The finalists for the Vallejo Sun's inaugural Best of Vallejo & Benicia contest are here! We received hundreds of nominations across 117 categories. Now the final round of voting begins – voting begins today and will last until November 30. Pick your favorite among the finalists below and enter your vote today!

Around Town

Best Annual Outdoor Event

• Juneteenth
• Pista sa Nayon
• Blue Rock Spring Summer Music Event
• Butterfly Festival
• Decked Out at the Quarters
• Dia de Los Muertos
• Fourth of July Parade
• Halloween on Mare Island
• Mad Hatter Parade
• Maker Faire
• August Summer Nights
• Vallejo Waterfront Festival

Best Date Activity

• Art Walk
• Bambino's Vallejo
• Bella Siena
• Dinner at Dead Fish to watch the sunset
• Jazz at the Empress
• MLK Day of Service-March
• Strolling First Street
• THE EXCHANGE
• Vallejo Symphony
• Vallejo Waterfront

Best Disc Golf Course

• Blue Rock Springs
• Hanns Park
• Mare Island

Best Family Day Trip

• Children’s Wonderland
• Ferry to SF
• Jelly Belly Factory

Best Hidden Gem

• Pomegranate Seeds
• THE EXCHANGE
• Autonomous Gallery
• Benicia Library
• Cal Maritime Academy Swimming Pool
• Dan Foley Park
• Grant Mahoney Park
• St Peter’s Chapel
• The Glen Cove Marina
• The Quarters
• Vallejo Cellars Wine Tasting at 2nd Friday Art Walk

Best Hiking Trail

• Bay Area Ridge Trail
• Benicia State Park
• Blue Rock Springs
• Columbus Parkway
• Mare Island Preserve
• San Pablo Mare Island Bay Trail

Best Hotel

• The Inn at Benicia Bay
• Country Inn and Suites Radisson
• Courtyard by Marriott
• Shorelight Inn

Best Museum

• Vallejo Naval & Historical Museum
• Museum of History Benicia

Best Park

• Blue Rock Springs
• Dan Foley Park
• 9th St Park
• Benicia Slide Park
• Children's Wonderland
• City Park
• Veterans Park in Benicia
• Glen Cove Waterfront Park
• Lake Dalwigk Park
• Grant Mahoney Park

Best Pickleball Courts

• Glen Cove
• Florence Douglas Center
• Mare Island

Best Place of Worship

• Benicia Lutheran Church
• Community Presbyterian
• Friendship Baptist Church
• Good Samaritan Missionary Baptish Church
• Saint Peter's Cathedral on Mare Island
• Shiloh Church of God in Christ

Best Place to Walk

• Vallejo Waterfront
• Mare Island
• Benicia State Park
• First Street Green
• Downtown Vallejo
• Haans Park
• Morrow Cove Drive
• Bay Area Ridge Trail
• The Vista, Vallejo
• Military West, Benicia

Best Private Event Space

• Empress Marquee Club
• Empress Theatre
• Filipino Community Center
• Sage Hall & Garden
• THE EXCHANGE
• The Lighthouse at Glen Cove Marina
• Vino Godfather
• Zio Fraedos

Best Public Space

• Vallejo Waterfront
• Mare Island Waterfront
• First Street Green
• Vallejo City Hall
• Downtown Vallejo
• Vallejo Farmer's Market
• John F. Kennedy Library

Best Way to Spend an Afternoon

• THE EXCHANGE
• Children’s Wonderland
• Coffee at the Quarters
• Explore downtown Benicia
• Mare Island Brewing Company
• Cinemark Century Vallejo 14
• Vino Godfather
• Watching the waterfront
• Wet Mile on Mare Island
• Exploring downtown Vallejo

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Culture and Entertainment

Best Art Gallery

• 717 Integritea Project
• Arts Benicia
• Autonomous Gallery
• Mare Island Art Studios
• NY2CA

Best Art Instructor

• Dedrick Weathersby
• Jeffrey Tover
• Priscila Soares

Best Bar Theme Night

• Saturday drag show at the Town House
• Taco Tuesday at Bottom of the Fifth

Best Festival

• Dock of the Bay
• Juneteenth Celebration
• Dia de Los Muertos
• Peddler's Fair
• Pista sa Nayon
• Porchfest Benicia
• Waterfront Festival

Best Local Band

• Vallejo Festival Orchestra
• Camp Jeff
• Papa Joe & the New Deal
• Steve Freund
• Vallejo Symphony

Best Local Rapper

• LaRussell
• E 40
• Red lotus
• DaBoii
• LulDame23
• Moe Green
• Nef the Pharaoh
• Poppa Got Bandz
• Swiftyy

