For the fifth year in a row, we asked readers to pick

“The Best of Southwest Roanoke County.”

And you sure did! Voting was up 50 percent over last year.

And now, here are the results:

Best reason for living in Southwest Roanoke County

1. Schools

2. People

3. Quality of life

Most fun thing that’s happened in Southwest Roanoke County (new category)

1. Episcopal Diocesan Council

2. Opening of the South County Library

3. Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio annual free show at the Jefferson Center

Best new thing in SWoCo in the past year

1. Star City Recycling Company

2. Cave Spring Middle School

3. Five Guys Burgers and Fries

(Last year’s winner: South Roanoke County Library)

Best place to go trick-or-treating

1. Tanglewood Mall

2. The Gardens and Groves

3. Penn Forest

Best place to take relatives from out of town

1. Mill Mountain

2. Farmers Market in downtown Roanoke

3. The Homeplace Restaurant

Best place to meet new people

1. Church

2. Downtown Roanoke

3. Kroger

Best place to take the kids for the day

1. Mill Mountain

2. Green Ridge Recreation Center

3. Olympic Swim club

Best church outreach program

1. Church of the Holy Spirit

2. Roanoke Rescue Mission

3. Young Life

Best community event

1. Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio annual show at the Jefferson Center

2. Dickens of a Christmas

3. Festival in the Park

Best community service project by civic group or other non-profit (new category)

1. Drumstick Dash by the Roanoke Rescue Mission

2. Project Faith; Faith Christian School

3. United Way

Best local politician

1. Rep. Bob Goodlatte

2. Del. Greg Habeeb

3. Cave Spring school board member Fuzzy Minnix

Best teacher

1. Danielle Johnson, North Cross School

2. Sue Ann Blades, Penn Forest Elementary

3. Tiffany Sakaguchi, Cave Spring Middle School

Best school staff member

1. Mike Brancati, Cave Spring Middle School assistant principal

2. Mary Beth Gregg, Hidden Valley Middle School

3. Mary Jo Truskey, Cave Spring Elementary School Special Education

Best bus driver

1. Penny Robertson, Oak Grove Elementary

2. Ruby Craft, Cave Spring Middle School

3. Wayne Dodson, Back Creek Elementary School

Best coach (school sports)

1. Billy Hicks, Cave Spring High School boys basketball

2. Derrick Roth, Cave Spring High School boys basketball

3. Jessica Ficarro, Cave Spring girls basketball

Best coach (non-school sports)

1. Cory Carroll, Roanoke Star soccer

2. Ricky Gregg, The Yard

3. Rick Krohmer

Best school event – high school

1. Cave Spring High School football

2. Project Faith, Faith Christian School

3. Kendall’s Karnival, Cave Spring High School

Best school event — middle school (new category)

1. Opening of Cave Spring Middle School

2. Project Faith, Faith Christian School

3. Relay for Life Dodgeball Tournament at Cave Spring Middle School

Best parks and rec activity

1. Green Ridge Recreation Center

2. Senior activities

3. Soccer

Best school event — elementary school

1. Pumpkins on the Playground, Penn Forest Elementary

2. Green Valley Elementary School Fun Run

3. Project Faith, Faith Christian School

Best summer camp for kids

1. Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio

2. Camp Roanoke

3. Roanoke County Parks and Recreation summer camps

Best park

1. Garst Mill Park

2. Penn Forest (Darrell Shell Park)

2. Elmwood Park

Best student-run school club or organization (new category)

1. Hidden Valley High School band

2. Student Cooperative Assocation

3. Cave Spring Middle School Squires Club; Fellowship of Christian Athletes (tie)

Best sporting moment of the past year

1. South County Softball League

2. Cave Spring High School girls soccer making it to regionals

3. Cody Amos’ win at Knights of the Round Table wrestling tournament

Best place for breakfast

1. Famous Anthony’s

2. The Roanoker

3. Froth

Best coffee

1. Dunkin’ Donuts

2. Mill Mountain Coffee & Tea

3. Starbucks

Best burgers (new category)

1. Burger in the Square

2. Five Guys Burgers and Fries

3. Three Li’l Pigs, Daleville

When we created this category, we just assumed the winners would be in Southwest Roanoke County — but enough voters wrote in the name of a Botetourt barbecue place (which also serves burgers) to make it number three. If you’re curious, the fourth-place finisher wasn’t from Southwest Roanoke County, either.

