SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT TO THE BEACH & BAY PRESS

The 2009 Readers Choice Award winners were selected by Beach & Bay Press readers!

And the Winners Are... ..the entire communities of Pacific

Beach, Mission Beach and MissionBay. With what seems like an endlesslist of great restaurants, boutiquesand retail shops, everything you needcan be found in our vibrant slice ofAmerica's Finest City.

Categories in the first Beach & BayPress Readers Choice Awards coverthe sunniest corner for your coffeewake-up call to the smoothest spot fora soothing nightcap - and everythingin between.

These awards recognize the peopleand places that make our beach com-munities truly extraordinary.

Some of the winners may surpriseyou; others have enjoyed sterling rep-utations for years and even decades.We hope these awards will delightthose who aspire to excellence every

day and inspire new businesses toreach the heights.

Because both the nominees and win-ners were chosen by the people wholive and work here, the ReadersChoice Awards shows a true insider’slook at the best of what Pacific Beach,Mission Beach and Mission Bay haveto offer.

READERS CHOICE AWARDS 20092THURSDAYAUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay Press

ReadersChoiceA W A R D S 2 0 0 9

PHOTOS BY CASEY DEAN | THE BEACH & BAY PRESS

CATEGORYAntiques Art Gallery Bookstore Chiropractor Furniture Store Place with Unusual Gifts Auto Repair

GOLDOlga & StellaAztec GraphicsOpen Door BooksLifeforceYorkshire PinePangaeaPB Foreign

SILVER

PennywiseDr LibbsUndergroundPatinaRobert's

CATEGORYBankHotelChildren's Apparel Men's Apparel Women's Apparel Best Place to Buy Jeans Eye Wear Swimsuits Jewelry Store Shoe Store Dry cleaners Florist Grocery Store Travel Agency Pet Hospital/Vet Hair Salon Day Spa Health Club Yoga Facility Senior Living Facility Tanning Salon Printer Nails Shipping/Packaging Dentist Pharmacy Electrician Contractor/Construction Optometrist/Ophthalmologist Bicycle Shop Scooter/Motorcycle Smog Check Fast Oil Change Pet Store Resale Shop Surf Shop Skate Shop Tattoo/Piercing Gardening/Nursery Pool Care

GOLDComericaTower 23Forget Me NotRawScenarioRawSun glass CityGone BananasPangaeaForward FootwearLiz & David'sImpulsiveTrader Joe'sSTA TravelTurquoise Animal HospBeli BeliRenew Health CenterFitness WestEast West YogaSunriseHollywood TanNorth ShoreMingle SalonUPS StoreDr MaroonMy Health MartBeach ElectricalArmstrong ConstructionDr. Deborah PrincePacific CoastPacific Beach CycleSmog ExpressFirestoneNoah's ArkCream of the CropSurf ClubSoul GrindGuruGreen Garden'sPacific Paradise Pools

SILVERHome BankCatamaran

RawBuffalo ExchangeEyeglasses GaloreSun Splash

Atomic ShoesMartinizingFlower GirlsHenry'sTravel DepotCheshire CatGarage SalonCatamaranAmerican BoxingPB YogaWesley PalmsI TanPB PrintingTurquoise NailsSurf n' PostPacific Dental Arts

Rusty SpokesPB ScooterPB SmogEvan's Tires

The BuffPB Surs Shop

CorePB Garden's

Appetizer Burrito Burger Fish Taco Desserts Margarita Martini Specialty/Trademark Pizza Sandwich Steak Sushi Seafood American BBQ Vietnamese Thai Chinese Restaurant French Greek Irish Italian Mexican Restaurant Bakery Bar Cafe Catering Coffee shop Juice Bar Donut Shop Bagel Shop Deli Ice cream/Frozen Yogurt Vegetarian/Vegan Patio Dining

JrdnMi CasaBareback GrillRT's Longboard GrillFrench GourmetGringo'sTower 23The AtollHoboken PizzaWhich WichSaska'sSushi OtaThe FisheryFirehouseTony Roma'sPho Sao BienKafe YenGreat Plaza BuffetFrench GourmetCafe AthenaHennessey'sMama Mia'sGringo'sCharlie's Best BreadShore ClubZanziberFrench GourmetTurquoise CoffeeBig SqueezeLinda's EinsteinChalkboard DeliBogart YogurtVegan ZoneFig Tree

Cafe AthenaTaco SurfRocky'sPB Bar & GrillNick's at the BeachTavern @ The Beach

Filippi'sPop's CheesesteakLamont St GrillSurfside SushiJoe's Crab ShackBaleen

Pho TimeLanna Thai CuisineChina Inn

Pernicao'sMargo'sFrench GourmetPB Ale HouseThe MissionFig TreeJava Jone'sChronic SmoothiesLucky Donuts Brugger'sChronic SmoothiesDolci MangoSynergyCafe 976

CATEGORYOverall Restaurant Overall Restaurant Service New Restaurant Breakfast Lunch Dinner Family Restaurant Restaurant w/ Wine Select. Take OutSunday BrunchBeer Selection Sports Bar Place to People Watch Pet Friendly Restaurant Best Place to Dance Live Music Happy Hour Best Comfort Food Late Night EateryPlace to go on a Budget Place for a Birthday Party Most Romantic Best Ocean View

GOLDCantinaNick'sFig Tree CafeFig Tree CafeCass Street Bar & GrillFirehouseLotsa PastaLamont St GrillZanzibarFig Tree CafeTap RoomPB Bar & GrillLahaina'sFig TreeJohnny V's710 Beach ClubLatitude 32Bub'sNick'sLatitude 32JrdnCosta BravaTower 23

SILVERThe FisheryJrdnDirty BirdsKona'sDirty BirdsLamont St GrillMarino's ItalianChateau OrleansWich WhichCatamaranMillers FieldRT's Longboard GrillBoardwalkCafe 976Typhoon SaloonCane'sPB Ale HouseGood Time Charlie'sSaska'sBub'sFirehouseLamont St GrillGreen Flash

Awards for Dining

Shopping and Services

Thanks for Voting Us#1 Lunch at the Beach!

• Awesome Menu

• Call in Your Order toDine In or Grab-n-Go!

• Daily Specials

• Happy Hour

• Pool Tables

• Awesome Menu

• Call in Your Order toDine In or Grab-n-Go!

• Daily Specials

• Happy Hour

• Pool Tables

Cass Street Bar & Grill4612 Cass Street858.270.1320

Cass Street Cafe & Bakery5550 La Jolla Blvd.858.454.9094

You love the food at Cass Street, now try our award winning menu in our new Bird Rock location!

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AUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay PressREADERS CHOICE AWARDS 2009

DININGOverall RestaurantIsabel’s CantinaAt Isabel’s Cantina, you can expect afusion of Latin and Asian cuisine that’sremarkably addictive and surprisinglyhealthy. From spicy pork carnitas totofu, the staff creates a vegetarian’shaven as well as a meat-lover’s par-adise. The exotic dining space is atonce dramatic and hip, with its 15-footBuddha staring down at the diningroom. Casual booths, stark lines andwarm colors create an atmosphere notfound elsewhere in Pacific Beach,attracting crowds for brunch, lunch,and dinner.

Isabel’s Cantina966 Felspar St.(858) 272-8400www.cantinacollective.com

The Fishery(Sea entry under Seafood)

Overall Restaurant ServiceNick’s at the BeachThis neighborhood restaurant hasmade a name for itself by serving thebest seafood in a comfortable, casualenvironment. It’s also no stranger topress accolades - a local magazine oncerated it the top neighborhood eatery.The sidewalk café can accommodateup to 20 people, and the Sports Barupstairs touts a large outdoor ocean-view deck and 29 - TVs. But what’s onthe menu counts, too - like the tortilla-crusted mahi mahi, pastas, dinner sal-ads, sandwiches and Chilean sea bass,a huge local favorite. Add the banquetfacilities and take-out service, andyou’ve got Nicks, now 12 years on andnothing in its way. Visit Nick’s at thePier in Ocean Beach, too!

Nick’s at the Beach809 Thomas Ave.,(858) 270-1730www.nicksatthebeach.com

Jrdn(see entry under Best Place for a Birthday Party)

New RestaurantFig Tree Café Fig Tree Café has intertwined casualPB dining on its spacious, outdoorpatio under a large Ficus tree withMediterranean cuisine. Fig Tree Caféserves largely organic, Califor-nia/Mediterranean food like smokedsalmon omelets or, on the hippy side,blue corn pancakes and whole graingranola. Twenty-seven-year-old JohanEngman opened the restaurant inOctober of 2008 with the intent tofocus on organic, locally sourced ingre-dients. Among its most popular dishesare the organic, veggie-filled Wind -ansea omelet comprised of locallyraised free-range eggs, and a BLTserved on a croissant with the unex-pected addition of turkey and avocado.Engman oversaw the remodeling of theformer Rafaela’s Italian restaurant. Thepatio now features a wooden canopyand stonewall fountain, and the interi-or has been painted with Tuscan-inspired vineyard scenes.

Fig Tree Café5119 Cass St. (858) 274-2233

Dirty BirdsFor a place with a name like this,things inside look immacu-late–sweeping wooden beams andstanchions with cool beachy art on thewalls. And Dirty Birds throws you a fewodd looks, too—turkey chili fries andfried cheese sliders are just a couplequirky entries on the menu. This eateryhas been open for all of about 10 min-utes, but it does everything like it’sbeen in the neighborhood forever.

Dirty Birds4656 Mission Blvd.(858) 274-2473www.dirtybirdspb.com

BreakfastFig Tree Café (see entry under New Restaurant)

Kono’s Surf Club CafeIf you like a little dinner with yourbreakfast, Kono’s is your place. That’sbecause nobody does potatoes like thiseatery, with cheese, bell pepper andwhatever other topping you can thinkof to boot. If you like a little view withyour morning meal, you could doworse. Cross the boardwalk and sit onthe modest patio that overlooks theocean; you’ll see firsthand why you livein Southern California. And if you likequotes on the wall of your eatery,you’re in the right restaurant as well,with a little erudition adding to theflare of the décor. There’s a laid-backsurfer vibe amid it all as well, whichmakes it perfect for Pacific Beach andthe surfer crowd that stops off after an

early morning on the waves.

Kono’s Surf Club Café704 Garnet Ave.(858) 483-1669www.sdbeachlife.com/kono.htm

LunchCass Street Bar & GrillCass St. Bar & Grill is the neighbor-hood bar where regulars and newcom-ers alike come to hang out, eat largeplatters of fresh, homemade food,drink from the large selection of micro-brews, play pool or shuffleboard andhave a good time. Happy hour happensevery weekday night and patrons sitsidewalk side at the open air bar. Popu-lar dishes include the hollowed-outfresh baguette with charbroiled chick-en, topped with avocado, salsa and let-tuce for $7.95. The charbroiled fishburger comes with the in-house tartarsauce. The oriental chicken salad –with a choice of charbroiled fish or

chicken – is a huge hit and all thedressings are made fresh onsite. Thephotos of local fishing personalitieshanging on the walls and large replicasof fish reminds everyone who arrives insandals with sand still in their hair:Cass St. Bar & Grill is the beach townbar. Of course, NFL and other sportsget their fair coverage from the TVshanging over the bar.

Cass Street Bar & Grill4612 Cass St.(858) 270-1320

Dirty Birds(see entry under New Restaurant)

DinnerFirehouse American Eatery + LoungeLocated next to the Pacific Beach firestation and just steps away from thebeach, Firehouse mixes downtown-

Tower 23 Gold Medal for Best Ocean View, Gold Medal for Martini, Gold Medal for Hotel. JRDN Gold Medal for Best Place for a Birthday Party,Gold Medal for best Appetizer and Silver Medal for Best Overall Restaurant.

READERS CHOICE AWARDS 20094THURSDAYAUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay Press

type luxury (leather sofas, fire pit bar,patio seating) with PB casual—boardshorts, flips-flops and the usual beach-town trademark sartorials. Foodwise,it’s all about appetizers like fondue,quesadillas and mini-corn dogs. Alongwith the sandwiches, salads and lighterdinner fare is a small dessert menuthat even includes chocolate chip cook-ies and milk.

Firehouse American Eatery and Lounge722 Grand Ave.(858) 274-3100www.firehousepb.com

Lamont Street Grill(see entry under Rest. with Wine Selection)

Family RestaurantLotsa PastaThe difference between freshly madepasta and the dried version equals thecontrast between a home cooked mealand a frozen dinner. Lotsa Pasta rollsout nine different flavors of freshlymade pasta from plain semolina to redchili pepper and offers 18 differentfreshly made sauces from its vodkaversion to the chipotle sauce. Therestaurant has had two decades of suc-

cess with a humble beginning in asmall house on Balboa Avenue. OwnerCarol Blomstrom is an active memberof the community and was an honorarymayor of Pacific Beach.

Lotsa Pasta 1762 Garnet Ave. (858) 581-6777

Marino’s Italian restaurantA cozy, secluded place to find tastypizza, pasta and salads. The charminginterior satisfies more than just thestomach. Open from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m.,Marino’s is the place to go for a quicksnack or a late-night meal.

Marino’s Italian restaurant 4475 Ingraham St.(858) 490-0168

Restaurant with Wine SelectionLamont Street GrillLamont serves California comfort food,punctuated by bold and sometimesstrange Mexi/Asian/Cajun flavors, in arambling converted residence with sev-eral rooms and levels for gazing intocertain eyes and popping certain ques-tions. Dinners come with soup orsalad, and many entrées are served

over marvelous house-made freshpasta. Salmon over fettuccine in a deli-cate dill cream sauce is especially fine.The huge array of desserts is house-made too, with something for everypalate. The most desirable tables areon the lovely fireplace-heated patio,not far from the full bar.

