On Thursday, the winners were revealed for The Baltimore Sun’s Best: Readers’ Choice 2025 poll. Naturally, I had to try some of the front-running spots in the Best Food & Drink category — from Ethiopian platters to Baltimore’s classic frozen delight: the snowball.

Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant in Mid-Town Beledere won in the Ethiopian restaurant category. I opted for the Dukem combo #3, which contains the kitfo — a velvety raw beef tartare zhuzhed up with cardamom and other warming spices. They’ll cook it for you if you want, but you’ll miss out on the raw beef’s mildly sweet flavor and delicate texture, both of which are harmonious complements to the slightly sour and bouncy injera flatbread (which also doubles as your eating utensil).

Next, I headed to Taco Love Grill in Federal Hill, which took home first place in both the Latin and taco restaurant categories. You can’t go wrong with the restaurant’s well-seasoned al pastor taco, which balances caramelized morsels of spicy pork with warm and juicy bursts of fresh pineapple.

For an elegant intermission (and certainly not because I was already getting full on this packed tour), my next stop was tea house category winner Emma’s Tea Spot, which, with a Hamilton Hills dining room full of three-tiered tea and pastry stands, gilded cups and plenty of frills, looks like it comes right from a children’s storybook. Sipping its cinnamon-plum tea only reinforced that feeling of nostalgia — and made me very prematurely yearn for the fall season.

Next came Towson’s Spice and Dice Thai Kitchen, which won in the Thai restaurant category. I opted for lighter fare that (fortunately or unfortunately) proved to be just as filling: the larb gai, a minced-chicken salad packing plenty of vinegary, Thai chile heat, as well as a coconut-and-galangal-based tom kha soup, which was more refreshing and less creamy than other versions I’ve had across the country. Spongey pieces of fried tofu soaked up the comforting broth with ease.

Finally, I rounded off the day in Brewers Hill with (Don’t laugh at my inexperience!) my first snowball at Icy Delights, which won for the category. I went for one of my timeless frozen treat flavor combinations: coconut ice topped with caramel drizzle, though I did also sneak a bite of that bright-orange egg custard flavor topped with marshmallow sauce. On a 90-degree day, these ultra-sweet concoctions were the perfect remedy.

If you want to see the journey for yourself, check out our video on Instagram. Here’s what else I’ve discovered lately.

Thai restaurant opens in Quarry Lake

Chat Thai is officially open for business in The Shops at Quarry Lake. Owner Punnathorn Chaiphongrattana said that the restaurant’s successful soft and grand opening events make her optimistic about its reception by the Quarry Lake dining body.

“People here are very nice,” she said. “I think they are very excited, and they’ve been waiting for us to open.”

One learning curve, said Chaiphongrattana? Turning down the heat.

“Some of our food is kind of spicy, and some of our customers cannot eat spice,” she said. “Mostly, we make the food fresh, so we can just adjust the taste to how they like it.”

From the first week of business at 2592 Quarry Lake Drive, Chaiphongrattana reported an unsurprising most-ordered dish: pad Thai. She encourages diners to look out for rotating and improved menu items in the coming months.

“We will adjust the food, adjust the menu and improve the food for our customers so that everyone can eat,” she said.

Food anniversaries

In an industry where longevity seems to be getting rarer by the year, three institutions in the Baltimore area have celebrated milestone anniversaries in recent months with fanfare: Miss Shirley’s Cafe, Petit Louis Bistro and the Bel Air Farmers’ Market.

Miss Shirley’s — winner of The Baltimore Sun’s Best breakfast/brunch and gluten-free restaurant categories — celebrated its 20th birthday in May. To commemorate the occasion, employees received custom cookies from Owings Mills baker Steller Cookies, and guests participated in charity-centric giveaways, according to Facebook posts.

Later this month, Petit Louis will celebrate a landmark birthday. Helmed by longtime Baltimore restaurateur Tony Foreman, previously of the Foreman Wolf restaurant group with his former business partner Cindy Wolf, Petit Louis will celebrate 25 years of operation on Sunday.

When Foreman first opened the bistro, he had initial trepidations about curating an authentic French menu and ambiance — after all, he said, when he first put French words on the menu, “people were terrified of it.” Now, however, Foreman doesn’t shy away from his Francophilia, from his daily greeting of “bonjour” to waitstaff to the French-language menu, from poitrine du poulet (chicken breast) to the ever-favorite mousse au chocolat.

To celebrate the big birthday, Petit Louis will hold a “Joyeux Anniversaire” celebration Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at the restaurant’s 4800 Roland Ave. location. Tickets are $65 and are available on Toast.

Finally, the Bel Air Farmers’ Market turned 50 years old on Saturday.

“What does it mean to be 50 years?” mused Jennifer Sekowski, board chair of the market. “It just shows the enduring value of community-supported agriculture. Agriculture supports healthy choices available to the community and the whole agricultural ecosystem locally.”

Every Saturday, the market buzzes with Harford County shoppers and over 60 vendors, slinging specialties like local beer and coffee brews, fresh produce and jarred goods.

“The farmers market customers appreciate food, and they understand the importance of buying local food,” said Betsy Depman, owner of the vendor Coffee Coffee. “I think that the people that go to the market know what they want.”

This week’s food news

In case you missed it, here’s a bite-sized roundup of recent food happenings in the Baltimore area.

Covering the James Beard Foundation Awards weekend was eventful, to say the least. It was my first time attending, and I was immediately gobsmacked by the sheer amount of free-flowing food and drink available. The after party was stacked with samples from restaurants and chefs across the country. I covered both the Restaurant & Chef Awards and the Media Awards. (Spoiler: Maryland saw winners in both.)

