangy Crab
3. (tie) Red Lobster

& The Ocean Crab

Best Signature Dish

1. Hippie Hash || Fleetwood Diner
2. Meat Mountain || Meat BBQ
3. Olive Burger || Kewpee Sandwich Shoppe

Best Sliders

1. Sidecar Slider Bar
2. The Cosmos
3. Savvy Sliders

Best Soup

1. Soup Spoon Café
2. Horrocks Farm Market
3. Flour Child Bakery

Best Steak

1. Bowdie’s Chophouse
2. Capital Prime
3. Texas Roadhouse

Best Sub Sandwich

1. Jersey Giant Subs
2. Babe's Corner
3. King Subs

Best Sushi

1. Maru Sushi & Grill
2. Sushi Moto
3. Sansu Sushi and Cocktails

Best Tacos

1. Pablo's Mexican Restaurant (Old Town)
2. El Oasis
3. Pancho's Taqueria (Food Truck)

Best Thai Restaurant

1. Taste of Thai
2. Naing Myanmar Family Restaurant
3. Eato Chef at Horrocks

Best Upscale Dining

1. The English Inn
2. Bowdie’s Chophouse
3. (tie) EnVie

& The People’s Kitchen 

Best Vegan/Gluten Free Dessert

1. Flour Child Bakery
2. Strange Matter Downtown
3. Sweet Encounter Bakery & Cafe

Best Vegetarian/Vegan Dish 

1. Veg Head
2. Altu's Ethiopian Cuisine
3. Flour Child Bakery

Best Vegetarian/Vegan/Gluten Free Restaurant 

1. Veg Head
2. Sweet Encounter Bakery & Cafe
3. Babe's Corner

Best Wings

1. Meat BBQ
2. Eastside Fish Fry & Grill
3. Detroit Wing Co.

 

HANGOUTS

 

Best Beach

1. Hawk Island Park 
2. Lake Lansing Park South 
3. Fitzgerald Park 

Best Biggby

1. Biggby Coffee || 2546 E Jolly Road, Lansing
2. Biggby Coffee|| 4756 Marsh Road, Okemos
3. Biggby Coffee ||13181 Schavey Road, DeWitt

Best Bowling Alley

1. Spare Time Entertainment Center
2. City Limits Mason
3. Royal Scot Golf & Bowl

Best Café 

1. Constellation Cat Cafe
2. Soup Spoon Café
3. Strange Matter Coffee

Best Coffee Shop (non-Biggby)