Lamont Street Grill4445 Lamont St.270-3060www.lamontstreetgrill.com

Chateau Orleans Chateau Orleans has transplanted thespirit of southern Louisiana toTurquoise Street. Renowned bluesmusicians play live music on Fridaysand Saturdays while patrons dine on aCajun feast of frog legs and catfishnuggets for starters, and the OrleansBBQ plate or Fire in the Hole catfishfor the main course. Mardi Gras masksand brightly colored beads hang on thewalls. Couples or singles can sit at thebar that opens onto a patio outside andany seat is within earshot of bluesgurus Tomcat and Robin Henkel. Theatmosphere is mellow; the music issmooth; and the bar carries two typesof micro-brews from Louisiana - Abitaand Dixie. The wine list is not over-whelming but thoughtfully chosenbased, in part, on the owner's palette -check out the watermelon wine for arefreshing twist.

Chateau Orleans 926 Turquoise St.(858) 488-6744www.chateauorleans.com

Take OutZanzibar Cafe(see entry under Cafe)

Which Wich(see entry under Sandwich)

Sunday BrunchFig Tree Café (see entry under New Restaurant)

Catamaran(see entry under Hotel)

Beer SelectionTap RoomThe Tap Room is the place to go forgood beer and good American food.The beer list is extensive – check it outonline if you’re looking for somethingin particular, plus want to know whothe brewer is. Here’s just a tantalizingfew from the list: Smoked Porter,Alpine Ale, Pure Happiness, Hop HeadRed, Windansea Wheat and OldRasputin. On the menu, the Tap Roomoffers hand-tossed pizzas, Greek pie orBuffalo BBQ chicken, as well as salad,subs and pastas.

Tap Room 1269 Garnet Ave. (858) 274-1010www.sdtaproom.com

Miller’s FieldYep – this is a sports bar. Just don’t letthe chief chef hear you say that. AtMiller’s, you can enjoy a wide variety ofunique entrees each expertly preparedwith the highest quality ingredients.Whether it’s lunch, dinner, happy houror late at night, it’s a great time to sitdown to one of our hearty appetizers.Signature flatbread pizzas. Huge burg-ers and sandwiches made fresh, byhand. Crisp salads, piled high. Savorysoups, made fresh daily. Delectabledeserts or any of our other fresh foodcreations.

Miller’s Field4465 Mission Blvd.(858) 483-4143www.millersfield.com

Sports Bar Pacific Beach Bar and GrillThis venue, also popularly known at“the Grill,” is located two blocks fromCrystal Pier, and the patio is about thesize of the pier itself. The Grill offers afull-service menu featuring a seriousselection of appetizers, salads, Mexicanentrees, pizza, pasta, burgers and sand-

wiches. It caters to the gamers in noless a fashion - it features pool tables,darts, interactive TV and 72 televisionsfor watching just about every sport thatsatellite carries (four of the screens are8 feet wide). If sports isn’t your thing,there’s always dancing - and that’swhen Club Tremors comes in handy,just a few feet away. There’s somethingfor everybody here.

Pacific Beach Bar & Grill860 Garnet Ave.272-4745www.pbbarandgrill.com

RT’s Longboard Grill (see entry under Sports Bar)

Place to People Watch Lahaina’s Beach HouseIf you want a taste of all walks of lifeunder one roof, this is where you go.Bikers, legendary overimbibers, ditzychicks, high-rolling real estate agents,PR people, friends you haven’t met yet:Lahaina’s is a veritable Petrie dish ofthe public marketplace, especially ifyou’re prepared to pay cash only (nocredit, thanks).

Lahaina’s Beach House710 Oliver Ave.(858) 270-3888

The BoardwalkThe Boardwalk restaurant in MissionBeach transformed from a bistro to afull service restaurant in May of 2007when Patrick Walsh assumed owner-ship. The Boardwalk offers a full platterof choices - omelets, Mexican food,sandwiches, burgers, salads and soups,as well as imported and local beer. Themission of the Boardwalk is to offerhigh quality food in a relaxed atmo-sphere. The Boardwalk is home base toKU fans. The restaurant is also proudto announce it owns the Safari BuckHunter arcade game.

The Boardwalk3704 Mission Blvd.(858) 488 9484www.boardwalkmissionbeach.com

Dirty Birds – Silver Medal for Best New Restaurant and Silver Medal for Lunch

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AUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay PressREADERS CHOICE AWARDS 2009

Pet Friendly RestaurantFig Tree Café (see entry under New Restaurant)

Café 976Half this iconic eatery’s name betraysthe home-style vibe inside and out.“976” is actually a street address, andno wonder – the venue is a convertedCraftsman house built about 80 yearsago and surrounded by every tree that’sever been grown in recorded history.You’re invited to choose from any num-ber of nooks and crannies at which tosit and enjoy the generous breakfastand lunch choices from the remodeledcounter – and you simply must washdown your meal with a Nutty Irish manespresso, replete with hazelnut andmint. 976 is pretty un-PB for PB, but PBwouldn’t be PB without it.

Café 976976 Felspar St.(858) 272-0976www.cafe976.com

Best Place to DanceJohnny V’s For better or worse, Pacific Beach isknown as the place where the youngergeneration goes to party. For the better,Johnny V is the next step – it bringsthe Gaslamp Quarter to the beach inappearance and style without theexpense and attitude. A dress code isenforced after 9 p.m. and is at the dis-cretion of management. This placedoes not allow hats, T-shirts, sweat-shirts, shorts, athletic wear or exces-sively baggy clothing. We require mento wear a collared shirt or a nicesweater. Hardly run-of-the-mill aroundthese parts.

Johnny V’s945 Garnet Ave.(858) 274-4833

Typhoon SaloonWith four levels of action and a hugedance floor in the back, it’s hard not tohave fun busting a move at this Garnethot spot. Feeling swanky? Typhoon hasa reservation-only mezzanine loungefor group parties. Sports fans need gono farther than the front patio, asTyphoon boasts more than 30 televi-sions and serves as San Diego fanheadquarters for the San Francisco49ers and California Golden Bears, inaddition to showing the Chargers somelove.

Typhoon Saloon1165 Garnet Ave.(858) 373-3474www.typhoonsaloon.com

Live Music 710 Beach ClubThe thing that sets 710 apart from theother venues is probably Pacific Beachitself. The club is directly off CrystalPier, which is about as PB a landmarkas you’ll find. A look at the online photo

gallery shows just how raucous thingscan get, but what the pictures don’tshow is that everything’s all in fun. Livemusic every weekend, a great lineup ofspecial and weekly events, MondayNight Football and more: 710 haseverything PB demands and the oceanright out the door to boot.

710 Beach Club710 Garnet Ave.(858) 483-7844www.710beachclub.com

Cane’s Bar and GrillRecent entertainment at Cane’sincludes bands like Ozomatli, Zero 7and MIA. Not only is the slate of per-formers among the best, but Cane’s ismore like an informal club than a con-cert venue. Underneath it all, some-thing insidious is fueling that success,and it’s probably the killer calamariappetizer Somebody in the kitchen hasa bead on the secret to good calamari —you can only deep-fry it for under twominutes to prevent it from getting tootough. Your palate will take it fromthere for an appetizer experience youwon’t soon forget. Even the 25 TVscrammed with sports are insufficientdistractions.

Cane’s Bar and Grill3105 Ocean Front Walk(858) 488-1780www.canesbarandgrill.com

Happy Hour Latitude 32William Walker opened Latitude 32 onCass Street 13 years ago after managingCass Street Bar & Grill for nine years.Walker intended Latitude 32, namedafter the latitude in which San Diegofalls, to resemble the sort of Englishpub that sits on every neighborhoodblock in England, which originated as apublic house where men would meet todiscuss politics, business and women.More than a dozen English and Irish-men have made the Cass Street pub

their home, which they visit everydayfor a drink or two and to hang out bythe jukebox. The pub also took on anIrish character on its own accord.Walker casually hung an Irish flag; thesign and carpets are, by chance, greenand so Walker eventually sealed thedeal by adding a few Shamrocks to thesign. The pub caters to singles or cou-ples seeking a reasonably priced dinner– not just a bowl of chili. The menuvaries but Mondays were meatloafnight, Tuesdays – pork chops, Wednes-days – lasagna and so on. Theserendipitous Irish flag also sparked acollection of flags after a donation andnow more than 60 flags from aroundthe world hang from the ceiling. Theonly stipulation is that the flags mustbe purchased from their place of origin.Another quirk is the photos on the wallof patrons on their travels around theworld holding cardboard signsinscribed with the Latitude of theirlocation.

Latitude 325019 Cass St. (858) 273-0501

Pacific Beach AleHouse(see entry under Bar)

Best Comfort FoodBub’s Dive Bar & GrillLast May, Bub’s had a chicken wingeating contest that lasted 15 rounds –and since chicken wings are an officialcomfort food, Bub’s must have somekind of handle on just this kind of fare.Chipotle fish tacos, onion rings, brown-ies, even mash balls (spiced mashedpotatoes): Bub’s carries them andmore, catering to every fiber of yourbeing that craves empty calories as amatter of survival. Saner stuff, like fruitbowls and steak and eggs, is also avail-able, but it’s not nearly as much fun.

Bub’s Dive Bar & Grill1030 Garnet Ave.(858) 270-7269www.bubsdive.com

Good Time Charlie’sA sports bar is a sports bar is a …except when it’s Good Time Charlie’s,which serves the best calamari sand-wich in the history of the universe. Andthe cheesy garlic bread is both cheesyand garlicky like you won’t believe. Ifthose aren’t enough to persuade youthat Chuck’s ranks with the great com-fort food eateries, try the potato salad.End of discussion.

Good Time Charlie’s910 Grand Ave., Ste. 101(858) 274-3834

Late Night EateryNick’s at the Beach(see entry under Overall Restaurant Service)

Saska’s Steak & Seafood(see entry under Steak)

ristorante italiano pizzeria

GRAZIE! For making Mamma Mia the #1 Italian Restaurant for the 2nd time in a row.

Thank You loyal friends, customers and everybody who voted!

1932 Balboa Ave , 858-272-2702,www.mammamiaitalianrestaurant.com

Opening in September adjacent to Mamma Mia, youmust experience the ambiance of this authentic osteria featuring fine Italian wines and small bites.

C O M I N G S O O N !

Fig Tree Cafe, owner Johan Engman, GoldMedal for New Restaurant, Sunday Brunch,

Breakfast, Patio Dining, Pet Friendly, Silver Medal for Catering.

Mamma Mia, Francesco & Cinzia Mezzetti, Gold Medal for Italian Cuisine

Latitude 32, Gold Medal for Happy Hour and Best Place to Go on a Budget

READERS CHOICE AWARDS 20096THURSDAYAUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay Press

Place to go on a budgetLatitude 32(see entry under Happy Hour)

Bub’s Dive Bar & Grill(see entry under Best Comfort food)

Place for a birthday party JRDNHere’s where chef David Warner fusesthe best of contemporary steak andseafood restaurants. He uses hand-selected, all-natural meats, the finestsustainable-source seafood and locallygrown organic produce to create auniquely modern California cuisine.Birthday boys and girls will enjoy themagnificent Pacific Ocean view whilesipping on signature cocktails, nibblingon sushi and exploring one of SanDiego’s most creative wine lists.

JRDN 723 Felspar St.(858) 270-5726www.jrdn.com

Firehouse American Eatery + Lounge(see entry under Dinner)

Most Romantic Costa Brava SpanishRestaurantDelicious food abounds in PacificBeach but Costa Brava is a culinarygem with an old world heritage at itstable: Spanish culture and food. CostaBrava dedicates an entire web page toexplaining its tapas (small bites) - fromempanadas, grilled shellfish and potatoomelets to simple ingredients that holdtheir own on the plate - jamon Serrano,chorizo sausage, or unique Manchegocheese. The restaurant has won awardsfor its tapas, paella and Spanish wines.The servers are very knowledgeableabout the Spanish cuisine. The difficul-ty in finding a table on a given nightspeaks for the consensus in the com-munity that Costa Brava is a top choice.

Costa Brava Spanish Restaurant1653 Garnet Ave.(858) 273-1218www.costabravasd.com

Lamont Street Grill(see entry under Rest. with Wine Selection)

Best Ocean ViewTower Bar and Lounge (at Tower 23 Hotel)

You can actually credit the Tower's cre-ative wine list to another establishmentin the same hotel. It's JRDN (or "Jor-dan," for the purists who prefer thephonetic pronunciation), a very high-end restaurant that swears by themagic it performs on beef and othermeats. Red wines go swimmingly withthat kind of thing -- and that translatesto a comprehensive selection at the bar(the powers that be didn't forget thewhites, either). Meanwhile, the baroffers a casual yet sophisticated experi-ence. The atmosphere is warm and

inviting and the crowd is hip yet mel-low -- everybody gets to enjoy an oceanview while sipping signature cocktailsand nibbling on sushi.

Tower Bar and Lounge723 Felspar St.(866) TOWER23www.tower23hotel.com

The Green FlashThe name makes you think of a super-hero theme, doesn’t it? If that’s whatyou were looking for, you’re out of luck,A green flash is an optical phenomenonthat occurs at sunset when the sun’supper rim touches the horizon. Experi-ence your own green flash while feast-ing on one of the eatery’s veggie que-sadillas or sucking down a greatMimosa at the bar. If you don’t see aflash this time, you will always have achance on your next visit.

The Green Flash701 Thomas Ave.(858) 270-7715www.greenflashrestaurant.com

Appetizer Jrdn(see entry under best place for a B-day Party)

Cafe Athena(see entry under Greek)

BurritoMi Casa Comida y CervezaYou’ll probably recognize the last wordin the name of our next venue – ittranslates to “beer,” and there’s plentyof that here. But it’s the burrito thatmakes this place special; you can getthem any way you want here, and formany people, that makes this place aMexican restaurant versus your typicaltaco stand.

