Readers' Poll

The best food, entertainment, shopping, romance and city life in Worcester

FOOD AND DRINK

best new restaurant:
Peppercorns, 455 Park Avenue, Worcester, 752-7711

best Chinese restaurant:
Chef Sau, 148 Main Street, Spencer, 885-3995

best Vietnamese restaurant:
Da Lat, 425 Park Avenue, Worcester, 753-6036

best Thai restaurant:
Racha Thai, 15 Lake View Avenue, Shrewsbury, 757-8884

best Italian restaurant:
Arturo's Ristorante, 411 Chandler Street, Worcester, 755-5640

best Middle Eastern restaurant:
El Basha, 424 Belmont Street, Worcester, 797-0884

best Japanese/Sushi restaurant:
Sakura Tokyo, 640 Park Avenue, Worcester, 792-1068

best Irish restaurant:
O'Connors, 1160 West Boylston Street, Worcester, 853-0789

best Indian restaurant:
Sweetheart and House of India

Sweetheart, 270 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, 752-3700; House of India, 439 Park Avenue, Worcester, 752-1330

best Mexican restaurant:
Tortilla Sam's, 413A Park Avenue, Worcester, 756-7267

best fish and chips:
Ronnie's Seafood, Depot Road, Charlton, 248-5024

best seafood restaurant:
Sole Proprietor, 118 Highland Street, Worcester, 798-3477

best outdoor restaurant:
Firehouse Cafe, 1 Exchange Place, Worcester, 753-7899

best late-night restaurant:
Barbers Crossing, 325 West Boylston Street, Worcester, 852-3435

best family restaurant:
Eddy's Pub, 317 West Boylston Street, Worcester, 853-2269

best splurge restaurant (over $30/person):
The Castle Restaurant, 1230 Main Street, Leicester, 892-9090

best cheap restaurant: (under $10/person):
Denny's, 494 Lincoln Street, Worcester, 852-8448

best restaurant wine list:
The Castle Restaurant, 1230 Main Street, Leicester, 892-9090

best restaurant service:
Tiano's, 108 Grove Street, Worcester, 752-8901

best diner:
Boulevard, 155 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, 791-4535

best pizza:
Dino's, 13 Lord Street, Worcester, 753-9978

best burger:
Ralph's, Grove Street, Worcester, 753-9543

best bakery:
Scano's, 352 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, 757-5481

best ice-cream parlor:
Meola's, 165 West Boylston Street, West Boylston, 835-3432

best supermarket: v Stop & Shop, 539 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury, 842-1911; 290 Turnpike Road, Westboro, 366-4368; 940 West Boylston Street, Worcester, 852-0505; 949 Grafton Street, Worcester, 791-8855

best wine/liquor store:
Austin Liquors, 117 Gold Star Boulevard, Worcester, 853-8953

best coffee house/tea shop:
Caffe Dolche, 154 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, 754-3761; 20 South Street, Westborough, 616-9095

ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT

best theater company:
Foothills, 100 Front Street, Suite 137, Worcester, 754-3314

best art gallery:
Arts Worcester, 25 Foster Street, Worcester, 755-5142

best museum:
Worcester Art Museum, 55 Salisbury Street, Worcester, 799-4406

best underappreciated museum:
Higgins Armory, 100 Barber Avenue, Worcester, 853-6015

best first-run movie house:
Worcester Showcase North, Brook Street, Worcester, 799-2737

best video store:
Blockbuster, 50 Southwest Cutoff, Worcester, 753-1152

best performance space:
Mechanics Hall, 321 Main Street, Worcester, 752-5608

best club for hip hop:
Palladium and Sh-booms
Palladium, 261 Main Street, Worcester, 797-9696;
Sh-booms, 215 Main Street, Worcester, 752-4214

best club for rock:
Sir Morgan's Cove, 89 Green Street, Worcester, 753-2188

best club for blues:
Gilrein's, 802 Main Street, Worcester, 791-2583

best club for jazz:
Acton Jazz Cafè and Gilrein's
Acton Jazz Cafè, 452 Great Road, Acton, (978) 263-6161; Gilrein's, 802 Main Street, Worcester, 791-2583

best spoken word/open mic night:
Java Hut, 1073A Main Street, Worcester, 752-1678

best comedy club:
Aku-Aku, 11E Central Street, Worcester, 792-1124

best bar:
Vincent's, 49 Suffolk Street, Worcester, 752-9439

best brewpub:
Brew City, 104 Shrewsbury Street, Worcester, 752-3862

best dance club:
Amen, 21 and 23 Foster Street, Worcester, 754-7742

best jukebox:
Vincent's, 49 Suffolk Street, Worcester, 752-9439

best pool hall:
Boston Billiards, 454 Grove Street, Worcester, 852-2121

ROMANCE

best romantic restaurant:
Tiano's, 108 Grove Street, Worcester, 752-8901

best place for a romantic stroll:
Elm Park, Elm Street, Worcester, 799-1190 (recreation dept.)

best flower shop:
George's, 891 Main Street, Worcester, 756-4329

best place for a proposal (or proposition):
Green Hill Park, Green Hill Avenue, Worcester, 799-1190 (recreation dept.)