Best Nonprofit

• Vallejo Center for the Arts
• Food is Free Bay Area
• Benicia Makerspace
• Center for Urban Excellence
• Empress Theatre
• NAACP
• Planned Parenthood
• Rebuilding Together Solano County
• The Coach Sarna League
• Solano AIDS Coalition
• Solano County Arts Council
• Solano Together
• The Arc Solano
• Vallejo Project

Best Place to See Live Music

• Empress Theatre
• Vino Godfather
• Bambino's Vallejo
• Empress Lounge
• Lucca Bar & Grill

Best Place to See Local Art

• Mare Island Art Studios
• Autonomous Gallery
• Ethnic Notions
• NY2CA
• Temple Art Lofts
• Vallejo Naval and Historical Museum

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Cannabis

Best Dispensary

• Better Health Group
• VRC-Vallejo Relief Center
• VTown Farms
• Coastal
• Nug Vallejo
• STIIIZY Benicia

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Drinking

Best Bar

• Bella Seina
• Empress Marquee Club
• Gentleman Jim's
• Mare Island Brewing Co.
• Provisions
• Town House
• Union Hotel

Best Beer Retail Selection

• Mare Island Brewing Co.
• SIPS - The Bottle Emporium

Best Beer Selection on Tap

• Bambino's
• Cullen's Tannery Pub & Saloon
• Hopulent
• Mare Island Brewing Co.

Best Cocktails

• Bambino's Vallejo
• Bella Siena
• Provisions
• Union Hotel

Best Coffee Shop

• The Grind
• Moschetti Artisan Roaster
• Provisions
• Moschetti's Cafe
• One House Bakery
• The Quarters Coffee House
• Rrags Caffe, Benicia
• Scotty’s Cafe
• The Quarters Coffee House

Best Happy Hour

• Bella Siena
• The Rellik Tavern
• The Cafe at The Inn
• Bambino's Vallejo

Best Juice / Smoothie Bar

• Juice House Co. Benicia
• La Michoacana Vallejo
• Sunshine Smoothies

Best Local Brewery

• Mare Island Brewing Co.
• Bruehol Brewing
• Vallejo Brewing Company

Best Local Liquor Store

• M&M Liquors
• SIPS - The Bottle Emporium

Best Local Wine Shop

• SIPS - The Bottle Emporium
• Vino Godfather

Best Margarita

• Bella Siena
• Union ho

Best Milkshake

• Black Bear Diner
• Double Rainbow
• In and Out
• Liled’s
• Liled’s Candy
• Nation's Giant Hamburger & Great Pies

Best Wine Selection (Bar/Restaurant or Retail)

• Bella Sienna
• Provisions

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Eating

Best Ambiance

• Provisions
• Bella Siena
• El Barbas Restaurant & Bar
• Elephant Thai
• My Homestyle Cafe
• One House Bakery
• Redwood Empire
• Union Hotel
• Venticellos Ristorante Italiano
• Zio Fraedo’s

Best Appetizers

• Bambino's
• Aung MayLiKa
• Lucca Bar & Grill
• Manny’s Steakhouse
• My Homestyle Cafe
• Provisions
• Sailor Jack's
• The Cafe at The Inn

Best Bakery

• One House Bakery
• Cakes by Karl
• Fox & Fawn Bakehouse
• Hummingbird Bakery
• La Michoacana Vallejo
• Royal Jelly Doughnut
• Starbread Bakery

Best Breakfast

• Provisions
• Good Day Cafe
• Bambino's
• Buttercup Diner
• The Cafe at the Inn
• Joy of Eating Cafe
• Maggie’s Restaurant
• Momo's Cafe
• Noonie's Place
• One House Bakery
• Scotty's Cafe

Best Burger

• Bud's Giant Burgers
• My Homestyle Cafe
• Provisions
• Bottom of the Fifth
• Char's Hotdogs
• Five Star Burger
• Good Day Cafe
• Maggie’s Restaurant
• Mare Island Brewing Co.
• The Cafe at The Inn

Best Chinese Food

• 3 Star Restaurant
• Asia Delicious Kitchen
• China Wok
• New China Barn
• Szechuan Chinese Cuisine

Best Date Night Restaurant

• Bella Siena
• Bambino's
• Provisions
• Baxters Restaurant & Bar
• Dead Fish
• Elephant Thai
• Manny's Steakhouse
• Sailor Jack's

