Readers Choice - Best of the Best 2022 by The Farmville Herald

SEPTEMBER 2022

Your Choice — The Readers Choice

47,000. That’s a lot of votes. It shows how much people care about this com munity, as they’ve cast ballots, promoted their favorites on Facebook pages and asked friends to follow suit over the last few months.

Welcome to the reveal of The Herald’s Readers’ Choice winners, the yearly chance for all of you to voice your support for a specific institu tion. Maybe you wanted to show your support for a res taurant. Or maybe you were determined to cast a ballot for your kid’s school. Every year, we open up the nomi nations in May and then let people start voting in July.

It’s taken a month, but we’ve counted up all 47,000 votes for favorite restau rants, shops, schools and more, to pres ent this list of winners, as chosen by all of you. In this winners list, we feature the

overall winner and the top two finalists in every category.

Now, to be clear, this isn’t a scientific study. We didn’t use any complicated for mula to determine the results. These are ranked based on the num ber of votes each group received. You may agree with some, disagree with others and a couple might catch you by surprise.

But regardless if your favorite won or made the fi nalist rankings, I’d ask you not to stop here. Don’t stop promoting your favorite places. When you’re proud of something a school did, talk them up to people.

Share on Facebook why you like a busi ness and encourage others to go there as well. That’s a great way we can help local operations, by serving as their cheering section.

Brian Carlton Editor

BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK

BEST BAR

BEST BARBECUE

BEST BREAKFAST

BEST BREWERY

BEST BRUNCH

BEST CARRY OUT

4 — FOOD & DRINK —

Merk’s Place — Miller’s Country Store — FINALIST Cook Out — FINALIST

North Street Press Club — The Fishin’ Pig — FINALIST Charley’s Waterfront Cafe — FINALIST

The Fishin’ Pig — Magnolia Bar & Grille — FINALIST Bojangles — FINALIST

Merk’s Place — Riverside Cafe — FINALIST Walker’s Diner — FINALIST

Three Roads Brewing Company — The Brewhouse — FINALIST

Charley’s Waterfront Café — North Street Press Club — FINALIST The Fishin’ Pig — FINALIST

Macado’s — Perini Pizza — FINALIST Shogun Japanese — FINALIST

CONVENIENCE STORE MEAL

BEST DATE-NIGHT SPOT

BEST FINE DINING

5 — FOOD & DRINK — BEST CATERING The Fishin’ Pig — EL Catering - Ernest Toney — FINALIST Fuqua School - Johnny Ellington — FINALIST BEST

Miller’s Country Store — Granny B’s Market — FINALIST Sheetz — FINALIST

Charley’s Waterfront Cafe — The Virginia Tasting Cellar — FINALIST Shogun Japanese — FINALIST

Charley’s Waterfront Cafe — Taproot Tavern — FINALIST The Babcock House — FINALIST

BEST FRIED CHICKEN

KIDS MEAL

LATE-NIGHT

BURGER

Granny B’s Market — Miller’s Country Store — FINALIST Bojangles — FINALIST BEST GIRL’S NIGHT OUT North Street Press Club — Catbird Rooftop Terrace — FINALIST Charley’s Waterfront Cafe — FINALIST — FOOD & DRINK — BEST HOT DOG Miller’s Country Store — Cook Out — FINALIST Sheetz — FINALIST BEST ITALIAN FOOD Pinos Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria — Perini Pizza — FINALIST Merk’s Place — FINALIST BEST

Merk’s Place — Macado’s — FINALIST The Fishin’ Pig — FINALIST BEST

FOOD Cook Out — North Street Press Club — FINALIST Applebee’s Bar & Grill — FINALIST BEST LOCAL

Merk’s Place — North Street Press Club — FINALIST Macado’s — FINALIST

COFFEE

BEST LUNCH

BEST MEXICAN FOOD

BEST MILKSHAKE

7 BEST LOCAL

Uptown Coffee Cafe — Starbucks — FINALIST The Coffee Mill — FINALIST

Merk’s Place — Macado’s — FINALIST Miller’s Country Store — FINALIST

La Parota Grill — Bandidos Tacos & Cantina — FINALIST Rodeo’s Mexican Grill — FINALIST

Waldy’s Ice Cream Truck — Cook Out — FINALIST Merk’s Place — FINALIST — FOOD & DRINK —