Mi Casa Comida y Cerveza1775 Garnet Ave.(858) 272-0567www.micasatacoshop.com

Taco SurfThe burrito is to fast Mexican cuisinewhat the hamburger is to the uneducat-ed American palate. Each item isincredibly tasty when it’s done right —and in the case of the former, Taco Surfhas it knocked. There’s not much to thedecor of the place other than a pick-upcounter and a few small tables — butthe ceiling is lined with some sweetclassic surfboards to fuel the local fla-vor. The burritos, tacos and fajitas arebig and fat to boot, and you get toexperiment with a massive choice oftoppings. You reportedly can’t gowrong with the California burrito,topped with hashed browns.

Taco Surf4657 Mission Blvd.(858) 272-3877www.tacosurfpb.com

Burger Bare Back GrillThose aren’t manhole covers on top ofyour plate, you big silly. Those are thetwo giant organic beef patties thatcome with the Bare Big & Dirty, the

central jewel in the Bare Back Grill’samply adorned crown. And that’s not apiece of driftwood sitting on yourplacemat, you big silly again. It’s themenu, hand-cut and laminated by BareBack co-owner P.J. Lamont himself.Lamont is one of a trio of New Zealan-ders who built a lot of this place fromthe ground up - but that was fine bythem, because the final product wasthat much more genuine. They touttheir lighter dishes like chicken andfish sandwiches with the same enthusi-asm they do their beer and wine andburgers - they even serve beet root asone of their gazillion toppings on thelatter.

Bare Back Grill4640 Mission Blvd.(858) 274-7117www.barebackgrill.com

Rocky’s Crown PubNothing fancy or schmancy about thisplace. Just expect a big, juicy, greatburger, the way Rocky’s has been mak-ing them for centuries. One customerreported he went back after years awayfrom PB and found the place just asawesome as before he left; another saidRocky’s is the reason he’s no longer avegetarian. A lot of it has to do with thebun; the things are so fresh and warmthey fall apart in your hands. The barmay be on the smallish side, but a coldbeer and a cheeseburger make up thebest meal in the history of the universe— so the bar doesn’t really need to bemuch larger, now, does it?

Rocky’s Crown Pub3786 Ingraham St.(858) 273-9140

Fish Taco RT’s Longboard GrillNightly drink specials, live music, tele-vised sports, cheap pool and palm-thatch tables color the budget-intensiveeffect at RT’s — it’s comfortable andunpretentious here, replete with surf-boards and a neon sea above thesquare bar. If you’re watching pennies,you’re strongly encouraged to try OpenMic Night on for size. It’s on Tuesdays,and it features fish tacos for $1.25 andCorona beer for $3. The very friendlyservice has its roots in the surfer com-munity. The bar is in fact a memorial toRon Trenton, a lifeguard and pilotwhose plane disappeared in 1997. Hisbrothers opened RT’s to fulfill hisdream — ownership of a laid-backbeach bar.

RT’s Longboard Grill1466 Garnet Ave.(858) 270-4030www.longboardgrill.com

Pacific Beach Bar and Grill(see entry under Sports Bar)

DessertsThe French Gourmet(See entry under French)

Nick’s at the Beach(see entry under Overall Rest. Service)

Free Giant Cinnamon Roll or Muffin orCookie or Scone with Purchase of a Loaf!

One Coupon Per Person Per Day. $5.00 Minimum Purchase. Expires 09/31/09

1808 Garnet Ave.Pacific Plaza II

OPEN

Real Sourdough • Crusty French • Sourdough Walnut • Spinach Feta Nine Whole Grains • Hallah Egg Bread • Banana Chocolate Chip

Apple Cinnamon Walnut • Black Forest Chocolate CherryPumpkin • Fruit n’ Nutz • Maple Walnut • Cheddar Jalapeno

Fat Free Muffins • Exceptional Biscotti • Cream Cheese Scones

Awesome Tasting • All Natural • Scratch Baked • Organic Flours

Mon CLOSEDTues CLOSEDWed 10:30am–6pmThurs & Fri - 6am–6pmSat & Sun - 6am–5pm

858-272-3521

Thank you for voting

TACO SURFA Favorite for Burritos in Pacific Beach

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Cass Street Bar & Grill, Gold Metal for Best Lunch

7THURSDAY

AUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay PressREADERS CHOICE AWARDS 2009

Margarita Gringo’s Cantina(see entry under Mexican Restaurant)

Tavern at the BeachTavern at the Beach is a casual butbustling neighborhood bar just astone’s throw away from the ocean.There is always something going on atTavern, which offers pool tables, morethan 40 TVs, resident DJs seven days aweek and outdoor patios. On Aug. 26,Tavern at the Beach will throw its MTVGrind Beach Party so all beachgoers areinvited to stop by after a day in the sun.Taking silver in best margarita forReader’s Choice, you’ll just have to trythat one for yourself.

Tavern at the Beach 1200 Garnet Ave.www.tavernatthebeach.com

MartiniTower Bar and Lounge(see entry under Best Ocean View)

Specialty/Trademark DrinkThe Atoll (at the Catamaran Resort Hotel)

The Atoll has won a local magazine'sfirst-place Sunday Brunch nod forthree of the last 10 years. You appar-ently feel the honors are deserved,because you've followed suit for 2007.This Sunday brunch features generousChampagne pours and mounds ofsushi, the popular raw fish usually rele-gated to roadside haunts and cafeteria-style eateries. This restaurant providesfine dining with exceptional serviceamid the tranquil vista and the tropicalbreezes of Mission Bay in San Diego.Pacific Beach is known for its occasion-ally roughhewn demeanor -- but TheAtoll is a world apart, especially on lateSunday mornings.

The Atoll Catamaran Resort Hotel3999 Mission Blvd.539-8635www.catamaranresort.com

PizzaHoboken Pizza and Beer JointHoboken is perhaps the only pizzeria inPacific Beach where you can go for aslice of east coast pizza, drink a beer,listen to Frank Sinatra and watch surfvideos. Regulars aren’t just eating pizzathree times a week, however; the menuincludes pasta platters, subs and sal-ads. Hoboken also doesn’t close until 2a.m. so it’s a fine place to end theevening. The owner was born andraised in Hoboken where he startingsweeping floors at the pizzeria on hisstreet for two slices of extra cheese, andeventually earned enough respect fromthe Italian family to start rolling dough.If you’re looking for an authentic jointwith good homemade pizza, walk overto Hoboken’s.

Hoboken Pizza and Beer Joint1459 Garnet Ave. (858) 270-7766www.hobokenpizza.com

Filippi’s Pizza GrottoIn name, Filippi’s has been in SanDiego since 1950, which makes it olderthan most of you. The thing is, it didn’t

start out as a pizza restaurant at all. Itsorigins were in Little Italy, where Vin-cent dePhilippis and Madeleine Stefaniran a deli grocery — the couple’s busi-ness savvy fed on itself until Filippi’spizza took hold. Fifteen delicious pizzaentries, with mountains of the tradi-tional toppings, spearhead a menu thatincludes lasagna, ravioli, spaghetti,soups, salads and subs. If you’re notsatisfied with that, you can always goback for more somewhere else. Filippi’shas venues from Temecula to ChulaVista.

Filippi’s Pizza Grotto962 Garnet Ave.(858) 483-6222www.realcheesepizza.com

Sandwich Which Wich?Which Wich features 51 varieties ofcustomized, toasted “wiches.” The con-cept is known for its ordering system.At Which Wich, customers place theirorders by using red sharpie pens tomark up pre-printed menus on sand-wich bags. The customer selects asandwich from ten different categoriesdivided up by principal protein source(typically meat), chooses between avariety of breads, cheeses and vegeta-bles and, finally, selects the desiredspreads and sauces. All Which Wichlocations feature music from AwareRecords, newspaper reading stations,and Wi-Fi internet access.

Which Wich1001 Garnet Avenue(858) 270-WICH

Pop’s Jersey Style Cheese SteakWhat makes a Jersey style cheese steaksandwich different from a Philly styleone is bread that is toasted a littlelonger to give it a crispier texture. Alsosetting a Jersey sandwich apart is thestandard peppers, onions and mush-rooms. August marks the one-yearanniversary of Pop’s Jersey StyleCheese Steak at its location in PacificBeach. Serving up these tantalizingsandwiches are two boys, a mom andone pop.

Pop’s Jersey Style Cheese Steak1730 Garnet St. (858) 483-2600

Steak Saska’s Steak & SeafoodAll of 58 years ago, Joe Saska openedthis simple restaurant with the idea ofoffering quality steaks and real Roque-fort salad dressing to his customers.Today, Saska’s offers a distinctive din-ing experience in a quaint, intimateatmosphere. Steaks have always beenthe main draw to this place—the juicy,expertly cooked “Duke” is one of themost delicious in San Diego. Saska’s

also offers an engaging variety of freshseafood entrées in addition to a greatselection of pastas.

Saska’s Steak & Seafood3768 Mission Blvd.(858) 488-7311www.saskas.com

Lamont Street Grill(see entry under Rest. with Wine Selection)

Sushi Sushi OtaThe coolest thing about Sushi Ota isthat it relies on the sushi tradition, notthe trendy fusion concept, to see itthrough. The menu is short because theregulars look to the daily specials post-ed behind the counter. The chefs turnthe day’s catch into artful little bundlesaccented with spices. Seafood, teriyaki-glazed meats, feather-light tempuraand a variety of small appetizers dotthe rest of the menu. It’s located aboutthree seconds from the I-5 — noromantic views of the ocean here —then again, you’re not going in for aview of the concrete expanse.

Sushi Ota4529 Mission Bay Dr.(858) 270-5670

Seafood The FisheryIn 1979, fisherman Judd Brown found-ed a shellfish company in the spirit ofthe family members whose sepia-tonedpictures line the walls. In the late1990s, it morphed into The Fishery,where product sustainability is a com-pany philosophy. Wherever possible,the venue procures its product locally.Its harpooned swordfish, sardines,rockcod, shrimp and California spinylobster are seasonal delicacies covetedby savvy chefs. The Fishery has earneda distinction as a beautiful PacificBeach landmark, and freshness is thehallmark of its success. A remodelbegins early next month.

The Fishery5040 Cass St.(858) 272-9985www.northpb.com

Joe’s Crab ShackSomewhere between the dance lights,sirens and ear-splitting music, a congaline will form and weave its waythrough the throngs to wish you manyhappy returns. Crab claws, shrimp andother juicy entries like Buffalo wingsand corn on the cob dot the menu here,a fitting complement to the ice creamand cake you would have had at home.Joe’s is popular with the college folks,just so you’ll know what you’re gettinginto on the big day.

Joe’s Crab Shack4325 Ocean Blvd.(858) 274-3474www.joescrabshack.com

American Firehouse American Eatery + Lounge(see entry under Dinner)

Baleen San DiegoBaleen San Diego is the fine-diningrestaurant at Paradise Point sitting onthe sparkling waters of Mission Baywith a Polynesian motif. Named after

Since 1962

858-373-11384150 MISSION BLVD. #161

SAN DIEGO, CA 92109

• bikes • surfboards

• blades • body boards

• sandals • clothing

“Thank you PB for votingus as one of your

favorite surf shops”

BEST VIEW IN PB • EPIC SUNSETSCLASSIC ROCK N’ROLL

20 DRAFTS • 2 FULL BARSKILLER FOOD • MONSTER BURGERS

KITCHEN OPEN LATE ALL SPORTS PACKAGES

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for information: 858.272.SURFPBSHORECLUB.COM MYSPACE.COM/PBSHORECLUB

ON THE BOARDWALK WHERE GRAND MEETS THE SAND4343 OCEAN BOULEVARD • PACIFIC BEACH, CALIFORNIA

BREAKFAST SERVED SAT & SUN 8AM-3PM!

THANKS PB FOR VOTING USBEST BAR IN PACIFIC BEACH!

Thanks PB for voting us

your Favorite BBQ Restaurant

in Pacific Beach

(858) 272-74274110 Mission Blvd.

San Diego, CAFree 3 hr. parking.

Join us for

Ribs &

Margaritas

on Tuesdays

Saska’s – Gold Medal for Best Steak andSilver Medal for Best Late Night Dining

Shore Club - “sunsets served daily” - Gold Medal Best Bar

the baleen whale’s method of filteringfood through its comb-like plates, therestaurant offers a wide selection ofPacific fish, as well as land animals:slow-roasted chicken, apple pork chopsor the Australian rack of lamb. Nomi-nated for best American cuisine, headchef Megan Reischman pairs the Pacif-ic catch with Baja flavors. Take thediver scallops wood roasted withkumquats and chardonnay. Interestedpatrons can observe the hustle andbustle of the exposed kitchen first-hand, which adds a warm touch withits copper hooded fireplace.

Baleen San Diego 1404 West Vacation Road(858) 490-6363www.paradisepoint.com

BBQTony Roma’sIt’s pretty much about the ribs at TonyRoma’s — baby-backs, St. Louis style,rib combos and more line the menu,straddled by an array of salads andsoups, sandwiches, chicken entrees andmore. The best news is that you don’thave to go to Tokyo or Madrid or any-where else to join in on the fun and food.

Tony Roma’s4110 Mission Blvd.(858) 272-7427www.tonyromas.com

Vietnamese Pho Sao BienVietnamese restaurant Pho Sao Bien isknown for its rice noodle soup, called

Pho, that visitors from the north raveabout, which is saying something sincethe competition up there is more fiercebetween Vietnamese restaurants. Thesalad bowl is also popular, which con-sists of vermicelli noodles topped withlettuce, mint, bean sprouts, peanutsand a choice or combo of chicken, beef,pork, tofu or shrimp. The restaurantalso sells a Vietnamese coffee with aFrench influence – served with astrainer and condensed milk on theside. A selection of beer is also avail-able. Lunch goers shouldn’t expect towait more than five minutes for theirmeal, and homebodies can place anorder and carry out their food. Open 10a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Satur-day, and 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Sunday.

