The votes are in! Here’s your picks for the best of the county and the Bay Area for 2021.
Watch this space for more detailed coverage of your favorite spots.
Arts & Entertainment
Best Live Music Venue
Marin: Sweetwater Music Hall, Mill Valley
Bay Area: The Fillmore, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Terrapin Crossroads, San Rafael
Bay Area: Hearst Greek Theatre, Berkeley
Best Live Theater
Marin: Marin Theatre Company, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Berkeley Repertory Theater, Berkeley
Runners Up
Marin: AlterTheater, San Rafael
Bay Area: American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.), San Francisco
Best Children’s Theater
Marin: Throckmorton Theatre, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Sonoma Children’s Creative & Performing Arts, Sonoma
Runners Up
Marin: Marin Art and Garden Center, Ross
Bay Area: Marin Theatre Company, Mill Valley
Best Museum
Marin: Marin Museum of Contemporary Art (MarinMOCA), Novato
Bay Area: San Francisco Museum of Modern Art (SFMOMA), San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Bolinas Museum, Bolinas
Bay Area: de Young Museum, San Francisco
Best Children’s Museum
Marin: Bay Area Discovery Museum, Sausalito
Bay Area: Exploratorium, San Francisco
Runner Up
Bay Area: Academy of Science, San Francisco
Best Band
Marin: Huey Lewis, Bolinas and Kentfield
Bay Area: Santana
Runners Up
Marin: Vinyl
Bay Area: Train
Best Comedy Venue
Marin: Throckmorton Theatre, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Cobb’s Comedy Club, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Marin Center, San Rafael
Bay Area: Punchline, San Francisco
Best Art Gallery
Marin: Robert Green, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Art Works Downtown, San Rafael
Bay Area: Altman Siegel, San Francisco
Best Hotel
Marin: Cavallo Point, Sausalito
Bay Area: Auberge de Soleil, Napa Valley
Runners Up
Marin: Casa Madrona, Sausalito
Bay Area: Indian Springs, Calistoga
Best Staycation
Marin: Water’s Edge, Tiburon
Bay Area: Auberge de Soleil, Napa Valley
Runners Up
Marin: Tiburon Lodge, Tiburon
Bay Area: Fairmont, San Francisco
Best Northern California Destination
Best Northern California Family Destination
Runners Up
Beauty
Best Spa
Marin: Turning Point, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Osmosis, Freestone
Runners Up
Marin: International Orange, Larkspur
Bay Area: Indian Springs, Calistoga
Best Med Spa
Marin: Belle Marin Aesthetic Medicine, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Plastic Surgery Specialists Med Spa, multiple locations
Runners Up
Marin: Marin Medical Aesthetics, San Rafael
Bay Area: Morpheus Med Spa, Larkspur and Santa Rosa
Best Women’s Haircut/Salon Services
Marin: The Current, San Anselmo
Bay Area: Sugar, Petaluma
Runners Up
Marin: AP Luxe Salon, Mill Valley
Bay Area: John Velasquez Salon, San Francisco
Best Men’s Haircut/Salon Services
Marin: The Current, San Anselmo
Bay Area: Barber Lane, Larkspur & San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Xclusive Club Barbershop, San Rafael
Bay Area: Fahrenheit Salon, San Francisco
Best Facial
Marin: Eva Claiborne Beauty & Wellness, Tiburon
Bay Area: Envie Skin & Body, multiple locations
Runners Up
Marin: EVO Spa, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Skin Spirit, multiple locations
Best Massage
Marin: Bodywise Massage, San Rafael
Bay Area: Watercourse Way Bathhouse Spa, Palo Alto
Runners Up
Marin: Resonance Spa, Corte Madera
Bay Area: Elements Massage, multiple locations
Best Nail Salon
Marin: Annie’s Nails, San Rafael
Bay Area: Polish Nail and Beauty Spa, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: NJ Nails Spa, Novato
Bay Area: Cuticles Nail Spa, Oakland
Best Cosmetic Dermatologist
Marin: Mill Valley Dermatology, Dr. Haydee Knott, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Kathy Fields, MD, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Laub Dermatology & Aesthetics Dr. Laub, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Dermatology medical group, Dr. Megin Scully, San Francisco
Dining
Best Al Fresco
Marin: Watershed, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Hook Fish Co, Mill Valley & San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: Bungalow 44, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Waterbar, San Francisco
Best Bakeries
Marin: Bootjack Wood Fired, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Tartine, San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: Rustic Bakery, Larkspur
Bay Area: b. Patisserie, San Francisco
Best Bar & Grill