BEST PIZZA

BEST SANDWICH SPOT

SEAFOOD

BEST RESTAURANT

BEST SIGNATURE COCKTAIL

FOOD

BEST SPECIAL OCCASION

8 — FOOD & DRINK —

Pinos Italian Restaurant and Pizzeria — Perini Pizza — FINALIST Merk’s Place — FINALIST

Merk’s Place — The Fishin’ Pig — FINALIST North Street Press Club — FINALIST

Macado’s — Merk’s Place — FINALIST Miller’s Country Store — FINALIST BEST

Joe’s Seafood — The Fishin’ Pig — FINALIST Mama Brown’s — FINALIST

The Fishin’ Pig — One19 - Tastefully Off-Center — FINALIST Applebee’s Grill + Bar — FINALIST BEST SOUL

EL CateringErnest Toney — Mama Brown’s — FINALIST Granny B’s Market — FINALIST

Charley’s Waterfront Cafe — North Street Press Club — FINALIST

BEST BED AND BREAKFAST

9 — FOOD & DRINK — — OUT & ABOUT — BEST TACO La Parota Grill — Bandidos Tacos & Cantina — FINALIST One19 - Tastefully Off-Center — FINALIST BEST WINGS Buffalo Wild Wings — North Street Press Club — FINALIST Macado’s — FINALIST BEST ACCOMMODATION Hotel Weyanoke — Holiday Inn Express & Suites Farmville — FINALIST

The Inn on the Avenues Bed and Breakast — Babcock Bed and Breakfast — FINALIST

—

BEST DAY TRIP

ABOUT —

BEST HOTEL

FITNESS CENTER/GYM

BEST LOCAL EVENT

MUSEUM/GALLERY

BEST NEW WORKOUT

ORGANIZATION

OUT &

High Bridge Trail State Park — Sandy River Outdoor Adventure — FINALIST BEST

Southside Virginia Family YMCA — Elite Fitness 24/7 - Farmville — FINALIST Farmville Fit — FINALIST

Hotel Weyanoke — Holiday Inn Express & Suites Farmville — FINALIST Tru by Hilton — FINALIST

Heart of Virginia Festival — Meals on Wheels Wine Festival — FINALIST BEST

Moton Museum — Longwood Center for the Visual Arts — FINALIST Historic Village at Lee Wayside — FINALIST

Farmville Fit — Abby Reynolds -Budget Barre — FINALIST BEST NON-PROFIT

Southside SPCA — STEPS Inc. — FINALIST Piedmont Senior Resources Inc. — FINALIST

— OUT & ABOUT —

BEST PARK

High Bridge Trail State Park —

Farmville Lions Club Park — FINALIST

Twin Lakes State Park — FINALIST

BEST PATIO

Charley’s Waterfront Cafe —

Catbird Rooftop Terrace — FINALIST

North Street Press Club — FINALIST

BEST PLACE TO TAKE THE FAMILY

High Bridge Trail State Park —

Sandy River Outdoor Adventure — FINALIST Holiday Lake — FINALIST

BEST PLACE TO TAKE VISITORS

High Bridge Trail State Park —

Three Roads Brewing Company — FINALIST

The Virginia Tasting Cellar — FINALIST

BEST WALKING TRAIL

Bridge Trail State Park

Lake Park

Terry Walking

WEDDING VENUE

Baldwin Lake Pavilion

Barn at Timber

High

— Wilck’s

— FINALIST Sarah

Trail — FINALIST BEST

The Barn at Gully Tavern — Carolyn

LLC — FINALIST The

Creek — FINALIST — OUT & ABOUT — FARMVILLE’S BEST-KEPT SECRET A Great Escape Spalon — Full Circle Schools — FINALIST BEST CARDIOLOGIST Dr. Firas Kaddaha — Dr. Jain — FINALIST BEST COLLEGE PROFESSOR Lee Bidwell — Dr. Rebecca Jayne — FINALIST — PROFESSIONALS —

— PROFESSIONALS

BEST ACCOUNTANT

BEST BANKER

Teresa

Summer

BEST BARBER

BEST BARTENDER

BEST BROKER

Hill and Davis CPA — Benjamin Johnson — FINALIST Kevin Sheehan — FINALIST

StewartBenchmark Bank — Angela Robinson — FINALIST Ellen Allen — FINALIST

Overton — Mack Cales - A Great Escape Spalon — FINALIST Devon Oakes — FINALIST

Jordan Alford — Nick Stansfield — FINALIST Jim Osborn — FINALIST

Larry Atkins — Navona Hart — FINALIST Kip Lafoon — FINALIST

—

BEST

BEST CHIROPRACTOR

BEST COMMERCIAL REALTOR

BUSINESS Bronzed On Third — State Wide Realty Co. — FINALIST A Great Escape Spalon — FINALIST