Pho Sao Bien1958 Garnet Ave.(858) 272-9612

Pho Time With bright green bamboo signage toinitially attract hungry eyes, there is anarray of good eats at this new pho spot.The wonderful pho soup aroma waftsinside the restaurant, which helpedearned them a Readers Choice awardthis year. The broth is not too oily andeven referred to as golden and sparkly,a perfect formed and tasty concoction.With tender steak and finely cut tripeand tendon, the Pho Time soup is astandout.

Pho Time1820 Garnet St.(858) 273-1664

Thai Kafe YenThis unassuming little place servesgreat selections to a fault, even if Thaiisn’t your fare of choice. It serves Indi-an and Japanese curry as well as noo-dle dishes from Malaysia, Singaporeand China. You can add chicken, pork,beef, seafood and, for the more adven-turous, duck to your dish. You can evencustom-fit your food to the preferreddegree of spiciness. Everything’s inplace, especially the Thai.

Kafe Yen4516 Mission Blvd.(858) 373-3936www.kafeyen.com

Lanna ThaiIf peanut sauce whets your appetite,Thai cuisine is for you. It’s premiereamong the billions of spices and herbsthat make Thai among the most popu-lar with American palates. The chefs atLanna Thai know this and know it well– in fact, they encourage you to specifythe level of your taste for spice (from 1to 10), peanut sauce and all. Therestaurant’s Island Treasures, a youngcoconut stuffed with veggies, or thecharbroiled, prime-cut Bangkok Steakare two delicious places to start. LannaThai uses local products wherever pos-sible – hard to believe that the resultyields such exotic fare.

Lanna Thai4501 Mission Bay Dr.(858) 274-THAIwww.lannathaticuisine.com

Chinese Restaurant Great Plaza Buffet1840 Garnet Ave.(858) 273-6868

China InnHow this place charges almost nothingfor its food and at the same time main-tains its flashy decor is beyond us. Thefunksters that populate this place,young and usually without a lot ofmoney, can expect to let go of less than$10 for generous helpings of Chinesestaples such as egg foo yong, chowmein, chop suey and variations onchicken and beef dishes (prices for theImperial Lobster and Peking Duck aresomewhat higher). If you have evenless to spend, you’re welcome to spendtime at the full bar — cocktails, like therest of the fare, are anything but pricey.

China Inn877 Hornblend St.(858) 483-6680

FrenchThe French GourmetThe Gourmet’s traditional bakery isrenowned for its outstanding Frenchpastries. It’s also a showcase for full-service catering and wedding cakes,which many consider to be the best inthe history of the universe. TheGourmet’s selection of breads, break-fast pastries, cookies and cakes includethe French Gourmet chocolate mousseand the strawberry bagatelle — layersof white sponge cake dabbed withsyrup, filled with Bavarian cream andfresh strawberries and topped with athin layer of marzipan. Wash it alldown with an espresso drink or a glassof wine, or keep the experience movingwith pâté, quiche or imported cheese.

The French Gourmet960 Turquoise St.(858) 929-1984www.thefrenchgourmet.com

Greek Cafe AthenaThe Greek cuisine at this spot is sogood, and its reputation so formidable,that it’s probably best to make a reser-vation. If you don’t, you may wait awhile on the area’s most comprehen-sive Greek menu, which includes terrif-ic gyros, souvlaki, moussaka and nofewer than 1 million desserts. Thethree-room decor is tasteful yet upscaleand reflects a Greek islands motif. Thecuisine is shaped by simplicity andspawned by ingenuity. Simple, unpre-tentious foods such as grains, pastaand legumes are enriched by the pun-

gent flavors of garlic, onion, eggplantand artichoke and by the essences ofolive oil, lemons and raisins. The bestGreek cooking is tied to nature and tothe seasons, and it flourishes accord-ingly. Cafe Athena strives to serve itsdishes with the same elemental quality.

Cafe Athena1846 Garnet Ave.(858) 274-1140www.cafeathena.com

Irish Hennessey’s Tavern (Pacific Beach)

Did you know that more than two-thirds of all new restaurants fail withinthe first year? The Hennessey’s Tavernchain won’t hear of it—it’s proven to bea resounding success, demonstratingatypical longevity and prosperity. Sinceits 1976 founding, the chain has grownfrom a single location in HermosaBeach to a 10-venue operation, owingto its selection of authentic Irish fareand grog and outstanding service. Youonly need go to the Pacific Beach localeto see why.

Hennessey’s Tavern Pacific Beach4650 Mission Blvd.(858) 483-8847www.hennesseystavern.com

Italian Mamma MiaThe left hand definitely knows what theright one’s doing at this place. Theservers’ suggestions are spot-on – lis-ten and heed them when they recom-mend Italian staples like lodigianasalad, lasagna and ravioli al casale. Yousimply can’t go wrong with those choic-es. Neither will you shirk at the sightand smell of the handmade pasta orthe idea of exclusively in-house prepa-ration. There’s quaint all around, too –Mama Mia’s is located in an old woodhouse, lending new life to the term“home cooking.”

Mamma Mia1932 Balboa Ave.(858) 272-2702www.mammamiaitalianrestaurant.com

Pernicano’s Family RestaurantLooking for a large platter of home-made meatballs and pasta, or a side offried shoestring potatoes? Feel like afamily-size meal? Pernicano’s has youcovered. Specialties include porkchops, calamari Venesia and eggplantparmigiana. For dessert, you’ll findyour sweet buds are lovingly satisfied:choose between caramel pie, canolis,spumoni ice cream and tiramisu.

Pernicano’s Family Restaurant711 Turquoise St.(858) 488-2900www.pernicanos.com

Mexican Restaurant Gringo’s CantinaThe secret to any successful happyhour is its people — and you can betthe crowd at Gringo’s doesn’t disap-point. It’s very young, very lively andvery Pacific Beach, which means itknows its wines, margaritas and tequi-las. The wine list tends toward theSouth American stuff, which begs forcompanionship with food like thevenue’s very good chili verde. $3 draftbeers, a house wine and house margar-itas sweeten the deal; weekly specialsabound, like Margarita Mondays ($2Imperial beer and half-off Margaritasall night) or Wine Wednesdays (half-priced bottles of wine). Gringo’s hasthought of everything — the least youcan do is oblige.

Gringo’s Cantina4474 Mission Blvd.(858) 490-2877www.gringoscantina.com

Margo’s Mexican Grill Margo’s is a family-run restaurant thatopened in 2006 and prides itself on itsoriginal Southern California burrito –with its own added twist of course. Ameal at Margo’s is not the same asgrabbing a burrito – rather, it’s partak-ing in the comfortable atmosphere of a

family home. Check out Margo’s web-site for happy hour information andfree coupons.

Margo’s Mexican Grill 2015 Garnet Ave. (858) 581-1408margosmexicangrill.com

Bakery Charlie’s Best Bread If the smell at the front door doesn’tentice you inside, the myriad samplessurely will. You could fill up on thosealone. But don’t – otherwise, you’llmiss your shot at the zucchini bread,chocolate bread, a million kinds ofcookies and sunflower seed dinnerrolls. Charlie’s also offers lots of veganoptions, and if you ask nicely, theaccommodating staff will even makebread from your own recipe. The localsswear by this place – and although wedon’t advocate dirty language, we cer-tainly wouldn’t let a little thing like thatdiscourage you.

Charlie’s Best Bread1808 Garnet Ave.(858) 272-3521

The French Gourmet(see entry under French)

BarPacific Beach Shore ClubYou guys can’t drink on the beach any-more, unless you want a big fat ticketfrom a big fat cop. The law, however,doesn’t say you can’t drink near thebeach – and that’s what makes PacificBeach Shore Club’s locale so conve-nient. The flat-screen TVs are only feetfrom the water to boot, as are the greatHappy Hour deals, goldfish races,Karaoke on Sunday , Red Bull slushiesand ’tater-tots.

Pacific Beach Shore Club4315 Ocean Blvd.(858) 272-7873www.pbshorecllub.com

Pacific Beach AleHousePB AleHouse isn’t your dad’s PacificBeach bar – it’s every bit a world-classmicrobrewery and restaurant. Hand-crafted burgers, fries, pizza and adiverse menu make PB Ale House adestination location for the beer con-noisseur, tourist and San Diegan. Theplace brews a gold, wheat, pale ale,amber, IPA, porter and stout – and asif that weren’t enough, it hand-pattieseach hamburger. Its fries are cut dailyfrom fresh Idaho potatoes. Each pizzais handcrafted. It has more than 15 bigfat TVs. Do not pass “go” – stop here.

Pacific Beach AleHouse 721 Grand Ave.(858) 581-BEERwww.pbalehouse.com

Cafe Zanzibar CafeZanzibar Café has been serving coffeeto the locals for more than 17 years anddoubles as a friendly neighborhoodcafé and a tourist destination. The peo-ple who run it are having such fun thatthey thought they’d open another loca-tion – so they did, in downtown SanDiego’s East Village. Both places boastkiller java, which you’re welcome todrink in the restaurant and wine bar,where the eatery offers many winesexclusive to the business. Zanzibar’sgourmet market next door carries sal-ads and entrees by the pound, home-made baked goods, coffee, tea, choco-lates, olive oils and vinegars – quite apotential haul for a coffee shop.

Zanzibar Café976 Garnet Ave.(858) 272-4762www.zanzibarcafe.com

San Diego Coffee Tea and SpiceThis café has been brewing and whole-saling invigorating elixirs since 1978.San Diego Coffee Tea and Spice wontheir customers over by roasting pre-mium specialty coffees with excellentcustomer service. By selecting thefinest coffee beans from around theworld and roasting them to perfection,

READERS CHOICE AWARDS 20098THURSDAYAUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay Press

VOTEDBEST CATERING, BAKERY,

FRENCH RESTAURANT & DESSERTSV V

Catering u Restaurant u Bakery u Wine Boutique

Celebrating 30 delicious years!Breakfast & Lunch Served Daily 8am – 3pmDinner Tues - Sat 4pm-Close

2009 BEACH & BAY PRESS READERS CHOICE AWARDS

It’s Always a Delicious Day at… The French Gourmet!

THE FRENCH GOURMET960 Turquoise St. • San Diego, CA 92109

• California-French Cuisine in a casual setting.

• Retail wine boutique with very competitive pricing.

• Traditional French pastries, baguettes, croissants,

pâtés, cheeses, and more!

Call for reservations:(858) 488-1725www.thefrenchgourmet.com

Catering • Restaurant • Bakery • Wine Boutique

4761 Cass Street in Pacific Beach • Corner of Cass & Missouri(858) 270-8642 • www.opendoorbooks.com

Eclectic selection ofreading materialfor all ages and

interests.Open Tuesday, Wednesday,

Thursday, Sunday from 10am - 5pm Closed Monday, Friday, Saturday

9THURSDAY

AUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay PressREADERS CHOICE AWARDS 2009

choice blends are brewed and bound tohave you percolating in no time.

San Diego Coffee Tea and Spice5026 Cass St. (858) 581-1933www.sandiegocoffee.com

The Mission The Mission is a concept of a cafe spe-cializing in simple, healthy, tasty foodwith a whimsical edge and a focus onartful presentation at an affordableprice. The simplicity and fresh ingredi-ents are produced with dedication to thecause of living a more conscientiouslifestyle. This modern concept inhealthy dining, combined with pleasantsurroundings, is their specialty. TheMission is open daily from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.

The Mission3795 Mission Blvd.(858) 488-9060

CateringThe French Gourmet(See entry under French)

Fig Tree Café (See entry under New Restaurant)

Coffee shopTurquoise CoffeeTurquoise Coffee in North PB offersmuch more than the ordinary cup ofjoe. The coffee shop and online retailersells organic free trade coffee fromcountries all around the world, includ-ing Brazil, Ethiopia, Indonesia, Yemenand Zimbabwe.

Turquoise Coffee841 Turquoise St.(858) 488-4677www.turquoisecoffee.com

Java JonesJava Jones collects fair trade, organicbeans from all over the world – fromPeru to Ethiopia – and roasts themdowntown for a fresh cup of java every-day. The store opens at 5:30 a.m. andcloses at 10 p.m. so there is plenty oftime to sit, relax, enjoy the artworkhanging on the walls, and the friendlystaff who take a few moments to social-ize. Most importantly, the coffee shopoffers free Internet so students andfreelancers can work all day and neverbe far from a refreshing pick-up. Thecoffee shop also serves sandwiches andsalads.

Java Jones4978 Cass St.(858) 274-0028

Juice Bar Big Squeeze Juice BarNeed help getting enough vitamins andnutrients? The Big Squeeze is the placefor you. This juice bar offers freshsqueezed smoothies, vegetable juices,wheat grass, tropical juices and fruitbowls. Start out with the Breakfast ofthe Gods – a blend of strawberries,peaches, blueberries, bananas, applejuice, orange juice and nonfat plainyoghurt. The veggie juice will give youa kick with its mixture of carrots, cel-ery, parsley, beets, spinach, cucumber,broccoli and apple juices. The storealso sells purified water, frozen yoghurtand wheatgrass.

Big Squeeze Juice Bar 1826 Garnet Ave.(858) 273-1001www.bigsqueezeonline.com

Chronic SmoothiesChronic Smoothies is habit-forming.Try it for yourself. This smoothie jointoffers an acai smoothie, a mocha mix,coconut crème or a blend of orangejuice, mangoes, peaches, strawberriesand bananas. Three guys opened theshop in 2000. And if you need morethan a smoothie in the morning,Turquoise Coffee is only a few feetaway. Chronic Smoothies is also openall day for those who have formed aserious habit: 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on week-days and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends.

