JaxBest winners guide: The spots that make Jacksonville shine

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Showcasing the best that Jacksonville has to offer, JaxBest is a voter-centric guide to all of the local things that make our city unique.

Here’s a look at the winners from 2020-2021.

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Want to see all the winners from the year before? Click here.


Round 1 winners

Jacksonville’s best animal attraction: St. Augustine Wild Reserve

Runners up:

2) Celestial Farms 3) Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens

Jacksonville’s best brewery: SJ Brewing Company

Runners up:

2) Wicked Barley Brewing Company 3) Legacy Ale Works

Jacksonville’s best coffee shop: That Coffee Chic

Runners up:

2) Java Game Haus Café 3) Maple Street Biscuit

Jacksonville’s best dog park: BrewHound Dog Park + Bar

Runners up:

2) Dogwood Park of Jacksonville 3) Julington Creek Animal Walk

Jacksonville’s best fishing charter: Team Buck Rogers

Runners up:

2) River City Charters 3) The Legend Fishing Adventures

Jacksonville’s best golf course: Jacksonville Golf & Country Club

Runners up:

2) Cimarrone Golf Club 3) Jacksonville Beach Golf Club

Jacksonville’s best public art: Spiritualized Life, Memorial Park Riverside

Runners up:

2) Jax Beach Whales 3) Guido Van Helten: “Unity”

Jacksonville’s best surf spot: Hanna Park – Mayport Poles

Runners up:

2) Blow Hole Anastasia Beach St. Augustine 3) Huguenot Park

Jacksonville’s best local trail: Jacksonville Arboretum and Gardens

Runners up:

2) Black Creek Park and Trail 3) Spanish Pond Trailhead

Jacksonville’s best water sports rentals: Amelia Island Kayak Excursions

Runners up:

2) Riptide Beach Services and Tours 3) Amelia Island Adventures Kayaking


Round 2 winners

Jacksonville’s best family-friendly park: Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park

Runners up:

2) Ed Austin Regional Park 3) South Beach Park & Sunshine Playground

Jacksonville’s best live music: Blue Jay Listening Room

Runners up:

2) Florida Theatre 3) Iggy’s Bar and Grill

Jacksonville’s best place to dock and dine: Whitey’s Fish Camp

Runners up:

2) Palm Valley Outdoors Bar & Grill 3) Palm’s Fish Camp

Jacksonville’s best sports bar to watch Jaguars play: Big Dawgs Sports Restaurant

Runners up:

2) The Brix Taphouse 3) Mudville Grille

Jacksonville’s best sunset view: Sunset Tiki Bar, Doctors Lake Marina

Runners up:

2) Palms Fish Camp 3) Cap’s on the Water

Jacksonville’s best tacos: Taco Lu

Runners up:

2) El Agave Azul 3) Casa Leon Mexican Restaurant


Round 3 winners

Jacksonville’s best vegan restaurant: TeaPosh Natural Café

Runners up:

2) Murray Hillbilly 3) KraVegan

Jacksonville’s best sandbar: Pineapple Point

Runners up:

2) Bayard Point Sandbar 3) Fort George Island Sandbar

Jacksonville’s best kayak and paddleboard launch site: Dutton Island Park & Preserve

Runners up:

2) Nocatee Kayak Launch 3) Camp Chowenwaw Park Launch

Jacksonville’s best restaurant for Mayport shrimp: Sandollar Restaurant

Runners up:

2) Shrimply Delicious 3) Palms Fish Camp

Jacksonville’s best farmers market: Orange Park Farmers Market

Runners up:

2) Jacksonville Farmers Market 3) Riverside Arts Market

Jacksonville’s best historic neighborhood: Murray Hill

Runners up:

2) Historic Springfield 3) Riverside/Avondale


Round 4 winners

Jacksonville’s best Oktoberfest: German Schnitzel Haus

Runners up:

2) Five Points Oktoberfest 3) Wicked Barley Oktoberfest

Jacksonville’s best bait shop: Steve’s Tackle Box

Runners up:

2) Black Creek Marina 3) Arlington Bait & Tackle

Jacksonville’s best sweet shop: Southern Dessert Plate

Runners up:

2) Funnel Cake Queen 3) Cupcake Fifty Etc.

