Written by Peggy Sturdivant

Live Music Venue: Tractor Tavern

This was no contest with Tractor Tavern taking the category without another venue in its wake.

Best Bartender: Drew at Hazlewood

Clearly, Ballard has an amazing selection of watering holes and patrons will always have their favorites, but Drew at Hazelwood was a clear frontrunner.

Hazelwood has been described as Ballard's smallest bar. Whether or not this measures up in terms of square footage the Market Street newcomer must pack a wallop because it appears on this year's Best of Ballard list for its bartender and "Happy Hour."

Best Cocktail: BalMar

When voters made their selections, listing 19 venues worthy of Best Cocktail, they should have been required to list the specific drink. BalMar received the bulk of the votes with Hazelwood in a strong showing for second. Imagine if all those votes actually represent a different cocktail for every voter.

Best Happy Hour: Matador

No overlap with the Best Cocktail or the Best Bartender in this category. The drinks and food may be stellar at many venues but when it comes to voting for Happy Hour it is all about the scene. Or when it comes to the warm months when Matador's Happy Hour extends to the largest outdoor seating area in Ballard perhaps "see and be seen" would be even more appropriate. Matador took this category by a storm, and probably many Margueritas and incredible prices on their early and late Happy Hour bites.

Best Bar/Pub: Hazlewood

This category boasted the longest list of candidates with Matador and Copper Gate giving Hazelwood serious competition. But when the votes were counted Hazelwood was frontrunner as Best Bar/Pub proving it is not about the square footage, rather the quality per inch.

Best Bakery: Larsen’s Bakery

Cafe Besalu has weekend lines out the door and the Great Harvest is a perpetual source of warm bread and cinnamon roll comfort on Market Street but Larsen’s at the corner of Northwest 80th and 24th Northwest still takes the category.

Larsen's has been a Ballard fixture for umpteen years. I've never seen a line, but then I've never been there when the doors open at 6 a.m. for Kringle. Ballard has changed greatly in recent years, but when it comes to Best Bakery, Scandinavian roots still rule this category.

Best Seafood/Chowder: Ray's Boathouse

Perhaps the voting for this category should have acknowledged that Ray's Boathouse would win so handily and asked people for their choice of best seafood and chowder on the killer deck days when it will impossible to get a seat upstairs at Ray's. Ivars and Anthony's were strong contenders in this category but when it came to first place, could it be that Ray's had a slight advantage with the choice of fine dining downstairs and cafe, bar and deck right on the water?

Best Food Under $10: Than Brothers Pho

The voting range in this category reads like an insider's guide to Ballard's hidden treasures, with a record 30 choices receiving reader recommendations. But the top three restaurants for Best Food under $10 emerged as Subway, Dante's Hot Dogs and in the top billing, Than Tho Brothers, where it's not whether you're having pho but what you want in your pho.

Best Sandwich: Other Coast Cafe

So many choices, and such range in possible selections, from Purple Cow Espresso to newcomers like Kiss Cafe, but Other Coast Cafe was a clear winner. Great Harvest Bakery and Subway were in second and third place respectively.

Ballard has MANY great restaurants, great bars and great bakeries but in this category, Other Coast and Subway are the most focused on the art of the sandwich.

Best Pizza: Snoose Junction

Judging by all the new entries (and they’re still coming) in eateries featuring pizza, 2008 should have been billed as the Year of the Pizza in Ballard. It will be interesting to see how the category shakes out in 2009 as the choices for fresh, wood-fired pizzas extends to all the outer reaches of the neighborhood but this year Snoose Junction still rules as No. 1. This was no photo finish with family-friendly, pedal-power folks at Snoose Junction clearly establishing itself in its few short years.

Second and third place are tied between the citywide Pagliacci and Ballard Avenue's own Madame K's. This may call for a full-time pizza reporter, any volunteers?