Chronic Smoothies841 Turquoise St.(858) 488-6420www.chronicsmoothies.com

Donut Shop Linda’s Donut ShopPatrons love this old-fashioned donutshop for its early hours – open by 5a.m. – and late hours – closed by 10 or11 p.m. The donuts are not small andthe selection exceeds more than twodozen with chocolate glaze and theapple fritter a few of the favorites. Theonly way to get a good grasp on thissugary treasure is to stop by for your-self and have a taste.

Linda’s Donut Shop1888 Grand Ave. (858) 274-4004

Lucky Donuts HouseWait. Hold it. Stop right there. Do notpass go. Just enjoy any of the 1 millioncream-filled doughnut varieties here.Lucky’s has every variety of bearclawyou can imagine as well – and the bestthing about it is its locale. It’s threeblocks from the ocean, which meansyou’ve got a built-in place to work offall that sugar.

Lucky Donuts House909 Grand Ave., Ste. 8(858) 273-3829

Bagel ShopEinstein Bros BagelsEinstein is a corporate chain withdarn good bagels. Forget the creamcheese (unless you want somethingsimple), Einstein offers a lox-toppedbagel, egg sandwiches, egg panini, eggwraps and yoghurt – just for break-fast. For lunch there is offerings ofpastrami and swiss and albacore tunasalad, to name a few. Grilled sand-wiches, pizza bagels, nacho bagels,soups and salads are also in the mix.

Einstein Bros Bagels 1772 Garnet Ave., suite F (858) 272-9321

Bruegger’s BagelsBruegger’s Bagels achieve a bagel witha crusty outside and chewy inside byusing fresh dough, kettle boiling it andbaking them on a stone-hearth – not arake – so that they bake evenly. Non-profits should check out Bruegger’sdonation policy: the corporation willdonate a matching amount of bagels tothose purchased – as long as the bagelsare not resold. Bruegger’s sells 20 dif-ferent varieties of bagels and 13 differ-ent toppings so the bagel never getsboring.

Bruegger’s Bagels1886 Garnet Ave.(858) 273-3836www.brueggers.com

DeliChalkboard Deli & Coffee ShopFor 14 years, Bill Thomson of MissionBeach has layered Boar’s Head delimeats onto sandwiches, spun smooth-ies and assembled salads behind thecounter of Chalkboard Deli, while hiswife runs the orders. The duo namedall their sandwiches after famous peo-ple: Howard Stern packs in the ham,

turkey and roast beef. Fidel Castrotakes marinated turkey breast andcooks it in salsa. Donald Trump knowshow to bring home the bacon, lettuceand, apparently, the tomato as well.Sandwiches range in price from $6.50to $9. The deli is also a mini juice bar.The Thomson’s squeeze oranges andcarrots for fresh juice, as well as wheatgrass. The deli offers strawberrybanana smoothies, banana and choco-late smoothies and banana, chocolateand peanut butter smoothies. A latebreakfast includes BLT and egg saladsandwiches. Chalkboard is open from11 a.m. to 5 p.m., Tuesday through Sat-urday, and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Mon-days.

Chalkboard Deli & Coffee Shop1146 Garnet Ave.(858) 274-8819

Chronic Smoothies(see entry under Juice Bar)

Ice Cream/Frozen Yogurt Bogart YogurtThe length of your sweet tooth doesn’tmatter; Bogart Yogurt has you coveredbetter than the rest. The trick, see, is toserve yogurt that doesn’t stand out inthe sugar department – that way,you’re free to add toppings to taste.Some of the flavors here change regu-larly, but there’s always a staple or two,like vanilla, peanut butter and choco-late. The cake batter flavor will speak toyour childhood, when you used to filchfrom the kitchen; meanwhile, thevenue’s California Killer Cookies arefreshly made and will make quick workof whatever sugar fix you have left.

Bogart Yogurt910 Grand Ave., Ste. 108(858) 581-0202

Dolci MangoDolci Mango offers a European-stylefrozen yoghurt desert that is a low-fatalternative to ice cream with all thehealth benefits of yoghurt. Dolci meansdelicious in Italian and mango isknown for its exotic taste, hence thename of the shop. There are more fla-vors than just mango, however; DolciMango offers plain, green tea and eightflavored yoghurts – from honeydew toblueberry cheesecake to cappuccino.Dolci Mango has four branches in SanDiego and opened in Pacific Beachthree years ago.

Dolci Mango1420 Garnet Ave. (858) 483-6265www.dolcimangousa.com

Vegetarian/Vegan Vegan ZoneActually, this restaurant probablybelongs in another classification. Veg-anism is a step removed from vegetari-anism - the word connotes a way ofliving that seeks to exclude all forms ofexploitation of, and cruelty to, animalsfor food, clothing or any other purpose.Pretty radical philosophy, but one wor-thy of pursuit in many circles. Thatdoesn’t mean that the fare is at all exot-

Modern Furnishings

Come See Our Showroom at:1345 Garnet Ave858.581.0229

www.undergroundfurniture.com

Thank You for Choosing Us as YourOutstanding Furniture Store

Modern Furnishings • Custom Sofas

Thank You Pacific Beach!It is a great honor to win the silver medal for

best sandwiches in our first year.Love,

Pop, Mama and the boys

Free DeliveryLimited area

See our menu onYelp.com

1730 Garnet Ave. • 858.483.2600In the Vons shopping center next to Lotsa Pasta

Mon.-Fri. 9am to 8pm Sat. 9am to 7pm

HAPPY ONE YEAR ANNIVERSARY

10% OFF Your next orderPlease present coupon when ordering. Expires12/31/09

EAT DRINK & CHILL

M-F 3PM-6PM HAPPY HOUR

½ PRICE PITCHERS / ½ OFF ALL WINGS$1 OFF Bottles, Mugs & Wine

4656 MISSION BLVD. PACIFIC BEACH858.274.2473 • DIRTYBIRDSPB.COM

GREAT FOOD

UNIQUE BURGERS

WINGS

BREAKFASTServed ‘till 3pm Daily

THANKS PB for votingus a favorite new restaurant

and a favorite lunch!

Pops' Jersey Style Cheese Steaks, Guadagni family,"Pop", "Mama", Antonio, Benito Jr, Silver Medal for Sandwich

READERS CHOICE AWARDS 200910THURSDAYAUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay Press

ic or remote – Vegan Zone has lots ofstarters, salads, sandwiches, soups,noodle and rice dishes, curries andsushi rolls to suit any taste.

Vegan Zone859 Hornblend St.(858) 272-1913

Synergy Raw BakerySynergy Raw Bakery is an oasis forvegans and health-conscious folk wholive in PB. On a street that serves plen-ty of burgers, tacos, pizza and sand-wiches, Synergy serves up vegan wraps,raw and vegan ice cream, assorted rawvegan pies, granolas and a variety ofhealthy drinks like fermented tea calledKombucha and juices. The small storealso sells eco-friendly clothing, recycledrubber accessories and organic bodycare products.

Synergy Raw Bakery 1419 Garnet Ave. (858) 490-2144

Patio Dining Fig Tree Café (see entry under New Restaurant)

Café 976 (see entry under Pet Friendly)

SHOPPING & SERVICESArt galleryAztec GraphicsAztec Graphics has found its niche asone of the few remaining poster/frameshops in the county. While the storedoes sell some giclees – limited printeditions of artwork – most of its busi-ness focuses on custom framing and itssale of 4,000 different posters. In therecession, customers still want to deco-rate but can’t afford to drop $200 on acustom frame, but may be willing tospend $50, said Barbara Bailey whoruns the store with her husband, Rick.The couple opened Aztec Graphics

near San Diego State University 26years ago, hence the store’s name, andmoved to Garnet Avenue 18 years ago.The most popular poster sold is ablack-and-white photo of Highway 1that runs from La Jolla to Del Mar.Despite the poster business moving tothe Internet, Rick said that customersstill want to see the color and look of aposter in person.

Aztec Graphics1439 Garnet Ave.(858) 272-7760www.posteramerica.com

Gallery at Land’s End Gallery at Lands End has a tract recordof 35 years in custom framing thatranges from a simple, clean metalmolding to elaborate, water gilded cor-ner fames. Check out the website for aphoto of a 40 pound bronze reliefframed for a local La Jolla Gallery. Thestore offers more than 3,000 moldingoptions and 500 matting choices. Jayand Vicki Ford ran the gallery untilthey sold it to staff member ThayneYungman two years ago. The Fords areenjoying semi-retirement. Gallery atLands End is currently showcasing twolocal artists Deb Schwedhelm, a pho-tographer, and John John, an ocean-loving painter.

Gallery at Land’s End 4984 Cass St. (858) 270-7820www.galleryatlandsend.com

Chiropractor Lifeforce Health ChiropracticLifeforce Health Chiropractic offers avariety of solutions to building healththat include chiropractic adjustment,corrective exercises to realign theskeletal, muscles and connective tis-sues and coaching on nutritional sup-plements and healthy food choices. Thecenter also provides acupuncture, mus-cle activation techniques, massage andmyofacial release. Chiropractor PeterSeguinot, a graduate of LifeWest Chi-

ropractic College, opened the clinic inSeptember of 2008 to treat patientswith a myriad of health issues frombackaches and sciatica to headaches,neck pain and stress management.

Lifeforce Health Chiropractic 1707 Grand Ave.(858) 273-6700seguinotwellness.com

Libs Chiropractic CenterThe Libs – a husband-and-wife team –have run Libs Chiropractic Centersince the early ’80s. Dr. Lori Libs hasbeen practicing since 1979 with a focuson family care. She continues to studygentle chiropractic techniques. Dr.David Libs has been a practicing chiro-practor since 1982. He has advancedtraining in the Gonstead Techniqueand is a qualified medical examiner.Dr. David specializes in working withaccident/worker comp cases andsevere lower back pain patients. Thecenter also offers Vax-D treatment totreat herniated discs, as well as mas-sage therapy, nutrition consultationand acupuncture.

Libs Chiropractic Center4410 Lamont St. (858) 483-8500libschiropractic.com

Furniture StoreYorkshire PineYorkshire Pine furniture is inspired bythe casual lifestyle of America’s coasts,and carries the new Coastal Living Col-lection. The collection features laid-back elegance for any room in yourhome including multiple style optionsand a palette of 14 different seasidecolor. Coastal Living marries colorwith the warm patina of English pine.What a great combination!

Yorkshire Pine5171 Santa Fe St.(858) 270-7463

Underground FurnitureYou never know what the future holds.Just ask the peeps over at Under-

ground Furniture, where the inventoryis clean-lined and modern, like it wasin the ’50s and ’60s. This place isalways trying to keep that aspect in thestore, and that’s the way it’s been sinceits opening 10 years ago. And in all thattime, you’ve responded so well thatUnderground is inviting you to get intothe act. You can now build your ownsofa – custom colors, sizes and every-thing else – if you ask.

Underground Furniture1345 Garnet Ave.(858) 581-0229www.undergroundfurniture.com

Place With Unusual Gifts Pangaea OutpostOnce upon a time, Pangaea was thecenter of the world, a colossal landmass that contained anything andeverything its inhabitants needed,including the trinkets. Pangaea’s goneahead and split into seven continentsin the last little while – but the Outposthas kept the name and spirit alive withall manner of gifts from all over theworld. Fancy kitchen utensils, Easterncultural artifacts, baubles, bangles andeven beads: Pangaea’s the place toduck into for a look at the world as itwas and is.

Pangaea Outpost909 Garnet Ave.(858) 581-0555www.pangaeaoutpost.com

Patina Patina is an old fashion gift store thatcarries delectable items like AnnieGlass serving pieces, Huile d’olivesoaps, positively green cards and theBunnies by the Bay baby line. The art-work and quality of the ware willcharm you and make sweet presentsfor a wedding, baby shower, dinnerparty, housewarming gift or just atoken of appreciation. Visit Patina’swebsite for a full list of their products,colorful photos and, even, online shop-ping. Born and raised and living in LaJolla, Barbara Holz and her husband,

Paul, ran Patina in Point Loma for 12years before setting up on TurquoiseStreet a year ago.

Patina957 Turquoise St. (858) 488-4488www.patinagiftstore.com

Hotel Tower Bar and Lounge(see entry under Best Ocean View)

Catamaran Resort HotelAt the Catamaran, the biggest drawisn’t the beautiful studios and suites.It’s not even the tropical garden. And itcertainly isn’t the placid setting alongMission Bay’s sandy shores. It’s thebirds – namely the lobby’s longtimeparrot-family members who entertainthe guests with their antics and vocalrefrains. They’re a nice touch to a nicervenue, one that features surprisinglyaffordable rooms. And then there’salways the spa.

Catamaran Resort Hotel3999 Mission Blvd.(800) 422-8386www.catamaranresort.com

Bookstore Open Door BooksIf you’re looking for certain main-stream titles, Open Door may not beyour first choice. This venue’s missionis to encourage understanding andacceptance of all people regardless ofcreed, race or sexual preference byoffering a wide selection of readingmaterial. Its fare features, but is notlimited to, books on mainstream Chris-tian churches, Eastern philosophies,Judaism, Buddhism, Native American-ism, feminism, family, marriage andparenting. It also touts quality fictionand nonfiction books and the greatestrespect for the power of the pen.

Open Door Books4761 Cass St.(858) 270-8642www.opendoorbks.com

11THURSDAY

AUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay PressREADERS CHOICE AWARDS 2009

Pennywise BooksIf you ever had a bookcase made of cin-der blocks and plywood, you probablyknow something about how PennywiseBooks looks inside. This is a totally no-frills shop, with nary an informationbooth in sight, and that’s part of thecharm. The non-descriptness leavesyour imagination free to discover thewonders within – there are enoughused books here to keep readers enrap-tured for months. The new stuff’s avail-able too, and at less cost since you’renot paying for a lot of overhead.