Best salads (new category)

1. Ruby Tuesday

2. Panera Bread

3. Montano’s

Best pizza

1. Frank’s Pizza

2. Grace’s Place

3. New York Pizza

Best place for lunch

1. Brambleton Deli

2. Wildflour

3. Burger in the Square

Best place for a fancy meal

1. Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine

2. Frankie Rowland’s

3. 419 West

Best place to hear local music

1. Blue 5

2. Brambleton Deli

3. Kirk Avenue Music Hall

Best restaurant to take the kids

1. Chuck E. Cheese

2. Famous Anthony’s

3. El Rodeo

Best happy hour

1. 419 West

2. Brambleton Deli

3. Macado’s

Best place to buy wine

1. Kroger

2. Mr. Bill’s Wine Cellar

3. Wine Gourmet

Best place to go after a game

1. Buffalo Wild Wings

2. Brambleton Deli

3. Mac & Bob’s

Best place for a first date

1. Montano’s

2. 419 West

3. Carlos Brazilian International Cuisine

Best place to buy fresh food

1. Fresh Market

2. Farmer’s Market, downtown Roanoke

3. Roanoke Fruit & Produce

Best convenience store

1. Country Store on Starkey

2. Sheetz

3. 7-Eleven

Best hair salon

1. Country Hair Saloon

2. Glo Salon

3. Zee’s Salon and Day Spa

Best nail salon

1. Polished by Claire V.

2. Beauty Bar

3. Perfect Nails

Best place to get pampered

1. Zee’s Salon and Day Spa

2. Azario Salon

3. Pure Spa

Best place to keep fit

1. The Roanoke Athletic Club

2. Gold’s Gym

3. YMCA

Best place to shop for antiques

1. Black Dog Salvage

2. Goodwill

3. Buy the Season

Best place to buy unique gifts

1. Two and a Half Sisters

2. Chocolatepaper

3. Steger Creek

Best consignment shop (new catetgory)

1. Consigning Women

2. Consignment First

3. New to Me

Best place to buy women’s fashions

1. Stein Mart

2. T.J. Maxx

3. Belk

Best jeweler

1. Fink’s

2. Two and a Half Sisters

3. Amrhein’s

Best florist

1. George’s Flowers

2. Striteskey’s

3. Petal Pushers

Best frame shop

1. Brambleton Frame Shop

2. A.C. Moore

3. Simply Framing by Kristi

Best dentist

1. Dr. Gary Roach (Roach, Lubeck, and Parks)

2. Dr. Scott Ward (Coots, Ward, Cross & Associates

3. Dr. Greg Wright

Best family physician

1. Dr. Donald Smith (Brambleton Family Medicine)

2. Dr. Nina Sweeney (Roanoke Partners in Health)

3. Dr. Ella Youngblood

Best lawyer

1. John Lichtenstein

2. Doug Wilson

3. Mark Skolrood

Best place to go for financial advice

1. SunTrust

2. BB&T

3. Jason Bialek of Atlantic Mortgage

Best insurance agent

1. Steve Nash of Allstate

2. Mark Meyer of Allstate

3. Amanda Christiansen of State Farm

Best builder

1. Structures DesignBuild, LLC

2. David James Homes

3. Parsell & Zeigler GCI

Best plumber/electrician/home repair service

1. Richardson Plumbing and Heating

2. Nelson Repair and Maintenance

3. Wisler Plumbing

Best lawn or landscaping service

1. Varsity Landscaping & Grounds

2. GreenUp

3. Valley Landscaping

Best dry cleaner

1. Cave Spring Cleaners

2. Harvey’s

3. Wheeler’s Fast Service Laundry and Cleaning

Best car wash

1. Tanglewood Auto Wash

2. Brambleton Car Wash

3. Southern Classic Car Wash

Best place to buy a car

1. Brambleton Imports

2. First Team Auto Mall

3. Berglund Automotive

Best place to get your car fixed

1. Crescent Heights

2. Cave Spring Auto Body

3. Brambleton Auto

Best place for music lessons

1. Kelley’s Music

2. Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio

3. Fret Mill Music

Best preschool or day care

1. HoneyTree

2. Cave Spring Baptist

3. Cave Spring United Methodist Preschool

Best apartment community

1. The Pines Apartments

2. Sunscape Apartments

3. Cedar Point Apartments

Best retirement community (new category)