Marin: Buckeye Roadhouse, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Balboa Cafe, San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: Perry’s, Larkspur
Bay Area: Cotogna, San Francisco
Best Barbecue
Marin: Pig in a Pickle, Corte Madera
Bay Area: Horn Barbecue, Oakland
Runner Up
Marin: Jerry’s Downtown BBQ, Novato
Bay Area: 4505, San Francisco
Best Breakfast/Brunch
Marin: Shoreline Coffee Shop, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Rose’s Café, San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: Half Day Café, Greenbrae
Bay Area: Hummingbird, Fairfax
Best Breweries
Marin: Pond Farm Brewing, San Rafael
Bay Area: East Brother Beer, Richmond
Runner Up
Marin: Marin Brewing Company, Larkspur
Bay Area: Anchor Brewing Company, San Francisco
Best Burger
Marin: William Tell House, Tomales
Bay Area: Gott’s, multiple locations
Runner Up
Marin: Watershed, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Super Duper Burgers, multiple locations
Best Chinese
Marin: Harmony, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Henry Hunan, San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: DJ’s, Larkspur
Bay Area: Shanghai Dumpling King, San Francisco
Best Coffee Shop
Marin: Equator, Mill Valley downtown location
Bay Area: Blue Bottle, San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: Coyote Coffee, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Philz, Corte Madera
Best Farmers’ Market
Marin: Sunday Marin Civic Center Farmers Market, San Rafael
Bay Area: Ferry Plaza Farmers’ Market, San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: Marin Country Mart Farmers’ Market, Larkspur
Bay Area: Clement Street Farmers’ Market, San Francisco
Best Frozen Yogurt/Ice Cream/Gelato
Marin: Swirl, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Salt & Straw, multiple locations
Runner Up
Marin: Scoop Fairfax, Fairfax
Bay Area: Smitten Ice Cream, San Francisco
Best Grocery Store
Marin: Good Earth, Fairfax
Bay Area: Berkeley Bowl, Berkeley
Runner Up
Marin: Nugget Novato
Bay Area: Real Good Greens
Best Italian Restaurants
Marin: Poggio, Sausalito
Bay Area: Flour & Water, San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: Sorella Café, Fairfax
Bay Area: Acquerello, San Francisco
Best Mexican
Marin: Marinitas, San Anselmo
Bay Area: Mi Pueblo, Petaluma
Runner Up
Marin: Playa, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Comal Next Door, Berkeley
Best Pizza
Marin: Creekside, San Anselmo
Bay Area: The Cheese Board, Berkeley
Runner Up
Marin: Tamalpie, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Tony’s Pizza Napoletana, San Francsico
Best Sandwiches
Marin: Bruno’s Deli, San Rafael
Bay Area: Lucca Delicatessen, San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: Michael’s Sourdough Sandwiches, Novato
Bay Area: Molinari Deli, San Francisco
Best Seafood Restaurant
Marin: Fish, Sausalito
Bay Area: Hog Island, multiple locations
Runner Up
Marin: Trident, Sausalito
Bay Area: Hook Fish Co, Mill Valley & San Francisco
Best Steakhouse
Marin: Buckeye Roadhouse, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Ruth’s Chris, Walnut Creek
Runner Up
Marin: Marin Joe’s, Corte Madera
Bay Area: Izzy’s Steakhouse, San Francisco
Best Sushi
Marin: Sushi Ran, Sausalito
Bay Area: Kusakabe, San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: Sushi 69
Bay Area: Wako Japanese Restaurant, San Francisco
Best Vegan/Vegetarian
Marin: Café del Soul, San Rafael
Bay Area: Green’s, San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: Veggie Grill, Corte Madera
Bay Area: Golden Era Vegan Restaurant, San Francisco
Best Wine Store
Marin: Ludwig’s Fine Wine, San Anselmo
Bay Area: K&L Wine Merchants, San Francisco
Runner Up
Marin: Jillie’s, San Anselmo
Bay Area: West Coast Wine, Mill Valley & San Francisco
Education
Best Bay Area University/College
University of California, Berkeley
Runner Up
University of California Santa Cruz
Best Preschool
Marin: Marin Horizon, Mill Valley
Bay Area: The Little School, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Belvedere Hawthorne Nursery Schools, Belvedere
Bay Area: Cow Hollow School, San Francisco
Best Private School
Marin: Mount Tamalpais School, Mill Valley
Bay Area: College Preparatory School, Oakland
Runners Up
Marin: Marin Catholic
Bay Area: Lick Wilmerding
Best Public School
Marin: Hidden Valley
Bay Area: Lowell High School, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Bacich Anthony Elementary School
Bay Area: Redwood High School
Best Tutor
Marin: Headlands Preparatory School, Sausalito
Runner Up
Marin: Bridge the Gap, Sausalito
