Best Independent Bookstore
Chop Suey Books
Readers' Pick
Although Chop Suey isn’t a decade old, this quirky, reliable store as been a center of literary cool for much longer. Established in 2002 near Virginia Commonwealth University in the former George’s Chop Suey Chinese restaurant, it is now at 2913 W. Cary St., where it offers two floors of carefully curated, nearly new books. The selection of art, photography and architecture books is unparalleled in Richmond.
422-8066
chopsueybooks.com
Second Place: Fountain Bookstore
Third Place: Black Swan Books
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Intro
Arts, Culture and Entertainment
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- Best Annual Benefit Gala
- Best Arts Event
- Best Arts Gallery
- Best Book About Richmond
- Best Country Band
- Best Drag Performer
- Best Film Festival
- Best Hip-Hop Artist or Group
- Best Large Venue to See a Band
- Best Local Actor
- Best Local Actress
- Best Local Author
- Best Local Authors Who Actually Live Here
- Best Local Comedian
- Best Local Fashion Blowout
- Best Local Music Festival
- Best Local Music Series
- Best Local Photographer
- Best Local Poets
- Best Local Theater Company
- Best Local Visual Artist
- Best Movie Theater
- Best Museum
- Best Place for Karaoke
- Best Richmond Cover Band
- Best Rock Band
- Best Singer and Songwriter
- Best Small Venue to See a Band
- Best Small Venues That Are Actually Small Venues
- Best Stops Off the Main Drag
- Best Underground Venue for Music or Arts
- Local Comedy Group
- Most Eye-Popping Sight at the Richmond Folk Festival
- Most Noir Places in Richmond
- Mural We Miss the Most
- My Biggest Bomb
- My Top 5 Byrd Theatre Movie Memories
- Richmond’s Best Jazz Bands
- The Smoothest Life
Food and Drink
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- Best Asian Restaurant
- Best Barbecue
- Best Breakfast
- Best Brunch
- Best Burger
- Best Caterer
- Best Cheap Lunch
- Best Coffeehouse for Coffee
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- Best Comfort Foods Not Yet on Richmond Menus
- Best Comfort or Soul Food Restaurant
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- Best Diner
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- Best Farmers’ Market
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- Best Food to Grow Here This Summer
- Best Food Truck or Cart
- Best Fried Chicken
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- Best Late-Night Dining
- Best Local Food Product
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- Best Lunch
- Best Mexican Restaurant
- Best New Reasons to Go Vegetarian in Richmond
- Best Outdoor Dining Experience
- Best Pizza
- Best Place to Overhear Restaurant Drama
- Best Places to Drop a Bundle on Wine
- Best Places to Find Offal on a Richmond Menu
- Best Restaurant Beer List
- Best Restaurant for a Romantic Evening
- Best Restaurant for Vegetarians
- Best Restaurant Service
- Best Restaurant Wine List
- Best Richmond Chef
- Best Sports Bar and Grill
- Best Steakhouse
- Best Sushi
- Best Undiscovered Restaurant
- Best Wine Bar
- Dumbest Questions Asked at a Richmond Farmers’ Market
- Greenest To-Go
- If I Were Mayor
- Man Most Likely to be Dining Out
- Man Most Likely to Out-Catch You in Catfish
- Most Dangerous Desserts
- Most Enjoyable Way to Get Indigestion
- Most Exposed Food Guy
- Most Interesting Academic Detours for Local Chefs
- Worst Ways to Woo on a Dinner Date
Goods and Services
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- Best (Existing) Supermarket
- Best Adult Novelty Store
- Best Advice on Getting a Tattoo You Won’t Regret
- Best Alternative Health Services
- Best Alternative Uses of Sex Toys
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- Best Arts and Crafts Store
- Best Auto-Service Shop
- Best Baby Store
- Best Beer-Wine Selection at a Convenience Store
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- Best Fine Jewelry Store
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- Best Florist
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- Best Hotel or Inn
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- Best Lawn and Garden Care
- Best Local Architect
- Best Local Attorney
- Best Local Fashion Boutique
- Best Local Furniture Store
