Results from the 2018 Carroll's Best Readers Choice contest for best restaurants, food and dining experiences.
BEST BAGELS
WINNER: Panera Bread, Eldersburg & Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Kismet Café, Eldersburg
HONORABLE MENTION: Dunkin’ Donuts, Finksburg, Hampstead & Westminster
BEST BAKERY
WINNER: JeannieBird Baking Company, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Snickerdoodles Bakery & Coffee House, Hampstead
HONORABLE MENTION: Starry Night Bakery and Coffeehouse, Westminster
BEST BREAKFAST
WINNER: Bob Evans, Eldersburg & Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: JeannieBird Baking Company, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: IHOP, Westminster & Eldersburg
BEST BUFFET
WINNER: Bullocks Country Meats & Farm Market Family Restaurant, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Johansson’s Dining House, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: LIBERATORE’S Ristorante & Catering, Eldersburg and Westminster
BEST BURGERS
WINNER: Five Guys Burgers and Fries, Eldersburg, Hampstead and Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Oscar’s Alehouse, Eldersburg
HONORABLE MENTION: Rafael’s, Westminster
BEST CHINESE RESTAURANT
WINNER: Forbidden City Chinese Restaurant, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Asian Sakae, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: China Manor, Westminster
BEST COFFEE
WINNER: Dunkin’ Donuts, Finksburg, Hampstead & Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Starbucks, Eldersburg, Mt. Airy & Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Birdie’s Café, Westminster
BEST COFFEE HOUSE
WINNER: Birdie’s Café, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Starbucks, Eldersburg, Mt. Airy and Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: French Twist, Sykesville
COLDEST BEER
WINNER: Oscar’s Alehouse, Eldersburg
HONORABLE MENTION: Rafael’s, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Maggie’s, Westminster
BEST CRAB CAKE
WINNER: Fratelli’s Italian and Seafood, Hampstead
HONORABLE MENTION: RockSalt Grille, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Basta Pasta, Eldersburg
BEST DELI
WINNER: Giulianova Groceria, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Big Belly Deli, Sykesville
HONORABLE MENTION: Blue Bistro Restaurant & Catering, Westminster
BEST DESSERT
WINNER: Snickerdoodles Bakery & Coffee House, Hampstead
HONORABLE MENTION: Fratelli’s Italian & Seafood, Hampstead
HONORABLE MENTION: JeannieBird Baking Company, Westminster
BEST DINNER
WINNER: Plum Crazy Diner, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Baugher’s Restaurant, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Bistro 91, Finskburg
BEST FAST FOOD
WINNER: Chick-Fil-A, Eldersburg and Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Taco Bell, Westminster, Eldersburg & Hampstead
HONORABLE MENTION: McDonald’s, Eldersburg, Hampstead, Taneytown & Westminster
BEST FRIED CHICKEN
WINNER: Royal Farms, Gamber & Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Bullock’s Country Meats & Farm Market Family Restaurant, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen, Westminster
BEST HOT WINGS
WINNER: BuffaloWildWings, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: E.W. Becks Restaurant & Pub, Sykesville
HONORABLE MENTION: G.L. Shacks, Sykesville
BEST ICE CREAM
WINNER: Hoffman’s Home Made Ice Cream & Deli, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: JJHoffman’s Creamery, Hampstead
HONORABLE MENTION: Firehouse Creamery, Sykesville
BEST ITALIAN RESTAURANT
WINNER: Fratelli’s Italian & Seafood, Hampstead
HONORABLE MENTION: LIBERATORE’S Ristorante & Catering, Eldersburg & Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Paradiso Ristorante, Westminster
BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT
WINNER: Papa Joe’s Mexican Restaurant, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Cinco De Mayo Mexican Restaurant and Bar, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Los Aztecas, Sykesville
BEST MILKSHAKE
WINNER: Hoffman’s Home Made Ice Cream & Deli, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Chick-fil-A, Eldersburg & Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Twin Kiss, Westminster
BEST PIT BBQ
WINNER: Smoky’s Barbeque Restaurant, Eldersburg
HONORABLE MENTION: Outlaw BBQ Smokehouse, Hampstead
HONORABLE MENTION: Lone Star Barbeque, Westminster
BEST PIZZA
WINNER: Genova’s To Go, Hampstead, Manchester & Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Ledo Pizza, Westminster, Eldersburg & Mt. Airy
HONORABLE MENTION: Mediterraneo, Westminster
BEST SALAD BAR
WINNER: Ruby Tuesday, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Bullock’s Country Meats & Farm Market Family Restaurant, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Giant Food, Westminster
BEST SEAFOOD RESTAURANT
WINNER: RockSalt Grille, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Salerno’s Restaurant & Catering, Eldersburg
HONORABLE MENTION: Fratelli’s Italian & Seafood, Hampstead
BEST STEAK RESTAURANT
WINNER: Texas Roadhouse, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Bullock’s Country Meats & Farm Market Family Restaurant, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Fratelli’s Italian & Seafood, Hampstead
HONORABLE MENTION: LIBERATORE’S Ristorante & Catering, Eldersburg & Westminster
BEST STEAMED CRABS
WINNER: Blue Point Crab House, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Captain Dan’s Crabhouse, Eldersburg
HONORABLE MENTION: Salerno’s Restaurant & Catering, Eldersburg
BEST SUBS
WINNER: Subway, Eldersburg, Finksburg, Hampstead, Mt.Airy, Sykesville, Taneytown & Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Genova’s To Go, Hampstead, Manchester & Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Firehouse Subs, Westminster
BEST SUSHI
WINNER: J&Y Sushi Restaurant, Eldersburg
HONORABLE MENTION: Asian Sakae, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Katana, Mt. Airy & Westminster
BEST TEA ROOM
WINNER: Gypsy’s Tea Room, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: CUP Tea Bar & Café, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Sweet Simplici-Tea, Sykesville
Best dining experience
BEST BANQUET FACILITY
WINNER: Martin’s Caterers, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Salerno’s Restaurant & Catering, Eldersburg
HONORABLE MENTION: The Inn at Roop’s Mill, Westminster
BEST CATERER
WINNER: Blue Bistro Restaurant & Catering, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Salerno’s Restaurant & Catering, Eldersburg
HONORABLE MENTION: Outlaw BBQ Smokehouse, Hampstead
BEST FAMILY DINING
WINNER: Baugher’s Restaurant, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Texas Roadhouse, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Fratelli’s Italian & Seafood, Hampstead
BEST HAPPY HOUR
WINNER: Rafael’s, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Oscar’s Ale House, Eldersburg
HONORABLE MENTION: O’Lordans Irish Pub & Restaurant, Westminster
BEST NIGHT SPOT
WINNER: Rafael’s, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Oscar’s Ale House, Eldersburg
HONORABLE MENTION: The Stables at Westminster, Westminster
BEST PATIO/DECK DINING
WINNER: Rafael’s, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: RockSalt Grille, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: E.W. Becks Restaurant & Pub, Sykesville
BEST ROMANTIC DINING
WINNER: Paradiso Ristorante, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Ristorante, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: LIBERATORE’S Ristorante & Catering, Eldersburg & Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Fratelli’s Italian & Seafood, Hampstead
BEST WAIT STAFF/ CUSTOMER SERVICE
WINNER: RockSalt Grille, Westminster
HONORABLE MENTION: Fratelli’s Italian & Seafood, Hampstead
HONORABLE MENTION: Chick-fil-A, Eldersburg & Westminster