Best Art Instruction
Marin: Studio4Art, San Rafael and Novato
Runner Up
Marin: Marin School of the Arts
Health & Fitness
Best Chiropractor
Marin: Dr. Chappy Wood, D.C., Corte Madera
Runner Up
Marin: Rina Tinozzi, Corte Madera
Best Cross-Training Class
Marin: TJ’s Gym, Mill Valley & Corte Madera
Bay Area: F45, multiple locations
Runners Up
Marin: Novato CrossFit
Bay Area: San Francisco CrossFit
Best Equipment/Athletic-Wear Store
Marin: Athleta, Corte Madera
Bay Area: Sports Basement, Novato and San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: T&B Sports, San Rafael
Bay Area: Lululemon
Best Fitness Class
Marin: The Dailey Method, Corte Madera
Bay Area: Orange Theory, Greenbrae, Novato and Mill Valley
Runners Up
Marin: Get Fit Marin
Bay Area: Barry’s Bootcamp
Best Gym
Marin: Five Points Fitness, Corte Madera and Novato
Bay Area: Bay Club, multiple locations
Runners Up
Marin: The Club at Harbor Point
Bay Area: Fitness SF
Best Personal Trainer
Marin: Jake and JT Peterson, Studio Thirty, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Toby Wilson, Sonoma Fit, multiple locations
Runners Up
Marin: Sarah Hester, The Studio Pilates Marin, San Rafael
Christine Waldron, Mill Valley
Best Pilates Studio
Marin: Body Kinetics, Novato, San Rafael and, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Mighty Pilates, Larkspur & San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Novato Pilates, Novato
Bay Area: Sanchez Street Studios, San Francisco
Best Spin Studio
Marin: Pelo Fitness, San Rafael
Bay Area: Jewish Community Center of San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: CycleBar, Novato
Soul Cycle, Palo Alto, multiple locations
Best Yoga Studio
Marin: Metta Yoga, Corte Madera
Bay Area: The Pad Studios, San Francisco
Runners Up
Bay Area: Love Story, San Francisco
Best Health & Wellness Coach
Marin: Susan Hauser, Corte Madera
Bay Area: Saskia Kleinert, Integrative Health and Nutrition, Emeryville
Runners Up
Marin: Thought Partners (formerly known as Marin Psychotherapy for Women), Kentfield
Bay Area: Clara Gray, Novato
Home & Design
Best Architect
Marin: Crome Architecture, San Rafael
Bay Area: Sutton Suzuki Architects
Runners Up
Marin: Chambers & Chambers, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Wade Design Architects
Best Builder
Marin: Lamperti Contracting & Design, San Rafael
Bay Area: Hadley General Contractors
Runners Up
Marin: Diego Brothers, Inc., San Rafael
Bay Area: Jeff King & Company
Best Painter
Marin: Ross Painting, San Rafael
Bay Area: Flying Colors
Runners Up
Marin: Bob Kunst Painting, San Rafael
Bay Area: Karoll Julian
Best Flooring
Marin: Architectural Design Carpets, San Rafael
Bay Area: Carpet Connection, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: City Carpets, San Rafael
Bay Area: Chacon Flooring, San Francisco
Best Interior Design
Marin: Sandra Bird Designs, Kentfield
Bay Area: HSH Interiors, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Robert Federighi Design, Novato
Bay Area: Sunrise Home
Best Kitchen Design
Marin: Kress Jack at Home, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Henrybuilt, multiple locations
Runners Up
Marin: Yami Arvelo of Moones Home, Novato
Bay Area: MAS Design, multiple locations
Best Landscaping Company
Marin: Yardzen, Sausalito
Bay Area: Zeterre Landscape Architecture
Runners Up
Marin: Integrated Design Studio, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Kearney Gardens, San Francisco
Best Real Estate Company
Marin: Golden Gate Sotheby’s International Realty, Greenbrae
Bay Area: Coldwell Banker
Runners Up
Marin: Engel & Vöolkers, Sausalito
Bay Area: Compass Realty, San Francisco
Best Home Organization Company
Marin: Changing Places, San Rafael
Bay Area: The Balanced Abode, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: California Space Organizers, San Rafael
Bay Area: Diane Woodall Organizing
Best Outdoor/Patio Designer
Marin: Dig-It Landscape Design, Sausalito
Bay Area: Scott Lewis Landscape Architecture, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: MAS Design, Tiburon
Bay Area: Patio World, multiple locations
Kids
Best Clothing
Marin: SeeSaw Children’s Consignment Shop, San Anselmo
Runners Up
Marin: Sprout, Mill Valley
Best Kids Haircut
Marin: The Shop, San Rafael
Bay Area: Prep, Danville, Palo Alto, San Francisco & Walnut Creek
Runners Up
Marin: Panda Room, Corte Madera
Bay Area: Snippety Crickets, Berkeley
Best Kids/Family Photographer
Marin: Torrey Fox Photography, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Jamie Diger
Best Swim School
Marin: Nancy’s Mommy and Me Swim School, San Rafael