1. Strange Matter Coffee
2. Constellation Cat Cafe
3. Blue Owl Coffee

Best Comedy Club

1. The Robin Theatre

Best Comedy Night

1. Mac's Bar
2. The Robin Theatre
3. Looking Glass Brewing Co.

Best Corn Maze

1. Uncle John's Cider Mill
2. Bestmaze Corn Maze
3. Shawhaven Farm

Best Dog Park

1. Hawk Island Park
2. Sleepy Hollow State Park
3. (tie) East Lansing Dog Park

          & Meridian Township Large Dog Park

Best Escape Room Venue

1. Challenges East Lansing Adventure Escape Rooms
2. Breakout Escape Rooms Lansing
3. Escapology Escape Rooms Lansing

Best Golf Course

1. Groesbeck Golf Course
2. Eagle Eye Golf Club
3. Hawk Hollow Golf Course

Best Hangout Solo

1. Horrocks Farm Market
2. Constellation Cat Cafe
3. Schuler Books Okemos

Best Hangout for Seniors

1. Constellation Cat Cafe
2. Deja Vu Showgirls Lansing Strip Club
3. East Lansing Hannah Community Center

Best Hangout for Students

1. Constellation Cat Cafe
2. Hooked
3. Blue Owl Coffee East Lansing

Best Haunted Attraction

1. Awaken Haunted Attraction
2. Terror on 27
3. Shawhaven Farm

Best Library

1. CADL - Downtown Lansing
2. Delta Township District Library
3. East Lansing Public Library

Best Local Attraction for Kids

1. Impression 5 Science Center
2. East Lansing Family Aquatic Center
3. All-of-Us Express Children's Theatre

Best Movie Theatre

1. NCG Cinema - Lansing
2. Celebration Cinema Lansing & IMAX
3. Studio C! Meridian Mall

Best Music Venue

1. The Avenue
2. The Green Door
3. Horrocks Farm Market

Best Nature Center

1. Fenner Nature Center
2. Woldumar Nature Center
3. Harris Nature Center

Best Non-Bar or Restaurant Date

1. Horrocks Farm Market
2. Wharton Center for Performing Arts
3. Constellation Cat Cafe

Best Patio 

1. Horrocks Farm Market
2. The Peanut Barrel
3. Lansing Shuffle

Best Place of Worship

1. River Trail
2. Unitarian Universalist Church of Greater Lansing
3. Riverview Church – Holt Venue

Best Place to Play Pinball

1. Pinball Pete's
2. The Avenue

Best Place to Play Video Games

1. Pinball Pete's
2. The Avenue
3. Spare Time Entertainment Center

Best Place to Shoot Pool

1. The Avenue
2. Pinball Pete's
3. Gravity Smokehouse Brew & Que

Best Place to Sled

1. Hawk Island Park
2. Fitzgerald Park
3. (tie) Burchfield Park

& Granger Meadows Park

Best Public Park

1. Hawk Island Park
2. Fitzgerald Park
3. Patriarche Park

Best Smoke Shop/Hookah Lounge

1. Wild Bill's Tobacco
2. Downtown Smoking Club
3. Wild Side Smoke Shop

Best Sober Hangout

1. Constellation Cat Cafe
2. Hooked
3. Lansing Lugnuts

Best Tabletop Gaming

1. Summit Comics & Games
2. Homebrew Tabletop Game Lounge
3. Evolution Games

Best Trivia Night

1. Constellation Cat Cafe
2. Crunchy's
3. The Avenue

 

LOCAL ARTS 

 

Best Artist

1. Ryan Holmes, Chalk Muralist and Illustrator
2. Dennis Preston, Illustrator
3. Michelle Detering, Watercolor Artist and Photographer

Best Choral Group

1. MSU Chorale
2. Sistrum
3. LanSINGout

Best Classical Musician

1. Linda Abar
2. Ralph Votapek
3. Sergei Kvitko

Best Club DJ

1. DJ Whitney Who
2. Ganja Girl
3. Capitol City DJs

Best Country Artist/Band

1. Cooper Johnson
2. Shelby & Jake
3. Wild Honey Collective

Best Cover Band

1. Starfarm
2. The Black Barn Band
3. Atomic Annie

Best Experimental Musical Act

1. Atomic Boogaloo
2. Super Secret Cult Band
3. Cavalcade

Best Folk Artist/Band

1. Wild Honey Collective
2. Shelby & Jake
3. Jen Sygit

Best Hip-Hop Artist/Group

1. Sean Mic
2. MikeyyAustin
3. James Gardin

Best Jazz Musician/Group

1. The Rodney Whitaker Quartet
2. Mixed Flavors
3. (tie) Jeff Shoup Quartet

& The Blue Jazz Working Group

Best Local Theatre Organization 

1. Riverwalk Theatre
2. All-of-Us Express Children's Theatre
3. Williamston Theatre

Best Pottery Studio 

1. Wheel House Studio
2. Greater Lansing Potters' Guild
3. Art Unlimited

Best Public Art/Sculpture

1. Sparty Statue
2. ArtPath
3. Big Red Balls (Xmas Downtown)

Best Punk/Metal Group

1. Pet Me
2. Accuser of the Brethren
3. Of Virtue

Best Rock Artist/Band

1. Jimmy Likes Pie
2. School of Rock East Lansing
3. Rodeo Boys

 

PEOPLE 

 

Best Academic Advisor 

1. Lisa Alexander || Lansing Community College
2. Marissa King || Michigan State University
3. Dawn Hardin || Lansing Community College

Best Advocate/Activist

1. Mike Karl || Cardboard Prophets/Capital Area Diaper Bank
2. Lysne Beckwith Tait || Helping Women Period
3. Metro Melik || Lansing Made

Best Attorney

1. Andrew Abood || Abood Law Firm
2. Katrina Hofstetter || Cornerstone Legal, PLLC
3. Brian M. Lum || Grua, Freeman, Tupper & Young, PLC

Best Auto Salesperson

1. DJ Kowalk || Team One Chevrolet Buick GMC
2. Lindsay Seely || Morrie's Grand Ledge Ford
3. Sam Eddy || Shaheen Chevrolet of Lansing