Also in recent weeks, we reported on a handful of restaurant openings, resurrections and new developments, including brunch chain Eggspectation in the Baltimore Peninsula and fast-casual Indian fusion concept Tikka Shack in Owings Mills. As if this news isn’t tantalizing enough, My Mamas Vegan chef Debonette Wyatt has also taken over restaurant Swadi, which specializes in American, Italian, Indian and Nepalese cuisines. Wyatt will also be operating weekly pop-ups at her new digs, as well as showcasing new vegan dishes with South Asian influences.

Have a news tip? Contact Jane Godiner at jgodiner@baltsun.com or on Instagram as @JaneCraves.

In The Baltimore Sun’s Best: Readers’ Choice 2025 poll, our readers voted on what’s best in the region, from wedding venues and roofers to pediatricians and hair salons. This year’s winners highlight people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction over the last year.

The poll includes more than 550 winners in nearly 200 categories in six areas — Arts & Entertainment, Home & Garden, Food & Drink, Lifestyles & Shopping, Personal Services and People & Media. More than 47,000 ballots were cast, cultivating a list of your favorite museums, pizza joints, boutiques, TV anchors, radio hosts and more.

Best Clothing boutique, Menswear, Shoe store: Gian Marco Menswear

517 N. Charles St. 410-347-7974. gian-marco-menswear.com. 

For what it’s worth, everyone gripes about the prices at this trendy men’s shop.

“They’re entitled,” said Marc Sklar, CEO of the Charles Street boutique that deals in luxury clothing and footwear.

Who would pay $100 for a bow tie, $260 for a cotton shirt or $400 for a pair of crocodile-and-python sneakers?

“Someone who appreciates quality,” Sklar said. “People who come here want a good product. It’s like eating fine steak rather than something from McDonald’s.”

Well-heeled patrons agree. For 35 years, they’ve been buying European dress and casual wear off the fashionable racks at Gian Marco, while touting the top-notch fabrics and customized apparel.

“This stuff is so well made that it will go out of style, and then come back in, before it wears out,” one reviewer wrote online.

“That’s almost true,” Sklar said. “Except that the merchandise we buy is so timeless that it never goes out of style.”

Twice a year, he and co-owner John Massey fly to Italy and browse the high-end clothing factories, awaiting that Eureka! moment.

“We’ve literally climbed through vaults of fabric to find things that are really unique,” Sklar said. “We’re looking for buried treasure.”

Fabric found, they make their orders, mindful of their customers’ breadth.

“Sometimes we have Italian manufacturers produce sizes they would normally not produce,” he said. “They have to understand that there are a lot of big Americans.”

How old are Gian Marco’s clients?

“Age 25 to death,” Sklar said. “We’ve done many of their burials.”

Also weddings, graduations, confirmations and Bar Mitzvahs.

“We’ll go to people’s homes to fit them, or to redo their wardrobes,” the owner said. Truth be told, customers like to peruse the shop in Mount Vernon, if only to hear the good-natured banter between Sklar and Massey. Said the former, “We’ve been in this business so long that John used to dress Moses.”

Have a news tip? Contact Mike Klingaman at jklingaman@baltsun.com and 410-332-6456.

Antiques: Second Chance

Honorable mentions:

The Painted Mill
Vintage Treasures
Cornerstone Antiques and Consignments

Barbershop: Old Line Barbers

Honorable mentions:

Two Bits barbershop
Ernesto’s Barber Shop
Westminster Barbershop

Bicycle shop: Joe’s Bike Shop

Honorable mention:

Bicycle Connection

Bookstore: Barnes & Noble

Honorable mentions:

Ivy Bookshop
Greedy Reeds
Old Fox Books & Coffeehouse

Braiding: The River Oshun

Bridal shop: Gamberdella

Honorable mentions:

Amanda Ritchey Bridal Loft
Elegant Touch Bridal and Tuxedo
Love It! at Stella’s Bridal & Fashions

Brow threading: Beautiful Eyebrow Threading and Sabita’s Threading & Spa (tie)

Honorable mention:

Rhea Eyebrow Threading

Cannabis grower: SunMed Growers

Honorable mentions:

Curio
Curaleaf

Car dealership: Jones Junction

Honorable mentions:

Heritage
Anderson Automotive
Jimmy The Boxer Auto Mall

Clothing boutique: Gian Marco Menswear 

Honorable mentions:

Brightside Boutique
Fells Point Surf Co.
Mason-Mayes (tie)
My Fancy Finds Boutique (tie)

Consignment/resale shop: Habitat for Humanity Restore

Honorable mentions:

Second Chance
Uptown Cheapskate
Goodwill

Day spa: Eeyah Holistic Spa

Honorable mentions:

THE pearl spa
FX Studios
Mindful Moon

Dispensary: GreenLabs

Honorable mentions:

Health for Life
Green Point Wellness
Curaleaf

Gifts: Smyth Jewelers

Honorable mentions:

The Nest on Main
Becket Hitch
Tra CigarDiva

Grocery store: Giant Food

Honorable mentions:

Sprouts
Whole Foods
Green Valley

Gym: Krav Maga Maryland

Honorable mentions:

Club Pilates, Ellicott City
Brick Bodies
YMCA of Central Maryland

Hair salon: Lavish Salon

Honorable mentions:

Jordan Thomas Salon & Spa
K. Co Design Salon
Thirty Hair

Health food/supplement store: MOM’s Organic Market

Jeweler: Smyth Jewelers

Honorable mentions:

Radcliffe Jewelers
Saxons
Charles Nusinov & Sons Jewelers

Liquor store: The Wine Source

Honorable mentions:

Cranbrook Liquors
Bel Air Liquors
Christo’s Discount Liquors

Martial arts: Krav Maga Maryland

Honorable mentions:

US Martial Arts Academy
Monroe Hall Brazilian Jiu Jitsu
US Kuo Shu Academy

Maryland made shatter/wax (cannabis): Sunnies by SunMed Growers

Honorable mention:

Curaleaf

Maryland produced pre roll (cannabis): SunMed Growers

Honorable mentions:

Curio
Curaleaf

Medispa: LUXMODE Aesthetics

Honorable mentions:

Seidenberg, Protzko Eye Associates
Allure Aesthetics
Mason & Friends (tie)
ProMD Tox Bar (tie)

Menswear: Gian Marco Menswear

Honorable mention:

Marcia’s Luxury

Music lessons: Baltimore School of Music

Honorable mentions:

Stages Music Arts
Lutherville Music School
Music Land

Pet goods store: The Mill

Honorable mention:

Howl, McHenry Row

Straehle Invitational Meet

Pool: Padonia Park

Honorable mention:

Jewish Community Center of Greater Baltimore

Produced Maryland edible (cannabis): Sunnies by SunMed Growers

Honorable mention:

Curaleaf

Retirement community: Broadmead

Honorable mentions:

Miller’s Grant
Mercy Ridge
Stella Maris

Shoe store: Gian Marco Menswear

Honorable mentions:

The Good Feet Store
Run Moore
Ma Petite Shoe

Spin class: Rev cycle

Honorable mentions:

Jen McColigan, YMCA of Kent
Resistance Cycle

Yoga studio: Pilates House

Honorable mentions:

THE pearl spa
Yoga Center of Columbia
CorePower Yoga

Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to May. The ballot and results are generated solely by readers’ votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.

More winners
Food & Drink
Personal Services
Arts & Entertainment
People & Media
Home & Garden
Lifestyles & Shopping

In The Baltimore Sun’s Best: Readers’ Choice 2025 poll, our readers voted on what’s best in the region, from wedding venues and roofers to pediatricians and hair salons. This year’s winners highlight people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction over the last year.

The poll includes more than 550 winners in nearly 200 categories in six areas — Arts & Entertainment, Home & Garden, Food & Drink, Lifestyles & Shopping, Personal Services and People & Media. More than 47,000 ballots were cast, cultivating a list of your favorite museums, pizza joints, boutiques, TV anchors, radio hosts and more.

Best Pet day care and Pet groomer: Wagging Lounge Dog Resort

9315 Snowden River Pkwy, Columbia. 443-546-3391. wagginglounge.com

When dogs need a spa day or luxury retreat, Wagging Lounge Dog Resort is there. For nearly 10 years, the business has offered grooming, daycare, boarding and other services for dog parents looking to give their “furry kids” the best experience.

Since he was young, General Manager Jimmy Kim has loved dogs, feeling most incomplete during times he didn’t have a dog. Running the business doesn’t feel like work for him as he’s been “blessed” to work in his passion, he said.

Inspired by their shelter dog, Kim and his wife opened the dog resort in Columbia after previously dog-sitting from their home. With a focus on service, the facility also features spacious glass kennels, outdoor space, self-service bath stations, and enrichment or cuddle time.

“It’s not customer service, it’s more of a culture for us,” Kim said. “We just think that serving the community, serving the customers, is really the biggest thing that we can do, and I think we do a great job of it.”

One of the most popular products is the luxury villas, which often sell out, Kim said. The luxury villas fit up to three dogs from the same family and offer fully-furnished rooms with beds, blankets and pillows.

The dog resort provides a high level of care for dogs and their owners, whom they call “parents,” as well as the community, donating to local high schools and animal shelters. There have been thoughts of expanding, Kim said, but it would be tough to maintain the same level of service.

“We wouldn’t be anything without our staff, who are training and training over and over. And the parents are so wonderful and loving. I mean, it’s great when you have parents who love, they don’t look at their dogs as dogs, I mean, it’s their kids.”

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com, 443-721-5109 or @KierstenHacker on X.

Acupuncturist: Hyeon-Jin Kwon, Redesign Acupuncture

Honorable mentions:

Tom Ingegno, Charm City Integrative Health
Brian Jackson & Marcos Hsu, University of Maryland Orthopaedics | The Warehouse at Camden Yards
The Well Acupuncture

Audiologist: University of Maryland Faculty Physicians

Honorable mentions:

Bay Area Audiology
Emily Taylor, Taylor Listening Center

Auto glass: Dave’s Auto Repair

Auto repair: Hollenshade’s Auto Services

Honorable mentions:

Dave’s Auto Repair
McCormick Auto Body
Hamilton Service Center (tie)
Rebuli Auto Service (tie)

Bank/credit union: First Financial Federal Credit Union of Maryland

Honorable mentions:

SECU – State Employees Credit Union of Maryland
M&T Bank
APG Federal Credit Union

Car wash: Canton Carwash

Honorable mentions:

Royal Farms
Gary’s Auto Detailing

Child care: Embark Education

Honorable mentions:

Beth El Schools
La Petite Academy
Miss Ann’s Day Care

Chiropractor: First Step Chiropractic

Honorable mentions:

Muneses Chiropractic Center
Mary Steiner Thrive Chiropractic

Computer repair: Cheaper Than A Geek

Honorable mention:

Byte Right Support

Dentist: Dental Designs of Maryland

Honorable mentions:

University of Maryland School of Dentistry
RZ Dental Group
Laurel Bush Family Dentistry

Dog trainer/facility: The Coventry School for Dogs & their People

Honorable mentions:

Sit Means Sit
Camp Bow Wow
Best Friends Fur Ever

Dog walker: The Coventry School for Dogs & their People

Honorable mentions:

Camp Bow Wow, Towson
See Spot Walk, Ashley Woodall

Dry cleaner: ZIPS Cleaners

Honorable mention:

Ruxton Cleaners

Eye/vision care: Seidenberg Protzko Eye Associates

Honorable mentions:

The Wilmer Eye Institute
University of Maryland Eye Associates
Baltimore Eye Center (tie)
GBMC Eye Center (tie)

Financial advisor: Williams Asset Management

Honorable mentions:

Harford Financial Group
The Kelly Group
Legacy Financial

Florist: Radebaugh Florist

Honorable mentions:

Richardson’s Florist
Fleurs D’Ave
The Modest Florist

Funeral home: Sol Levinson & Bros.

