2025 INDY Best of Orange and Chatham Counties Winners
Orange and Chatham county readers have waited long enough to learn the local winners of our BEST OF THE TRIANGLE reader poll.
Like they have for the past two decades, readers nominated their local favorites (in categories covering food and drink, the arts, places to go, and more) for the INDY’s Best of the Triangle awards. Over the past few months, we’ve been rolling out the winners by county—first Wake, then Durham, and now Orange and Chatham have their turn.
In this section you’ll find readers’ own picks for the places, people and organizations that make Orange and Chatham counties unique. We’ve got everything from the best burgers and chefs to the best concert venues and museums to the best preschools and yoga studios. We hope you’ll find this guide handy and take some time to try something new or revisit an old favorite.
If you missed our Wake and Durham winners (announced back in April and July, respectively) find them online at indyweek.com. And stay tuned for the final round—a special print edition in December rounding up the best of the best across the Triangle.
WINNERS!
O�ange & Chatham Counties
Thanks to our readers for nominating their favorites, and big congratulations to the finalists.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
BeSt WingS
Wooden Nickel Pub
Runners up: Heavenly Buffaloes, Four Corners
BeSt Wine LiSt
Glasshalfull
Runners up: Hawthorn and Wood, Oakleaf
BeSt Vegetarian Eatery
Vimala's Curryblossom Cafe
Runners up: Spotted Dog, Coco Bistro
BeSt Thai ReStaurant
Cham Thai
Runners up: Thai Station, Thai Palace
BeSt SuShi
Akai Hana Japanese Restaurant
Runners up: Iza Whiskey and Eats, Kurama Sushi & Noodle Express
Runners-up: John Horn - Wooden Nickel Pub, Leslie Chartier - The Travelling Cafe
O�ange & Chatham Counties HEALTH
BeSt Yoga Studio
Franklin Street Yoga Center
Runners up: Carrboro Yoga Company, YogaSix Chapel Hill
BeSt Women'S Health Practice
Chapel Hill Ob-Gyn
Runners up: Chapel Hill Family Medicine, Unorthodoc
BeSt Veterinary Practice
Carrboro Plaza Veterinary Clinic
Runners up: Meadowmont Animal Hospital, The Animal Hospital of Carrboro
BeSt Spa
Hillsborough Spa and Day Retreat
Runners up: Wax Poetic Carrboro, The Spa at Fearrington
BeSt Pediatric Practice
Chapel Hill Pediatrics
Runners up: Chapel Hill Children's Clinic, Play to Grow OT LLC
BeSt MaSSage TherapiSt
Kathryn Kager Massage and Bodywork
Runners up: Carole L. Pope, Allen Johnson with in wellness
BeSt HoliStic Medicine
Carolina Hemp Hut
Runners up: Heartwood Holistic, Magic on 70 Cafe & Shoppe
BeSt Hair Salon
To The Woods
Runners up: Cut Chemist, Ceremony Salon
BeSt Gym
FIT Carrboro
Runners up: O2 Fitness, Planet Fitness
BeSt Dermatological Practice
Chapel Hill Dermatology
Runners up: Central Dermatology, Dermatology and Laser Center of Chapel Hill (DLC)
BeSt Dental Practice
Holman Family Dental Care
Runners up: Ellis Family Dentistry, Wagoner Dental
BeSt chiropractic Practice
Chapel Hill Family Chiropractic
Runners up: Dr. Chas Gaertner - North Carolina Chiropractic, Partners in Health & Wellness
BeSt childcare
Chapel Hill Cooperative Preschool
Runners up: Schoolhouse of Wonder, Play to Grow OT
BeSt Barber Shop
Snip-Ish
Runners up: Chapel Hill Barber, Le Chevau Hair Salon
Thank you to all of our wonderful patients and families for naming us Orange & Chatham Counties’ Best. We are so honored to help you build healthy kids and families from birth to young adulthood.