Best Barber 

1. Brenden Colvin || East Side Barbershop
2. Will Shipman || Grand Ledge Barbershop
3. Payton Polakowski || Grand Ledge Barbershop

Best Barista

1. Delayne Hengesbach || Toads
2. Zoe Beers || Constellation Cat Cafe
3. Amy Chard || Tin Cup Cafe & Creamery

Best Bartender

1. Robin Hardesty || Dagwood's Tavern & Grill
2. Thomas Peloquin || The Avenue
3. Shardae Maybin || One North Kitchen & Bar

Best Brewer

1. Dan Buonodono || EagleMonk Pub And Brewery
2. Lee Streeter || Looking Glass Brewing Co.
3. Ed Huston || BrickHaven Brewing Co.

Best CATA Bus Driver

1. Ron DeLeon
2. Markethia Smith
3. Aaron Aikman

Best Chef

1. Sean Johnson || Meat BBQ
2. Sean Zellmer || Henry's Place
3. Vanessa McNair || Golden Harvest Restaurant

Best College Instructor

1. Kelly Shaltry, Professor (Education) || Lansing Community College
2. Jon Whiting, Professor (Journalism) || Michigan State University
3. Tiffany Wahl, Professor (Advertising and Public Relations) || Michigan State University

Best Comedian

1. Nicole Melnyk
2. Pat Sievert
3. Tim Palmer

Best Cosmetic Surgeon

1. Rick J. Smith, MD
2. Dr. Lee Colony, MD || Michigan Plastic Surgery
3. Andrew Zwyghuizen, MD || Sparrow Health System

Best Customer Service Worker

1. Kirbay Preuss || Preuss Pets
2. DeKeea Quinney-Davis || Ellison Brewing Co. and Event Space - REO Town
3. Ashley Medina || Bliss Hair Studio & Beauty Salon

Best Dance Instructor

1. Sierra Erskine || The Hive Dance Studio
2. Hayley Kosloski || Studio H Dance Co.
3. Brooke Pocan || The Dance Conservatory

Best Developer

1. Capital Area Housing Partnership
2. Gillespie Group
3. Brent Forsberg || T. A. Forsberg, Inc.

Best Drag Artist

1. Crystal d’Light
2. (tie) Alicia Boom Boom Chablis

& Trifecta

Best Entertainer

1. Jeff The Magician
2. Alicia Boom Boom Chablis || The People's Kitchen
3. Kathy Ford

Best Esthetician/Cosmetologist

1. Craig Holly || Douglas J Salon
2. Asia Chapman || Douglas J Salon
3. Ashley Graham || Great Clips, Charlotte Walmart

Best Farmer

1. Pray Farms
2. Shara Trierweiler || Agape Organic Farms
3. Rebecca Titus || Titus Farms

Best Food Delivery Person

1. Jeremy Hurt || Red Bike Delivery
2. Ezra Kelly || DoorDash
3. Skye Moore || Shipt

Best Hairstylist

1. Katie Gestring || Bridge Street Hair Co.
2. Chad A. Popour || The Artisan Company Salon
3. Timothy Walkinhood || Holiday Lansing Parlor

Best Handyman

1. Monica Murray
2. Fernando Escobedo
3. Jordan Brickley

Best High School Coach

1. Rob Zimmerman || DeWitt High School
2. Mike Sparks || Charlotte High School
3. Kelly Shaltry || Grand Ledge High School

Best High School Teacher

1. Kelly Shaltry || Grand Ledge High School
2. Andrew Chapin || Mason High School
3. (tie) Ben Billings || Everett High School

& Tim Akers || East Lansing High School

Best Insurance Agent

1. Ben Rathbun || The Rathbun Agency
2. Trinesha Goebel || State Farm Insurance Agent
3. Melissa Downs || Bye Insurance

Best Librarian

1. Miss Kate || CADL - Haslett Library
2. Jill Abood || CADL - Downtown Lansing
3. (tie) Miss Cassie || CADL - Foster Library & Storm Kopitsch || Fowlerville District Library