best place for sexy gifts:
Gallo Video, Grafton Street, Worcester, 756-8875;
James Street, Worcester, 795-0800

best site for an outdoor wedding:
Elm Park, Elm Street, Worcester, 799-1190 (recreation dept.)

best place to buy a bridal gown:
D'Ianthe, 129 June Street, Worcester, 795-1660

best place to rent a tuxedo:
Mr. Tux, Belmont Street, Worcester, 756-4661

best break-up restaurant:
McDonald's, many locations

SHOPPING

best new bookstore:
Tatnuck Bookseller & Sons, 335 Chandler Street, Worcester, 756-7644

best used bookstore:
Annie's Bookstop, 55 Auburn Street, Auburn, 832-6797

best comic book store:
That's Entertainment, 244 Park Avenue, Worcester, 755-4207

best new record store:
Media Play, 110 Front Street, Worcester, 767-1100

best used record store:
Al-Bums, 149 Highland Street, Worcester, 798-3657

best place to buy musical instruments:
Kurlan, 17 East Mountain Street, Worcester, 853-6417

best place to buy stereo equipment:
High Fidelity House, 276 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury, 799-9737

best computer store:
Percy's, 19 Glenn Street, Worcester, 755-5269

best furniture store:
Rotmans, 725 Southbridge Street, Worcester, 755-5276

best office supply store:
Staples, 468 Southbridge Street, Auburn, 832-9198

best men's clothing store:
Filenes, 385 Southbridge Street, Auburn, 721-0011

best women's clothing store:
Filenes, 385 Southbridge Street, Auburn, 721-0011

best used clothing store:
Pastiche, Highland Street, Worcester, 756-1229

best shoe store:
Payless Shoe Source, 535 Lincoln Street, Worcester, 852-0031; Greendale Mall, Worcester, 852-5654; 703 Southbridge Street, Worcester, 832-6424; 68 Stafford Street, Worcester, 754-5269; Worcester Common Outlets, Worcester, 755-8717

best sporting good store:
Sports Authority, 110 Front Street, Worcester, 755-2770

best place to get your hair cut:
D'lorios, 335A Plantation Street, Worcester, 756-7791

best place to buy eyeglasses:
Atchue Opticians, 1464 Grafton Street, Millbury, 755-5253

best place to buy jewelry:
Sharfmans Jewelers, Worcester Common Outlets,
110 Front Street, Worcester, 791-2211

best place for gifts under $5:
Christmas Tree Shop, Old Shrewsbury Village,
Route 9, Shrewsbury, 849-594

best place to buy toys:
Toys R Us, 416 Southbridge Street, Auburn, 832-9598

best hardware store:
Spag's, 193 Boston Turnpike, Shrewsbury, 799-2570

best pet-supply store:
Pet Co, Route 9, Shrewsbury, 831-1116

best flea market:
Grafton Flea Market, 296 Upton Street, Grafton, 839-2217

OUTDOORS AND SPORTS

best place to people-watch:
Worcester Common, Front Street, behind City Hall

best place to play pick-up basketball:
Newton Square, intersection of Pleasant and Highland streets, 799-1190 (parks and recreation)

best place to jog:
Elm Park, Elm Street, Worcester, 799-1190
(parks and recreation)

best place to skateboard:
Lincoln Square, Lincoln Street and Belmont Street, Worcester, 799-1190 (parks and recreation)

best bike trail:
Leominster State Forest, Route 2, Leominster,
(978) 534-7529 (recreation dept.)

best bike shop:
Bicycle Alley, 1073A Main Street, Worcester,

752-2230

best hiking trail:
Mid State Trail and Mt. Wachusett

Mt. Wachusett, (978) 464-5101

best public tennis courts:
Newton Square, intersection of Pleasant and Highland streets, 799-1190 (parks and recreation)

best health club:
Auburn Club, 489 Washington Street, Auburn, 832-3236

best view:
Bancroft Tower, Salisbury Street, Worcester,

799-1190 (recreation dept.)

best swimming pool:
YMCA, 766 Main Street, Worcester, 755-6101

best place for a picnic:
Green Hill Park, Green Hill Avenue, Worcester,

799-1190 (recreation dept.)

best place to sunbathe:
Shore Park, Shore Drive, Worcester, 799-1190 (recreation dept.)
best children's playground:
Rocketland, Auburn

CITY LIFE

best local web site:
www.worcesterphoenix.com

best place to spot local celebrities:
City Hall, 455 Main Street, Worcester, 799-1000

best local radio show:
Dave & Dave Show, heard Thursdays at 9 p.m., WCUW (91.3 FM)

best local newspaper:
The Telegram & Gazette, 20 Franklin Street, Worcester, 793-9100

best local 'zine:
Worcester Phoenix, 108 Grove Street, Worcester, 767-9777

best local nonprofit group:
Food Not Bombs, meets bi-weekly at Firecracker Books, 72 Franklin Street, Worcester, 753-4002

best historic building:
Union Station, Washington Square, Worcester

best public event (street fair, footrace...):
Summer Nationals

best open space (park, garden):
Green Hill Park, Green Hill Avenue, Worcester, 799-1190 (recreation dept.)

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