Lorain County residents have spoken. They have nominated their favorite restaurants, businesses, services, entertainment and people as the best of the best. We’ve tallied the results and listed the top three finalists in each category, and they come from every corner of the county. The finalists range from high-class restaurants to casual diners, galleries to farmers markets, festivals to theaters — and that’s only scratching the surface. But we still need your help.
On July 17, 2013, you’ll have your chance to vote for your favorites at the fourth-annual Best of Lorain County celebration at the Spitzer Conference Center. The finalists will be on hand to show you why they deserve your recognition. Then, watch for the Fall 2013 issue of puLse Lorain County’s Magazine, in which we’ll reveal this year’s winners. 



■ Food
Restaurant (Overall)
The Unicorn Restaurant & Pub, Grafton
Strip Steakhouse, Avon
Cork’s & Stubby’s, Amherst

Fine Dining
Nemo Grill, Avon
Strip Steakhouse, Avon
The Unicorn Restaurant & Pub, Grafton

Casual Dining
Wolfey’s Bar & Grill, Elyria
Ziggy’s Sports Bar & Grill, Amherst
Stubby’s Pub & Grub, Amherst and Elyria

Patio Dining
Jackalope Bar & Rotisserie, Lorain
Strip Steakhouse, Avon
Nemo’s Grille, Avon

Sunday Brunch
Rose Café, Lorain
Oberlin Inn, Oberlin
The Feve, Oberlin

Family Dining
Wolfey’s Bar & Grill, Elyria
Nancy’s Main Street Diner, Grafton
Wood & Wine, Avon

Bar Food
Wolfey’s Bar & Grill, Elyria
Ziggy’s Sports Bar & Grill, Amherst
Two Bucks, Avon

Cheap Eats
Two Bucks, Avon
Hot Dog Heaven, Amherst
Smitty’s Place, Elyria

Steak
Strip Steakhouse, Avon
The Unicorn Restaurant & Pub, Grafton
Diso’s Bistro at All Nations, Lorain

Italian
Sorrento Ristorante & Pizzeria, Sheffield Village
Fratello’s, Avon Lake
Nino’s Italian Restaurant, North Ridgeville

Latin
Don Tequila Bar & Grille, Amherst
El Kefon Puertoriqueno, Lorain
Fiesta Jalapenos Mexican Grill, North Ridgeville

Asian
Tooo Chinoise, Oberlin
Weia Teia, Oberlin
Golden Crown, Amherst

Ribs
Bubba’s-Q World Famous BBQ, Avon
Moosehead BBQ Grille, Amherst
Rotuno’s Texas Style BBQ, Elyria

Hamburger
Smitty’s Place, Elyria
Bullfrog’s Sports Cafe, North Ridgeville
Midway Oh Boy Restaurant, Elyria

Wings
Quaker Steak & Lube, Sheffield Village
ZZ’s Big Top, Avon
The Unicorn Restaurant & Pub, Grafton

Sandwich
Smitty’s Place, Elyria
Stubby’s Pub & Grub, Amherst and Elyria
Rubin’s Deli & Restaurant, Elyria

Burrito
Don Tequila Bar & Grille, Amherst
Fiesta Jalapenos Mexican Grill, North Ridgeville
Agave Burrito Bar & Tequilaria, Oberlin

Pizza
Olde Town Pizza, Amherst 
Yala’s Pizza, Lorain
Coleone’s Pizza, Avon

Donuts
Kiedrowski’s Simply Delicious Bakery, Amherst
Becker’s Doughnut, North Ridgeville
Fligners Market, Lorain

Coffee
Perk Avenue Coffee Shop, Amherst 
Bread-N-Brew, Wellington
Rio Coffee Brewery, Avon Lake

Desserts
Sugar N Spice at the Carriage House, Avon
Sweets by Maggie, Amherst 
Kiedrowski’s Simply Delicious Bakery, Amherst

Chocolate
Suzin L. Chocolatier, Elyria
Faroh’s Candies & Gifts, Lorain
Malley’s Chocolates, Avon

Ice Cream
CowHaus Creamery, Oberlin
Mitchell’s, Avon
Grafton Scoop, Grafton

Wine Shop
Amherst Party Shop, Amherst
The Wine Room, Avon
Paul’s Beverage Warehouse, Elyria

Deli
Your Deli, Amherst
Rubin’s Deli & Restaurant, Elyria
Martin’s Corner Deli, Avon

Pastry Shop
Kiedrowski’s Simply Delicious Bakery, Amherst
Sugar N Spice at the Carriage House, Avon
Mamma Jo Homestyle Pies, Amherst

Fish Fry
American Slovak Club, Lorain
American Legion Post 211, Avon Lake
Hanko’s Family Restaurant at the Gin Mill Inc., Elyria

Caterer
Fligners Market, Elyria
Pink Peppercorn Catering Services, Elyria
Lorain County Community College Food Service, Elyria

■ Entertainment

Sports Bar
Ziggy’s Sports Bar & Grill, Amherst
Mulligan’s, Avon
Wolfey’s Bar & Grill, Elyria

Happy Hour
Wolfey’s Bar & Grill, Elyria
The Unicorn Pub & Restaurant, Grafton
Bootlegger’s Grille, Columbia Station

Local Festival
North Ridgeville Corn Festival, North Ridgeville
Lorain International Festival & Bazaar, Lorain
Elyria Apple Festival, Elyria

Live Music Venue
Stocker Arts Center, Elyria
Black River Landing, Lorain
Finney Chapel, Oberlin