Best Local Author

1. Jenn Carpenter
2. Jennifer Davis
3. John K. Addis

Best Local Farm

1. Pray Farms
2. MSU Student Organic Farm and Organic Farmer Training Program
3. Butcher Farms

Best Local Politician

1. Gretchen Whitmer
2. Elissa Slotkin
3. Tom Barrett

Best Local TV News Personality

1. Sheri Jones || WLNS
2. David Andrews || WILX
3. Darrin Rockcole || WILX

Best Massage Therapist 

1. Stephanie Mireles || Lansing Therapeutic Massage
2. Amanda Tollstam, LMT
3. Brandon Post || Douglas J Salon

Best Nail Technician

1. Ashley Smith || Jenny Nails
2. Thoa Nguyen || Blasian Nails
3. Carla Enright || Douglas J Salon

Best Personal Trainer

1. Kristi Stephens || Functional Mobility and Health, LLC Massage & Bodywork
2. Walter Crockett || Mind & Body Symmetry
3. Ted Forrest || Parkwood YMCA

Best Piercer

1. Alexis "Alix" Mercer || Ink Therapy
2. AAron "Malibu" Wood || Local Tattoo and Laser Co.
3. Danny Aybar || Be-You-tiful Body Piercing & Fine Jewelry

Best Police Officer

1. Officer Aiko || Bath Charter Township Police
2. Detective Shannon Thielen || Lansing Police Department
3. Officer Rob Antcliff || Charlotte Police Department

Best Radio DJ 

1. Metro Melik || Stacks 92.1
2. Terry Stevens || Q106
3. Stephanie McCoy || 94.1 DUKE FM

Best Realtor/Agent

1. Lindsay Gallegos || RE/MAX Real Estate Professionals
2. (tie) Ashley Smith || Oasis Realty

& Rebekah Schwartz || DeLong & Co. Real Estate

Best Restaurant Waitstaff

1. Darci || Dagwood's Tavern & Grill
2. Alisa “Cheese” Kowalski || Mitchell's Fish Market
3. Cho || IHOP

Best Retail Salesperson 

1. Lauren Palmer || Curvaceous Lingerie
2. Ted || Metro Retro
3. Sommer || Grace Boutique of Old Town

Best State/National Politician 

1. Gretchen Whitmer
2. Elissa Slotkin
3. Donald Trump

Best Tattoo Artist

1. DeShaun Portee || Ink Therapy
2. Chris “Cali” Thompson || True Blue Tattoo Company
3. Moonflaws Tattoos || Ink Therapy

Best Yoga Instructor

1. Belinda Thurston || Just B Yoga
2. Jen Davis || AL!VE
3. Misty Belous || Peoples Yoga Studio Lansing

Worst Local Politician

1. Tudor Dixon
2. Gretchen Whitmer
3. Tom Barrett

Worst State/National Politician

1. Donald Trump
2. Joe Biden
3. Ron DeSantis

 

SERVICES

 

Best Accountant/CPA

1. Kimberle Midgley || Okemos Tax
2. Nikali Luke || Simplified Tax - Lansing
3. Tim Spicer || Riverside Accounting, Inc.

Best Apartments

1. The Quarry Apartments
2. The Arcadian
3. (tie) Lakewood Apartments

& Runaway Bay

Best Appliance Repair

1. Lane's Appliance Sales & Service
2. J & J Appliance & Furniture
3. Ace Appliance Service, Inc

Best Audiologist/Hearing Firm

1. Mid-Michigan Ear, Nose, & Throat, PC
2. Advanced Audiology DeWitt
3. MaryRose Hecksel AuD., LLC

Best Auto Body Shop

1. Driven Collision
2. (tie) A&D Collision

& Mason Auto Body Repair, Inc.