Shawn Kendrick — Bethany Carilli — FINALIST Stewart Wright — FINALIST

Larry Atkins — Navona Hart — FINALIST BEST EMS PROVIDER Richard Broadwater — Deanna Lester — FINALIST BEST CHEF Melvin Williams - North Street Press Club — Dale Davis — FINALIST BEST DERMATOLOGIST Ridge View Dermatology — — PROFESSIONALS —

BEST COUNSELOR

BEST DENTIST

BEST FAMILY PHYSICIAN

BEST FIREFIGHTER

BEST HAIR DRESSER

Jason French — Jonathan Shular — FINALIST Lauren Showalter — FINALIST

Andrew Johnson — Timothy Marshall — FINALIST Dr. Atkins — FINALIST

Victor Adaniel — David Pruitt — FINALIST Giuliana Allega — FINALIST

Thomas Varner — Keith Agee — FINALIST

Mary Smelcer — Brittany Lacks — FINALIST Mack Cales - A Great Escape Spalon — FINALIST — PROFESSIONALS —

— PROFESSIONALS —

BEST HOME BUILDER

Atkins Custom

—

BEST INSURANCE AGENT

Jones —

BEST K-12 TEACHER

Megan Varner —

BEST LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL

Epps —

Homes

T&K Homes — FINALIST Loverde Construction — FINALIST

Edgar

Matthew Emerson — FINALIST Will Showalter — FINALIST

Angie Camp — FINALIST Jen Dempsey — FINALIST

Tony

Andy Ellington — FINALIST David Wilmouth — FINALIST

BEST LOCAL ARTIST

LANDSCAPER

LOCAL MUSICIAN/BAND

BEST LOCAL WRITER

OB-GYN

17 — PROFESSIONALS — BEST LAWYER Terri Atkins Wilson — Gary Elder — FINALIST Harlan Horton — FINALIST

Dempsey Kendrick — Audrey Sullivan — FINALIST Carly York — FINALIST BEST

Farmers Daughters — Cody Meadows / Gully Tavern Landscaping — FINALIST BEST

Porch Gliders — Audacity Brass Band — FINALIST Brian Graham — FINALIST

Francis Wood — Marge Swayne — FINALIST Jeanne Grunert — FINALIST BEST

Kathleen Cauble — Diane Aslanis — FINALIST

BEST MASSAGE THERAPIST

Brogdon

BEST NURSE

Fowlkes

NURSE PRACTITIONER

ORTHOPEDIC SURGEON

BEST PASTOR

PEDIATRICIAN

BEST PHYSICAL THERAPIST

18 — PROFESSIONALS —

Hope

— Kayla Akau — FINALIST Julie Cales — FINALIST

Angela

— Angelica Vaughan — FINALIST Melanie Scruggs — FINALIST BEST

Mary Ann Pruitt — Sharon Chandler — FINALIST Tammy Wingo — FINALIST BEST

William Andrews — Asif Shah — FINALIST

Rex Williams — Reverend RQ “Doc” Lawing — FINALIST James H Taylor III — FINALIST BEST

Luis Siliezar — Teresita Dionisio — FINALIST Ibtehal Al-Ani — FINALIST

Rhian McCann — Ellen Hudgins — FINALIST Shelby Midkiff — FINALIST

— PROFESSIONALS —

BEST PLUMBER

Crosby Plumbing & Water Treatment

BEST POLICE OFFICER

Hunter Travis

BEST PSYCHIATRIST

Blackwood Jr. —

BEST REALTOR

Atkins —

— Russell Davis — FINALIST Jason Farrish — FINALIST

— Justin Bowles — FINALIST Billy Shular — FINALIST

Lynn

Maria Almond — FINALIST Norman Holden — FINALIST

Larry

Brock Robinson — FINALIST Navona Hart — FINALIST

20 — PROFESSIONALS — — SERVICES — BEST VETERINARIAN Mark French — Elizabeth Hazelgrove — FINALIST Bernardo Soler-Mena — FINALIST BEST WAITER/WAITRESS Elexis Travis — Grace Neilsen - North Street Press Club — FINALIST Ginny Richards — FINALIST BEST ACCOUNTING FIRM Hill & Davis, CPA — A Plus Bookkeeping & Tax Services — FINALIST BEST ASSISTED LIVING/ RETIREMENT HOME The Woodland Inc. — BEST BANK/CREDIT UNION Benchmark Community Bank — Citizens Bank & Trust — FINALIST Virginia Credit Union — FINALIST BEST CHILDCARE CENTER STEPS Head Start — Andy Taylor Center — FINALIST BEST DANCE STUDIO Carrington & Crafton Academy of Performing Arts — BEST LAW FIRM Terri Atkins Wilson — Elder, Watkins, & Friedman — FINALIST