Runners Up
Marin: Marinwood Community Center, San Rafael
Best Toy Store
Marin: Toy Crazy, Larkspur
Runners Up
Marin: 5 Little Monkeys, Corte Madera and Novato
Philanthropy
Best Charity
Marin: Lifehouse Agency, San Rafael
Runners Up
Marin: 10,000 Degrees, San Rafael
Best Fundraiser
Marin: Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Bay Area
Bay Area: Cabernet for Connoisseurs by Family House, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Halleck Creek Ranch, Nicasio
Bay Area: Day In The Park, Livermore
Best Family Give-Back Opportunity
Marin: Adopt-a-Family, San Rafael
Runners Up
Marin: Health Hubs
Services
Best Florist
Marin: Green Door Design, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Farmgirl Flowers, Watsonville
Runners Up
Marin: The Little Flower Shop, San Anselmo
Bay Area: Hoogasian Flowers, San Francisco
Best Jewelry Repair
Marin: Gold Rush, Novato
Bay Area: Watson & Son, Sausalito & San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Julianna’s Fine Jewelry, Corte Madera
Bay Area: Appelblom Jewelry, San Mateo
Best Movers
Marin: Birch Circle Movers, San Rafael
Bay Area: Celtic Moving & Storage, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Movers of Marin, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Cunningham Moving & Storage, San Francisco
Best Pet Grooming
Marin: Doggie Styles, Mill Valley, 415.381.1777
Bay Area: Wags, Novato & San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: All Aboard Dog Grooming, Novato
Bay Area: Ziggy’s Pet Grooming, 415.485.1745
Best Caterer
Marin: Stacy Scott
Bay Area: Big City Catering, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: All Seasons Catering, Mill Valley
Bay Area: A Black Tie Affair, South San Francisco
Best Photographer
Marin: Amy Perl Photography, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Jan Lundberg, A-List Photos, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Buoncristiani Photography, Novato
Bay Area: September Days Photography
Shopping
Best Book Store
Marin: Book Passage, Corte Madera
Bay Area: Green Apple Books, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Copperfield’s, Larkspur and San Rafael
Bay Area: Books, Inc., San Francisco
Best Women’s Clothing
Marin: Viva Diva Boutique, San Rafael
Bay Area: Margaret O’Leary, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: The Store, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Betty Lin, San Francisco
Best Consignment/Thrift
Marin: Swan Dive
Bay Area: Cris, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Stella’s Fine Consignments, San Anselmo
Bay Area: Reloved, San Francisco
Best Men’s Clothing
Marin: The Perfect Provenance, Tiburon
Bay Area: Mr. Lin, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Nordstrom
Bay Area: Rag & Bone, San Francisco
Best Eyewear
Marin: Wink Optics, Mill Valley and San Anselmo
Bay Area: Rims & Goggles, multiple locations
Runners Up
Marin: Marin Optometry, Mill Valley
Bay Area: 20/20 Optical
Best Gifts
Marin: Poet & the Bench, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Maker’s Market, multiple locations
Runners Up
Marin: Chase Ace Hardware Garden & Gift, San Rafael
Bay Area: Rare Device, San Francisco
Best Home Furnishing/Home Accessories
Marin: Sunrise Home, San Rafael
Bay Area: RH, multiple locations
Runners Up
Marin: Summer House, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Hudson Grace, SF
Best Jewelry
Marin: Sofia Jewelry, Mill Valley
Bay Area: D&H Jewelers, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: California Girl Jewelry, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Gallery of Jewels, San Francisco
Best Pet Store
Marin: Woodlands Pet, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Pet Food Express, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Pet Club, Corte Madera petclubstores.com
Bay Area: George, San Francisco
Best Shopping Center/Mall
Marin: The Village at Corte Madera
Bay Area: Stanford Shopping Center, Palo Alto
Runners Up
Marin: Marin Country Mart
Bay Area: Fourth Street, Berkeley
Best Bridal Shop
Marin: Lea Couture, San Anselmo
Bay Area: Emerald City Gowns, Berkeley
Runners Up
Bay Area: Bliss Bridal & Black Tie, Petaluma
Best Home & Garden Store
Marin: Ground, Belvedere-Tiburon
Bay Area: Sloat Garden Center, multiple locations
Runners Up
Marin: Green Jeans Garden Supply, Mill Valley
Bay Area: Flora Grubb Gardens, San Francisco
Best Cannabis Delivery
Marin: Ona Life, San Rafael
Runners Up
Marin: Nice Guys
Best Cannabis Dispensary
Bay Area: The Apothecarium Dispensary, San Francisco
Runners Up
Marin: Moonflower, San Rafael