Honorable mentions:

Mitchell-Wiedefeld Funeral Home
Singleton Funeral & Cremation Services
Haight Funeral Home and Chapel

General practitioner: University of Maryland Family & Community Medicine

Honorable mentions:

Lifebridge Health
Alexa F. Faraday, GBMC
Danny and Gail Jones Primary Care

Hospital: The Johns Hopkins Hospital

Honorable mentions:

University of Maryland Medical Center
Greater Baltimore Medical Center
University of Maryland St. Joseph Medical Center

Insurance company: AAG Insurance Enterprises

Honorable mentions:

Baltimore Equitable Insurance
Greg Marsh, Allstate Insurance

Locksmith: Schott & Son Locksmith Service

Marina: Bowleys Marina

Honorable mentions:

Anchorage Marina
Jim’s Marine

Nail salon: Polished Nails

Honorable mention:

Enchanted Studios

Ob/gyn practice: Capital Women’s Care

Honorable mentions:

University of Maryland Women’s Health Center
Dr. Aimee Jacobs, Aurora Women’s Health
Hoffman and Associates

Orthodontist: University of Maryland School of Dentistry

Honorable mentions:

Bel Air Orthodontics
David Ross Orthodontics
OX Orthodontix

Pediatric dentist: University of Maryland School of Dentistry

Honorable mentions:

Growing Smiles
Joppa Green Pediatric Dentistry

Pediatric practice: University of Maryland Children’s Hospital

Honorable mentions:

University of Maryland Family & Community Medicine
Next Step Pediatrics
Pavilion Pediatrics

Pest control: Atlantic Pest Control

Honorable mentions:

Brody Brothers
EcoShield Pest Solutions

Pet day care: Wagging Lounge Dog Resort

Honorable mentions:

The Coventry School for Dogs & their People
Woofotel
Camp Bow Wow

Pet groomer: Wagging Lounge Dog Resort

Honorable mentions:

The Coventry School for Dogs & their People
Camp Bow Wow
Emily’s Mobile Grooming

Physical therapist: FX Physical Therapy

Honorable mentions:

Mandy Rose, Indigo Physiotherapy
University of Maryland Orthopaedics
Towson Orthopaedic Associates

Tax preparer: Friedman & Associates

Urgent care: Patient First

Honorable mentions:

University of Maryland Urgent Care
MedStar Health Urgent Care
ExpressCare

Veterinary practice: Belvedere Veterinary Center

Honorable mentions:

Falls Road Animal Hospital
Cat and Dog Hospital of Columbia
Homeward Bound Veterinary Services

Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to May. The ballot and results are generated solely by readers’ votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.

More winners
Food & Drink
Personal Services
Arts & Entertainment
People & Media
Home & Garden
Lifestyles & Shopping

In The Baltimore Sun’s Best: Readers’ Choice 2025 poll, our readers voted on what’s best in the region, from wedding venues and roofers to pediatricians and hair salons. This year’s winners highlight people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction over the last year.

The poll includes more than 550 winners in nearly 200 categories in six areas — Arts & Entertainment, Home & Garden, Food & Drink, Lifestyles & Shopping, Personal Services and People & Media.

More than 47,000 ballots were cast, cultivating a list of your favorite museums, pizza joints, boutiques, TV anchors, radio hosts and so much more.

Best Hardware store: Costello’s Ace Hardware

4167 Mountain Road, Pasadena. 410-437-4300. costellosace.com

Customer service puts this hardware store over the top, its manager says. That’s the nuts and bolts of it.

“If someone comes in with a broken plumbing part, or a faucet stem that’s not working, we have people with the experience to show them how to fix it, step by step,” said Brian Fleshman, who oversees a staff of 32 at Costello’s Ace Hardware. “We might spend an hour replacing a key fob in the parking lot. You can’t get help like that in big box stores.”

With 14,000 square feet of space, Costello’s is packed with paints, tools, pipes and wires. So are the chain stores. Here, the staff listens straight-faced (“You won’t believe what got flushed down the toilet”) and walks folks through each step of repairs.

Did the cat shred a screen? Did a ball bust a window? Bring them in for a fix.

“There’s a Home Depot two miles down the road, so good service is a must,” Fleshman said.

Barbecue grills are big sellers; ditto, the sauces and rubs that go with them. Garden supplies move briskly; there’s stuff for all ages, like in an old-time general store.

“Kids come in and head straight for the hot tubs,” the manager said. “We’re family-oriented here.”

Civic-minded, too. Costello’s donates products to community raffles and fundraisers, allowing chosen charities to select any item in the store worth up to $100 for their events.

There are new products to come, the manager says:

“We want to get some sporting goods in here, like fishing rods and tackle, because we’re only three miles from [the Patapsco River].”

After 42 years, the business hasn’t slowed.

“Stuff at home is always breaking,” Fleshman said. “That’s one thing that Amazon is not going to be able to conquer.”

Have a news tip? Contact Mike Klingaman at jklingaman@baltsun.com and 410-332-6456.