BEST

Davenport & Company

FIRM

BEST ELECTRICIAN

BEST EYE CARE PROVIDER

BEST FAMILY LAWYER

BEST FINANCIAL PLANNING

Davenport & Company

INVESTMENT

— Edward Jones - Financial Advisor: Hannah D. Ramsey — FINALIST

A+ Electrical — Rohr Mechanical — FINALIST Francis Electric — FINALIST

Daniel Kingsley — Ripon La Roche — FINALIST Southside Eye Center — FINALIST

Terri Atkins Wilson — Gary Elder — FINALIST Harlan Horton — FINALIST

— Edward Jones - Financial Advisor: Hannah D. Ramsey — FINALIST Edward Jones - Financial Advisor: Kerby Moore — FINALIST — SERVICES —

22 BEST INSURANCE AGENCY Virginia Farm Bureau Insurance Company — W A Watson & Sons Insurance — FINALIST Gantt Insurance Agency — FINALIST BEST LANDSCAPING SERVICE The Farmer’s Daughters — American Soldier Lawncare — FINALIST D.E. Landscaping - Dusty Ellington — FINALIST BEST MASSAGE Divine Massage - Hope Brogdon — A Great Escape Spalon — FINALIST The Outer You — FINALIST BEST MECHANICAL COMPANY Putney Mechanical — Rohr Mechanical — FINALIST — SERVICES —

BEST

HOME

Funeral

BEST HAIR SALON

By

BEST

AND COOLING

FUNERAL

Puckett

Home — Bland Reid — FINALIST Dunkum Funeral Home — FINALIST Shorter’s Funeral Home — FINALIST

Hair

Mary & Co — A Great Escape Spalon — FINALIST Bobbypins Hair Studio — FINALIST

HEATING

Ellington Energy Services Inc. — Putney Mechanical — FINALIST Rohr Mechanical — FINALIST BEST HVAC COMPANY Putney Mechanical — Ellington Energy Services Inc. — FINALIST Rohr Mechanical — FINALIST — SERVICES —

BEST

24 — SERVICES — BEST MEDICAL CLINIC Centra Southside Medical Center — Hope Clinic Of Farmville — FINALIST Central Virginia Health Services Inc. — FINALIST BEST MORTGAGE COMPANY Benchmark Community Bank — The Farmers Bank of Appomattox — FINALIST Alcova Mortgage — FINALIST BEST NAIL SALON Sunflower Nails 2 — A Great Escape Spalon — FINALIST C.H. Nail by Outer You — FINALIST BEST PEST CONTROL Bug Busters — OK Termite — FINALIST Central Virginia Exterminating & Crawlspace Solutions — FINALIST BEST PET BOARDING Three Oaks Pet Resort — Four Paw Bed & Biscuit — FINALIST Trueheart Kennel — FINALIST BEST PET GROOMER Four Paw Bed & Biscuit — Three Oaks Pet Resort — FINALIST Plum Creek Hollow — FINALIST

PRIVATE SCHOOL Fuqua School — Central Virginia Christian School — FINALIST Full Circle School — FINALIST

25 BEST PHOTOGRAPHER/ PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICE Courtney Vogel — Overstreet Photography — FINALIST Carley York — FINALIST BEST REAL ESTATE AGENCY State Wide Realty Co. — Century 21 Realty @ Home — FINALIST Yoder Properties — FINALIST BEST REHABILITATIVE SERVICES Centra Rehabilitation — Moore Center at The Woodland — FINALIST Progressive Therapy Inc. — FINALIST BEST STORAGE FACILITY AA Self Storage — Romaine Storage — FINALIST Storage Depot of Farmville — FINALIST — SERVICES —

