Best of La Crosse County 2014 – Food & Drink

One of the first things any visitor wants to know about a place is where to find the best place to eat, so it’s no surprise that our Food & Drink section was also our largest and most hotly contested. Among bars and taverns, the ever-popular Bodega Brew Pub emerged as a clear favorite, winning for best bottle and tap selections, best neighborhood tavern, best downtown bar, and best overall bar. Among restaurants, The Freighthouse was recognized as La Crosse County’s best overall restaurant, best supper club, as well as having the best steak and seafood, while The Waterfront earned accolades for best upscale dining, best ambience, best view, and best place for a romantic dinner. Congratulations to all our winners. See full results below.

 

Neighborhood tavern

  1. Bodega – 37.6%
  2. The Recovery Room – 18.6%
  3. Bluffside – 16.7%

Sports bar

  1. Howie’s – 41.7%
  2. Dublin Square – 23.2%
  3. Features – 14.8%

rural bar

  1. Alpine Inn – 31.2%
  2. Red Pines – 26.3%
  3. Leo and Leona’s – 25.3%

downtown bar

  1. Bodega – 24.3%
  2. Dublin Square – 19.0%
  3. Starlite Lounge – 17.3%

bar – overall

  1. Bodega – 31.5%
  2. Dublin Square – 22.6%
  3. Howie’s – 18.8%

pub trivia

  1. Howie’s – 34.4%
  2. Flipside Pub & Grill – 22.7%
  3. Dublin Square – 18.5%

cocktails

  1. Starlite Lounge – 50.4%
  2. The Waterfront – 19.6%
  3. Piggy’s – 10.6%

bloody mary

  1. Del’s Bar – 56.6%
  2. Flipside Pub & Grill – 11.2%
  3. Fayze’s – 10.0%

wine bar

  1. The Wine Guyz – 38.4%
  2. 4 Sisters – 33.1%
  3. JavaVino – 18.2%

beer bottle selection

  1. Bodega – 60.9%
  2. Pearl Street Brewery – 16.0%
  3. Dublin Square – 8.0%

tap beer selection

  1. Bodega – 48.4%
  2. Sloopy’s Alma Mater – 17.6%
  3. Dublin Square – 14.4%

happy hour

  1. Starlite Lounge – 40.2%
  2. Waterfront – 19.2%
  3. Flipside Pub & Grill – 17.3%

college bar

  1. Howie’s – 27.7%
  2. Eagle’s Nest – 21.5%
  3. Brothers – 18.5%

dance club

  1. Coconut Joe’s – 39.1%
  2. Sawtooth Sam’s – 20.2%
  3. Players – 15.5%

bartender

  1. Pete, Snuffy’s – 6.8%
  2. Eric (Guido), John’s – 4.5%
  3. Luke Fink, The Helm, 4.4%

beer garden

  1. Stolpa’s Stein House – 24.2%
  2. Dublin Square – 20.8%
  3. Alpine Inn – 15.0%

brewery / brewpub

  1. Pearl Street Brewery – 86.4%
  2. City Brewing – 13.6%

international cuisine

  1. Manny’s Mexican Cocina – 28.2%
  2. Dublin Square – 19.6%
  3. New Taste of India – 14.6%

bbq

  1. Famous Dave’s – 29.9%
  2. Piggy’s – 26.1%
  3. Digger’s Sting – 16.4%

chinese

  1. Hunan Chinese Restaurant – 36.2%
  2. China Star – 22.8%
  3. Bamboo House – 18.8%

italian

  1. Ciatti’s – 29.8%
  2. Kate’s on State – 29.2%
  3. Olive Garden – 15.2%

indian

  1. New Taste of India – 100%

japanese/sushi

  1. Bamboo House – 36.3%
  2. Sushi Pirate – 32.5%
  3. The Waterfront – 16.2%

mediterranean / middle eastern

  1. Gracie’s Gyros & Wraps – 100%

vegetarian friendly

  1. Hackberry’s Bistro – 38.2%
  2. The Root Note – 28.6%