Best Dessert

• Provisions
• Cakes by Karl
• Fox & Fawn Bakehouse
• Home Style Cafe
• La Michoacana Vallejo
• Liled's Candy Kitchen
• Manny's Steakhouse
• Moschetti's Cafe
• My Homestyle Cafe
• NuNu's Desserts with Soul
• One House Bakery
• Rainbow FroYo
• The Cookie Dungeon
• Zio Fraedo’s

Best Donut

• Daily Donuts
• One House Bakery
• Royal Jelly Doughnut
• Scotty's Cafe
• Vallejo Great Donuts

Best Filipino Food

• 3J's Oriental Market
• Andrea Foods
• Bibingkahan Restaurant
• Pinoy Fried

Best Fish & Chips

• The Sardine Can
• Bottom of the Fifth
• Noonie’s Place
• Chris’s Club
• Sharkey’s Chicken & Fish
• Epale Taqueria & Seafood
• SoulTran’s Seafood

Best Food Truck

• Tacos Dos Hermanos
• La Pinata Taqueria
• Rumi Kebab
• Tacos Juanita’s
• Taqueria La Joya

Best Fried Chicken

• Provisions
• Chicken Express
• Five Star Chicken
• Korean Fried Chicken & Box
• Lucca Bar & Grill
• My Homestyle Cafe

Best Fries

• Bud's Giant Burgers
• Bottom of the Fifth
• Five Star Burger
• Lucca Bar & Grill
• My Homestyle Cafe
• Maggie’s Restaurant
• Provisions

Best Ice Cream

• La Michoacana Vallejo
• Liled's Candy Kitchen
• Cream
• Double Rainbow Cafe
• Rainbow FroYo

Best Italian Food

• Bambino's
• Bella Siena
• Palermos
• Napoli Pizzeria Vallejo
• Venticellos Ristorante Italiano
• Zio Fraedo’s

Best Japanese Food

• Matsuri
• Yo Sushi
• Izakaya

Best Kid-Friendly Restaurant

• Buttercup Diner
• Gracie's
• Sac's Tasty Hot Dogs

Best Mac and Cheese

• Hopulent
• Bottom of the Fifth
• From Scratch With Love Catering
• Gracie's
• Vegan Mob

Best Mexican Restaurant

• El Tesoro Mazatlan
• Taqueria La Estrella
• Mi Jalisco Restaurante
• Tacos Jalisco
• El Barbas Restaurant & Bar
• Mazatlan Taqueria & Grill Benicia
• Las Palmitas
• Pupusería & Taquería Mercy
• Sol y Sazon Mexican restaurant
• Taqueria La Joya

Best Outdoor Patio

• Provisions
• One House Bakery
• Bella Siena
• The Cafe at The Inn
• Bay Hibachi Express
• Hopulent
• Mare Island Brewing Co., Coal Sheds taproom
• Sailor Jack's

Best Pho

• PHO#1 Noodle House
• Pho Hoang
• Phở Lee Hòa Phát 3

Best Pizza

• Napoli Pizzeria Vallejo
• Dough Bottega Artisanal Pizza
• Fusion Pizza
• Bambino's
• Napoli Pizza of Benicia
• Palermos
• Tasty Bites Pizzeria

Best Restaurant

• Provisions
• Bella Siena
• Bambino's
• Manny's Steakhouse
• My Homestyle Cafe
• Aung MayLiKa
• Baxters Restaurant & Bar
• Buttercup Diner
• Urban Fusion
• Elephant Thai
• Good Day Cafe
• Gracie's
• Lucca Bar & Grill
• Maggie’s Restaurant
• Noonie's Place
• One House Bakery
• Sailor Jack's
• The Cafe at The Inn
• Vegan Mob
• Zio Fraedo’s

Best Restaurant for Vegetarians

• Provisions
• Aung MayLiKa
• Thai Place
• The Cafe at The Inn
• VEC Indian Cuisine
• Vegan Mob

Best Sandwiches

• Sprankle's Village Deli
• Picnicky's Sandwich Shop
• Bambino's
• Food Basket
• Ike's Love & Sandwiches
• Java Jax
• My Homestyle Cafe
• One House Bakery
• The Cafe at The Inn

Best Seafood

• The Sardine Can
• Bambino's
• Bella Siena
• Manny's Steakhouse
• Matsuri Restaurant
• Sailor Jack's
• The Workshop
• Zio Fraedo's

Best Tacos

• Taqueria La Estrella
• Bottom of the Fifth
• Tacos Dos Hermanos
• El Tesoro Mazatlan
• Pupusería & Taquería Mercy
• Sandavol's Mexican Restaurant
• Tacos Jalisco
• Taqueria La Joya
• TJ Taco Jalisco
• Vegan Mob