Cleaning service: Dave’s Cleaning Consultants

Honorable mentions:

Ivania’s Cleaning Service
Cornerstone Cleaning
Keona’s Cleaning and Janitorial Services

Electrician: Tim Kyle Company

Honorable mentions:

Haas & Sons Electric
Tag Electric

Fence installation: Fence & Deck Connection

Honorable mentions:

C & C Fencing Inc.
Freedom Fence & Deck
Mid-Atlantic Deck & Fence

Flooring and carpeting: Baltimore Floor Supply

Honorable mentions:

Lady Baltimore Floors
Fishman Flooring Solutions

Furniture store: Wolf Furniture

Honorable mentions:

Sofas ETC
Twin Brook Furniture
Mattress Firm

Garden center: Valley View Farms

Honorable mentions:

The Mill
Poor Boy’s Garden Center
Homestead Gardens

Handyman: Today’s Home Renovations

Honorable mention:

Rotondo Construction Company

Hardware store: Costello’s Ace Hardware

Honorable mentions:

Atlantic Tractor
ACE Hardware Canton
Falkenhans Hardware

Home staging: Kate Wunder Interiors

Honorable mention:

Studio A Staging

Homebuilder: Sage Homes

Honorable mentions:

Bob Ward Trademark Homes
Beazer Homes
Huskins Builders

HVAC repair: SM Mechanical

Honorable mentions:

Clarksville Heating and Air
Perry Hall Heating & Air Conditioning
AJ Michaels (tie)
Environmental System Associates (tie)

Interior design: Cornerstone Remodeling

Honorable mentions:

Kate Wunder Interiors
Home by Heather

Landscaper: TDH Landscaping

Honorable mentions:

Lazo Outdoors
The Stone Store
Bay Ridge Landscaping

Moving company: Von Paris Moving & Storage

Honorable mentions:

Making Moves
Childs Express

Painter: Malcolm Stoll

Plumbing: Clarksville Plumbing

Honorable mentions:

Apple Plumbing
Ken Griffin Plumbing Services

Real estate agent: Elisabeth Yeager, Homes and Farms Real Estate

Honorable mentions:

Kelsey Judge, Iron Valley Real Estate Charm City
Kelly Rumbaugh, Homes and Farms Real Estate
Dan McGhee, The Victory Team (tie)
Garceau Realty (tie)

Remodeling: Tar Heel Construction Group 

Honorable mentions:

Cornerstone Remodeling
Clarksville Construction
Bearded Builders

Roofer: Tar Heel Construction Group 

Honorable mentions:

Allied Remodeling
Cole Roofing
Badger Contracting

Rug cleaner: Kleenize Rug Cleaners

Honorable mention:

Borhani Rug Co.

Solar installation: Solar Energy World

Honorable mentions:

Maryland Solar Solutions
American Sentry Solar

Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to May. The ballot and results are generated solely by readers’ votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.

More winners
Food & Drink
Personal Services
Arts & Entertainment
People & Media
Home & Garden
Lifestyles & Shopping

In The Baltimore Sun’s Best: Readers’ Choice 2025 poll, our readers voted on what’s best in the region, from wedding venues and roofers to pediatricians and hair salons. This year’s winners highlight people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction over the last year.

The poll includes more than 550 winners in nearly 200 categories in six areas — Arts & Entertainment, Home & Garden, Food & Drink, Lifestyles & Shopping, Personal Services and People & Media.

More than 47,000 ballots were cast, cultivating a list of your favorite museums, pizza joints, boutiques, TV anchors, radio hosts and so much more.

Best Meteorologist: Justin Berk

justinweather.com

After years in television broadcasting as a meteorologist, Justin Berk has managed to navigate the emerging online and social media space, delivering weather news to millions in the Maryland region.

Berk took the online space by storm, building a platform where he shares forecasts, weather information and unique tidbits throughout the day, uplifting media content from others, too. He sticks to a schedule, with his first post of the day hitting the web by about 6:30 a.m., and holds himself with an air of humility and accountability.

“If there’s anything that I can see, that I can help in my way, my twist, my take, my version of presenting the weather to help people prepare for their stuff, then I feel like I’ve accomplished something,” he said.

Getting the weather “bug” as a child in New York eventually led him to a career on TV, and then to online, in schools and as a weather consultant or adjunct professor. But in building his platform, he’s also been able to focus on the “greater good” through a nonprofit for children’s oncology that he leads, and a trek he hikes and bikes each summer from Wisp Resort to Ocean City, where he honors one child’s story each day.

No one is perfect when predicting the future, Berk said. Whether he gets a forecast right or it’s not quite accurate, he follows the lessons he teaches his son’s baseball team: to be proud and humble when doing something well, because that might not happen all the time.

“And there’s going to be a next time when I don’t hit the forecast right, but I will always go back and look at what happened and try to learn from it,” Berk said. “And that’s the kind of information I share online.”

Have a news tip? Contact Kiersten Hacker at khacker@baltsun.com or @KierstenHacker on X.

Activist: Frank Neighoff, Chesapeake Bay Association

Honorable mentions:

Erricka Bridgeford, Baltimore Peace Movement
Terence O. Hanley, Harford County Parks & Recreation
Juanita Cage Lewis, MD Department of Housing
Reena Shah, MD Access to Justice

Author: Jessica Correnti

Honorable mentions:

C. L. Merklinger
Tom Ingegno
Sara Goodman Confino

Clergyperson: Rabbi Steven Schwartz, Beth El Congregation

Honorable mentions:

Father John Bilenki, Mount Saint Joseph High School
Rabbi Daniel Burg, Beth Am Synagogue
Pastor Rev Ryan E. Spence, New Horizon Baptist Church

College professor: Stacy Knight, Towson University

DJ: Intern John

Honorable mentions:

DJ Steezy
DJ Shay Shanae Chambers
DJ Mike On The Mic

Instagram account: @internjohnradio

Honorable mentions:

@shelbysos
@BaltimoreFoodScene
@calverthallcollege

Meteorologist: Justin Berk 

Honorable mention:

Jasmine Lomax, Fox45

Oriole: Gunnar Henderson

Honorable mentions:

Cedric Mullins
Colton Cowser

Personal trainer: Wendy Abboud, Club Pilates

Honorable mentions:

Joshua Buchbinder, Brick Bodies
Rachel Brenowitz, BodyByBren Fitness
Heather Rockhill, Snap Fitness Fallston

Podcast: The Thought Shower

Honorable mentions:

Crisis on Infinite Podcasts
Healthy Living by Giant

Politician/government: Tony Giangiordano, Harford County Council

Honorable mentions:

Zeke Cohen, Baltimore City Council President
Bob Cassilly, Harford County County Executive

Radio host: Intern John, Z104.3

Honorable mentions:

Greg Carpenter, 101.9
Shelby Sos, Z104.3

Radio station: Z104.3 Baltimore

Honorable mentions:

101.9 FM Baltimore
WYPR 88.1 FM Baltimore
WTMD 89.7 FM Baltimore

Raven: Lamar Jackson

Honorable mention:

Zay Flowers

School principal: Andy Moore, Calvert Hall College High School

Honorable mentions:

Brad Spence, Havre de Grace High School
Chris Hughes, Garrison Forest
Edward Trusty Jr., The St Paul’s School for Boys

Stage actor: Megan Anderson, Everyman Theatre

Visual artist: Rebecca Scheuerman

Honorable mentions:

Reed Bmore
Charlotte Hager
Sonny Lacey

Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to May. The ballot and results are generated solely by readers’ votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.

More winners
Food & Drink
Personal Services
Arts & Entertainment
People & Media
Home & Garden
Lifestyles & Shopping

In The Baltimore Sun’s Best: Readers’ Choice 2025 poll, our readers voted on what’s best in the region, from wedding venues and roofers to pediatricians and hair salons. This year’s winners highlight people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction over the last year.

The poll includes more than 550 winners in nearly 200 categories in six areas — Arts & Entertainment, Home & Garden, Food & Drink, Lifestyles & Shopping, Personal Services and People & Media.

More than 47,000 ballots were cast, cultivating a list of your favorite museums, pizza joints, boutiques, TV anchors, radio hosts and so much more.

Best Bakery: Woodlea Bakery

4905 Belair Road, Baltimore. 410-488-7717. woodleabakery.com.

Eighty-three years ago, this shop sold its first doughnuts. The kitchen has been bustling ever since, baking buns, breads and birthday cakes from scratch for its devotees, some of whom have been coming almost from the start.

“Every year, we make a couple of birthday cakes for [centenarians],” said Charles Hergenroeder, whose family opened the bakery on this spot during World War II and has owned it for four generations (a second Woodlea opened in Bel Air in 2020). That the shop has indulged families for decades speaks to its constancy.

“People tell us, ‘I used to go to church down the road on Sundays and always came in here after for a doughnut,’ ” the owner said. “Or they’ll say, ‘We got every one of our kids’ birthday cakes here, and now we’re getting her wedding cake.’ It’s cool to have a following.”

What’s the draw? Strawberry shortcakes, chocolate honey-dipped doughnuts and tasty danish (apple, cheese and lemon). Customers swear by the peach cake; all fruit comes from local orchards. Some of the goodies don’t make it off the premises.

“I’ve seen guys eating cupcakes on their way out the door,” said Hergenroeder, 33.

Special orders test Woodlea’s mettle: Its staff of 38 has cranked out everything from two-foot sub rolls to a 10-tier wedding cake. Years ago, the director of a film being shot in Baltimore sought the bakery’s help: One scene called for an actor to eat a lump of coal, or facsimile thereof. Woodlea produced a yummy meringue cookie, colored black.

One perk of the job is dealing with an upbeat clientele, Hergenroeder said:

“The good thing about running a bakery is that people don’t come here because they need to. We’re not the dentist or the auto repair shop. People come because they’re happy and they want a treat. They’re in a good mood when they get here.”

And, presumably, when they leave.

Have a news tip? Contact Mike Klingaman at jklingaman@baltsun.com and 410-332-6456.

Asian: Peter Chang Baltimore

Honorable mentions:

Spice and Dice
Azumi
Red Pepper Sichuan Bistro

Bakery: Woodlea Bakery

Honorable mentions:

Cake By Jason Hinsley
Towson Hot Bagel
Dangerously Delicious Pies

Barbecue: Andy Nelson’s

Honorable mentions:

Boog’s BBQ
Bar-B-Q Pit
KOHO

Bartender: Marty, Ryleigh’s Oyster

Honorable mentions:

Nikkea Turner, Rocksalt Grille
Carlos, Maximon
Rodney Henry, Dangerously Delicious HQ-Test Kitchen-BAR

Breakfast/brunch: Miss Shirley’s Cafe

Honorable mentions:

Blue Moon Cafe
Towson Hot Bagel (THB)
Easy Like Sunday

Brewery: Independent Brewing Co.

Honorable mentions:

Union Brewery
Heavy Seas
Peabody Heights

Burger: Kooper’s Tavern

Honorable mentions:

Abbey Burger
Clark Burger
Fuzzies Burgers

Caterer: Liberatore’s Bel Air

Honorable mentions:

Nick’s Fish House
Beefalo Bob’s
Michael’s Cafe, White Marsh

Caribbean: Chef Bobby D’s Restaurant

Chef: Tony Minadakis, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood

Honorable mentions:

Julian Marucci, Tagliata
Zuri Coles, Miss Shirley’s Cafe
Andy Thomas, Schola

Chicken box: Royal Farms

Honorable mentions:

Park’s Fried Chicken
The Original Chicken Box

Chinese: Joey Chu

Honorable mentions:

Chopstix Gourmet
Red Pepper Sichuan Bistro
Luk Fu

Cocktails: Nick’s Fish House

Honorable mentions:

Bluebird Cocktail Room
WC Harlan
Thames Street Oyster House (tie)
The Elk Room (tie)

Coffee: Zeke’s Coffee

Honorable mentions:

Coffee Coffee
Cafe De Leon
Pitango

Crabcake: Pappas Restaurant & Sports Bar

Honorable mentions:

Koco’s Pub
G & M Restaurant
Box Hill Pizzeria and Crab Cakes

Deli: Attman’s Delicatessen

Honorable mentions:

Lenny’s Delicatessen
Ravage Deli
Harbor East Delicatessen & Pizzeria

Dessert: Vaccaro’s Italian Pastry

Honorable mentions:

Baltimore Bomb, Dangerously Delicious
Tagliata

Diner: Double T Diner

Honorable mentions:

Pete’s Grille
Nostalgia Diner

Distillery: Baltimore Spirits Co.