Best Auto Detailing Service 

1. Spot-Les
2. KWIK Car Wash & Express Detailing
3. Capitol City Auto Detailing

Best Auto Repair Shop

1. Frankie D's Auto & Truck Repair
2. Ryan's Auto Care
3. A&D Auto Repair

Best Bank

1. Dart Bank
2. Eaton Community Bank
3. PNC Bank

Best Barber Shop

1. East Side Barbershop
2. Grand Ledge Barbershop
3. Kozmos Hair Studio

Best Bicycle Shop

1. Denny's Central Park Bicycles
2. Lansing Bike Co-op
3. SPIN Bicycle Shop, Inc.

Best Building Development

1. Aldrich Cabinets and Millwork 
2. Stadium District Apartments
3. Custom Built Design & Remodeling

Best Business IT Support Service

1. Adna Technologies
2. Dewpoint, Inc.
3. Z-Solutions

Best Car Wash

1. Tommy's Express Car Wash
2. Fast Eddie's Car Wash and Oil Change
3. KWIK Car Wash & Express Detailing

Best Caterer/Catering Service

1. Meat BBQ
2. Saddleback BBQ Okemos
3. Morton's Fine Catering

Best Cemetery

1. Mount Hope Cemetery
2. St. Joseph Cemetery
3. Maple Hill Cemetery

Best Chiropractic Office

1. Craft Chiropractic Creating Wellness Centers - Charlotte
2. (tie) Delta Chiropractic Center

& Divine Spine Chiropractic Wellness

Best Cleaning Service

1. Domestic Divas Cleaning Services
2. Cleaning With Meaning by Alexis, LLC
3. Dazzle Cleaning Service

Best Credit Union

1. MSU Federal Credit Union
2. Lake Trust Credit Union
3. LAFCU

Best Curbside Pickup 

1. Meat BBQ
2. Pure Options
3. Odd Nodd Art Supply

Best Dance Studio

1. The Hive Dance Studio
2. Dance Conservatory
3. Studio H Dance Company

Best Day Spa

1. Douglas J Salon
2. Zoe Life Spa
3. Onyx Moon

Best Dentist Office

1. Schaefer Dental Group
2. Portnoy And Tu, DDS, PC Family Dentistry
3. Dr. Priyanka Watwe || Downtown Dental Studio, PLLC