Pennywise Books 1331 Grand Ave.(858) 270-1640

Auto Repair PB Foreign & Domestic Car RepairAt PB Foreign & Domestic Car Repairyou’ll feel you’ve left your car in thehands of some pretty knowledgeablefolks. Not only has this shop been opensince 1981, it’s family owned, whichtranslates to a solid investment in thebusiness’ credibility. The staff will getyou rolling – after all, it’s a family tra-dition.

PB Foreign & Domestic Car Repair4570 Mission Bay Dr.(858) 480-3637www.pbautorepair.com

Roger’s Auto BodyQuick repair and honest estimates havekept Roger’s Auto Body in service andin reputable standings with PacificBeach residents. No frills, no hassles;they get you in and get you out withexcellent service and knowledgeablemechanics.

Roger’s Auto Body4837 Cass St.(858) 483-2432

Bank Comerica Bank Rooted in Detroit and headquarteredout of Dallas, the 160-year old Comeri-

ca Bank has established its footprint insouthern California. Within the pastnine years, the bank has set up 100branches in the region, including sevenbranches that opened in San Diego inthe past two years. Comerica Bank hasoperated on Garnet Avenue for the pasttwo years and bank manager ValParaiso said its strength is in its atten-tion to small businesses. Paraiso saidthe bank attempts to be proactive byvisiting businesses and residents attheir location, as well as offering fullservices to its banking clients. As abonus, Paraiso said there is never along line for service.

Comerica Bank 1802 Garnet Ave. (858) 274-4693www.comerica.com

Home Bank of CaliforniaHave you noticed how hard it is tosqueeze a cashier’s check out of a tellerthese days? Either the bank doesn’t sellthem or they cost the equivalent of asecond mortgage. Home Bank of Cali-fornia goes against the grain in thisrespect. In fact, Home Bank goes theextra mile in most respects – and thesedays, with so much riding on everyfinancial decision you make, it’s goodto know PB has a friend like that in itscorner.

Home Bank of California875 Garnet Ave.(858) 270-5881www.homebankofcalifornia.com

Men's apparel Raw Clothing(see entry under Best Place to Buy Jeans)

Children's apparel Forget Me NotForget Me Not sells specialty toys fromEurope and wooden toys, as well ashigh-end resale clothing. The storeaims to create a hub of children’s activi-ty and will launch a reopening Sept. 19to introduce music and arts classes. Thecandy store within is a bonus attraction

for the tots. Owner Ingrid Kua donates10 percent of her profits to her adoptedson’s refugee camp in Liberia. The storehas already set its footprint in PB withfive years under its belt.

Forget Me Not 5005 Cass St.(858) 272-5622

Women's apparelScenarioCindy Gappy opened Scenario, a bou-tique-size store with a lounge atmo-sphere, this past February across thestreet from her sister’s smoke shop,The Godfather. The store sells clothesthat can be dressed up or down for anight on the town or a stroll to theneighborhood eatery. The clothes tar-get women aged 15 to 60 and range inprice from $30 to $100, and plenty ofaccessories are available to go eitherway. If all goes well, Gappy hopes toopen another store downtown.

Scenario1135 Garnet Ave. (858) 274-4411scenariopacificbeach.com

Raw Clothing(see entry under Best Place to Buy Jeans)

Best Place to Buy JeansRaw ClothingRaw opened its doors in the summer of1992 in crazy ol’ Pacific Beach. Thestaff chose the beach so it can hang outthere before and after work and some-times during work. During the last 13years, it’s had thousands of happy cus-tomers and only two unhappy ones.After SeaWorld and the San Diego Zoo,Raw is the most popular tourist desti-nation in all of San Diego (kidding). Inany case, go check out the wide rangeof clothing and footwear—the peeps’lltreat you to a cappuccino from neigh-boring Zanzibar Café for your trouble.

Raw Clothing940 Garnet Ave.(858) 483-9111www.rawclothing.com

Buffalo ExchangeBuffalo Exchange works to protect theenvironment by reusing and recyclingclothing. With all that activity, theinventory — including designer wear,vintage, jeans, leather and one-of-a-kind items — is ever-changing andplentiful. You’ll also find new merchan-dise and accessories to choose from.Buffalo Exchange offers great finds atlow prices — here, recycling is alwaysin style.

Buffalo Exchange1007 Garnet Ave.(858) 273-6227www.buffaloexchange.com

Eyewear Sunglass CityDon’t tell us. Let us guess. You werejust walking onto the beach when yourealized you left your prize sunglasseson top of the microwave at home,along with your wallet. The folks atSunglass City can’t do anything about

the wallet part, but they can get you upand running otherwise. They’re anauthorized dealer for Ray Ban andmore than 20 other brands of eyewear.Now, if only you’d remembered yourmoney...

Sunglass City1478 Garnet Ave.(858) 272-6401www.pbsunglasses.com

Eye Glasses GaloreEye Glasses Galore sells a variety ofsunglasses and eyeglasses to keep youseeing well, looking stylish and han-dling the bright, San Diego sun. Pricesfor the glasses range from $70 to $425.You can also find cords to keep yourglasses around your neck, clip-on’s toswing between indoor and outdoorlight and cases.

Eye Glasses Galore1772 Garnet Ave(858) 270-9320

Full Menu

'Till 1am

Nightly

Have Lunch in the SUN!

Now Serving

Breakfast! Saturday & Sunday

9am-2pm

Happy Hour in Lounge Areas Only

Must Be 21 with Proper ID

to Enter Upstairs Bar

809 Thomas Ave • Pacific Beach • 858.270.1730

Thanks for Voting Us

Best Overall

Restaurant Service

Best Late Night Eatery

& Favorite for Desserts!

P.B. Foreign & Domestic, Gold Medal for Auto Repair

READERS CHOICE AWARDS 200912THURSDAYAUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay Press

Swimsuits Gone Bananas BeachwearThis place has one up on the otherbeach clothing stores in the area. Ittakes its fashion cues right off thebeach. It’s just off the boardwalk, afterall, and it has everything you need for aday on the sand - cover-ups, bikinis,one-piece suits, sandals, beach bagsand more. All this stuff comes indesigner or more affordable models.And you’re so close to the beach thatyou don’t even have to take your pur-chase home first.

Gone Bananas Beachwear3785 Mission Blvd.(858) 488-4900

Sunsplash SwimwearSunsplash Swimwear provides a fullselection of international swimwear.The offerings include runway styles forjuniors, gorgeous bikinis, contempo-rary one-pieces, stunning missy, funmix & match, daring d-cup, lovely long

torso, and slimming styles. Sunsplashhas it all! The store’s collection is con-tinually being updated and changedwith recent swimwear fashions to bringthe latest trends and styles to you.Their swim wear specialists are trainedto assist you in finding the perfectswimsuit to flatter your figure!

Sunsplash Swimwear979 Garnet Ave.(858) 581-3400www.sunsplashswimwear.com

Jewelry StorePangaea Outpost(see Place with Unusual Gifts)

Shoe Store Forward FootwearThis chic Pacific Beach boutique carriesmore than 200 styles of shoes andaccessories by a variety of brand manu-facturers like Steve Madden, ChineseLaundry, Jessica Simpson, JeffreyCampbell, Restricted, Dollhouse,

Michael Antonio and NYLA, creatingan awe-inspiring selection. The bestpart of the experience is the personal-ized customer service with shoesaffordably priced.

Forward Footwear1061 Garnet Ave.(858) 490-0411www.forward-footwear.com

Atomic Shoe Storeand Trading CompanyRemember the scene from “The Shaw-shank Redemption” where inmateAndy Dufresne walked by a guard,undetained, in a pair of non-issueshoes? The folks at this venue wouldn’tlet that happen to you – they know thatyou know that others notice yourfootwear, and that’s why they strive tocarry every size and style imaginable. Ifthey don’t have it, they’ll find it. It’s acinch Dufresne would have come hereif he’d been on parole.

Atomic Trading Company and Shoe Store1036 Garnet Ave.(858) 272-8822

Dry CleanersLiz & David'sExperience, quality, handwork, sensi-tivity and sterling service are hallmarksof our trade. Experts in tailoring, drycleaning and bridal apparel specializingin alterations, custom designs,restyling new or vintage heirloom gar-ments, beading and intricate embel-lishments. No requests too large or toosmall. All services are guaranteed byowner.

Liz & David's5011 Cass Street(858) 483-8604

Cass St. CleanersNeed a quick place to dry-clean yourshirt or hem your pants? Cass St.Cleaners is the perfect location withstore front parking and enough coffeeshops on the block in case you decideto wait. The service is friendly and pro-

fessional and the readers have madethis spot a top choice.

Cass St. Cleaners 5010 Cass St. (858) 483-3911

Florist Impulsive FlowersThe Internet has changed business butflowers have not gone out of style –you can just order them through theInternet now. Impulsive Flowers soldoutside Henry’s Market offer creativearrangements for the usual occasions –weddings and funerals and romanticsurprises – but you can also choosefrom a traditional, contemporary orexotic look, or just skip the petals andgo for the gourmet basket. Take time tostop by and smell the roses. The sidestore is open 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. sevendays a week.

Impulsive Flowers1260 Garnet Ave. (858) 274-4333www.impulsiveflowers.net

Flower GirlsFlower Girls is all about spreadingpeace, love and flowers throughout theworld and bringing a fresh, sleekapproach to floral design. Its configura-tions incorporate the finest flowersavailable, and the gals are versed in thetraditions of many cultures and canmeet the needs involved in many typesof celebrations. But the proof is in thepetals – so come see and hear more atthis cozy venue in the heart of PB.

Flower Girls4645 Cass St.(858) 273-0023www.flowergirls.biz

Grocery Store Trader Joe’sBy now, this place is a staple amongPB’s grocery-shopping iconoclasts.Products include gourmet foods,organic foods, vegetarian foods, unusu-al frozen foods, imported foods,domestic and imported wine, “alterna-

tive” food items (like the strawberrybalsamic vinegar you’re been lookingfor) and basics like bread, cereal, eggs,dairy, coffee and produce. The chainhas nearly 300 stores, mostly in South-ern California — but it’ll never grow toobig for Pacific Beach.

Trader Joe’s1211 Garnet Ave.(858) 272-7235www.traderjoes.com

Henry’s Farmers MarketAt first glance, Henry’s looks prettymuch like any other store — but thesimilarity ends there. Your browsingwill yield a different impression aboutthe chain’s commitment to value-minded, health-conscious patronage,especially in the personal care depart-ment. Regular health-screening eventscomplement the free tastings that fre-quently spring up. Henry’s has youcovered.

Henry’s Farmers Market1260 Garnet Ave.(858) 270-8200www.henrysmarkets.com

Travel AgencySTA TravelSTA Travel has never been known toturn down a client - but if you’re a stu-dent, it can find you some exceptionaldeals. Show proof of your status, andSTA will issue you an InternationalStudent Identity Card, a vital tool infinding some of the world’s deepesttravel discounts. These people knowtravel as much as they love it and canespecially help with travel insurance,something you think you don’t needuntil it’s too late.

STA Travel 953 Garnet Ave.(858) 270-6401www.statravel.com

Travel StoreTravlers DepotTravelers Depot is a wise place to stopbefore you travel to ensure you have

Best Greek RestaurantOutstanding Appetizer

Thank you Beach & Bay Press readers

for voting Cafe Athena Pacific Beach’s

(858) 274-1140

www.cafeAthena.com

1846 Garnet AvePacific Beach in Pacific Plaza II

(Next to Kinkos)

Complementary

Spanakopitawith purchase of

two entreesLimit one coupon per table. Not valid with any

other offer. Expires 11-30-09

LAMONT STREETG R I L L

Est. 1985

Casually Elegant Dining4445 Lamont St., Pacific Beach

Between Grand & Garnet (858) 270-3060www.lamontstreetgrill.com

Thank you San Diegofor voting us best – in the beach

Most Romantic • Dinner • Steak • Wine Selection

40%OFF

Custom FramesSelected Styles and Mouldings

through November 15thCustom Framing up to 50% off Aaron Bros. and Michael’s

Ready Made Frames • 4,000 Posters in StockTropical, Surf, Local Art • 50% OFF Greeting Cards

www.posteramerica.com1439 Garnet Avenue, Pacific Beach 858 272 7760

13THURSDAY

AUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay PressREADERS CHOICE AWARDS 2009

everything for your journey. TravelersDepot sells luggage, travel books,maps, purses, handbags and back-packs. As you will have to rely more onyour feet during your travels, TravelersDepot also stocks comfortable sandalsand Keen shoes – a waterproof, non-slip, comfortable shoe for professionalsand travelers alike with weary feet.

Travlers Depot1655 Garnet Ave.(858) 483-1421

Pet Hospital /VetTurquoise Animal HospitalTurquoise Animal Hospital under-stands the profound value you place onyour pet, and it’s prepared to care for itaccordingly. The state-of-the-art labsand surgical facilities are designed forexpert work on dogs, cats and smallerpets – and the hospital goes just abouteverybody one better with its spayingand neutering service, puppy obedi-ence classes and ID service, involvingchip implantation for instant identifi-cation of your animal.

Turquoise Animal Hospital950 Turquoise St.(858) 488-0658www.turquoiseanimalhospital.com

Cheshire Cat ClinicCheshire Cat Clinic understands thevalue you place on Felix, and it’s pre-pared to care for it accordingly.Advances in life-changing surgeryhaven’t left grass-roots pet care out ofthe equation here.

Cheshire Cat Clinic1945 Garnet Ave., Ste. B(858) 483-1573

Hair Salon Belli BelliSlang for beautiful, Belli Belli has glam-orized its clients for five years with full-service hair styling and treatments,skin care, eyelash and waxing services,massage and wedding and eventpreparations. Belli Belli describes itselfas classically organic where the staffblends Cheers with Nordstrom in itsapproach: everyone knows your nameand you’re always right. Choosebetween senior stylists with five yearsand more under their belts or regularstylists that charge less.

