Photos by L.G. Patterson
The Best of Columbia 2025 results are in! You nominated and voted for your favorite people, places and things in Columbia — now it’s time to reveal the Gold, Silver and Bronze winners! Thank you to the Columbia community for helping us reach more than 200,000 votes! All of the winners cannot thank you enough for your part in making this year’s competition the best yet. This contest would not be possible without our readers, who truly are the Best of Columbia.
Now, it’s time to meet the winners of Best of Columbia 2025!
Food & Drink
BEST BARBECUE
GOLD: Como Smoke & Fire
SILVER: D. Rowe’s Restaurant & Bar
BRONZE: Big Daddy’s BBQ
BEST LOCAL WATERING HOLE
GOLD: Logboat Brewing Co.
SILVER: Flat Branch Pub & Brewing
BRONZE: Pierpont General Store
BEST PIZZA
GOLD: Shakespeare’s Pizza
SILVER: G&D Pizzaria
BRONZE: Pizza Tree
BEST BURGER
GOLD: Just Jeff’s
SILVER: Booches Billiard Hall
BRONZE: Billiards on Broadway
BEST BREAKFAST
GOLD: Big Mama’s Cafe
SILVER: Ernie’s Cafe and Steakhouse
BRONZE: Cafe Berlin
BEST MEXICAN RESTAURANT
GOLD: Las Margaritas
SILVER: Delia’s Mexican Grill
BRONZE: José Jalapeños
BEST LOCAL ICE CREAM/FROZEN CUSTARD
GOLD: Sparky’s Homemade Ice Cream
SILVER: Andy’s Frozen Custard
BRONZE: Randy’s Frozen Custard
BEST OUTDOOR DINING
GOLD: Flat Branch Pub & Brewing
SILVER: Las Margaritas
BRONZE: The Bistro at Les Bourgeois Vineyards
BEST COFFEE
GOLD: The Grind CoffeeHouse
SILVER: Lakota Coffee Co.
BRONZE: Love Coffee
BEST FOOD TRUCK
GOLD: Ozark Mountain Biscuit Co.
SILVER: Mr. Murphy’s Stuffed Potatoes
BRONZE: Lilly’s Cantina
BEST DESSERT
GOLD: Peggy Jean’s Pies
SILVER: Batter Up Cupcakes
BRONZE: Tsokolate
BEST COCKTAIL MENU
GOLD: Flyover
SILVER: Barred Owl Butcher & Table
BRONZE: Dive Bar
BEST VEGAN/VEGETARIAN OPTIONS
GOLD: Beet Box
SILVER: Cafe Berlin
BRONZE: Nourish Café & Market
BEST STEAK
GOLD: CC’s City Broiler
SILVER: G&D Steakhouse
BRONZE: Murry’s
BEST ASIAN RESTAURANT
GOLD: Jina Yoo’s Asian Bistro
SILVER: House of Chow
BRONZE: Bangkok Gardens
BEST MARGARITA
GOLD: Las Margaritas
SILVER: Delia’s Mexican Grill
BRONZE: Irene’s
BEST NEW RESTAURANT
GOLD: Endwell Taverna
SILVER: The Kitchen Grill & Games
BRONZE: Los Comales Mexican Restaurant and Store
BEST DOWNTOWN HOTSPOT
GOLD: Tellers Gallery & Bar
SILVER: The Roof
BRONZE: Son of a Gun
People
BEST CHEF
GOLD: Brian Brink – D. Rowe’s Restaurant & Bar
SILVER: Kirk Morgan – Como Smoke & Fire
BRONZE: Jina Yoo – Jina Yoo’s Asian Bistro
BEST RADIO PERSONALITY
GOLD: Scotty – Clear 99
SILVER: Shags – 96.7 KCMQ
BRONZE: Cosmo – Y107
BEST LOCAL TV PERSONALITY
GOLD: Matt Beckwith – KOMU 8
SILVER: Meghan Drakas – ABC 17 News
BRONZE: Sharon Ray – KRCG 13
BEST BARTENDER
GOLD: Mark Alexiou -Logboat Brewing Co.