serving Chapel Hill and the surrounding areas for the last 40 years! are committed to education, community involvement, and We are a team of
Shaina Holman, DDS
Rachel Ungaro, DDS
Reina Ransom, DDS
Rachael Veazey, DDS
O�ange & Chatham Counties ARTS
BeSt Radio Station WUNC
Runners up: WHUP 104.7, WCOM 103.5
BeSt Local/Regional PodcaSt Embodied
Runners up: 27 Views, Arcane Carolinas
BeSt Film Theatre Venue/ Event
Chelsea Theater
Runners up: Silverspot Cinema, Lumina Theater
BeSt Unplugged concert Venue
Cat's Cradle
Runners up: Community Church Concerts, Bynum Front Porch
BeSt Electronic concert Venue
Cat's Cradle
Runners up: Local 506, Mosaic at Chatham Park
BeSt Drag Show/Event
Speakeasy Queer Cabaret
Runners up: Pittsboro Pride Drag Show & Dance Party, Drag Show: Pride Never Dies!
BeSt Theatre company
Playmakers Repertory Company
Runners up: Hidden Voices, Blue Box Theatre Company
BeSt comedy club/Event
Yonder - The Sunday Show w Jeremy Alder-Josh Rosenstein
Runners up: Steel string homegrown comedy w Josh and Rosie, Black Sheep Comedy
BeSt Science/HiStory MuSeum
Morehead Planetarium and Science Center
Runners up: Orange County Historical Museum, Hillsborough History Museum
BeSt Art MuSeum
Ackland Art Museum
Runners up: Hillsborough Gallery of Arts, Margaret Lane Gallery
BeSt Art Gallery (Art for Sale)
Peel Gallery + Photo Lab
Runners up: FRANK Gallery, Hillsborough Gallery of Arts
O�ange & Chatham Counties
BUSINESSES
BeSt Vintage Store
Rumors
Runners up: The Consignors, Screaming for Vintage
BeSt Place to Buy Locally
Made Art
Peel Gallery + Photo Lab
Runners up: FRANK Gallery, Say it With Glass
BeSt Realtor
Shelby Bishop
Runners up: Mary Lopez Carter, Justin Burleson
BeSt Real EState company
Inhabit Real Estate
Runners up: Weaver Street Realty, Chapel Hill Realty Group - Inc.
BeSt PainterS
Gonzalez Painters & Contractors Inc
Runners up: Express Yourself Paint, Chapel Hill Painting Company
BeSt New BuSineSS
Say it With Glass
Runners up: Harmony Group Wealth Advisors, The Soap and Shine
BeSt Local BookStore
Flyleaf Books
Runners up: Golden Fig Books, McIntyre's Books
BeSt LandScaper
Jessica Davis - Roots & Sproots
Runners up: O’Mara Landscaping, Tarheel Turf
40 YEARS OF TRIANGLE NEWS & CULTURE
BeSt Jeweler/Jewelry Store
Melissa Designer Jewelry
Runners up: Olmaz Jewelers, William Travis Jewelry
BeSt InSurance company
Bonnie Rose - NC Farm Bureau
Runners up: Chan Wright Insurance Agency, Heather Landin - Insurance of the Carolinas
BeSt HVAc company
Boer Brothers Heating & Cooling
Runners up: Warren-Hay Mechanical, Jeff Daulton AC Systems
BeSt Electrician
Bonneville Electric
Runners up: Advanced Electric of Pittsboro, Todd Clark's Electrical Service
BeSt Dog Walking
Walk & Wag
Runners up: Josephine's Dog Walking and Pet Sitting, Barksboro
BeSt Dog Training
Top Dog Training and Resort
Runners up: New Hope Dog Training Center, K9 Disciples
BeSt Dog Grooming
Top Dog Training and Resort
Runners up: Hair of the Dog Grooming Studio, Best Friends Furever
BeSt Dog Boarding
Doggie Dude Ranch Kennel
Runners up: Top Dog Training and Resort, Doggie Spa and Day Care
BeSt Dance Studio
Hillsborough Cheer and Dance
Runners up: The Ballet School of Chapel Hill, 7 Dance Centre