Belli Belli3461 Ingraham St.(858) 270-2288www.bellibelli.com

Garage SalonGarage Salon exclusively uses Avedaproducts that are 30 percent organicwith a flower and plant base andinfused with essential oils. KikkiIrigoyen, 28, opened Garage Salontwo-and-a-half years ago after sevenyears in the industry in Los Angeles.Irgoyen trained at the Aveda Institute inMinneapolis, where she graduated withthe first 4.0 in three years. Garage Salonoffers hair services – cuts, finishingcolor and highlighting, as well as facialservices. Each guest receives a comple-mentary neck and shoulder massage aswell as an Aveda hand ritual.

Garage Salon4502 Cass St.(858) 490-0363www.garagesalon.com

Day Spa Renew Integrative Health CenterRenew Integrative Health Center offerstwo floors of medical professionals thatapproach healthcare through a holisticlens. Practitioners range from doctorsto chiropractors to acupuncturists andmarriage therapists. For Reader’sChoice, Renew stood out for its dayspa. Being healthy is sometimes alsoabout cultivating health and the mas-sage therapy and detox programs willhelp you find that path.

Renew Integrative Health Center2206 Balboa Ave. (858) 866-6688renewhealthcenter.com

Catamaran(see entry under Hotel)

Senior Living Facility

Sunrise Assisted Living of La JollaSunrise Senior Living offers a variety ofoptions for the elderly, and, at the loca-tion in north Pacific Beach, a charmingspace with patios and a lovely, largedining room and living room. The resi-dence offers assisted living for thosewho need help with day-to-day tasks.The residence also focuses on givingcare for residents with Alzheimer’s, aswell as hospice care. The residence alsooffers short-term stays.

Sunrise Assisted Living of La Jolla810 Turquoise St.(858) 488-4300

Wesley Palms (silver medal)

Wesley Palms2404 Loring St.858-274-4110www.wesleypalms.org

Tanning Salon Hollywood TansHollywood Tans is for hotties that trav-el. The tanning company has 300 loca-tions nationwide so members can finda quick, clean tan at any sunny locationthey found themselves in. Fifteen tan-ning booths are offered at each locationso no appointments are necessary.Hollywood Tans offers four options forachieving the sunny glow: a high pres-sure booth that only requires 2 to 3 vis-

its per month to maintain the desiredshade; the eight minute tan requires 3to 4 sessions; the 10-minute ten needs4 to 5 visits; and the 11-minute optionwill provide a base tan in 5 to 6 ses-sions. UV-free tanning is also availablethrough misters and moisturizers.

Hollywood Tans1321 Garnet Ave. (858) 490-0555http://hollywoodtans.com

i-TanThe ‘i’ in i-TAN stands for “indoor” —exactly as you thought. In this case,“indoor” means inside any of the firm’ssix levels of tanning beds. You shouldsee the level-five bronzing bed, as it’scalled. It looks like it’s ready for a tripto the sun. A few minutes inside thisstate-of-the-art machine, and you’lllook like you went with it. i-TAN alsoprovides airbrush tanning, mystic tan-ning, body wraps, skin treatments andteeth whitening.

i-TAN1764 Garnet Ave.(858) 581-9060www.itansandiego.com

Health Club Fitness WestFitness West is a family-owned healthclub that has been in business since1985. Fitness West offers eight differ-ent types of workout classes: bootcamp cross training, yoga, groupcycling, cardio kickboxing, body sculpt-ing, aerobics/step, Pilates and High

Energy Athletic Training, which is 60minutes of strength and cardio train-ing. Upstairs offers a variety of exerciseequipment from treadmills and stairclimbers to rowing machines and freeweights.

Fitness West1880 Garnet Ave.(858) 272-9378www.fitnesswestpb.com

American Boxing MMA & Fitness CenterAmerican Boxing MMA & Fitness Cen-ter has kicked open the door to everyage level, gender and ability to offer itsstudents strength, agility, coordinationand defense skills. Exercising at a gymwill keep a person healthy; training atAmerican Boxing will make a personfit. The studio teaches classes in MuayThai Kickboxing, Jiu-Jitsu, mixed mar-tial arts (MMA), personal training andcross fit classes. Cardio kickboxing willtone every muscle in the body. Highschool wrestlers can continue theirtraining with submission wresting. Theclass size never exceeds 15 people sothat students receive personal attention.

American Boxing MMA & Fitness Center2710 Garnet Ave., Suite 205 (858) 581-2694www.americanboxing.net

Yoga Facility

East West Yoga & Health CenterEast West Yoga & Health Center pro-

vides a wide selection of eastern tradi-tions and western techniques to culti-vate health of mind, body and spirit.The offerings include seven varieties ofyoga practices: bliss, flow, Iyengar,True Balance Yoga, Yoga for a healthyback, prenatal yoga and Yoga therapy.Pilates and core challenge are alsooffered. Practitioners in acupuncture,massage and skin care are also avail-able. The center also providesFeldenkrais lessons with Sanna Sam-mons, which is a hands-on techniquethat works with the skeletal structureto promote a more organized postureand sense of balance. The techniqueaims to help overworked muscles movewith more efficiency and grace.

East West Yoga & Health Center1356 Garnet Ave. (858) 334-4313www.eastwestyoga.com

PB Yoga and Healing ArtsPB Yoga and Healing Arts offers sixstyles of yoga, including Svaroopayoga, Svaroopa yoga for seniors,Vinyasa flow, Anusara yoga, posturalyoga and yin yang yoga. Svaroopa usesposes to help open the deepest layers ofmuscle tension. Ansusara is a heart-oriented and alignment-based practiceto help its practitioners to see the goodin all things. Postural yoga aims to cor-rect disparities in the musculo-skeletalsystem, beneficial for people who usecomputers frequently or suffer withchronic pain. Six therapists also call PBYoga home with expertise in massage,

READERS CHOICE AWARDS 200914THURSDAYAUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay Press

herbs, acupressure, Feng Shui andholistic health.

PB Yoga and Healing Arts961 Turquoise St.(858) 488-7774www.pbyogaandhealingarts.com

PrinterNorth Shores Printery No job is too small for the NorthShores Printery that has served thecommunity since 1980. North ShoresPrintery offers services in off-set anddigital printing, finishing, full capabili-ty binding, drilling and folding. Agraphic designer can create logos oridentity packages for customers. JayBrewer and Jeremy Sessions managethe store.

North Shores Printery 926 Turquoise St.(858) 488-4871www.northshoresprintery.net

PB Printing / SDprint.comPB Printing cares for the environmentby using soy based inks, Green SealCertified paper and through its recy-cling programs.

PB Printing853 Hornblend St. (858) 273-8335

Optometrist / Ophthalmologist Dr. Deborah PrinceBefore opening her ophthalmologyoffice in Pacific Beach in 2006, Dr.Prince served on active duty in the USNavy, and was the recipient of theArmed Forces’ Optometrist of the Yearin 1999. Dr. Prince is a graduate ofWashington and Jefferson College andthe Pennsylvania College of Optome-try. Dr. Prince offers a novel alternativeto Lasik surgery or glasses: cornealreshaping. The patient wears a rigidcontact lens while sleeping to helpreshape the cornea – similar to wear-ing an orthodontic device to reshapeteeth. Dr. Prince also volunteers regu-larly with Vision Health International,an organization that brings vision care

services to needy people in developingcountries.

Optometrist/ Ophthalmologist Dr. Deborah Prince 1890 Garnet Ave.(858) 274-3777

Shipping/Packaging UPS StoreWhat can brown do for you? At thislocation across from Broken Yolk,brown can take care of any printingand copying needs, ship a package, andeven issue a mailbox with a real streetaddress. Feeling anxious about anupcoming move? The UPS Store alsoprovides supplies, packing help andfreight services.

UPS Store1804 Garnet Ave.(858) 237-6661

Surf & PostSurf & Post is your one-stop shop forpersonal mailboxes, Fed Ex and UPSShipping, packaging services, black-and-white and color copies, faxes, andNotary services. Surf & Post also offersshort-term storage, as well as loansigning services. Located across fromthe Post Office in Pacific Beach, it’s afar quicker way to send anything. Open9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Ask for Steve!

Surf & Post4629 Cass St.(858) 272-8656www.surfandpost.com

Pharmacy My Health MartMy Health Mart is run by pharmacistMark DeWoskin who aims for his storeto offer a relic of the past: a mom-and-pop pharmacy where the pharmacistknows your name and cares about youpersonally – not the bottom line men-tality of the corporate chains. The storeis dedicated to the communities ofPacific Beach and La Jolla, which it hasserved for the past 40 years.

My Health Mart1015 Turquoise St.(858) 274-6762http://myhealthmartpharmacy.com

NailsMingle Nail SalonThis is a full-service nail, waxing andskin-care salon, and it runs on a widevariety of services. The professionaltechs are ready to give you the bestpossible service available and to createa vibrant social atmosphere and placeyou in a blissful state. Bikini waxing,nail design, even nail removal: Notmuch you can’t find here, with the pos-sible exception of bikinis.

Mingle Nail Salon 955 Garnet Ave.(858) 273-5928www.minglenailsalon.com

Angelic Nails & SpaAngelic Nails & Spa keeps those in theNorth PB area looking right from headto toe. It’s has been on TurquoiseStreet for a couple of years and offersnail salon and day spa services.

Angelic Nails & Spa841 Turquoise St.(858) 488-0756

Dentist San Diego Dental ArtsDr. John Maroon and his wife Dr.Manijeh Maroon have run the PacificBeach branch of San Diego Dental Artsfor one year, and operate two branchesin Chula Vista. Dr. John Maroon has afellowship from the InternationalCongress of Oral Implantology, and is amember of four different associationsfor oral treatment, including the Inter-national Association for Orthodontics.In his spare time, Dr. Maroon is apainter and sculptor. Dr. ManijehMaroon attended Loma Linda Universi-ty where she received the prestigiousaward for Excellence in ClinicalAchievement. Dr. Manijeh Maroon wasa clinical instructor at Loma Linda Uni-versity and held a staff position at theEisenhower Medical Center in RanchoMirage.

San Diego Dental Arts 2168 Balboa Ave. (858) 273-2800www.sandiegodentalarts.com

Pacific Beach Dentistry96 Hornblend Street(858) 273-7900www.pbdentistry.com

ElectricianBeach Electrical ServiceJust because you can’t see electricitydoesn’t mean it’s not there (if you don’tbelieve us, ask Benjamin Franklin).Messing with the unknown is never assimple as it looks, and that’s whereBeach Electrical Service comes in.Underscore “Service” here – BeachElectrical can recommend exactly theright utilities for your home wiring orother electrical project. Heck, it caneven contract it for you if you’re unsureabout what to do next. Don’t be fool-hardy, like Ben. Let a professional stepin, before you get the shock of your life.

Beach Electrical Service1777 Missouri St.(858) 488-3962

Contractor / ConstructionArmstrong Construction Inc.President of Armstrong Construction,Tom Armstrong began at the base levelat the age of 15 as a laborer, carpenter,framer and layout worker. He workedhis way up from there – two years laterhe was specializing in stairway con-struction and then building roofs. Acouple more years later he supervisedconstruction phases, and soon, Tomwent solo in the designing and remod-eling business. Tom’s goal is to makethe community a beautiful place to liveand his handicraft – mostly two orthree bedroom town homes – can beviewed on his website. In his work, heaims to capture as much sunlight andocean view as possible.

Armstrong Construction Inc.755 Turquoise St.(858) 488-3465www.armstrongbuilt.com

Bicycle ShopPacific Coast BicycleThe logo for Pacific Coast Bicycle says

it all: a stick drawing of a bicycle in theshape of a Harley Davidson – highhandles and a low ride. This bicycleshop is in the know about the latestBMX and cruiser trends, and offerseither a cruiser ready to roll, a custom-made bike or modifications to your oldbaby. If you don’t have wheels to rideby the shop, check out some BMXchoices online that include the Redline,Free Agent, SE Bikes and Mongooseselection.

Pacific Coast Bicycle1637 Garnet Ave. (858) 581-2453www.pacificcoastbicycle.com

Rusty SpokesFor a smooth riding beach cruiser or toequip your wheels with a kickstandthat resembles a double barrel shot-gun, check out Rusty Spokes bike shopat 1344 Garnet Ave. Shop owner andbicycle scientist David Morrow seemsto turn out fresh inventions on a regu-lar basis, like his recently patented soft-cruise line of beach cruisers. Superiorcustomer service also sets this shopapart. You can stop in for a quick chainrepair or to pump your tires for no orsmall fee.

Rusty Spokes1344 Garnet Ave.www.rusty-spokes.com(858) 581-1931

Scooter / Motorcycle Pacific Beach ScootersPacific Beach Scooters offers customersscooters perfect for a cruise – you candrink a cold one and ride up to 30miles without refueling – or ready for across-country trip: TBG scooters arecoast-to-coast certified although it maytake a while to drive across. Customerscan also choose the electric bikes thatrun at 20-30 miles per hour with a bat-tery life of 20 miles that can be pluggedinto a wall socket to recharge. The nicething about electric bikes, said co-owner Christina Delaney, is that if yourun out of power, you can always pedal

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AUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay PressREADERS CHOICE AWARDS 2009

the bike! Delaney runs the store withRuston Youngblood and Tim Foley.Pacific Beach Scooters bought out PBCycles and West Coast Scooter andCycle to consolidate the businesses intoPacific Beach Scooters this past June.Most warranties on the scooters last ayear or more, and the shop handles therepairs.

Pacific Beach Scooters2280 Garnet Ave.(858) 272-3717westcoastscooterandcycle.com

San Diego Scooter Need to get somewhere quick, findparking fast and save gas? Check outSan Diego Scooter for their range ofmotorized vehicles. You’ll feel likeyou’ve taken a trip to Europe – and likeyou might just be helping the earthwith your new wheels.

