Best Supermarket
Cosentino’s Markets
2666 S. Bascom Ave., San Jose; 408.377.6661. “The place to break a food budget unless discipline and restraint are exercised.” (1986)
Other past wins: Best Independent Grocer
Best Jazz/Blues Club
JJ’s Blues
3439 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose; 408.243.6441. “The kind of club you wouldn’t take your mom to, unless your mom was Etta James.” (2009)
Other past wins: Best R&B and Blues Club, Best Bar for Live Music
Best Scotch Selection
CB Hannegan’s
208 Bachman Ave., Los Gatos; 408.395.1233. “A remarkable collection of 83 outstandingly diverse single-malt Scotch whiskies (representing 59 different distilleries).” (1989)
Other past wins: Best Neighborhood Bar
Best Hotel
Fairmont Hotel
170 S. Market St., San Jose; 408.998.1900. “The high life in the South Bay.” (1990)
Other past wins: Best Hotel, Best Brunch, Best Hotel Powder Room, Best Late-Night Sugar Fix, Best Place for an Illicit Tryst
Best Kamikaze
The Black Watch
141 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos; 408.354.2200. “They may not have invented the Kamikaze, but they sure perfected it.” (1986)
Other past wins: Best Dive Bar, Metro’s 1999 Hall of Fame, Best Bar—West Valley, Best Shots
Best Coffee Beans
Los Gatos Coffee Roasting Co.
101 W. Main St., Los Gatos; 408.354.3263. “Look for the exotic rare blends as well, including the legendary Jamaican Blue Mountain, the Rolls Royce of javas.” (1987)
Other past wins: Best Coffee, Best Coffee Bar, Best Yupscale Coffeehouse, Best Coffeehouse Ambience, Best Local Coffeehouse
Best Used Paperback Bookstore
Recycle Bookstore
275 E. Campbell Ave., Campbell, 408.370.3514; 1066 The Alameda, San Jose, 408.286.6275. “A comfortably shabby store in a seedy downtown neighborhood, staffed by comfortably shabby, friendly clerks.” (1989)
Other past wins: Best Used-Book Store, Best Store for Used Books, Best Bookstore—Used, Best Local Bookstore
Best Car Wash
Lozano Brushless
2690 W. El Camino Real, Mountain View, 650.941.0590; 610 Grape Ave., Sunnyvale, 408.245.7737. “Signs at the wash use words like ‘massaged’ and ‘ultra modern,’ and we like the functional perforated I-beam authentic 1950s motif.” (1986)
Best Used Record Store
Streetlight Records
980 S. Bascom Ave., San Jose; 408.292.1404. “The nondescript storefront appearance doesn’t prepare the casual shopper for what awaits inside: record heaven.” (1989)
Other past wins: Best Place to Rock and Shop, Best Independent CD Store, Best Used CDs and Records, Best Place to Buy Vinyl, Best Place for a Soundtrack, Metro’s 1999 Hall of Fame
Best Oyster Bar
Steamer’s Grillhouse
31 University Ave., Los Gatos; 408.395.2722. “The oysters at Steamer’s are served up fresh, or they aren’t served at all.” (1987)
Other past wins: Best Fish House, Best Margarita
Best Local Made Beer- Amber Ale
Tied House Cafe and Brewery
954 Villa St., Mountain View; 650.965.2739. “This ale hits an spot with a crisp, zingy finish.” (1989)
Other past wins: Best Micro-brewery, Best Place to Pick Up an Engineer, Best Beer on Tap, Best Beer Selection
Best Computer Store
Fry’s Electronics
Multiple locations. “Among the glut of computer and electronic gizmos, the store also sells fuel for computer nerds and hackers: magazines, sodas, cookies.” (1990)
Other past wins: Place to Buy a Computer
Best Use of a Banana
Falafel’s Drive In
2301 Stevens Creek Blvd., San Jose; 408.294.7886. “Smoothie joints may be all the rage, but for over 30 years fans have flocked to this unassuming roadside drive-in for delicious Middle Eastern and American specialties, salty fries and his timeless banana shakes.” (1998)
Other past wins: Best Falafel, Best Middle Eastern, Best Takeout/Quick Grab, Best Perennial ‘Best Of’ Falafel Winner, Best Place to Eat Up When Stocks Drop, Best Vegetarian Overall
Best Mom ‘n’ Pop Italian Deli
Paradiso Delicatessen
791 Auzerais Ave., San Jose; 408.295.6459. “Sweet grandmotherly ladies serve up steaming trays of ravioli, quiche, lasagna, sausages, spaghetti and meatballs, sandwiches on Italian bread.” (1988)
Best-Tasting Time Warp
Peninsula Fountain & Grill
