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Best of Marin Winners

DRINK ME, EAT ME: food and drink

Best American Restaurant Buckeye Roadhouse

Bakery Emporio Rulli rulli.com

Bar/Restaurant Bar Finnegan's

Breakfast Half Day Café

Brewpub/Sports Bar Moylan's

Burger Phyllis' Giant Burgers

Burrito High Tech Burrito www.hightechburrito.com

Chinese Restaurant Jennie Low's Chinese Cuisine

Deli Comforts

French Restaurant Left Bank

Ice Cream/Yogurt Shop Fairfax Scoop

Independent Coffee House Emporio Rulli rulli.com

Indian Restaurant Lotus Cuisine of India

Italian Restaurant Il Davide Restaurant

Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant Easy Street

Japanese Restaurant Sushi Ran

Local Winery The Ross Valley Winery

Meal Under $20 Sol Food

Mediterranean Restaurant Insalata's Restaurant

Mexican Restaurant Las Camelias

New Restaurant (opened in 2009) Toast at Hamilton Marketplace

Novato Restaurant Boca Steak Restaurant

Pizzeria Mulberry Street Pizzeria www.mulberrypizza.com

Ross Valley Restaurant Insalata's

San Rafael Restaurant Sol Food

Seafood Restaurant Seafood Peddler

Southern Marin Restaurant Buckeye Roadhouse

Thai Restaurant Thep Lela Thai Restaurant www.theplela.com

Twin Cities Restaurant Picco

West Marin Restaurant Nick's Cove

Wine Bar Rick's Wine Cellar

THE QUEEN OF HEALTHY HEARTS AWARDS: health and fitness

Best Golf Course San Geronimo

Best Health Club Osher Marin JCC www.marinjcc.org

Best Martial Arts Studio Marin MMA (Mixed Martial Arts)

Best Pilates Studio Mill Valley Health Club & Spa

Best Sports Shoes And Apparel Arch Rival

Best Swimming Pool Osher Marin JCC www.marinjcc.org

Best Yoga Studio Bikram Yoga San Rafael

THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS AWARDS: beauty and style

Beauty Supplies Marin Beauty Company www.marinbeautycompany.com

Day Spa Evo Spa

Dry Cleaner Marin Cleaners

Facial Evo Spa

Glasses and Eyewear 20/20 Optical

Hair Salon diPietro Todd

Jeweler Stephan-Hill www.stephanhill.com

Lingerie Pleasures of the Heart

Massage Mill Valley Massage www.millvalleymassage.com

Men's Clothier Patrick James Clothiers www.patrickjames.com

Nail Care Three Sisters Nails

Best Shoes Lark Shoes

Best Women's Boutique Viva Diva

DOWN THE RABBIT HOLE: home

Best Beds And Bedding Duxiana

Best Carpeting Rafael Floors rafaelfloors.com

Best Cleaning Service Molly Maid of Marin

Best Hardwood Flooring Rafael Floors rafaelfloors.com

Best Frame Shop Frame Crafters Gallery

Best Gift Shop The Great Acorn

Best Hauling Hurricane Hauling & Demolition Inc.

