The following are the “Best of JP 2009” as chosen by 366 Gazette readers who filled out ballots in two issues of the paper and at JamaicaPlainGazette.com. More than 4,000 separate votes were cast and tallied. Many nominees not listed here received a significant number of votes. And some nominees got lots of votes scattered throughout the categories. Many businesses were nominated for and got votes for best home service, but no one emerged as a clear winner this year.* To see these results and a complete list of all nominees in each category, go to JamaicaPlainGazette.com.

Best Place to:

Enjoy the outdoors
Arnold Arboretum

Work
City Feed and Supply

Enjoy live entertainment
Midway Café

See art
Jamaica Plain Open Studios

Consumer Favorites

Friendliest business
Centre Street Café
Finalist: Ula Café

Breakfast
Sorella’s

Lunch
City Feed and Supply

Dinner
Ten Tables

Latin American food
El Oriental de Cuba

Asian food
Wonder Spice Café

Bakery
Fiore’s Italian Bakery

Pub/bar
James’s Gate

Pizza
Same Old Place

Cup of coffee
Tie: J.P. Licks
City Feed and Supply

Retail store
Boomerangs

Convenience store
City Feed and Supply

Personal service
Fresh Hair

Real estate service
JP Rentals and Sales

Bank or financial service
Wainwright Bank

Professional service
Attorney Linda Olmstead

Home service
*Many nominees, all winners

Auto shop/gas station
Morrison’s

Best Business in an Area

South Street
Harvest Cooperative Market

Centre Street
Boomerangs

Hyde/Jackson Square
Video Underground

Egleston Square
Star Fish Market

Forest Hills
The Dogwood Café

Washington Street
Canto 6

Other location
Ula Café

The Rest of the Best

Community event
Wake Up the Earth Festival

Garden/yard landscaped area
Former Minton Stable on Williams St.

Playground/tot lot
Johnson Playground on Green St.

Tree
Tie: Tree at the Loring-Greenough House
Tree at the corner of Greenough and Elm

Mural
Mozart Park

Place of worship
First Church in JP Unitarian Universalist

Children’s service/activity
Joyous Noise Daycare

Health service
Southern Jamaica Plain Community Health Center

Local school
Curley School

Neighborhood association/organization
Neighbors for Neighbors
Finalist: JP Forum

Non-profit service agency
Hyde Square Task Force

Gay/lesbian hang-out
Midway Café

Storefront
Boomerangs

Building
The Brewery

Government service
Tie: JP post office
Jamaica Plain Branch Library

JP environmental group
Bikes Not Bombs
Finalist: JP Trees