Best Bike Night
Quaker Steak & Lube, Sheffield Village
Mulligan’s Pub & Grill, Avon

Wine Tasting
Matus Winery, Wakeman
John Christ Winery, Avon Lake
Paper Moon Vineyards, Vermilion

Theater
Stocker Arts Center, Elyria
Palace Theatre, Lorain
Apollo Theatre, Oberlin

■ Health

Fitness Center
EMH Center for Health and Fitness, Avon
Planet Fitness, Elyria
French Creek YMCA, Avon

Fitness Trail
Bur Oak Black River Reservation, Elyria
French Creek Reservation, Sheffield Village
Sandy Ridge Reservation, North Ridgeville

Place to Walk Dog
French Creek Reservation, Sheffield Village
Bur Oak Black River Reservation, Elyria
Beaver Creek Reservation, LaGrange

Charitable Race
Kerstetter 5K, Elyria
Sprint or Stroll for Soul to Sole, Amherst
Karen P. Nakon Breast Cancer Foundation, Turkey Dash, Avon

Health Food Selection
Heinen’s, Avon
Oberlin Market, Oberlin
Dietary Health Foods Store, Elyria

Healthy Menu
Aladdin’s Eatery, Oberlin
Salad Kraze, Avon Lake
The Feve, Oberlin

Nursing Facility
Avon Oaks Caring Community, Avon
Kendal at Oberlin, Oberlin
Abbewood Senior Living Community, Elyria
Sprenger Health Care Systems, Lorain

■ Shopping

Florist
Puffers Floral Shoppe, Elyria
Zelek Flower Shop Inc., Lorain
Botamer Florist & More, Elyria

Garden Center
Petitti’s Garden Center, Avon
Don Mould’s Plantation Landscaping, North Ridgeville and Amherst
Pinehaven Garden Center and Greenhouses, Avon

Beer Selection (retail)
Paul’s Beverage Warehouse, Elyria
Grafton Crews Thru, Grafton
Heinen’s, Avon

Book Store
Commodore Books and More, Elyria
Oberlin Book Store, Oberlin
Crystal Era Emporium, Elyria

Jeweler
Vandemark Jewelers, Elyria
Elyria Jewelers, Elyria
Nielsen Jewelers, Lorain

Shopping Area
Avon Commons, Avon
Main Street Amherst, Amherst
Olde Avon Village, Avon

Boutique
Etc., Amherst
The Mermaid’s Tale, Amherst
Sassy’s, Avon

Farmers Market
Vermilion Farm Market, Vermilion
Penton’s Farm Market, Amherst
Fenik’s Sweet Corn, Elyria

Gallery
Beth K. Stocker Art Gallery, Elyria
Ginko Gallery & Studio, Oberlin
TrueNorth at French Creek, Sheffield Village

Antique Store
Tree House Gallery, Avon
Cat’s Meow, North Ridgeville
Jamie’s Flea Market, South Amherst

Outdoor Store
The Backpackers Shop, Sheffield Village
Gander Mountain, Sheffield
Erie Outfitters, Sheffield Lake

■ Service

Landscaper
Gerber Landscaping, Elyria
Schill Landscaping and Lawn Care Services Inc., Sheffield Village
Don Mould’s Plantation, North Ridgeville

Day Spa
A David Anthony Salon & Spa, Lorain
Exhale at EMH Center for Health and Fitness, Avon
Headquarters Salon and Spa, Lorain

Manicures/Pedicures
A David Anthony Salon & Spa, Lorain
Exhale/EMH Center for Health and Fitness, Avon
Adorn Salon, Grafton

Dry Cleaner
Williamsburg Cleaners, Avon
Ridge Cleaners, North Ridgeville and Avon Lake
Hale and Kern’s, Elyria

Car Wash
Wash Wizard, North Ridgeville
Avon Laser Wash, Avon
Liberty Auto Wash, Vermilion

Pet Pampering
Spotted Dog, Avon
Barking Barbers, North Ridgeville
Paws by the Lake, Avon Lake

■ Children

Preschool
Kiddie Kollege, Sheffield Village
Acorn Child Care Center, Avon
LCCC’s Children’s Learning Center, Elyria

Gymnastics
Ten Point 0 Gymnastics, North Ridgeville
Great Lakes Gymnastics, Avon Lake
Flippers Gym, Avon

Learning Center
LCCC’s Children’s Learning Center, Elyria 
The Child Garden, LaGrange, Grafton and Oberlin
Acorn Child Care Center, Avon

Dance/Theater
Midwest Ballet, Amherst
Miss Jacqui’s Dance, Avon Lake
Stocker Center, Elyria

Music Instruction
Oberlin Choristers, Oberlin
Ron Zehel Guitar Center, Amherst
Journey Around Music, Elyria

■ People

Bartender
Mary Geotz, The Unicorn Restaurant & Pub, Grafton
Lupe Hernandez, Fiesta Jalapenos Mexican Grill
Melissa Mack, Stubby’s Pub & Grub, Elyria

Chef
Eric Petrus, LCCC Spitzer Center, Elyria
Gerard LeGrand, The Unicorn Restaurant & Pub, Grafton
David Scribner, Sugar ’n Spice at the Carriage House Bakery, Avon

Personal Trainer
Gina Schaffer, EMH Center for Health and Fitness, Avon
Penny Grieve, Zuma Fitness, Lorain
Andy Dito, LCCC Fitness Center, Elyria

Master Stylist
Mick McLaughlin, A David Anthony Salon & Spa, Lorain
Mary Velez, Elements, Avon Lake
Cara Laurito, Dante Lucci, Avon