Best Burger: Hamburger Harry’s

This win qualifies for an upset. Hamburger Harry's turned on their flashy sign on the southwest corner of Market and 24th just weeks before this year's ballots were cast.

Followed closely by Zak's and Scooter's in the burger category it will be interesting to see how this competition stacks up next year. Clearly, all the forerunners serve superior hamburgers, could it be that customers like to be able to have a beer and big screen television on the side? Welcome to Ballard Harry.

Best Coffee Shop: Java Bean

Java Bean comes back to the first place this year (after fierce competition with Equal Exchange last year). Advertised as "for the benefit and enjoyment of the people since 1989," Java Bean is still the quintessential coffee house, cozy but lively for all ages.

Best Restaurant: Lombardi’s

Lombardi's is in their 20th year in the corner spot of the Ballard Building and have been torturing garlic lovers for every one of them. Ballard has an amazing selection of restaurants but it is heartwarming to see Lombardi's as Best Restaurant for yet another year. From the Garlic Festival to $15 wine nights it delivers consistently good food and an atmosphere that is always suitable for all ages, even Uncle Clarence visiting from Indiana.

Best Local Paper: Ballard News-Tribune

Your source for comprehensive and in-depth local reporting since 1891. Enough said!

Best Pet Care: Petco

Did you know that Petco on Holman Road has regularly scheduled visits from a pet psychic? No wonder they beat other establishments, including veterinary clinics for this honor. A vet can tell you that your dog needs to lose weight, but the psychic can explain why. It's Animal Planet on Crown Hill.

Best Grocery Store: Ballard Market

If downtown Ballard is the heart of Ballard, Town & Country's Ballard Market is a vital organ. Wine knowledge, organics, fresh fish, meat choices, bulk foods, floral, gifts and tasty to-go foods on a 24-hour basis, Ballard Market beats all.

From the familiar cashiers to the community reader board, from the 1 percent receipt donations to the W-E-L-C-O-M-E and T-H-A-N-K-S written at the entrances and exits of a parking lot that still allows enough room to park a car.

Best Auto Repair: Dr. Dan's Automotive

Sometimes people like to keep secret the masterminds who keep their cars running. But Dr. Dan's fans are too avid; they want others to know that they're the tops.

Best Haircut: (Tie) Supercuts, Rudy's and Haven

What are the chances of a three-way tie? Obviously as good, if not better, than the possibility of great haircut from one of these three. Supercuts goes way back and Rudy's is downright established on Ballard Avenue. Haven is the newcomer, taking over a location that comes with a garden on 24th Northwest.

Best Florist: Ballard Blossom

It's impossible for another florist to compete with Ballard Blossom. Who doesn't dream that the Ballard Blossom delivery is meant for them? Although voters noted that the fresh bouquets sold at the Sunday Farmer's Market are gorgeous too (but no delivery).

Best Customer Service: (Tie) Ballard Smokeshop and Great Harvest Bread

There's a always a sample of fresh bread at Great Harvest and a very welcoming staff. The Ballard Smokeshop's first place tie is very intriguing; I've always been scared off by the word "smoke." But the public knows their stuff, especially when it comes to customer service.

Best New Business: Hamburger Harryy's

Congratulations to this business making it to the "Best of Ballard" list so quickly as best burger and best new business.

Best Thrift/Consignment Store: Goodwill

Goodwill's inventory can change daily and I know people who therefore shop daily. Along with Value Village, Classic Consignment, Ballard shoppers know where to find the best in gently used treasures.

Best Boutique: Camelion Design

Camelion Design makes a person want to change their entire style; that's great retail. Home. Body. Soul. Improve them all.

Best Book Store: Epilogue Books

The book stores just keep getting better and better in Ballard, offering old and new. This year first place goes to Epilogue Books, in addition to a great selection of books and gifts, it has never been easier to receive store credit towards more books!

Best Place to bring a date: BalMar

Is it the cocktails or the trivia, the food or the pool tables? Must be all of the above because BalMar won handily.