1. Pheasant Ridge

2. Brandon Oaks

3. Friendship Retirement Community and Our Lady of the Valley Retirement Community (tie)

Best real estate firm/brokerage

1. Lichtenstein Rowan Realtors

2. Prudential Premier Realtors

3. Long & Foster Realtors

Best real estate agent

1. Glenna Bannister of Long & Foster

2. Beth Wilson of Prudential

3. Vickie Clarke of Long & Foster

Best veterinarian

1. Cave Spring Veterinary Clinic

2. Big Lick Veterinary Services

3. Roanoke Animal Hospital

Best pet grooming/pet sitting/pet boarding service

1. Clip & Dip

2. Yuppie Puppie

3. Padgett’s Dog Grooming

Best place to get a tattoo

1. Star City Tattoos

2. Asylum Tattoos

3. Alex’s New Tattoo

Best “hidden jewel” in Southwest Roanoke County that more people should know about (new category)

1. Alpine Sewing Machine Company

2. Froth Coffee Shop

3. Happy Hollow Gardens

Best thing not on this list

1. GPS Curbside Recycling

2. Star City Recycling

3. Alpine Sewing Machine Company

Here’s who won in 2012 and 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

You’ve got just a few days left to vote for your favorites in the 5th annual Best of Southwest Roanoke County Reader Poll.

Voting closes at midnight on Sunday, March 10 and we’ll announce the winners on April 19.

We particularly call your attention to some of the new categories this year, including “best hidden jewel in Southwest Roanoke County,” “most fun thing that’s happened in Southwest Roanoke County in the past year,” and “best community service project.”

You can find the ballot here -- or in the “best of” banner at the top of the page. (If you’re reading this on a mobile device, you may need to click through to “full site” to get it to display.)

Want to promote your business or civic group? You can still download free promotional materials at roanoke.com/bestof.

Don’t see a category that fits what you want to vote for? You can always cast a vote in “best thing not on this list!”

Here’s who won in 2012 and 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

Got friends in other places? We also have “best of” reader polls going on in Botetourt County, Salem, and the New River Valley.

What’s the best church outreach program in Southwest Roanoke County?

That’s one of the many categories the 5th annual Best of Southwest Roanoke County reader poll.

Feel free to chat up your nominations in the comment field below, just remember to actually cast a vote!

You can find the ballot here -- or in the “best of” banner at the top of the page. (If you’re reading this on a mobile device, you may need to click through to “full site” to get it to display.)

The voting ends at midnight on Sunday, March 10 and we’ll publish the results on April 19.

Want to promote your business or civic group? You can download free promotional materials at roanoke.com/bestof.

Don’t see a category that fits what you want to vote for? You can always cast a vote in “best thing not on this list!”

Here’s who won in 2012 and 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

Got friends in other places? We also have “best of” reader polls going on in Botetourt County, Salem, and the New River Valley.

What’s the best student-run organization in Southwest Roanoke County?

That’s one of the ten new categories we’ve added to the 5th annual Best of Southwest Roanoke County reader poll.

What will win there? Feel free to chat up your nominations in the comment field below, just remember to actually cast a vote!
You can find the ballot here -- or in the “best of” banner at the top of the page. (If you’re reading this on a mobile device, you may need to click through to “full site” to get it to display.)

The voting ends at midnight on Sunday, March 10 and we’ll publish the results on April 19.

Want to promote your business or civic group? You can download free promotional materials at roanoke.com/bestof.

Don’t see a category that fits what you want to vote for? You can always cast a vote in “best thing not on this list!”

Here’s who won in 2012 and 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

Got friends in other places? We also have “best of” reader polls going on in Botetourt County, Salem, and the New River Valley.

What’s the best place to take relatives from out of town in Southwest Roanoke County?

You tell us in the 5th annual Best of Southwest Roanoke County reader poll.

The winner last year and in 2012 was the Mill Mountain Star (OK, technically not in Swoco, but you can see it from here.) In 2011 and 2009, voters picked just plain old Mill Mountain.

What will win there? Feel free to chat up your nominations in the comment field below, just remember to actually cast a vote!
You can find the ballot here -- or in the “best of” banner at the top of the page. (If you’re reading this on a mobile device, you may need to click through to “full site” to get it to display.)

The voting ends at midnight on Sunday, March 10 and we’ll publish the results on April 19.

Want to promote your business or civic group? You can download free promotional materials at roanoke.com/bestof.

Don’t see a category that fits what you want to vote for? You can always cast a vote in “best thing not on this list!”

Here’s who won in 2012 and 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

Got friends in other places? We also have “best of” reader polls going on in Botetourt County, Salem, and the New River Valley.

What’s the best summer camp for kids in Southwest Roanoke County?

That’s one of the ten new categories we’ve added to the 5th annual Best of Southwest Roanoke County reader poll.