SILVER: Max Bennett – D&D Pub & Grub
BRONZE: Liz Lippelman – Son of a Gun
BEST CEO
GOLD: Steve Hotsenpiller – Steve’s Pest Control
SILVER: Mun Choi – University of Missouri System
BRONZE: Nancy Yaeger – Fleet Feet
BEST PHOTOGRAPHER
GOLD: Holly J Greenup Photography
SILVER: Casey Buckman Photography
BRONZE: Schaefer Photography
BEST FITNESS INSTRUCTOR/PERSONAL TRAINER
GOLD: Rebecca Maier – ARC Activity & RecreationCenter/Crunch Fitness
SILVER: Jen Loganbill – Jen’s Get Fit Group
BRONZE: Jenny Dewar – Pure Barre Columbia
BEST REALTOR
GOLD: Michelle Schnake Wittenborn – Century 21 Community
SILVER: Dustin March – EXP Realty, LLCB
RONZE: Orie Hemme – Copper Creek Realty
BEST FINANCIAL ADVISOR
GOLD: Stephanie Goans – Edward Jones
SILVER: James Henderson – Rock Bridge Financial Advisors
BRONZE: Graham Buresh – Wilkerson Advisory Group
BEST ATTORNEY
GOLD: Tyson Mutrux -Mutrux Firm Injury Lawyers
SILVER: Bogdan A. Susan – Holder Susan Slusher, LLC
BRONZE: Jeffrey L. Hilbrenner – Harper, Evans, Hilbrenner& Netemeyer
BEST TATTOO ARTIST
GOLD: Cassandra Stokes – Stone Crow Studio
SILVER: Trent Tucker – Living Canvas
BRONZE: Moe Ricee – Iron Moe’s
BEST INSURANCE AGENT
GOLD: Phyllis Nichols – State Farm Insurance
SILVER: Stephanie Wilmsmeyer – State Farm Insurance
BRONZE: Mandy Shanks – Missouri Farm Bureau Insurance
BEST LOCAL PERFORMING ARTIST
GOLD: C. Rock City
SILVER: The House Band
BRONZE: Pat Kay
BEST FLORIST
GOLD: Kent’s Floral Gallery
SILVER: My Secret Garden
BRONZE: Blooms and Wishes Flowers
Services
BEST TOWING COMPANY
GOLD: Doug Perry Towing
SILVER: Tiger Towing
BRONZE: I-70 Towing & Recovery
BEST LAWNSCAPING
GOLD: Taylor’s Commercial Grounds Maintenance
SILVER: Rost Landscaping
BRONZE: Kretch’s Custom Exteriors
BEST LAWN CARE
GOLD: Taylor’s Commercial Grounds Maintenance
SILVER: Columbia Lawn Guys
BRONZE: Kretch’s Custom Exteriors
BEST AUTO REPAIR
GOLD: Mutrux Automotive
SILVER: Como Auto Repair
BRONZE: Lee’s Tire Company
BEST CONSTRUCTION COMPANY
GOLD: Heartland Homes Remodeling & Roofing
SILVER: Hemme Construction
BRONZE: New Beginnings Construction & Remodeling
BEST PEST CONTROL
GOLD: Steve’s Pest Control
SILVER: Wingate Pest and Lawn
BRONZE: Atkins, Inc.
BEST PET DAYCARE/BOARDING
GOLD: Creekside Pet Center
SILVER: Dog Daze Playcare
BRONZE: Peace Love Paws Pet Sitters, LLC
BEST CUSTOMER SERVICE
GOLD: Fleet Feet
SILVER: Mutrux Automotive
BRONZE: ServiceMaster of Columbia
BEST HOME REMODELING
GOLD: Heartland Homes Remodeling & Roofing
SILVER: New Beginnings Construction & Remodeling
BRONZE: TrueSon Exteriors & Interiors
BEST WAIT STAFF
GOLD: CC’s City Broiler
SILVER: G&D Steakhouse
BRONZE: D. Rowe’s Restaurant & Bar
BEST PET SUPPLIES/GROOMER
GOLD: Lizzi & Rocco’s Natural Pet Market
SILVER: Treats Unleashed
BRONZE: All Dogs-N-Cats Pet Salon
BEST HOME REPAIR
GOLD: ServiceMaster of Columbia
SILVER: New Beginnings Construction & Remodeling
BRONZE: Ridgeway Construction LLC
BEST CAR WASH
GOLD: Club Car Wash
SILVER: Gaines Car Detailing
BRONZE: COMO Detail Pros
BEST CATERER
GOLD: Sara Fougere Catering
SILVER: Bush’s Catering
BRONZE: Just Love Coffee Cafe
BEST VETERINARY PRACTICE
GOLD: Rolling Hills Veterinary Hospital
SILVER: Horton Animal Hospital
BRONZE: Noah’s Ark Animal Hospital & Bird Clinic
BEST CLEANING SERVICE
GOLD: An Eye For Detail Cleaning Service
SILVER: RW Cleaning Services, LLC
BRONZE: The Cleanest, LLC
BEST PLUMBING COMPANY
GOLD: Brian Wear Plumbing
SILVER: Chapman Heating, Cooling, & Plumbing
BRONZE: Adam’s Plumbin
BEST HVAC COMPANY
GOLD: Chapman Heating, Cooling, & Plumbing
SILVER: Star Heating & Air Conditioning Co.