Best Dry Cleaners

1. Baryames Cleaners
2. Maurer's Sanitary Cleaners
3. Prestige Cleaners

Best Electrical Repair

1. Sparky's Electric, LLC
2. FD Hayes Electric Company
3. Superior Electric of Lansing

Best Engineering Firm

1. Great Lakes Engineering Group
2. Heart Truss & Engineering
3. HNTB Corporation

Best Estate Sale Company 

1. Kellie's Estate Sales, Auctions & Resale
2. Tom & Jerry's Estate Service
3. Richard Hornaday Estate Sales

Best Facial

1. Douglas J Salon
2. NECTAR Body•face•skin
3. Massage & Wellness Store, Med Spa and Center

Best Financial Planner/Company

1. Grace Braatz-Opper, Modern Woodmen of America
2. Financial Strategies Group, Inc.
3. Full Circle Financial Planning

Best Funeral Home

1. Pray Funeral Home, Inc.
2. Palmer Bush & Jensen Family Funeral Homes, Delta Chapel
3. Vickers Leslie Funeral Home

Best Gutter Cleaning

1. Gutter Flow System
2. Presley Gutter Cleaning Services
3. Greater Lansing Contractors, LLC

Best Gym/Fitness Studio

1. Sparrow Michigan Athletic Club
2. AL!VE
3. FitStop24-Lansing

Best Hair Salon

1. Holiday Lansing
2. The Hive, Salon and Boutique
3. Douglas J Salon

Best Heating/Cooling

1. All Star Mechanical
2. Vredevoogd Heating & Cooling
3. Cousins Heating and Cooling

Best Holistic Healing

1. Creative Wellness
2. Functional Mobility and Health, LLC Massage & Bodywork
3. Oracle's Apothecary

Best Home Healthcare Company

1. Hospice of Lansing
2. Sparrow Home Care
3. Aiding Hearts

Best Home Inspection Company

1. Accurate Inspections, LLC
2. Eastman Home Inspections
3. McNamara Inspections

Best Insurance Agency

1. The Rathbun Agency
2. David Chapman Agency
3. Trinesha Goebel - State Farm Insurance Agent

Best Irrigation Services

1. Spartan Irrigation
2. R&D Landscape
3. Outdoor Specialties

Best Junk Removal

1. Junk in the Trunk, LLC
2. College Hunks Hauling Junk and Moving
3. Lansing Junk Removal

Best Kayak Rental

1. Dimondale Canoe and Kayak
2. River Town Adventures
3. MSU Sailing Center

Best Landscape Company

1. Guy With A Mullet Landscaping
2. Turf Jockeys, LLC
3. R&D Landscape

Best Laser Hair Removal

1. Mirkin Electrology
2. NECTAR Body•face•skin
3. Milan Laser Hair Removal

Best Law Firm

1. Abood Law Firm
2. Lansing Legal Group, PLLC
3. The Law Offices of Casey D. Conklin, PLC

Best Local Computer Store/Repair 

1. Capitol Macintosh
2. Digilink Computers
3. Mac Men Computer & Phone

Best Local YouTube Channel

1. WLNS
2. Pawsitive K9s of MI, LLC
3. FOX 47 News

Best Massage Studio

1. Creative Wellness
2. Functional Mobility and Health, LLC Massage & Bodywork
3. In Good Hands Massage Therapy

Best Med Spa

1. NECTAR Body•face•skin
2. (tie) Douglas J Salon

& Skin Boss Med Spa

Best Music Lessons

1. Elderly Instruments
2. Okemos Music Academy
3. School of Rock

Best Nail Salon

1. Jenny Nails
2. Lynny Nails
3. VIP Nail Bar

Best News Source 

1. WILX
2. WLNS
3. City Pulse

Best Non-Profit Organization

1. Capital Area Humane Society
2. Ele's Place - Capital Region
3. Constellation Cat Cafe

Best Oil Change Shop

1. Fast Eddie's Car Wash and Oil Change
2. Valvoline Instant Oil Change
3. Rapids Oil Change

Best Online Ordering

1. Bad Annie's Sweary Goods
2. Curvaceous Lingerie
3. Bento Kitchen Cravings

Best Optometrist

1. Dr. Jeff Rule || Rule Eye Care Associates
2. Dr. Harper Wildern || Eye Care Associates of Charlotte, PLLC
3. Dr. Tracy Putnam || L.O. Eye Care Okemos

Best Painter

1. Stroke of Color Painting, LLC
2. Choice Painting
3. Blue Sky Painting

Best Pest Control Company

1. Bullseye Pest Defense
2. Rose Pest Solutions
3. Horton's Pest LLC

Best Pet Grooming

1. The Elegant Pooch
2. Kelly's Pet Boutique East
3. Amanda's Grooming

Best Pet Rescue

1. Capital Area Humane Society
2. Saved By Zade
3. Constellation Cat Cafe

Best Pharmacy (locally owned)

1. Apothecary Shop
2. Ware's Pharmacy
3. Central Pharmacy Westside

Best Photography

1. Autumn Luciano
2. Lost Girl Vision
3. Rikki Shepherd Photography

Best Plumbing Service

1. Hedlund Plumbing
2. Michigan Plumbing
3. Aaron's Plumbing & Mechanical

Best Post Office

1. USPS 1140 Abbot Road, East Lansing
2. USPS 118 East Jefferson St., Grand Ledge
3. USPS 2025 Central Park Drive, Meridian Township

Best Property Management Company

1. Gillespie Group
2. DPMG Prime
3. Morleigh Inc.

Best Public Relations Firm

1. Piper & Gold Public Relations
2. Truscott Rossman
3. Martin Waymire

Best Radio Station 

1. WKAR 90.5
2. WITL 100.7
3. WQTX 92.1

Best Residential Remodeling Company

1. Custom Built Design & Remodeling
2. Honey Home Interiors
3. JJE Builder

Best Senior Living Community 

1. Independence Village of Grand Ledge
2. Delta Retirement Center
3. Mason Country Care

Best Tailor/Seamstress Company

1. Nu The Tailor
2. Silver Thread Tailor Shoppe
3. Kim the Tailor

Best Tanning

1. J2 Tanning
2. Uptown Sun Company
3. Pacific Tan

Best Tattoo Parlor

1. Splash of Color Tattoo & Piercing Studio
2. Ink Therapy
3. True Blue Tattoo Company

Best Therapy/Therapist Service

1. Rooted Counseling
2. Right Direction Counseling, PLLC
3. Origami Rehabilitation 

Best Towing Company

1. P.J.'s Towing
2. Northside Service, Inc. 
3. Okemos Marathon

Best Travel Agency

1. Nowlan Travel by Dream Vacations
2. Globetrotter Travel
3. Time To Travel, LLC

Best Veterinarian Service

1. Evergreen Veterinary Clinic
2. Waverly Animal Hospital
3. Haslett Animal Hospital

Best Wedding Services

1. Becker's Bridal Outlet
2. The Northfork Estate
3. Twiggies

Best Wifi/Internet Service Provider

1. Xfinity Store by Comcast
2. Metronet Telecom, Inc
3. Verizon

Best Yoga Studio 

1. Peoples Yoga
2. Just B Yoga
3. Functional Mobility and Health, LLC Massage & Bodywork

 

SHOPPING 

 