What will win there? Feel free to chat up your nominations in the comment field below, just remember to actually cast a vote!
You can find the ballot here -- or in the “best of” banner at the top of the page. (If you’re reading this on a mobile device, you may need to click through to “full site” to get it to display.)

The voting ends at midnight on Sunday, March 10 and we’ll publish the results on April 19.

Want to promote your business or civic group? You can download free promotional materials at roanoke.com/bestof.

Don’t see a category that fits what you want to vote for? You can always cast a vote in “best thing not on this list!”

Here’s who won in 2012 and 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

Got friends in other places? We also have “best of” reader polls going on in Botetourt County, Salem, and the New River Valley.

What’s the best community service project by a civic group or other non-profit in Southwest Roanoke County?

That’s one of the ten new categories we’ve added to the 5th annual Best of Southwest Roanoke County reader poll.

What will win there? Feel free to chat up your nominations in the comment field below, just remember to actually cast a vote!
You can find the ballot here -- or in the “best of” banner at the top of the page. (If you’re reading this on a mobile device, you may need to click through to “full site” to get it to display.)

The voting ends at midnight on Sunday, March 10 and we’ll publish the results on April 19.

Want to promote your business or civic group? You can download free promotional materials at roanoke.com/bestof.

Don’t see a category that fits what you want to vote for? You can always cast a vote in “best thing not on this list!”

Here’s who won in 2012 and 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

Got friends in other places? We also have “best of” reader polls going on in Botetourt County, Salem, and the New River Valley.

We have lots of categories in our annual Best of Southwest Roanoke County reader poll.

But one of our favorites is always “best thing not on this list.”

Last year’s winner in that category was Easy Green Curbside Recycling. In 2011, it was Greener Pastures Curbside Recycling. In 2010, it was Kira*Kira.

What will win there? We have no idea! Feel free to chat up your nominations in the comment field below, just remember to actually cast a vote!

You can find the ballot here -- or in the “best of” banner at the top of the page. (If you’re reading this on a mobile device, you may need to click through to “full site” to get it to display.)

The voting ends at midnight on Sunday, March 10 and we’ll publish the results on April 19.

Want to promote your business or civic group? You can download free promotional materials at roanoke.com/bestof.

Don’t see a category that fits what you want to vote for? You can always cast a vote in “best thing not on this list!”

Here’s who won in 2012 and 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

Got friends in other places? We also have “best of” reader polls going on in Botetourt County, Salem, and the New River Valley.

What’s the best community event in Southwest Roanoke County?

You tell us in the 5th annual Best of Southwest Roanoke County reader poll.

Last year’s winner was the Cave Spring High School Jazz Cafe. In 2011, voters picked Project Faith, an outreach program at Faith Christian School. In 2010 and 2009, the winner was the annual free show put on by the Kevin Jones Performing Arts Studio at the Jefferson Center. (It’s not in Southwest Roanoke County, but the studio is.)

What will win there? We have no idea! Feel free to chat up your nominations in the comment field below, just remember to actually cast a vote!
You can find the ballot here -- or in the “best of” banner at the top of the page. (If you’re reading this on a mobile device, you may need to click through to “full site” to get it to display.)

The voting ends at midnight on Sunday, March 10 and we’ll publish the results on April 19.

Want to promote your business or civic group? You can download free promotional materials at roanoke.com/bestof.

Don’t see a category that fits what you want to vote for? You can always cast a vote in “best thing not on this list!”

Here’s who won in 2012 and 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

Got friends in other places? We also have “best of” reader polls going on in Botetourt County, Salem, and the New River Valley.

What’s the best sports moment in Southwest Roanoke County in the past year?

You tell us in the 5th annual Best of Southwest Roanoke County reader poll.

Last year was the first time we asked the question and the winner was Cave Spring’s volleyball team winning the state championship in 2011 (which came in the voting period for the 2012 Best Of.)

What will win there? We have no idea! Feel free to chat up your nominations in the comment field below, just remember to actually cast a vote!
You can find the ballot here -- or in the “best of” banner at the top of the page. (If you’re reading this on a mobile device, you may need to click through to “full site” to get it to display.)

The voting ends at midnight on Sunday, March 10 and we’ll publish the results on April 19.

Want to promote your business or civic group? You can download free promotional materials at roanoke.com/bestof.

Don’t see a category that fits what you want to vote for? You can always cast a vote in “best thing not on this list!”

Here’s who won in 2012 and 2011 and 2010 and 2009.

Got friends in other places? We also have “best of” reader polls going on in Botetourt County, Salem, and the New River Valley.