Best Home Accessories Summer House

Best Home Furnishings Sunrise Home

Best Home Organizer Changing-Places, Inc. www.changing

Best Kitchen/Bath Remodeler Kitchens & More

Best Landscape Designer Gardens & Gables www.gardensandgables.com

Best Lumber/Hardware Store Fairfax Lumber & Hardware

Best Moving and Storage Johnson and Daly Moving and Storage www.jdmovers.com

Best Paint Store Marin Color Service

Best Painting Contractor Kunst Bros. www.kunstbros.com

Best Patio Furniture Frellen's Casual & Outdoor

Best Place to Buy Appliances Martin & Harris www.martin

Best Plumber O'Connell Plumbing www.oconnellplumbing.com

Best Real Estate Brokerage Frank Howard Allen fhallen.com

Best Resale/Consignment Shop A Dove Place Antiques & Consignment

Best Roofer McLaren mcleranroofing.com

Best Self-Storage Bellam Self Storage www.bellamstorage.com

Best Tile and Stone Store Ceramic Tile Design

Best Window and Door Showroom The Window Warehouse

THE HOOKAH-SMOKING CATERPILLAR AWARDS: green do-gooders

Best Bikes Mike's Bikes

Best Business that Promotes Going Green Good Earth Natural Foods genatural.com

Best Health Food Store Good Earth Natural Foods genatural.com

Best Nursery/Garden Sloat Garden Center www.sloatgardens.com

Best Organic Produce Marin Farmers Market

Best Personnel Agency Nelson Staffing

Best Place for Hiking Tennessee Valley

Best Place to Bike China Camp State Park

Best Solar Supplier Solar Craft www.solarcraft.com

THE CHESHIRE CAT AWARDS: kids and pets

Best Children's Clothing Heller's for Children

Best Day Summer Camp Steve & Kate's Camp www.steveandkatescamp.com

Best Overnight Summer Camp Walker Creek Ranch

Best Pet Groomer Doggie Styles

Best Pet Store Pet Club

Best Place For A Kid's Party Doodlebug

Best Toy Store A Child's Delight

THE MAD HATTER AWARDS:arts and entertainment

Art Gallery Donna Seager

Best Art Supplies Rileystreet Art Supply

Best Lighting Shop Lights of Rafael

Live Music Venue 142 Throckmorton Theatre

Movie Theater Rafael Film Center

Photography Studio Creative Portraiture

Place For a Wedding Marin Art and Garden Center

Place for Dancing 19 Broadway www.19broadway.com

Place to Buy Musical Instruments Bananas at Large www.bananasmusic.com

Record/CD Shop Mill Valley Music

Theater Company The Mountain Play

THE OFF WITH THEIR HEAD GASKETS AWARDS:cars

Best Auto Dealer Marin Toyota ToyotaMarin.com

Best Auto Body Repair/Design Blake's Auto Body

Best Domestic Car Repair Leonardi Automotive www.leonardiauto.com

Best Foreign Car Repair Neuhaus Service

Best Tire Shop Cain's Tires

Best Used Cars Jack L Hunt Automotive-Sales-Service

BEST OF MARIN HALL OF FAME 2010

Local businesses that have won their categories five times consecutively are elevated to the Best of Marin Hall of Fame. They remain in the hall for two years. This year, several new members join the esteemed group. Congratulations to all these winners who have been consistently voted tops for their terrific service.

1ST YEAR

Best Day Spa

When Marin needs to steam off, it turns to Stellar Spa who'll de-stress clients with the wholesome blend of moisturizers, massages, masks, lotions and facials that have found them in the Best of Marin winners circle more times than we can count.

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Stellar Spa

Best landscape design

The grass isn't always greener on the other side of the fence when you've got Cynthia Egger Landscape Design at the ready. No topographical problem is too prickly for Egger's vast experience. So the next time you need a landscaper, definitely hedge your bets with Egger.

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Cynthia Egger Landscape Design

Best Lumber/Hardware Store

The employee-owned, green-certified Jackson's Hardware has really hit the nail on the head in the hardware game. With a showroom featuring bathtubs, faucets, showerheads, barbecues, outdoor furniture, a paint department and a plumbing showroom, you'll find it all at Jackson's—including the kitchen sink!

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Jackson's Hardware

Best Place for a Kid's Party

Kids will have their cake and eat it too with a party at the Bay Area Discovery Museum, where anything is possible—literally. From themed parties of cowboys, princesses or pirates to blowouts centered on arts and crafts, the Discovery Museum will go to the end of the earth—that's Sausalito, right?—to make that special day extra special.

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Bay Area Discovery Museum

2ND YEAR

Best hair salon, men and women

The hair-tastic salon of Brewer Phillips Hair Design considers clients' comfort level—along with great-looking hair, of course—a key to its success.

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Brewer Phillips Hair Design

Best frame shop

Customers know they can count on Cheap Pete's Frame Factory Outlet for ready-made frames, mats, moldings and glass—that'll have your photos, portraits and posters displayed more elegantly than ever.

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Cheap Pete's Frame Factory Outlet

Best takeout

Comfort food is no token phrase at Comforts Cafe, San Anselmo's answer to homestyle haute cuisine. Whether your taste is for soups, salads, sandwiches, scones or—our favorite—the mac and cheese, there's no denying this award-winning deli will have you home and comfy with your food in a New York minute (make that a Ross Valley second!).

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Comforts Cafe

Best roofer

With a staff of some 40 well-trained employees, DeMello Roofing is plenty big enough to tackle most any job, but they've maintained the local, community feel that's been their calling card for decades. This roofing company has been on the ladder to success since 1927.

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DeMello Roofing

Best pub/sports bar

At Marin Brewing Company, Marin's first brewpub, ale enthusiasts can choose from an intoxicating selection of top-quality, award-winning sippables and an array of scrumptious pub fare. Another round, barkeep!

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Marin Brewing Company

Best auto dealer

Whether you're buying a car or bringing your existing one in for a tune-up, Marin Honda is the place to go, with an array of models to choose from, a low-key low-pressure sales approach, and a service department offering repairs with consistency and reliability. When it comes to customer service, they're definitely driven.