Ethiopian: Dukem Ethiopian Restaurant

Honorable mention:

Tabor Ethiopian Restaurant

Farmers’ market: Pennsylvania Dutch Market

Honorable mentions:

32nd Street Farmers Market
Anne Arundel County Farmers’ Market

Farmers’ market stand: George’s Farm Market

Honorable mention:

Zook’s Family Pretzels

Food hall: R House

Honorable mentions:

Cross Street Market
Belvedere Square

Food truck: Mr. Souvlaki Food Truck

Honorable mentions:

Fuzzies Burgers
Kooper’s Chowhound
Top Nach

Gluten-free: Miss Shirley’s Cafe

Honorable mentions:

Sweet 27
Alexander’s

Happy hour: Claddagh Pub

Honorable mentions:

Birroteca
Tagliata
Michael’s Cafe, White Marsh

Ice cream: Taharka Brothers

Honorable mentions:

Prigel Family Creamery
Bmore Licks
Cold Stone Creamery

Indian: Harbor Tandoor

Honorable mentions:

Namaste
Mint Leaf

Italian: Liberatore’s Bel Air

Honorable mentions:

Amicci’s of Little Italy
Tagliata
Vinny’s Italian Cafe

Japanese: Azumi

Honorable mentions:

Sushi Hana
Arigato Hibachi
Umai Sushi House

Korean: Motte Restaurant

Latin: Taco Love Grill

Honorable mentions:

El Gran Pollo
Maximón
JesseJay’s Latin Inspired Kitchen

Lunch: Frank’s Pizza & Pasta

Honorable mentions:

Kooper’s Tavern
Koco’s Pub
Miss Shirley’s Cafe

Mediterranean: Cava

Honorable mentions:

Ouzo Bay
Yasou Greek Bistro
Estiatorio Plaka

Outdoor dining: Nick’s Fish House

Honorable mentions:

The Oregon Grille
The Choptank
Miss Shirley’s Cafe

Pizza: Frank’s Pizza and Pasta

Honorable mentions:

Ledo Pizza
Underground Pizza Co.
Maria’s

Ramen: Toki Underground

Raw bar: Nick’s Fish House and Ryleigh’s Oyster (tie)

Honorable mentions:

Lib’s Grill Perry Hall
Thames Street Oyster House

Snowball: Icy Delights

Soul food: Granny’s

Honorable mention:

The Reserve Restaurant

Soup: Soup’s On

Honorable mention:

Monarque

Steamed crabs: Conrad’s Seafood

Honorable mentions:

Nick’s Fish House
Ocean Pride
LP Steamers

Taco: Taco Love Grill

Honorable mentions:

La Tolteca
Clavel
Papi’s Tacos

Tea house: Emma’s Tea Spot

Honorable mentions:

Baltimore Tea and Coffee
Cuples Tea House

Thai: Spice and Dice

Vegan: Land of Kush

Honorable mention:

Hue Cafe & Apothecary

View: Nick’s Fish House

Honorable mentions:

Bygone
Barcocina
McFaul’s Ironhorse Tavern

Wedding cake: Sugar Bakers

Honorable mention:

Graul’s Market

Wine list: The Prime Rib

Honorable mention:

Tagliata

Wings: Kislings Tavern

Honorable mentions:

iBar
State Fare
The Local Fry

Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to May. The ballot and results are generated solely by readers’ votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.

More winners
Food & Drink
Personal Services
Arts & Entertainment
People & Media
Home & Garden
Lifestyles & Shopping

In The Baltimore Sun’s Best: Readers’ Choice 2025 poll, our readers voted on what’s best in the region, from wedding venues and roofers to pediatricians and hair salons. This year’s winners highlight people and businesses recognized for outstanding service and customer satisfaction over the last year.

The poll includes more than 550 winners in nearly 200 categories in six areas — Arts & Entertainment, Home & Garden, Food & Drink, Lifestyles & Shopping, Personal Services and People & Media.

More than 47,000 ballots were cast, cultivating a list of your favorite museums, pizza joints, boutiques, TV anchors, radio hosts and so much more.

Best Tourist attraction: National Aquarium

501 E. Pratt St. 410-576-3800. aqua.org

There’s something fishy about the numbers. Last year, 1.3 million people visited the National Aquarium, eager to see the sharks, dolphins and other critters that call it home. In August, the venue logged its 60 millionth guest as one of America’s foremost displays of marine exhibits — from the barramundi, an Asian sea bass that changes sex as it grows, to the Australian lungfish, whose ancestral DNA harks back more than 400 million years.

Here, visitors with otherwise short attention spans may gaze at the watery offerings for hours, giggling at the antics of Atlantic puffins, gasping at the sight of blacktip reef sharks and basking in the biodiversity of the 13,000 organisms that have captivated crowds for 44 years.

“We’re always wiping nose prints and fingerprints off the glass, and not just from kids,” said Emma Wesoloski, the Aquarium’s vice president of marketing. “That speaks to the power of water, and to the animals that live there. People use [their visit] as a time to slow down, to not be on their phones. They have ‘zen moments’ here.”

Routinely, Wesoloski said, the aquarium draws out-of-towners, in Baltimore on business, seeking respites from their work.

“They take time away from the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives,” she said. 80% of visitors hail from outside the Baltimore area, and their habitats are as far-reaching as those of the animals and plants themselves.

