Best of the Twin Cities: The Winners

BEST PLACE TO HIKE (URBAN): Nicollet Island

BEST PLACE TO HIKE (WOODSY): Winchell Trail

BEST BIKE TRAIL: The Midtown Greenway

BEST PICNIC SPOT: Como Park

BEST DAY TRIP:

BEST BEACH: Hidden Beach -- Readers' Choice: Calhoun Beach

BEST PLACE TO JOG: Lake of the Isles

BEST PLACE TO ROLLERBLADE: Rollerdome

BEST TENNIS COURTS: Augsburg Park

BEST GOLF COURSE: Francis A. Gross

BEST SLEDDING: Theodore Wirth Park

BEST PLACE TO CROSS-COUNTRY SKI: Lebanon Hills Regional Park

BEST PLACE TO ICE-SKATE: The Depot Skating Rink -- Readers' Choice: The Depot

BEST BOWLING ALLEY: AMF Southtown Lanes -- Readers' Choice: Bryant-Lake Bowl

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD GYM: YWCA Midtown

BEST PLACE TO LEARN TO DANCE: Tapestry Folkdance Center

BEST PLACE TO PRACTICE JUGGLING: Minnesota Neverthriving Meetings

BEST BATTING CAGE: Amusement City

BEST BOXING GYM: Glancey's Gym

BEST BOXER: Will Grigsby

BEST TIMBERWOLVES PLAYER:Sam Mitchell -- Readers' Choice: Kevin Garnett

BEST VIKINGS PLAYER: Randy Moss -- Readers' Choice: Randy Moss

BEST TWINS PLAYER: Matt Lawton -- Readers' Choice: Brad Radke

BEST LYNX PLAYER: Betty Lennox -- Readers' Choice: Katie Smith

BEST WILD PLAYER: Marian Gaborik -- Readers' Choice: Manny Fernandez

BEST HIGH SCHOOL ATHLETE: Joe Mauer

BEST COLLEGE ATHLETE: Ben Hamilton -- Readers' Choice: Dusty Rychart, University of Minnesota Gophers men's basketball

BEST COACH: Dan Monson -- Readers' Choice: Flip Saunders

BEST CHUTZPAH: Gophers football coach Glen Mason

BEST CLASS ACT: J.B. Bickerstaff

BEST JOCKEY: Derek Bell

BEST CASINO: Mystic Lake Casino Hotel

BEST PLACE TO LOSE YOUR SHIRT: Canterbury Park Card Club

BEST BINGO GAME: West Seventh Bingo

BOUGHT & SOLD

BEST TATTOO PARLOR: Electric Dragonland Tattoo Studio

BEST BODY PIERCING: Saint Sabrina's Parlor in Purgatory

BEST BABY GOODS STORE: Babies "R" Us

BEST HEMP STORE: Third Stone From the Sun

BEST CHILDREN'S BOOKSTORE: The Red Balloon Bookshop

BEST BOOKSTORE (NEW): Ruminator Books -- Readers' Choice: Barnes & Noble

BEST BOOKSTORE (USED): Midway Books -- Readers' Choice: Half Price Books

BEST BARGAIN VINYL: Root Cellar Records

BEST PLACE TO BUY VINYL: Let It Be Records

BEST CD STORE (USED): Cheapo Discs -- Readers' Choice: Cheapo Discs

BEST CD STORE (NEW): The Electric Fetus -- Readers' Choice: Best Buy

BEST CD STORE (CLASSICAL): Cheapo Discs

BEST COMIC-BOOK SHOP: Big Brain Comics

BEST ELECTRONICS (AUDIOPHILE): Audio Perfection

BEST ELECTRONICS (PROLETARIAN): Best Buy

BEST MUSIC STORE (CORPORATE BEHEMOTH): Guitar Center

BEST MUSIC STORE (LOCAL YOKEL): Encore Music

BEST PAWNSHOP: Hy's Loan Office & Pawn Brokers

BEST THRIFT STORE: Arc of Hennepin County

BEST USED FURNITURE (CHEAPER THAN DIRT): Goodwill Industries, Inc.