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Marin Honda

Best theater company

In the spotlight for more than four decades, Marin Theatre Company puts on five major productions a year, not only striving to entertain adults, but also grooming its young audience to enjoy the theater by offering a school outreach program and summer camps. Breaking a leg has never been so rewarding.

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Marin Theatre Company

Best domestic auto repair

Mellow Motors lives up to their name with decades of relaxed, dependable service, a dedicated, well-trained staff—most of whom have been with the business for years—and a commitment to honest, consistent service.

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Mellow Motors

Best blinds/draperies

For 56 years, the three-generation family business of Shades of Marin has sold blinds, draperies and custom window coverings to its satisfied Marin clientele. This is the place to go to get the sun out of your eyes.

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Shades of Marin

Best Japanese restaurant

Sushi to Dai For has been slicing and dicing in its new digs for more than two years now and this Fourth Street favorite is still a raw delight, indeed. With an expansive space, a nearly unbeatable menu and top talent behind the knives, its no wonder Sushi to Dai For has "rolled" into our Hall of Fame.

Sushi to Dai For

Best video store

We'll take browsing through an impressive and knowledgeable collection of DVD titles any day over the cold, inhuman movie deliverance of the postal system. At least with this sort of selection we will. We're with you to the bitter end, Video Droid.

Video Droid

Posted by Top Broker, a resident of another community, on Mar 25, 2010 at 9:15 pm

M.B. And you really thought you could win?

Posted by Crystal M., a resident of the Sausalito neighborhood, on Mar 26, 2010 at 8:15 am

Still think a "best printer" category should be reintroduced. And my vote would be for Ram Print in Strawberry Village. They've done business stationary, wedding printing for my daughters wedding, banners for my shows and next I'm gonna talk to Zip (interesting name) about doing my web site.

Posted by Maybe next year, a resident of the San Rafael neighborhood, on Mar 26, 2010 at 10:53 am

I curious. Does the Sun award this purely on quantity of votes?

A particular category (I won't reveal so as not to cast aspersions on the winner) but the second place winner is a SUPPLIER to the people in that category and does not even do the work designated by the title. So I am surprised that they would have that many people even consider them much less vote for them. So I mean this as no reflection to the business I am just asking how the Sun safeguards authenticity and tallies votes.

Posted by Jason Walsh, editor Pacific Sun, a resident of the Novato neighborhood, on Mar 26, 2010 at 11:12 am

Thanks for asking, Maybe Next Year.

Yes, whichever nominee receives the most votes from our online voting in January wins. Votes have to be confirmed by individual IP address, which allows to eliminate folks who try and fill out multiple ballots (naughty, naughty).

As far as which businesses deserve to be nominated in which category, we still do that the old-fashioned way--by reader suggestion and our own research. And when we list nominees who perhaps shouldn't be in a certain category (which, unfortunately, happens from time to time), we rely on readers like you to help us out. Please email me at jwalsh@pacificsun.com to make any specific comments about category corrections you think are warranted and we'll take it under advisement.

Thanks,

Jason

Posted by Alan Rosen, a resident of the San Rafael neighborhood, on Mar 26, 2010 at 11:16 pm

Thank you Marin, readers of Pacific Sun and Pacific Sun!

Posted by Sidney G., a resident of the Mill Valley neighborhood, on Mar 26, 2010 at 11:44 pm

Great job, Pac Sun. I don't know how you do it every year.

Posted by Amy B, a resident of the San Rafael neighborhood, on Mar 29, 2010 at 4:36 pm

Sol Food is so over-rated...it really is rediculous how much play this place gets when the servers are consistantly rude and the chicken is regularly dry. Most Puerto Ricans I know (most, not all) are not really all that impressed with the food. I think Marin just needs more diversity and then everyone would know that Sol Food is just..."OK," "average," "better than nothing," but not the Best. Not even close.

Posted by Lola, a resident of the San Rafael neighborhood, on Mar 29, 2010 at 4:59 pm

Response by Amy B. My only complaint about Sol Food is the long lines. The food is authentic (I lived in Puerto Rico for 10 yrs) and delicious. Not to mention easy on the wallet. I had friends from Puerto Rico in town, and they loved it. Yes the service is so-so but you cannot deny the quality of food which in my opinion is RIDICOULOUSLY delicious .

Posted by M, a resident of the Novato neighborhood, on Mar 29, 2010 at 5:21 pm

Why hasn't there been a best flower shop category?

Posted by marinjim, a resident of the San Rafael neighborhood, on Mar 29, 2010 at 10:34 pm

Your link for Mulberry Pizza is wrong

Posted by Resident, a resident of the San Rafael neighborhood, on Mar 30, 2010 at 9:11 pm

>>In Response to Jason Walsh's reply to Maybe<<

How is the verification of IP addresses a valid way of to confirm individuals from "stuffing" the ballots. I know that "stuffing" the ballot is a concern but lots of people do use the same internet access such as from coffee shops, hot spots, etc. Perhaps you received a lot of ballots from a specific IP address which were from these places in which they were not tallied because "Pacific Sun" did not stop to think of another way to eliminate "stuffing" the ballots.