566 Emerson Ave., Palo Alto; 650.323.3131. “Where the clock stopped somewhere in the early ’50s.” (1999)
Other past wins: Best Lunch Counter, Best Old-Fashioned Milk Shake
Best Handmade Burritos
Guadalajara Market No.2
452 E. Empire St., San Jose; 408.294.0545. “Inexpensive, portable and delicioso.” (1986)
Best Gallery for Weird Art
WORKS/San Jose
451 S. First St., San Jose; 408.286.6800. “Most galleries have art work just framed and on the wall. WORKS will have things coming out of the wall, out of the floor, out of the ceiling.” (1986)
Other past wins: Best Place to Crash a Wedding Reception and Never Know It
Best Name for a Downtown Store
Hammer & Lewis Fashions
19 S. First St., San Jose, 408.295.5808; 1040 S. White Road, San Jose, 408.259.7656. “The store has been around since 1921, long before Susan Hammer and Shirley Lewis decided to run against each other for mayor of San Jose.” (1990)
Other past wins: Best Bolo Ties
Best Sports Shop
Charlie Rose Baseball
161 Curtner Ave., Campbell; 408.559.7673. “Owner Charlie Rose says, ‘We have people that stop in to browse from all over. They just can’t believe that one store can have so much variety in any one item.'” (1987)
(Note: Charlie Rose passed away in 1988, and Pat McCann purchased the shop from Rose’s family.)
Best Fish Market
Race Street Fish and Poultry
253 Race St., San Jose; 408.294.4857. “If caught this morning, it’s at Race Street today.” (1986)
Other past wins: Best Seafood, Best Place to Flex Your Mussels
Best Tacos
Tacos Al Pastor
400 S. Bascom Ave., San Jose, 408.275.1619; 1629 Meridian Ave., San Jose, 408.265.1198; 6469 Almaden Expwy., San Jose, 408.997.3548,
“Word is spreading about this unpretentious, reasonably priced Mexican kitchen.” (1987)
Other past wins: Best Place to “Q” Up for Barbecue
Best Newsstand
Mac’s Smoke Shop
534 Emerson St., Palo Alto; 650.323.3724. “Besides being the ‘Headquarters for Imported and Domestic Cigars and Pipes,’ Mac’s is also a great local newsstand.” (1987)
Best Dry Cleaner
Diamond Laundry and Cleaners
398 W. San Carlos St., San Jose; 408.295.3223. “This establishment has been operated by the same owner for more than a half-century and prides itself in offering customers old-fashioned service.” (1988)
Other past wins: Best Old-Fashioned Dry Cleaner
Best Vietnamese Market
Dai-Thanh Market
420 S. Second St., San Jose; 408.287.3744. “The store is always full of locals pinching and squeezing the fruits and vegetables in the large produce section.” (1989)
Best Place to Eat Ostrich in Style
California Cafe
Multiple locations. “Amazing grilled ostrich.” (2000)
Other past wins: Best California Cuisine, Best Regional Restaurant
Best Budget Gourmet Selection
Trader Joe’s
Multiple locations. “After 35 years in Southern California, the Trader Joe’s phenomenon has finally expanded into our neck of the woods.” (1990)
Other past wins: Best Place to Buy Organic Groceries, Best Thing to Happen to Downtown, Ever, Metro’s 1994 Lifetime Achievement Award
Best Chocolate Shop
Schurra’s
840 The Alameda, San Jose; 408.289.1562. “A wide variety of candy molds and exquisite craftsmanship.” (1990)
Best Omelets
Hobee’s
Multiple locations.
“Just seven varieties are listed on the menu, but Hobee’s captured your omelet-loving hearts by using only fresh ingredients.” (1990)
Other past wins: Best Breakfast, Best Brunch Spot, Best Place to Catch Venture Capitalists Sunny Side Up
Best Local Jazz Group
Spang-a-Lang
“The band’s fine musicianship and funky rhythms satisfy both jazz aficionados and dancing fools; the happy crowds make nightclub owners ecstatic.” (1990)
Best Beachwear/Swimwear Shop
Ujena Swimwear
1931-A Old Middlefield Way, Mountain View; 800.448.5362
“Suede bathing suits, screaming neon bikinis, matching suit-dress-pantsets.” (1990)
Other past wins: Best Party in Mexico (by a Mountain View Company)
Best Margarita
Pedro’s
316 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos; 408.354.7570
“Other versions exist, but these are worth fighting the parking situation in Los Gatos for.” (2005)
Other past wins: Best Mexican Food, Best Happy Hour