Best Thai Food

• Pearl Thai
• Elephant Thai
• Bangkok Island Thai Fusion
• Mai Thai
• Simple Thai
• Thai Place

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Health

Best Chiropractor

• Vallejo Chiropractic
• Paula Mitchell

Best Dental Practice

• Harbor Dental
• Morgan Nordstrom
• Southampton Dental Care
• Cervantes & Prado Dental Care

Best Dentist

• Christopher Rehage
• Maggie Thai
• Michael Vallarta
• Morgan Nordstrom
• Scott Swoboda

Best Dermatology Practice

• Kaiser Vallejo
• Solano Dermatology

Best Esthetician

• S.B Esthetics
• Revive Aesthetics
• Face Lab Aesthetics
• Infinity Aesthetics
• Nature's Confidence
• MBS Esthetics

Best Exercise Studio

• Club Pilates Benicia
• The Mat
• Vallejo Florence Douglas Center Jazzercise
• Vallejo Yoga

Best Eye Doctor

• Mendoza Family Eye Care
• Ebright Optometry
• Vallejo Optometry Group

Best Gym/Health Club

• Combat Fitness-Rapacon's Martial Arts
• Club Pilates Benicia
• In-Shape

Best Hair Salon

• Buddahful Salon
• Dash Salon
• Vanny's Hair & Spa
• Kenny Le Salon
• Sense Salon
• Cecy's Hair Salon
• Salon De Belleza Diva's
• Mi Belleza Hair Studio

Best Massage Therapist

• Tune Up Holistic Health
• Supernova Spa
• Beau Belisle
• Royal Rest Relax

Best Nail Salon

• Blossom Nails
• The Corner Salon Benicia
• Nails Design
• Fiona Nails
• Winter Nails & Spa
• Lavish Nails & Spa
• An Elegant Affair Salon
• Gaia Nails Organic Nails
• Nails By Eva

Best OBGYN

• Kaiser Vallejo
• La Clinica North

Best Physician

• Ann Finkelstein
• Matthew Symkowick
• Paige Yoshisato

Best Spa

• S.B Esthetics
• Nature's Confidence
• Infinity Aesthetics
• Supernova Spa

Best Yoga Studio

• The Mat
• Vallejo Yoga

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Kids

Best Charter School

• Griffin Technology Academies
• Elite Public Schools
• Caliber Changemakers Academy

Best Child Care Center

• Baby Bears Daycare
• Lovely Little Angels Daycare
• Special Touch Learning and Training Academy Daycare

Best Martial Arts Instruction

• Combat Fitness-Rapacon's Martial Arts
• Miro's Taekwondo / Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Vallejo
• School of Chinese Martial Arts Hei Long - Shou Shu Kung Fu
• Kajukenbo Self-Defense Institute of Vallejo
• Benicia Boxing & Martial Arts
• Modern Warrior Arts Academy
• William Kim's Tae Kwon Do Center

Best Music Instruction

• Campanelli Children's Choir
• Consumer Music
• 851 Music Studio
• Bay Area Diva Productions
• In Harmony Music

Best Place for Family Fun

• Children’s Wonderland
• Scandia Golfland

Best Preschool

• St. Catherine of Siena Preschool
• Vallejo Parent Nursery School
• Little Angels Pre-School
• Vallejo KinderCare

Best Private School

• North Hills Christian School
• St. Patrick St. Vincent's High School

Best Public School

• Steffan Manor Elementary School
• Cave Language Academy
• Dan Mini Elementary School

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Pets

Best Doggie Day Care

• Aardvarks Adventureland
• Pawz 4 Dayz
• Benicia Pet Services
• California Pampered Pooches
• Barn Find Grooming & Boarding

Best Pet Friendly Bar/Restaurant

• Bella Siena
• Mare Island Brewing Co.
• Provisions
• The Sardine Can

Best Pet Groomer

• Aardvarks Adventureland
• Napa Natural Dog Co.
• Featherer Pet Grooming
• Fur Groomery

Best Pet Store

• Mugsy's Pet Supply & Barkery
• The Pet Shoppe
• Powell Bros. Feed & Pet Supply

Best Pet Trainer

• Doggy Detail Dog Training
• Vallejo Dog Training Club
• NexGen K9 Training

Best Veterinarian

• Redwood Veterinary Hospital
• Bayside Veterinary Hospital
• Benicia Cat Clinic
• Broadway Animal Hospital

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Services

Best Alterations

• Crown Tailors
• In Stitches Custom Tailoring
• Daniell Design Studio

Best Attorney

• Brittany Whittington
• Jason Buckingham
• Thomas Healy
• Melissa Nold
• Daniel Russo
• Micheal Thompson