Posted by Susan, a resident of the San Anselmo neighborhood, on Mar 31, 2010 at 10:40 am

From what resident has said, this really concerns me that the ballots are not really as accurate as Pacific Sun states it is. Pacific Sun needs another way of verifying the individuality of each ballot to verify that it isn't a duplicate ballot of any way.

Posted by Recount, a resident of the Novato neighborhood, on Apr 1, 2010 at 3:50 pm

So how bout it Sun?

A lot of business rides on this. How DO you assure validity in the votes?

And what about an earlier comment of a winner that was just a supplier to a category - seems fishy...

Posted by Lisa, a resident of the Mill Valley neighborhood, on Apr 2, 2010 at 8:04 am

Video Droid closed down without returning my prepaid credits that they sold me shortly before.

McLeran is a HORRIBLE ROOFER, I know from painful experience.

Not the best of Marin.

Posted by unreliable, a resident of the Corte Madera neighborhood, on Apr 5, 2010 at 10:32 pm

So Pacific Sun, there seems to be no comment or message from you regarding this issue in the validity of the votes. We would really like to know whether or not this is an accurate resource or not. So far, I have told everyone that I know who uses Pacific Sun that after reviewing these comments, the votes do seem to not stand on its own to be that stable of accuracy. I hope we hear back soon because lots may not rely on you anymore as a resource.

Posted by seeker of truth, a resident of the Mill Valley neighborhood, on Apr 6, 2010 at 10:10 am

The Sun's silence on this speaks loudly.

Eventually we will get a tepid" The Sun makes every effort to assure honest results. blah blah blah...."

Posted by Jason Walsh, editor Pacific Sun, a resident of the Novato neighborhood, on Apr 6, 2010 at 2:04 pm

Hi all,

First, let me say how much I appreciate everyone's interest in Best of Marin. I rely upon recent Best Of issues myself when trying to decide on where to go for purchases, repairs, or eating out in a new neighborhood, etc.

As to the question of how we tally votes, I can't go into too much detail because that could inspire some voters to find a way to skirt the system and stuff the ballot box. As it is, we have a method of confirming ballots that we're pretty happy with.

As to whether a certain business belongs in a certain category or not (i.e. does an Asian-fusion restaurant belong in "Best Thai," "Best Vegan," or both or neither?) we do our best to police the categories and consider reader feedback. To a large extent, it's self-policing. I.e., if someone garners a high amount of reader votes, there's a good chance it's in the right category.

Again, if you think business is listed in a category it doesn't belong, please email me at jwalsh@pacificsun.com, and we'll definitely give it some consideration.

Thanks to everyone for helping make our Alice in Marinland another fun Best of Marin,

Jason

Posted by MarinResident, a resident of the Mill Valley neighborhood, on Apr 6, 2010 at 3:59 pm

Jason,

I would like to suggest a the category "Best Place to Buy Vitamins."

Vitamin supplements are big here in Marin, and they are sold in establishments other than Whole Foods and Good Earth. I know there is a "Best Health Food Store" category, but it seems that vitamins and/or herbs could use their own category.

It's time for a change, don't you think?

Thanks -

Posted by guess what, a resident of the San Anselmo neighborhood, on Apr 12, 2010 at 10:10 am

And guess what Speaker of Truth,

That is exactly what we got. A blah blah blah bogus answer.

Posted by Kiki Dee, a resident of the Mill Valley neighborhood, on May 13, 2010 at 9:24 am

As a regular contributor to a SF magazine on "whats hot- what's not" I was intrigued to read the PAC SUN Best of List...

Much of your credibility was decimated when I saw Jennie Low listed as Best Chinese Restaurant. Again. Who are you kidding? Granted, Marin has only a handful of Chinese restaurants - however, Tommy's Wok is so far superior to the very mediocre and sad "Low".

I would seriously consider the source when checking ballots...

Someone is, indeed, voting early and voting often.

Posted by Disappointed, a resident of the Corte Madera neighborhood, on May 25, 2010 at 11:40 pm

I normally use the Best of Marin to find new places to try but after seeing these comments, I am disappointed that this is not a reliable source to find a good place. Thanks everyone for letting me know not to reply on Pacific Sun's Best of Marin anymore.

Posted by loans, a resident of the Bahia neighborhood, on Jul 1, 2010 at 7:39 am

Different people in the world receive the business loans from various banks, because it is comfortable.