Jacksonville’s best history museum: Mandarin Museum & Historical Society

Runners up:

2) Beaches Museum & History Park 3) Durkeeville Historical Society

Jacksonville’s best haunted house: CUI Holler–ween Fest

Runners up:

2) 13th Floor Haunted House 3) Haunt Nights at Adventure Landing

Jacksonville’s best boutique: Classic Maven

Runners up:

2) Simply Ke’say Boutique 3) Market Street Boutique


Round 5 winners

Jacksonville’s best rooftop bar: River & Post

Runners up:

2) Oktoberfest Lager, Intuition Ale Works 3) Pumpkin Beer, Wicked Barley

Jacksonville’s best barbecue: Woodpeckers Backyard BBQ

Runners up:

2) The Bearded Pig 3) ABBQ Meat & Drink

Jacksonville’s best locally brewed fall beer: Aard-Toberfest, Aardwolf Brewing

Runners up:

2) Black Sheep Restaurant 3) Cowford Chophouse

Jacksonville’s best pumpkin patch: Mandarin United Methodist Church

Runners up:

2) Isle of Faith Pumpkin Patch 3) Amazing Grace Family Farms

Jacksonville’s best kids attraction: Bay & Bee

Runners up:

2) Jacksonville Zoo & Gardens 3) Black Raven Pirate Ship

Jacksonville’s best local band: Mandalla Music Band

Runners up:

2) GFM Band 3) Dancing With Ghost


Round 6 winners

Jacksonville’s best makery: Paisley Grace Makery

Runners up:

2) Atlantic Beach Arts Market 3) Amelia Makery

Jacksonville’s best holiday event: Deck The Chairs

Runners up:

3-way tie: 2) Nutcracker 2) Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens Zoolights 2) St. Johns Town Center Holiday Spectacular

Jacksonville’s best lights display: Girvin Road

Runners up:

2) St. Augustine Nights of Lights

Jacksonville’s best scenic trail: Timucuan Preserve

Runners up:

2-way tie: 2) Jacksonville Arboretum & Gardens 2) Jennings State Forest Pioneer Trail

Jacksonville’s best happy hour: Bistro Aix

Runners up:

2) Cheers Park Avenue 3) The Volstead

Jacksonville’s best food truck: Bawk Bawk Chicken Truck

Runners up:

2) Abstrakt Filipino Essence 3) Khloe’s Kitchen


Round 7 winners

Jacksonville’s best wine bar: Coastal Wine Market & Tasting Room

Runners up:

2) The Wine Bar 3) Vito’s Italian Restaurant

Jacksonville’s best pizza: D&LP Subs

Runners up:

2) V Pizza 3) Tony D’s New York Pizza

Jacksonville’s best gym or place for Crossfit: Brandon Fitness

Runners up:

2) BEAST Performance 3) PhysWell Fitness & Rehab

Jacksonville’s best meal prep: Ready Prep Go

Runners up:

2) Lean Impact Nutrition 3) Island Fresh

Jacksonville’s best breakfast: The Avenue Grill

Runners up:

2) The Open Grill Café 3) Metro Diner

Jacksonville’s best yoga studio: Rebel Studio

Runners up:

2) Grow Happy Family Yoga 3) Power Yoga San Marco


Round 8 winners

Jacksonville’s best burger: The Avenue Grill

Runners up:

2) Jumping Jax House of Food 3) Epik Burger

Jacksonville’s best chocolate shop: Peterbooke Chocolatier

Runners up:

2) Makenu Chocolate 3) Sweet Pete’s

Jacksonville’s best bed and breakfast: Carriage Way Inn

Runners up:

2) St. Francis Inn 3) Casablanca Inn

Jacksonville’s best flower shop: Hurst Florist

Runners up:

2) Kuhn Flowers 3) Arlington Flower Shop

Jacksonville’s best jewelry store: Kingsley Jewelry

Runners up:

2) Pickett Brothers Jewelers 3) Midnight Sun Imports

Jacksonville’s best romantic dinner: River and Post

Runners up:

2) Black Sheep 3) Marker 32


Round 9 winners

Jacksonville’s best road race: Gate River Run

Runners up:

2) Donna Marathon 3) Ameris Bank Marathon

Jacksonville’s best Irish Pub: Lynch’s Irish Pub

Runners up:

2) Culhane’s Irish Pub 3) The Stout Snug

Jacksonville’s best group outing: Flying Hawk’s Axe Throwing II

Runners up:

2) Beautifully Devine 3) Austin Karaoke

Jacksonville’s best kid-friendly restaurant: Clark’s Fish Camp

Runners up:

2) The Bearded Pig 3) ABBQ Meat & Drink

Jacksonville’s best summer camp: Smitty’s Camp

Runners up:

2) Aquatics Camp 3) Doing Dishes Pottery Camp

Jacksonville’s best juice bar: Roots and Fruits

Runners up:

2) Ajeen & Juice Café 3) Juice Tap Jax


Round 10 winners

Jacksonville’s best doughnut: The Donut Shoppe

Runners up:

2) Cinotti’s Bakery 3) The Mini Bar

Jacksonville’s best fishing tournament: Flounder Pounder

Runners up:

2) El Cheapo Jacksonville 3) Greater Jacksonville Kingfish Tournament

Jacksonville’s best pet boarding: Bark on Park

Runners up:

2) Happy Hound Dog Resort 3) Sunland Acres

Jacksonville’s best sushi: Tokyo Sushi

Runners up:

2) Sushi Bear 3) (Tie) Sushi House & Grille, Sushi House of Baymeadows

Jacksonville’s best flea market: Ramona Flea Market

Runners up:

2) Pecan Park Farmers & Flea Market 3) Avonlea Antiques & Interiors

Jacksonville’s best gallery: The Art Center Cooperative

Runner up:

Cummer Museum


Round 11 winners

Jacksonville’s best bike shop: Champion Cycling

Runners up:

2) LakeShore Bicycles 3) ZenCog Bicycle Company

Jacksonville’s best brunch: Biscottis

Runners up:

2) Culhane’s Irish Pub 3) Jax Beach Brunch Haus

Jacksonville’s best pet bakery: Redbones Gourmet Dog Bakery and Boutique

Runners up:

2) Bark on Park 3) Faux Paws Dog Shoppe

Jacksonville’s best speakeasy: Ice Plant

Runners up:

2) The Volstead 3) Grape and Grain Exchange

Jacksonville’s best biscuit: Maple Street Biscuit Company

Runners up:

2) Beach Road Fish House & Chicken Dinners 3) Grumpy’s Restaurant

Jacksonville’s best museum: The Brumos Collection

Runners up:

2) Mandarin Museum & History Society 3) Museum of Science & History


Round 12 winners

Jacksonville’s best waterfront dining: Cap’s on the Water

Runners up:

2) Clark’s Fish Camp 3) Down Under Restaurant

Jacksonville’s best sports team: Jacksonville Icemen

Runners up:

2) Jacksonville Axemen 3) Jacksonville Sharks

Jacksonville’s best sandwich: Blue Boy Sandwich Shop

Runners up:

2) Angie’s Subs 3) Firehouse Subs

Jacksonville’s best wine list: Bistro Aix

No runners up

Jacksonville’s best surf shop: Aqua East

Runners up:

2) Sunrise Surf Shop 3) Driftwood Surf Shop

Jacksonville’s best fried chicken: Bawk Bawk Chicken Truck

Runners up:

2) The Avenue Grill 3) Trap House Chicken