26 BEST TATTOO SHOP Joker’s Wild Custom Tattoo — Kiss of Ink — FINALIST BEST TOWING COMPANY Third Street Wrecker Inc. — East End Motor Company Inc. — FINALIST Hunt’s Towing — FINALIST BEST CARPETS/RUGS/FLOORING Green Front Furniture — Lowe’s Home Improvement — FINALIST BEST FLORIST Rochette’s Florist — Carters Flower Shop — FINALIST BEST ANTIQUE SHOP Vintage Antique Shack — Good Times Vintage Boutique — FINALIST Mottley Emporium — FINALIST BEST CONSIGNMENT/RESALE Two Sisters Thrift Store — Piedmont Habitat For Humanity ReStore — FINALIST Carousell Consignments — FINALIST BEST CONSTRUCTION/HOME BUILDER SERVICE Atkins Custom Homes — T & K Homes — FINALIST Loverde Construction — FINALIST — SERVICES — — SHOPPING —

BEST

SHOP

DECOR

27 BEST FURNITURE STORE Green Front Furniture — Amish Originals — FINALIST Town & Country Furniture and Appliance Inc. — FINALIST BEST GIFT

Sleeping Bee — The Farmer’s Daughters — FINALIST Green Front Accessory Inc. — FINALIST BEST HAIR SALON/ BARBER SHOP Hair By Mary & Co — A Great Escape Spalon — FINALIST The Outer You — FINALIST BEST HARDWARE STORE Lowe’s Home Improvement — Farrish Hardware — FINALIST

HOME

Green Front Accessory Inc. — Sleeping Bee — FINALIST The Farmer’s Daughters — FINALIST — SHOPPING —

BEST

Talley Jewelry

JEWELER

— Watkins Jewelers Inc. — FINALIST Wilkes Jewelers — FINALIST BEST NURSERY/GARDEN STORE B & M Greenhouse Inc. — The Farmer’s Daughters — FINALIST Lowe’s Home Improvement — FINALIST BEST OPTICAL STORE Southside Eye Center — Farmville Vision — FINALIST BEST PAWN SHOP The Attic Pawn Shop — Farmville Sporting Goods — FINALIST BEST SPORTING GOODS Farmville Sporting Goods — The Outdoor Adventure Store — FINALIST Hibbett Sports — FINALIST BEST TANNING SALON Island Glow Tanning & Beauty — Bronzed on Third Airbrush Spray Tans — FINALIST BEST WOMEN’S CLOTHING STORE Lex on Main — Belk — FINALIST Penelope — FINALIST — SHOPPING —

29 BEST BODY SHOP Fourth Street Motor Company — Burkeville Body Shop — FINALIST East End Motor Company Inc. — FINALIST BEST CAR SALESPERSON Wayne Davis — Trey Owen — FINALIST Henry Rowlette — FINALIST BEST PHARMACY Farmville Family Pharmacy — CVS — FINALIST Walgreens — FINALIST — SHOPPING — — VEHICLES, DEALERS & SERVICES — — VEHICLES, DEALERS & SERVICES — BEST ATV DEALER Taylor-Forbes Equipment Company — Crewe Tractor & Equipment — FINALIST BEST AUDIO SHOP Rockwell Audio — Twisted Frame Body & Fender — FINALIST BEST AUTO GLASS REPAIR Grant’s Glass — Third Street Wrecker — FINALIST Twisted Frame Body & Fender — FINALIST BEST AUTO REPAIR & SERVICE Fourth Street Motor Company — Davis GMC Truck Inc. — FINALIST B & G Auto Inc. — FINALIST

—

BEST NEW CAR DEALER

BEST PRE-OWNED CAR DEALER

&

—

VEHICLES, DEALERS

SERVICES

Davis GMC Truck Inc. — Haley Automall — FINALIST

Davis GMC Truck Inc. — Haley Automall — FINALIST Kenny’s Car Coop — FINALIST BEST TIRE STORE East End Motor Company Inc. — Strikeforce Tire — FINALIST Rod & Staff — FINALIST

32 Southside Medical Practice 502 Beech Street, Farmville, VA 23901 Thank you for letting us be a part of your family! WELCOMING NEW PATIENTS - CALL TODAY FOR AN APPOINTMENT (434) 392-9438 Pictured are, from left, front row, Theresa Dionisio-Adaniel M.D. and Teresita Dionisio M.D. Back row, Heather Dix, Tammy Atkins, Victor Adaniel M.D., Marty Bohanan and Bernice Townsend. Thank You To the Community for Voting VICTOR ADANIEL M.D. — Best Family Physician — TERESITA DIONISIO M.D. — Best Pediatrician —