San Diego Scooter1880 Grand Ave.(858) 829-2316

Smog checkSmog ExpressSmog Express offers standard smoginspections for new owners of an oldcar, as well as gross polluters certifica-tions, without the need to make anappointment. Smog Express is the old-est test-only station in Pacific Beach.Check out the website for a $10coupon.

Smog Express4435 Ingraham St. (858) 270-0361http://smogexpress.net

Fast oil change Firestone Complete Auto CareFirestone Complete Auto Care won theaward for the fastest oil change. Theaward speaks for itself and patrons willhave to try out the service to see theresults for themselves.

Firestone Complete Auto Care1245 Garnet Ave.(858) 272-9232

Evans Tires Evans Tires sells and replaces tires, butalso works on any other vehicle-relatedproblem. Visit Evans if you need youroil changed, your wheels realigned,your brakes checked, new shocks orstruts, a transmission flush, and so on.Evans Tires has 75 branches acrossCalifornia and opened on GarnetAvenue in 2006. Ask for general man-ager Larry Annear.

Evans Tires 1530 Garnet Ave.(858) 270-7631

Pet store Noah’s Natural Pet MarketWe’re not just talkin’ any pet. We’retalkin’ yours. Noah’s Ark understandsthat and has schooled itself according-ly. It prides itself on its product knowl-edge and its friendly, helpful approachto pet care. Healthful food is the shop’sstock in trade – “green” products and anew line of nutrition-based goods fordogs and cats are set for sale soon. Youfigure in the equation too; an e-newsletter is on the horizon.

Noah’s Natural Pet Market 4431 Cass St.(858) 270-8161www.noahsnaturalpetmarket.com

Resale shop Cream of the CropWhereas Buffalo Exchange has severalexcellent stores along the West Coast,Cream of the Crop is family run andhas found its success by playing thingsclose to the vest. In fact, vests are prob-ably as likely found here as anywhereelse, and at prices that don’t includeoverhead costs. There’s also a dog onthe premises, but he’s not for sale.

Cream of The Crop Boutique4683 Cass St.(858) 272-6601

The BuffThe Buff is the place to go for resale

and costumes all year round. Whetheryou’re looking for a complete outfit orjust a mask or wig or very long eyelash-es, you’ll find it at the Buff. The storealso caters to all income levels – fromhandmade leather masks or fancyVenetian masks to $13 accessories. AndThe Buff has all the eras covered –from the ’60s to the ’80s. Currently, thestore is selling costumes for The Burn-ing Man, but Halloween is right aroundthe corner. The Buff is a longtime sta-ple of Pacific Beach with 20 yearsunder its belt.

The Buff 1341 Garnet Ave. (858) 581-2833www.thebuffcostumes.com

Surf Shop Surf Club Surf ShopWe're stoked to win the Best Surf ShopAward for Pacific Beach. We werevoted by you guys, so we must be doingsomething right! 29 years of businesshas been great, we love what we do andthe town we do it in. We've made it apoint to personalize our service so wecan get to know our customer. JasminNelson and our staff has had a greateye on styles and products we knowthat you'll like. From beachware, to surfsupplies, we've got what you need tohave fun at the beach. Thanks again foryour loyalty - JK (Jeff Kinney)

Surf Club Surf Shop952 Garnet AvePacific Beach, SD, CA 92109858-483-4854www.surfclubsurfshop.com

Pacific Beach Surf ShopSelection is everything at Pacific BeachSurf Shop — so don’t let terms like“thruster,” “egg,” “funshape” and “:longboard” throw you during your visit. It’sjust the staff up to its old tricks, talkingthe same shop that’s made this place ahit in PB for the last 45 years. The bigpick of wetsuits, footwear, sun prod-ucts, beach accessories and optics alsoensure that the shop is your new bestfriend for all things surfing.

Pacific Beach Surf Shop4150 Mission Blvd., Suite 161(858) 373-1138www.pacificbeachsurfshop.com

Skate Shop SoulgrindThe part of a skateboard on which theuser stands is called the truck. You’dhave known that if you’d spent anytime at all at Soulgrind, your choice asPacific Beach’s best skate shop. Skate-boards by Gravity, Sector Nine andother famous makers abound here —and the skateboarding lessons them-selves may be the most important inSoulgrind’s slate of services. Wouldn’twant any trucks careening out of con-trol on the open road, now.

Soulgrind4627 Mission Blvd.(858) 581-2468www.soulgrind.com

Tattoo / PiercingGuru Tattoo Want to casually meet the staff of GuruTattoo all at once and learn everythingabout them – their height, age, years inthe tattoo business and view some pho-tos of their work? Visit gurutattoo.comto see caricature mug shots and autobi-ographies of the motley crew. Patronscan also purchase the artists’ workprinted on t-shirts, on canvas or onskate decks. A picture is worth a thou-sand words, so check out the websitefor the full story.

Guru Tattoo1122 Garnet Ave.(858) 270-1070www.gurutattoo.com

Funhouse TattooPatrons don’t pick a tattoo off the wallsat Funhouse Tattoo; the artists customdesign tattoos for each client. Estab-lished in 2000, Funhouse Tattoo offersa variety of styles from the detailed,flowing work of Japanese art to theabstract, organic forms of biomechani-cal to the vibrant, bold designs of new

school. Leo Cadenazzi specializes intraditional Japanese tattoos, a style heappreciates for its distinct, non-abstract form that portrays images ofnature, warriors, religion, people andgods. Cadenazzi, a transplant Brazilianwho practices Buddhism and has livedin PB for the past 11 years, believes theJapanese artwork works well with thebody.

Funhouse Tattoo1837 Garnet Ave.(858) 483-7828www.funhousetattoosd.com/pbmyspace.com/coretattoo

Gardening / Nursery Green Gardens Nursery Green Gardens Nursery is the neigh-borhood stop for a wide choice ofplants, organic and non-organic fertil-izers, imported pottery, specialty foun-tains and garden décor. A garden in itsown right, the Backus family has runthe nursery on Cass Street for the past30 years. President Paul Backus offersa complimentary rose consultation tohelp buyers choose the perfect site fortheir thorny plant, prepare the soil, setup irrigation and mulching and soforth. Green Gardens Landscape &Design, a landscape design companythat serves residents and businesses, isalso run through the nursery.

Green Gardens Nursery 747 Turquoise St.(858) 483-8803www.sdgreengardens.com

Pacific Beach GardensPacific Beach Gardens has been inbusiness for 50 years. Leny Olson’sgrandfather and grandmother tookover the business nearly 40 years ago.Many may remember Olson’s grandfa-ther Lane DeBoer. Pacific Beach Gar-dens offers a large variety of plants(colorful plants like salvia, marigoldand Echinacea are most popular rightnow), succulents, herbs and vegetables.With a heritage in the gardening busi-ness, Olson can provide consultationon landscaping and irrigation, as wellas make referrals to gardeners,sprayers and tree trimmers withdecades of experience in the industry.While the store doesn’t sell furnitureonsite, it can order pieces through acatalogue for home delivery at a whole-sale price.

Pacific Beach Gardens910 Turquoise St.(858) 488-0614

Pool CarePacific ParadiseBrian Costelloe has splashed color ontothe tiny cottage that houses Pacific Par-adise Pools & Spa on the corner of Cassand Wilbur streets, and transformed adirt lot into a decorative garden to mar-ket his pool, spa and landscaping prod-ucts. Costelloe bought the retail store –formerly known as La Jolla Pools for40 years – this past October. Withinthe year Costelloe plans to expand hisbusiness to installing ponds. Costelloe,50, started a pool servicing business sixyears ago in Serrano Valley – followinga career managing restaurants – thathas expanded from maintaining 30pools to 240 pools.

Turquoise Animal Hospitalwants to thank everyone

for voting us

“Best Pet Hospital”in Pacific Beach

Treating Cats, Dogs & Exotics

950 Turquoise St.(858) 488-0658

2009 Reader’s Choice Winner“Thank you for making us a success in our first year”Life Force Health Chiropractic

Wellness Care for the Entire Family

DR. PETER SEGUNOT, D.C.Specializing in: Feet, Knees, Shoulders, Hands

LAURA WHITELicensed Massage Therapist

$99.00 SpecialIncludes: Initial Consultation Exam, Nerve Scan & X-Rays. Expires 10/31/09

1707 Grand Ave. (at Jewel) 858-273-6700seguinotwellness.com

$250.00Value

$50.00 SpecialIncludes: 1 Hour Massage • 1st Time Clients Only. Expires 10/31/09

$80.00Value

Save the Date:09/18/09 For Our

1st Anniversary Party

Soul Grind – Gold Medal best Skate Shop

READERS CHOICE AWARDS 200916THURSDAYAUGUST 20, 2009Beach & Bay Press

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710 Beach Club 710bc.com

AWESOME FOOD - FULL BAR - SPORTSAll packages including UFC • LIVE ENTERTAINMENT•PRIVATE PARTIESPUB CRAW•FOOD & BEER TO-GO710 Garnet Ave., Pacific Beach • 858.483.7844

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Smoke ZoneThe best cigar and cigarette prices in PB. Our "Walk in humidor" preserves all our premium cigars

.2015 Garnet Ave. #104, 858.483.3745

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PB Ale House PB Ale House is a great new restaurant and bar in Pacific Beach. Located at the end of Grand Avenue, close to the boardwalk. The restaurant is stylish and comfortable and includes a rooftop deck with ocean views.721 Grand Ave., 858.581.BEER (2337) www.pbalehouse.com

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Home of the infamous "Border Bastard" Join us for Happy Hour from 4-7 7 days a week. All New England Patriots, & Boston Red SoxGames NFL Sunday Ticket & Free pool all day sunday. Brand new foodmenu served from open to close!2263 Garnet Ave., 858.273.9181

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Filippi’s Pizza Grotto Open for lunch and dinner. Quality Italian food in Pacific Beachfor over 40 years!962 Garnet Ave.(corner of Cass & Garnet), 858.483.6222

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PB Foreign & Domestic Car RepairServing PB since 1981. All work guaranteed, 6 months or 6,000 miles, allmakes and models. Check our coupon at pbforeign.com, visit George & Arron at 1727 Garnet Ave., 858.270.1142

5 10 Eye Glasses GaloreEyeglass repairs, prescription and designer sunglasses, sunglass replacements, contact lenses and unique sunglass accessories available.

1772 Garnet Ave., 858.459.2020

United Cerebral Palsy Thift StoreClear out your old items you nolonger need and bring them to the UPC Thrift Store in PB!

1454 Garnet Ave., 858.490.6400

PB’s ONLY CrossFit Training Center!Located inside American Boxing MMA & Fitness @ 2710 Garnet Ave.inside PB Gateway Center across from Weinerschnitzel near the I-5 Freewaywww.crossfitpacificbeach.com 858-581-2694

La Jolla Auto Body“Since 1968” Scotty - Paulette - Kenny – JoseSpecials: $25.00 Off your next auto “Detail”, 10% Discount on your total “labor” costs on any estimate.

4620 Mission Bay Dr., 858.270-6821

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45 Minutes A Week Can Change Your Life!Pacific Beach Weight Watchers is now open.Join now and to receive FREE REGISTRATION. Meetings Friday 9 am1675 Garnet Ave. San Diego CA 92109 1.800.379.5757

SD StorageConvenient, secure storage right here in PB! Open 6am-6pm Mon-Sun. Variety of sizes to suit your needs.

sdstorage.com- 4595 Mission Bay Drive, 858-273-1717

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HOME BANK OF CALIFORNIAPlease call HOME or visit us for investment opportunities,financial servicesand your credit needs875 Garnet Avenue, 858.270.5881

FREE FAXFax 1 Page Get 1 FREE

1804 Garnet Ave., 858.273.6661

Cafe Athena“The closest thing to Santorini is here in San Diego…” Zagat Survey.Cafe Athena specializes in the art of Greek and Eastern Mediterranean food with excellent service.1846 Garnet Ave. (Pacific Plaza II), 858.274.1140

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50% OFFAny Style Cardboard Box

ANY MARLBOROCARTON $39.99

Free CIGAR CUTTERwith Any CIGAR Purchase

20% OFFExcluding Red Ticket Items.Cannot be Combined withOther Discounts or Offers.

BUYLOTTO HERE

Second Pair of Sunglasses of Equal or Lesser Value25% OFF

Thursday nights are now home to anexciting new event in northern PacificBeach. Numerous North PB bars andrestaurants will be offering discountsand specials on Thursday nights, whileretail shops keep their doors openlonger with exclusive after-hours specials. San Diego, meet the city'snew Thursday night hot spot, North PBall along Turquoise and Cass St.

Congratulations

$1.00 MOVES YOU IN! CALL FOR DETAILS.

North PB Nights, Thursdays 5 pm to 9pm

2009 Reader’sChoice WinnersVoted Bestin the Beach!

Thank You for Honoring UsBest Contractor / Construction

“I love being an integral part of the community, doing what I do best to make ourcommunity a more beautiful place to live.” – Tom Armstrong

755 Turquoise StreetPacific Beach • 92109

858-488-3465armstrongbuilt.com

• Custom Homes

• Home Remodels and Additions

• Kitchens and Baths

• Insurance Restorations

Armstrong designs and builds exceptional homes. We create additions that blend beautifully with the original homes and construct kitchens that fit yourlifestyle and baths that fulfill your dreams.

We develope custom, multifamily and commercial projects, each with a unique Armstrong Constructionsignature style.

We know how to get the most out of a property and focuson the things that make living comfortable, that captureas much view and sunlight as possible, working well withour clients in describing our ideas visually.

One of San Diego’s Top Builders Since 1980

We take everything into account – the purpose or function of the remodel or addition, the location of it, what our client likes and how our client lives.

• Custom Homes

• Home Remodels and Additions

• Kitchens and Baths

• Insurance Restorations