Artvoice Best of Buffalo 2011

Holy cow, another year has come and gone: It’s time once again for AV’s annual Best of Buffalo readers survey of all that’s strange and wonderful (and not-so-wonderful) about our fair city and its surrounding burgs.

The ballots have been cast, the votes have been totaled, and here's the people, places and things Artvoice readers have chosen as the Best of Buffalo 2011. Nominees are the top-5 vote getters in each category, listed on these pages are listed in randomized order. The winners were announced at our Best of Buffalo party, on Monday May 9th.

Best of Buffalo 2011 Winners

The Best of the Best

You voted in droves this year, Buffalo, and you showed up en masse to Monday night’s Artvoice Best of Buffalo party at the Towne Ballroom. Thanks to our tireless mistress of ceremonies, Chevon Davis, and to the nominated restaurants who fed us and the nominated artists who entertained us. It was easily one of the best Best of Buffalo bashes we’ve ever thrown.

Best of Buffalo 2011 Nominees

Our City, Our People

Why tear down the Skyway when it offers one of the best (and most widely accessible) views of Lake Erie?

The Fine Arts

Notwithstanding hard financial times for our cultural institutions, Western New York continues to be a great place to be an artist.

Music

From blues to rock, jazz to hip-hop and even country, Buffalo does it all, and though it can be hard to filter out the gold from the garbage, the people of the Queen City have narrowed it down to their top fives.

Dining Out

Although people may come for the Buffalo wings, loganberry, and sponge candy, they stay for the delightfully overwhelming number of dining options. No matter which area of Buffalo you end up in, you can stumble upon a variety of tastes, price ranges, and atmospheres. This year’s picks reveal a solid representation from Buffalo staples and a few new options that could shake you out of your dining habits with just one bite.

Shops and Services

Maybe you’d like to Reimagine your furniture. Perhaps you need some Neo knickknacks.

Nightlife

No matter what struggles we contend with in the light of day here in Buffalo, once that evening sun goes down there’s no shortage of destinations to take us away from all that.