- Best Local Place to Buy Music
- Best Local Women’s Clothing Store
- Best Massage Therapy
- Best Pediatrician
- Best Personal Training
- Best Pet Suites
- Best Pet-Centric Store
- Best Place to Board Your Pet
- Best Place to Buy a Car
- Best Place to Buy a Church Crown
- Best Place to Buy a Men’s Suit
- Best Place to Buy Beer
- Best Place to Buy Wine
- Best Place to Buy Women’s Evening Wear
- Best Place to Revisit 1996
- Best Place to Shoot a Deer
- Best Places for Drag Queens to Buy Shoes
- Best Preschool or Day Care
- Best Real Estate Agent
- Best Shoe Store
- Best Shopping District
- Best Spa
- Best Special-Event Venue
- Best Sporting Goods Store
- Best Tailor
- Best Tattoo Artist
- Best Tattoo Parlor
- Best Tech Tabby
- Best Thrift or Consignment Store
- Best Toy Store
- Best Used Bookstore
- Best Veterinarian
- Best Vintage Clothing Store
- Best Waiting Room
- Best Way to Furnish Your House on the Cheap
- Best Women’s Services Doctor
- Best Women’s Shoe Store
- Best Yoga Studio
- Cheapest House (and the Best Pitch to Buy It)
- Dirtiest Race for Richmond Athletes
- If I Had a Million Dollars
- Joe Tate’s Worst Shock
- Most Embarrassing Items Left in Customers’ Cars
- Most Exotic Warehouse
- Most Permanent Civic Pride
- Richmond’s Buffest Vegans
- Richmond’s Greatest Surgeon
- Richmond’s Most Popular Cosmetic Surgery Procedures
- Top Four Strangest Requests Fielded by Pleasants’ Employees (Pleasantly)
Living and Recreation
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- Best Bathroom for Foolin’ Around
- Best Day Trip from Richmond
- Best Day Trip That Don’t Get No Respect
- Best Local Landmark
- Best Neighborhood
- Best Outdoor Sports Event
- Best Park
- Best Place for Extreme Sports
- Best Place to Cycle
- Best Place to Golf
- Best Place to Hike
- Best Place to Run
- Best Place to Swim
- Best Place to Take Out-of-Town Visitors
- Best Place to Take Your Dog
- Best Playground
- Best Public Bathroom
- Best Reason to Live in Richmond
- Best River Places You’ve Never Been
- Most Eligible Mascot
- Most Missed Bike Event
- Most Thrilling Illegal Activity
- Most Very Richmond Richmonder
- Richmond’s Best Hidden Gem
- Richmond’s Favorite Food
- Richmond’s Most Recent Obsessions
- The Latest on E. Coli
Nightlife
- All
- 12 Best Bars for Smoking
- 5 Bartenders Better Than Me
- Best Bar (Carytown to the Fan)
- Best Bar (Downtown to Shockoe Bottom)
- Best Bar (Mechanicsville and East End)
- Best Bar (South Side)
- Best Bar (West End and Short Pump)
- Best Bar Food
- Best Bar for a Quiet Drink
- Best Bar for Daytime Drinking
- Best Bar for Hooking Up
- Best Bar Off the Beaten Path
- Best Bartender
- Best Club DJ
- Best Dance Club
- Best Day-After-Drinking Brunches
- Best Gay Bar
- Best Gentlemen’s Club
- Best Happy Hour
- Best New Bar
- Best Overall Bar
- Best Richmond Hook-Up Advice From a Local Bail Bondsman on Twitter:
- Best Taxi or Shuttle Service
- My Foulest Night as a Bouncer
- Perri’s Party Starters
- Richmond’s Favorite Shots
- Sexiest Bar Staff
People, Politics and Media
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- Best Business Leader
- Best Local Do-gooder
- Best Local Meteorologist
- Best Local Radio Personality
- Best Local Radio Show
- Best Local Radio Station for Music
- Best Local Radio Station for Talk
- Best Local Tumblr Blog
- Best Local Undiscovered Twitter Feed
- Best Meetup for People Into Technology or Social Media
- Best Place to Put a New Ballpark
- Best Place to Put a New Coliseum
- Best Place to Run Into the Undead
- Best Public Servant
- Best Rip-Off Artists in Richmond History
- Best Sports Radio Host or TV Sports Reporter
- Best TV Newscast
- Biggest Taxpayer Boondoggle
- Juiciest Local Scandal
- Local Celebrity You’d Most Like to Vacation With
- Local Issue You’re Most Sick Of
- Local Newscaster You Most Want to Return to the Airwaves
- Local Politician Most in Need of a Wake-Up Call
- Local Story Most Overlooked by News Media
- Most Feared Public Servant
- Most Promising Side Hustles for Shaka Smart
- Most Trusted Local Broadcaster, TV or Radio
- Most Unsung Local Hero
- Public Official We’d Most Like to See Accidentally Eat a Pot Brownie:
- Richmond’s 12 Most-Followed Twitter Feeds
- Six Degrees of Social Media
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