  3. JavaVino – 11.4%

mexican / southwestern

  1. Manny’s Mexican Cocina – 42.3%
  2. Fiesta Mexicana – 23.0%
  3. Tequila – 16.4%

Pizza – restaurant

  1. Big Al’s – 28.7%
  2. Kate’s Pizza Amore – 23.2%
  3. Edwardo’s – 15.5%

pizza – delivery / pickup

  1. Big Al’s – 24.2%
  2. Pizza Corral – 21.1%
  3. Pizza King – 21.0%

new restaurant

  1. Burger Fusion Company – 34.2%
  2. Angelini’s – 18.6%
  3. Seasons by the Lake – 18.1%

supper club

  1. The Freighthouse – 28.7%
  2. Digger’s Sting – 26.4%
  3. Hungry Peddler – 16.4%

upscale dining

  1. The Waterfront – 31.4%
  2. The Freighthouse – 25.2%
  3. Piggy’s – 14.5%

chain restaurant

  1. Culver’s – 26.3%
  2. Texas Roadhouse – 22.2%
  3. Panera – 21.6%

kid-friendly restaurant

  1. Chuck E. Cheese’s – 35.8%
  2. Pizza Doctors – 24.9%
  3. Fayze’s – 18.2%

romantic dinner

  1. The Waterfront – 45.3%
  2. Piggy’s – 17.0%
  3. Digger’s Sting – 15.7%

restaurant – overall

  1. The Freighthouse – 29.3%
  2. The Waterfront – 24.9%
  3. Piggy’s – 18.1%

chef / cook

  1. Chris Roderique, Piggy’s – 25.0%
  2. Paul Matushek, Buzzard Billy’s – 14.2%
  3. Kate Gerrard, Kate’s on State – 13.0%

waiter / waitress

  1. Billy Poehling, The Freighthouse – 9.3%
  2. Kayla Connor, Buzzard Billy’s – 8.6%
  3. Donna, Red Pines – 7.4%

bakery

  1. Linda’s Bakery – 49.9%
  2. Fayze’s – 20.6%
  3. People’s Food Co-op – 11.2%

breakfast

  1. Fayze’s – 36.8%
  2. Rosie’s Cafe – 20.5%
  3. Marge’s on Rose – 19.1%

brunch

  1. Fayze’s – 27.4%
  2. Nutbush City Limits – 12.9%
  3. Blue Moon – 11.1%

steak

  1. The Freighthouse – 38.4%
  2. Digger’s – 26.0%
  3. Texas Roadhouse – 14.7%

burger

  1. Burger Fusion Company – 24.4%
  2. Sloopy’s Alma Mater – 21.7%
  3. Dublin Square – 18.8%

cheese curds

  1. Edwardo’s – 31.1%
  2. Rudy’s Drive-In – 21.8%
  3. Dublin Square – 16.2%

tacos

  1. Manny’s Mexican Cocina – 39.5%
  2. Taco John’s – 16.7%
  3. Burritos House – 15.3%

wings

  1. Buffalo Wild Wings – 33.8%
  2. Sports Nut – 23.6%
  3. Flipside Pub & Grill – 18.2%

soup

  1. Pickerman’s – 36.5%
  2. Panera – 21.9%
  3. Piggy’s – 12.9%

fish fry

  1. Syl’s Place – 30.7%
  2. Red Pines – 21.1%
  3. Houghton’s – 19.9%

seafood

  1. The Freighthouse – 28.8%
  2. The Waterfront – 21.6%
  3. Red Lobster – 15.8%

sandwich / wrap

  1. Pickerman’s – 27.4%
  2. Lindy’s Subs – 26.8%
  3. Fat Sam’s Main Street Bistro – 21.9%

outdoor dining

  1. The Waterfront – 38.8%
  2. Huck Finn’s on the Water – 29.2%
  3. 4 Sisters – 15.6%

ambience

  1. The Waterfront – 39.5%
  2. 4 Sisters – 19.8%
  3. The Freighthouse – 18.6%

view

  1. The Waterfront – 48.8%
  2. Pettibone Boat Club – 13.2%
  3. Huck Finn’s on the Water – 12.6%

coffee / tea shop

  1. Moka – 27.4%
  2. The Root Note – 25.0%
  3. Jules – 20.0%

candy / ice cream shop

  1. The Pearl – 46.8%
  2. Ranison Ice Cream & Candy – 24.3%
  3. The Sweet Shop – 22.5%

grocery store

  1. Woodman’s – 31.7%
  2. People’s Food Co-op – 26.8%
  3. Festival Foods (State Road) – 17.2%