Best Antique Shop 

1. Little Red Schoolhouse
2. Thrift Witch
3. Vintage Junkies

Best Art Gallery

1. Lansing Art Gallery & Education Center
2. Katalyst Art Gallery & Gift Boutique
3. Absolute Gallery

Best Art Supply Store

1. Odd Nodd Art Supply
2. Hobby Lobby
3. Michaels

Best Asian Market

1. Fresh International Market
2. LLB Asian Market
3. Lotte Market

Best Auto Dealership

1. Shaheen Chevrolet of Lansing
2. Williams Subaru
3. Team One Chevrolet Buick GMC

Best Beer Selection in a Retail Store

1. Horrocks Farm Market
2. Mega-Bev
3. (Oades) Big Ten Party Store West

Best Bookstore

1. Schuler Books
2. Deadtime Stories: True Crime and Other Books
3. Hooked

Best Butcher Shop

1. Monticello's Market & Butcher Block
2. MEAT on the WEST Side
3. Merindorf Meats & More - Mason

Best Candy Store

1. Fabiano's Candies
2. Peanut Shop
3. Kean's

Best Cheese Department

1. Horrocks Farm Market
2. Monticello's Market & Butcher Block
3. Whole Foods Market

Best Clothing Store (Locally Owned)

1. Curvaceous Lingerie
2. Grace Boutique of Old Town
3. Polka Dots Boutique

Best Comic Shop 

1. Summit Comics & Games
2. Grave Danger
3. Capital City Collectables

Best Consignment Shop

1. Metro Retro
2. Kellie's Estate Sales, Auctions & Resale
3. Thrift Witch

Best Farmer’s Market

1. Meridian Township Farmers Market
2. Allen Farmer's Market
3. Downtown DeWitt Farmers Market

Best Florist

1. Van Atta's Greenhouse & Flower Shop
2. (tie) Hyacinth House

& Where the Wild Things Bloom

Best Furniture Store

1. Pilgrim House Furniture
2. Vintage Junkies
3. Bradly's HG

Best Gardening Center

1. Horrocks Farm Market
2. Van Atta's Greenhouse & Flower Shop
3. Lansing Gardens

Best Gas Station

1. Costco Gas Station
2. Speedway – East Michigan Ave
3. Tailgaters – Lansing

Best Gift Shop

1. Kean's
2. Bad Annie's Sweary Goods
3. October Moon

Best Grocery Store (locally owned)

1. Horrocks Farm Market
2. Westlund's Apple Market
3. Monticello's Market & Butcher Block

Best Hardware Store

1. Vet's Ace Hardware
2. Grand Ledge Ace Hardware
3. Great Lakes Ace Hardware

Best Hot Tub/Pool/Sauna Store

1. Classic Pool & Spa Inc.
2. Cannonball Pools
3. G & B Pool and Spa

Best Jewelry Store

1. Sweet Custom Jewelry
2. Becky Beauchine Kulka Diamonds and Fine Jewelry
3. Grand Ledge Jewelers

Best Lingerie Store

1. Curvaceous Lingerie

Best Liquor Store

1. Mega-Bev
2. (Oades) Big Ten Party Store West
3. Tom's Party Store and Wine Shop

Best Metaphysical Store

1. Coyote Wisdom Bookstore
2. Triple Goddess Bookstore
3. (tie) Beyond A Dream, LLC

& Oracle's Apothecary

Best Musical Instrument Store

1. Elderly Instruments
2. Marshall Music Company
3. Meridian Winds

Best Organic/Natural Market

1. Whole Foods Market
2. Foods For Living
3. Clean Refillery

Best Outdoor/Camping Store

1. Moosejaw
2. Sierra

Best Store

1. Preuss Pets
2. Soldan's Pet Supplies
3. Joey's Pet Outfitters

Best Place to Buy Mums

1. Horrocks Farm Market
2. Hyacinth House
3. Lansing Gardens

Best Quality Dairy

1. Quality Dairy, 2400 E. Michigan Ave., Lansing
2. Quality Dairy, 2233 Cedar St., Holt
3. (tie) Quality Dairy, 804 Willow Hwy., Grand Ledge

