You came.
You saw.
And you told us about it.
The votes are in and NEO’s Boomers have spoken. Our first annual Boomer Choice Awards highlight the best places to go and things to do based on OUR experience. After all, who better to choose our region’s top offerings than those of us who have lived and worked here for decades?
Isn’t it nice to know what other seasoned NEO residents consider to be the best restaurants, parks and broadcasters in town? Think you know which ones came out on top? See how your favorites compare.
For your consideration, we present our Boomer Choice Awards 2018.
Best Restaurant for Breakfast
There’s nothing like sausage gravy and biscuits — a specialty of Bob Evans restaurant. Maybe that’s why it got the most votes. Coming in a close second was Fresh Start Diner, known throughout NEO not only for its terrific breakfast menu but also its lunch offerings.
Best Restaurant for Lunch
Which brings us to Tommy’s, your choice for the best place to grab a midday meal.
Best Restaurant for Dinner
JACK Cleveland Casino’s food took top honors, followed by Joe’s Diner in Rocky River.
Pizza
This was a close one, with both Papa John’s and Marco’s earning top spots from pizza lovers.
Bakery
Fragapane has been satisfying West Siders’ sweet tooths for years, but plenty of people stop in from through NEO to grab a delectable tidbit.
Independent Coffee Shop
The Coffee House at University Circle is a favorite caffeine fix for Boomer readers.
Bagels
Einstein Bros. Bagels was the smart choice for CLE carb-aholics.
Live Music
Nighttown on Cedar Road is not only a great place to grab a cocktail, it’s also a terrific place for live music — just ask our readers.
Winery
Boomers know their wine — and wineries. Ferrante Winery in Ashtabula County up north and Gervasi Vineyard in Stark County both earned top votes.
Museum
We’ve got plenty of art lovers who read Boomer, and they spoke loud and clear: their choice is the Cleveland Museum of Art.
Hiking Trail
North Chagrin Reservation is the favorite place to hit a trail (or two).
Bike Trail
It’s tough to beat the Cuyahoga Valley National Park’s Towpath Trail. And now that it’s extending through Tremont, cyclists will be able to explore downtown more easily.
Park
Cleveland Metroparks’ Edgewater Park has it all — 9,000 feet of Lake Erie shoreline, shady picnic areas, beaches for dogs and people, live music in the summers. It’s a winner.
Sunset/Sunrise Watching
Edgewater shares the spotlight with Huntington Beach. Boomers like their days to start and end on the water.
Natural Wonder
It’s no wonder Brandywine Falls in the Cuyahoga Valley National Park is our readers’ top choice. It’s lovely in every season, but autumn is our favorite.
Festival or Fair
Corndogs, live chickens, carnival rides. Who doesn’t love the Cuyahoga County Fair? No other festival came close.
Consignment/Resale Shop
Antiques & Uniques antique mall in Wickliffe garnered the most votes. It’s on our must-visit list.
Place to Take the Grandkids
It’s Cleveland Metroparks Zoo, of course, but readers also like the Akron Zoo. Regardless, when you need a place to burn off some grandkid energy, the zoo is the place to go.
Grocery Store
Northeast Ohio’s iconic upscale grocery store is also our readers’ favorite. We’re talking Heinen’s, of course.
Nursery/Garden Center
Angelo Petitti has built a cult-like following among podcast listeners/gardeners. It’s no surprise that Petitti’s Garden Center took this category.
Local Weather Forecaster
Forget the alarmist forecasts and confusing maps — WKYC’s Betsy Kling is calm, has the right amount of goofiness and is a big promoter of STEM education (science, technology, engineering and math) for kids. We love her. So do you, apparently.
Place to Go with Out-of-Towners
We like to take a chance with visitors; maybe that’s why our favorite place to take visitors is JACK Cleveland Casino. And we’re likely to follow it up with a visit to the West Side Market. Both were our top vote-getters.