BRONZE: Air & Water Solutions
BEST GO-TO FOR DISASTER RESPONSE
GOLD: ServiceMaster of Columbia
SILVER: Ridgeway Construction, LLC
BRONZE: Heartland Homes Remodeling & Roofing
BEST REALTY COMPANY
GOLD: Iron Gate Real Estate
SILVER: House of Brokers Realty, Inc.
BRONZE: Weichert Realtors – First Tier
BEST HOTEL/BED AND BREAKFAST
GOLD: The Broadway Hotel
SILVER: School House Bed & Breakfast
BRONZE: The Tiger Hotel
Wellness
BEST CHIROPRACTIC OFFICE
GOLD: Restoration Chiropractic
SILVER: Compass Chiropractic & Wellness
BRONZE: Advanced Physical Health
BEST HAIR STYLIST
GOLD: Jenna Sutton – The Clip Joint
SILVER: Angela Mechlin – Hair Therapy Salon & Day Spa
BRONZE: Paige Robb – Riversong Spa and Salon
BEST MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCE
GOLD: Burrell Behavioral Health
SILVER: Counseling Associates
BRONZE: Anxiety & Depression Clinic of Columbia
BEST SPECIALTY HEALTH CARE
GOLD: Columbia Orthopaedic Group
SILVER: Liberty Family Medicine
BRONZE: Missouri Heart Center
BEST PLACE TO GET EYE CARE
GOLD: Missouri Eye Consultants
SILVER: Becvar Optometry
BRONZE: Andrew Stone Optometry
BEST SPA
GOLD: Riversong Spa & Salon
SILVER: Hair Therapy Salon & Day Spa
BRONZE: Regeneration Salon & Spa
BEST DISPENSARY/CBD
GOLD: 3Fifteen Primo Cannabis
SILVER: Shangri-La Marijuana Dispensaries
BRONZE: Green Releaf Dispensary
BEST DENTAL PRACTICE
GOLD: Willett Dental Associates
SILVER: COMO Dental
BRONZE: Bear Creek Family Dental
BEST NUTRITION/SUPPLEMENT STORE
GOLD: Natural Grocers
SILVER: Supplement Superstores
BRONZE: Tiger Nutrition III
BEST SALON
GOLD: The Clip Joint
SILVER: Hair Therapy Salon & Day Spa
BRONZE: Riversong Spa & Salon
Local Favorites
BEST LOCAL RADIO SHOW
GOLD: Liz & Scotty in the Morning – Clear 99
SILVER: The Cosmo and Kat Show – Y107
BRONZE: The Morning Shag with Shags & Trevor – 96.7 KCMQ
BEST PLACE TO HEAR LIVE MUSIC
GOLD: Cooper’s Landing
SILVER: Pierpont General Store
BRONZE: The Blue Note
BEST LOCAL CLOTHING STORE
GOLD: Fringe Western Wear
SILVER: Fleet Feet
BRONZE: Alpine Shop
BEST PLACE TO BUY SHOES
GOLD: Dryer’s Shoe Store
SILVER: Fleet Feet
BRONZE: American Shoe
BEST PLACE TO BUY JEWELRY
GOLD: Buchroeders Jewelers
SILVER: Betz Jewelers
BRONZE: Poppy Made by Hand
BEST LOCAL PODCAST
GOLD: Blended, Blessed & Always A Mess
SILVER: The Cosmo + Kat Show “Fun Size” Podcast
BRONZE: With You in the Weeds
BEST PLACE TO BUY HOME GOODS & GIFTS
GOLD: Plume
SILVER: The Tin Roof Monogram & Gift
BRONZE: Hahn Custom Laser Engraving, LLC
BEST PLACE TO WORK
GOLD: University of Missouri
SILVER: Hair Therapy Salon & Day Spa
BRONZE: EquipmentShare
BEST FAMILY-FRIENDLY DESTINATION
GOLD: Midway Golf & Games
SILVER: The Kitchen Grill & Games
BRONZE: Level Up Entertainment
BEST PLACE TO BUY A CAR
GOLD: Rusty Drewing Automotive
SILVER: Joe Machens Ford
BRONZE: Bob McCosh Chevrolet
BEST FESTIVAL OR ANNUAL EVENT
GOLD: Art in the Park
SILVER: True/False Film Fest
BRONZE: Fire in the Sky
BEST NONPROFIT
GOLD: Love Columbia
SILVER: Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue
BRONZE: Coyote Hill Foster Care Ministries
BEST WEDDING VENUE
GOLD: Cooper’s Ridge Event Venue
SILVER: Columbia Country Club
BRONZE: The Atrium on Tenth