BEST USED FURNITURE
(VINTAGE): Theatre Antiques

BEST USED CLOTHING
(UPSCALE): Rodeo Drive Consignment Boutique

BEST CLOTHING STORE
(VINTAGE): The Corner Store

BEST LAUNDROMAT: Vend-A-Wash Inc.

BEST USED CLOTHING
(DOWNSCALE): Disabled American Veterans Thrift Store

BEST BOUTIQUE: Local Motion Clothing

BEST MALL: Mall of America -- Readers' Choice: Mall of America

BEST TOY STORE: Sister Fun -- Readers' Choice: Creative Kidstuff

BEST BIKE SHOP: Penn Cycle -- Readers' Choice: Erik's Bike Shop

BEST SPORTING GOODS STORE: Play It Again Sports

BEST TOBACCONIST: Minnesota Cigar Company

BEST HARDWARE STORE: Seven Corners Ace Hardware Inc. -- Readers' Choice: Home Depot

BEST CAR WASH: Paradise Car Wash -- Readers' Choice: Downtowner Car Wash

BEST FLORIST: Roger Beck Florist

BEST HOTEL: The Saint Paul Hotel -- Readers' Choice: Saint Paul Hotel

BEST GARDEN CENTER: Linder's Greenhouse Garden Center -- Readers' Choice: Bachman's

BEST LOCAL INTERNET SERVICE PROVIDER: Vector Internet Services, Inc.

BEST ART SUPPLIES: Wet Paint Inc.

BEST PLACE TO RENT FOREIGN FILMS: Intercontinental Video

BEST VIDEO RENTAL: Discount Video

BEST BED AND BREAKFAST: Covington Inn

BEST YARN SHOP: Depth of Field

BEST RETAIL FLASHBACK TO THE 1970s: Mayday Bookstore

RESTAURANTS

BEST LOCAL CHEF: Tim McKee

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT--CHEAP: Pane Vino Dolce -- Readers' Choice: Buca di Beppo

BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT--NOT CHEAP: Ristorante Luci -- Readers' Choice: Buca di Beppo

BEST FRENCH RESTAURANT: The New French Café -- Readers' Choice: New French Café

BEST WINE LIST: Modern Café -- Readers' Choice: Lucia's Wine Bar

BEST RESTAURANT FOR APPETIZERS: Loring Pasta Bar

BEST RESTAURANT FOR DESSERT: Cafe Latté -- Readers' Choice: Cafe Latté

BEST RESTAURANT FOR LATE-NIGHT DINING: Café Barbette -- Readers' Choice: Pizza Lucé

BEST RESTAURANT FOR ROMANCE: La Belle Vie -- Readers' Choice: Loring Cafe & Bar

BEST PLACE TO EAT OUT WITH YOUR KIDS: Convention Grill

BEST VEGETARIAN-FRIENDLY RESTAURANT: Cafe Brenda -- Readers' Choice: Mud Pie Vegetarian Restaurant

BEST NEW RESTAURANT: Chino Latino

BEST SUNDAY BRUNCH: erté

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD CAFÉ--MINNEAPOLIS: Auriga

BEST NEIGHBORHOOD CAFÉ--ST. PAUL: Mildred Pierce Café

BEST COFFEE HOUSE: Swede Hollow Café

BEST RESTAURANT FOR A FIRST DATE: Sapor Cafe and Bar

BEST MAD GENIUS: Patrick Atanalian

BEST INDIAN RESTAURANT: Sri Lanka Restaurant -- Readers' Choice: Taste of India

BEST EAST AFRICAN RESTAURANT: Blue Nile Restaurant and Lounge

BEST GREEK RESTAURANT: It's Greek to Me

BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT: Chiapas -- Readers' Choice: Don Pablo's Mexican Kitchen

BEST MIDDLE EASTERN RESTAURANT: Sindbad Café and Market -- Readers' Choice: Jerusalem's

BEST DIM SUM: Yangtze Restaurant

BEST THAI RESTAURANT: King and I -- Readers' Choice: Sawatdee

BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT: Dragon Court -- Readers' Choice: Rainbow Chinese Restaurant & Bar

BEST VIETNAMESE RESTAURANT: Quang Restaurant -- Readers' Choice: Lotus Restaurant

BEST JAPANESE RESTAURANT: Fuji Ya -- Readers' Choice: Fuji Ya