& Quality Dairy, 1699 W. Grand River Ave., Meridian Township

Best Record/CD Store

1. Flat, Black & Circular
2. The Record Lounge
3. Mi-Rural Records

Best Secondhand Shop

1. Volunteers of America Thrift Store
2. Thrift Witch
3. Metro Retro

Best Sex Shop 

1. Cirilla's
2. Lion's Den
3. Deja Vu Love Boutique

Best Thrift Store 

1. St Vincent de Paul Society and Thrift Store
2. Volunteers of America Thrift Store
3. Thrift Witch

Best Tire Store

1. Discount Tire
2. Belle Tire
3. Quality Tire, Inc.

Best Used Car Dealership

1. Sundance Chevrolet, Inc.
2. Spartan Toyota
3. LaFontaine Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram FIAT

Best Vape Shop 

1. Wild Bill's Tobacco
2. (tie) Level Up Smoke Shop

& Wild Side Smoke Shop

Best Video Game Store 

1. Disc Traders Lansing
2. The Swap Meet
3. Extra Levels Gaming

Best Wine Shop 

1. Horrocks Farm Market
2. Dusty's Cellar
3. Old Town General Store

 

WHATEVER 

 

Best Axe Throwing Venue

1. High Caliber Karting and Entertainment
2. Spare Time Entertainment Center

Best Casino

1. (tie) FireKeepers Casino Hotel

& Soaring Eagle

1. Gun Lake Casino

Best Day Trip

1. Lake Michigan
2. Frankenmuth
3. Old Town Lansing

Best Facebook Group or Page

1. Bath Township Police Dept.
2. Lansing Foodies
3. Lansing Facts

Best High School

1. Grand Ledge High School
2. East Lansing High School
3. Haslett High School

Best Historical Place

1. Turner-Dodge House
2. Michigan History Center
3. Brenke Fish Ladder

Best Instagram Account (local)

1. Constellation Cat Cafe
2. Lansing Foodies
3. Strange Matter

Best Local Art Festival

1. East Lansing Art Festival
2. A Festival of Oddities
3. Old Town Scrap Fest

Best Local Event/Festival

1. Lansing Pride
2. A Festival of Oddities
3. Old Town Scrap Fest

Best New Business

1. Lansing Shuffle
2. Hooked
3. Homebrew Tabletop Game Lounge

Best Outdoor Adventure

1. Hiking The Ledges at Fitzgerald Park
2. Lansing River Trail
3. Hawk Island Park

Best Place to Cry in Public

1. Frandor Parking Lot
2. In a van, down by the river
3. MSU Horticulture Gardens

Best Place to Find Quiet

1. Woldumar Nature Center
2. Fenner Nature Center
3. MSU Horticulture Gardens

Best Place to Work

1. From home
2. Constellation Cat Cafe
3. The Hive Dance Studio

Best Podcast (local)

1. Violent Ends (formerly So Dead)
2. Films for the Void
3. Speakeasy

Best Science Event

1. MSU Science Festival
2. Chemistry Day at Impression 5
3. Astronomy on Tap

Best Shop Pet

1. Rocky || Preuss Pets
2. Morrison and Hendrix || Deadtime Stories: True Crime and Other Books
3. Winnie Girl || Clean Refillery - Winnie the Dog

Best Staycation Hotel in Lansing

1. The English Inn
2. The Graduate East Lansing
3. Wild Goose Inn

Best Twitter Account (local)

1. Lansing Facts
2. WLNS
3. mitch on the web (@howintensive)

Best Urban Farm

1. Magnolia Ave Farms
2. Half Barn Farmstand
3. Hunter Park GardenHouse

Best Vehicle Ever Made in Lansing 

1. Olds Cutlass Supreme
2. Camaro
3. Chevy SSR

Best Wifi Spot

1. Constellation Cat Cafe
2. Strange Matter Coffee
3. Hooked

Category We Didn’t Think of

1. Best Mural
2. Worst Little Caesar's
3. Best Dog Groomer

Cleanest Public Restroom

1. Flour Child Bakery
2. Foods For Living
3. Meat BBQ

Eye Candy Building

1. Knapp's Centre
2. Beaumont Tower
3. Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum

In Memoriam: Businesses Lost

1. DeLuca's Restaurant
2. Roma Bakery
3. Zeus' Coney Island

Most Trustworthy Business

1. Playmakers
2. Elderly Instruments
3. Constellation Cat Cafe

Worst Eyesore

1. Lansing Area roads
2. Garno Trump House on Michigan Ave
3. Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum

Worst Pothole (Specific Location) 

1. Frandor Parking Lot
2. Railroad tracks on Cesar Chavez, Old Town
3. Railroad on Kalamazoo between Hosmer and Beech