Best Auto Mechanic

• Milt's Service Garage
• Vallejo Car Care Clinic
• The Shop Benicia
• Dwight's Mobile Brake Service
• Vallejo Broadway Auto Repair
• Gene's Auto Repair

Best Barber Shop

• Cecy's Hair Salon
• Headliners Barbershop
• Hinton Barber and Beauty College
• Vanny's Hair & Spa
• Gallery Barber Shop
• Formulation Barber Shop

Best Car Wash

• 7 Flags Full & Self Service Car Wash & Detail Center
• Detail Shop
• A1 Auto Salon

Best Cleaning Service

• B'santi Cleaning and Vacation Rental Management
• Yaz’s Cleaning Services
• Keeping It All Clean Cleaning Service
• Maids 2 Sparkle
• AURA a professional cleaning service
• California Dream Cleaners

Best Customer Service

• Bayshore Materials Inc.
• B'santi Cleaning and Vacation Rental Management
• Drive Thru Dairy
• Fighting Back Partnership
• From Scratch With Love Catering
• LaDell's Shoes
• Nails by Eva

Best Dry Cleaner

• Family Cleaners
• Vallejo Cleaners
• Gateway Cleaners
• Redwood Cleaners
• Willard's Cleaners

Best Electrician/Company

• Pierce Electric & Construction
• K Butler Electric
• Caro Electric LLC
• Super Electric

Best General Contractor

• The Handyman JOHN
• Omega Construction & Handyman Services
• TAJ Construction, Inc.
• Cobar Builders Inc.
• Benicia Home Improvement Center

Best Heating & Air Company

• A-1 Guaranteed Heating & Air
• Miller's Sheet Metal Heating & Air
• Vallejo Heating & Air Conditioning
• Environmental Heating and Air Solutions

Best Home Builder

• Cascade at Waterstone by Tri Pointe Homes
• Cardoza Builder
• E M PRO Construction LLC
• Cobar Builders Inc.

Best Insurance Agency

• Farmers Insurance - Julia Allen
• State Farm - Alicia Cook
• Vallejo Insurance Associates
• Acceptance Insurance
• State Farm - Maria Zuniga

Best Junk Removal

• Bay Hauling
• PJ's Junk Removal
• Smaller Haulers
• Strong Sons Junk Removal

Best Laundromat

• JC'S Launderland
• Vallejo Wash N Dry
• Fairgrounds Laundry

Best Photographer

• My Legacy Matters
• Ok Kyong Hanrahan
• Pink Salt Photos

Best Plumber/Company

• Benicia Plumbing
• Complete Plumbing Works
• Vallejo Plumbers
• Sons of Glory Plumbing
• Sergio's Plumbing
• Sons of Glory Plumbing
• Wright Brothers Plumbing & Gas

Best Property Management Company

• The Sayles Group
• Nesci Property Management

Best Realtor

• Toni E. Mallory
• Donald Jordan
• Monica Winn
• Jennifer Moore
• Pippin Dew
• Shandrika Powell
• Tim Garton
• Tim Hiemstra
• Diana Lang

Best Realty Company

• The Sayles Group
• Napa River Realty

Best Roofing Company

• Henry Roofing
• Navo Roofer & Gutters
• California Premier Roofing
• Vallejo Roofing Pros
• All Seasons Roofing
• Solano Exceptional Roofing

Best Tax Preparer/Accountant

• Keegan's Tax & Financial Service
• Lara's Income Tax
• Rod Yumul Bookkeeping & Tax Services
• M & G Tax Services

Most Knowledgable Staff

• Bayshore Materials Inc.
• Congressman John Garamendi

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Shopping

Best Bookstore

• Alibi Bookshop
• Bookshop Benicia
• Ethnic Notions
• Zeppelin Comics

Best Garden Store/Nursery

• Daughter of Luna
• Darlina's Succulent Garden
• Miss Honey's Backyard
• KC Plants & More
• Succulents and More

Best Gift Store

• Anchor Pantry
• Every Day Is A Gift
• Fenix Mystic Candle
• The Filling Station Goods & Gifts
• Le Sparkly Chateau
• Yesteryears Marketplace

Best Grocery Store

• Grocery Outlet
• Anchor Pantry
• Island Pacific
• Smart and Final

Best Hardware Store

• Pedrotti Ace Hardware
• Harbor Freight

Best Thrift Shop

• Eco Thrift
• Hidden Treasures Boutique
• SSMC Guild Volunteer Thrift Shop
• The ReVibe Shop