A favorite attraction is the jellyfish exhibit, a hands-on display of nine alien-like jellies swimming in a touch pool, along with sting rays and horseshoe crabs.

“People come and fall in love with our animals,” Wesoloski said. Also, with each other. Couples hold engagement parties at the aquarium where, in a tank at the Atlantic Coral Reef exhibit, amid the eels, sharks and turtles, a diver will tap on the glass and hold up a sign from the groom-to-be asking, “Will you marry me?”

Have a news tip? Contact Mike Klingaman at jklingaman@baltsun.com and 410-332-6456.

Bowling: Greenmount Bowl

Honorable mentions:

Parkville Lanes
Perry Hall Lanes

Casino: Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland

Honorable mention:

Horseshoe Casino Baltimore

Charity/nonprofit: Greater North Point Association

Honorable mentions:

Chesapeake Bay Association
Meals on Wheels
Helping Up Mission

College/university: Towson University

Honorable mentions:

University of Maryland, College Park
Loyola University Maryland
Harford Community College

Dog park: Locust Point Dog Park at Latrobe Park

Gallery: Baltimore Museum of Art

Honorable mentions:

Walter’s Art Museum
American Visionary Arts
The Baltimore Art Gallery

Golf course: Mountain Branch Golf Club

Honorable mentions:

Eagle’s Nest Country Club
Bay Hills Golf Club

Museum: B&O Railroad Museum

Honorable mentions:

Baltimore Museum of Art
American Visionary Arts
The Walters Art Museum

Park: Sherwood Gardens

Honorable mentions:

Patterson Park
Cromwell Valley Park
Riverside Park

Private school: Loyola Blakefield

Honorable mentions:

Calvert Hall College High School
Mount Saint Joseph High School
The John Carroll School

Public school: Hereford High School

Honorable mentions:

George Washington Carver Center for Arts and Technology
Baltimore School for the Arts
Centennial High School

Suburb: Columbia

Honorable mentions:

Parkville
Bowleys Quarters
Pasadena

Theater company: Hippodrome Theatre at the France-Merrick Performing Arts Center

Honorable mentions:

Baltimore Center Stage
Toby’s Dinner Theatre
Everyman Theatre

Tourist attraction: The National Aquarium

Honorable mentions:

Fort McHenry
CFG Bank Arena
Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland

Wedding venue: GreyRock Mansion and The Liriodendron Mansion (tie)

Honorable mentions:

Rockfield Manor
Padonia Park
Overhills Mansion (tie)
The Hall at Live! Casino (tie)

Editor’s note: Winners and honorable mentions were determined by popular vote. Readers were invited to nominate and vote online from April to May. The ballot and results are generated solely by readers’ votes. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.

More winners
Food & Drink
Personal Services
Arts & Entertainment
People & Media
Home & Garden
Lifestyles & Shopping

Voting for The Baltimore Sun’s Best 2025 Readers’ Choice contest closes at 5 p.m. May 16.

Results will appear online and in print in June at baltimoresun.com.

Thanks for your participation.

Editor’s note: The nominations and results are generated solely by readers’ votes. Winners and honorable mentions (listed alphabetically) are determined by popular vote. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.

The Most Rev. Bruce Lewandowski made his mark on Baltimore’s Catholic community by serving as pastor of its largest Spanish-speaking church, Sacred Heart of Jesus-Sagrado Corazon de Jesus Parish in Highlandtown, amid a boom in the city’s Latino population between 2016 and 2021. He also helped direct the archdiocese’s historic realignment plan, Seek the City to Come, from 2022 through last year.

“There is so much I love about the Church of Baltimore,” Lewandowski, 57, said in a statement Tuesday. “I will especially miss the Hispanic community. From the start, they welcomed me as one of their own.  We’ve been through so much together. It will be hard to leave them.”

The Most Rev. William E. Lori, the archbishop of Baltimore, made it clear he would miss his second-in-command, a Redemptorist priest who grew up on a farm in rural Lima, Ohio.

“As Auxiliary Bishop, he preached the Gospel far and wide with zeal and effectiveness, greatly strengthened ministry to and among our growing Hispanic community and effectively conducted the Seek to City to Come parish realignment process – and much more,” Lori said in a statement.

“Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese, Bishop Bruce will bring his many gifts, his energy, and his pastoral heart to the People of God in the Providence Diocese.”

Lewandowski will become the tenth bishop of the New England diocese, which serves the entire state of Rhode Island. The diocese includes more than 160 churches, schools and other ministries and features a rapidly growing Hispanic population.

Providence’s leadership seat has been vacant since October 2024, when Bishop Richard Henning became the archbishop of Boston.

Before coming to Baltimore, Lewandowski served as a priest, pastor and vicar in New York, the West Indies and Pennsylvania.

Francis named Lewandowski to the position of auxiliary bishop amid the coronavirus pandemic in 2020, even as the priest was advocating for help for the city’s Spanish-speaking communities and partnering with the city health department and Johns Hopkins Hospital to operate free testing sites at Sacred Heart of Jesus.

Seek the City to Come, a process that drew on feedback from parishioners, clerics and parish leaders, cut the number of parishes in Baltimore and nearby communities from 61 to 23 amid losses in Mass attendance and donations, as well as high maintenance costs, mostly through closures and mergers. Most of the mergers took place in late 2024.

Have a news tip? Contact Jonathan M. Pitts at jonpitts@baltsun.com.

Nominations for The Baltimore Sun’s Best 2025 Readers’ Choice contest close at 5 p.m. April 11.

Voting will take place from 9 a.m. April 28 to 5 p.m. May 16.

Results will appear online and in print in June at baltimoresun.com/best.

Thanks for your participation.

Editor’s note: The nominations and results are generated solely by readers’ votes. Winners and honorable mentions (listed alphabetically) are determined by popular vote. The Baltimore Sun does not take responsibility for the services offered or advertised by those listed.