Best of Evansville 2024

Best Automotive Dealership
Seven locations in Evansville and Boonville, Indiana
Winning a Best of Evansville nod for the fifth time, D-Patrick has a legacy of supplying Evansville residents with wheels since 1934. With seven dealerships, drivers are never far from finding their ideal car, truck, or SUV. And with three body shops, dings, dents, and worse get top-notch mechanical repair and maintenance.

Domo Japanese Hibachi Grill, Sushi, and Ramen
Best Asian Restaurant
215 N. Green River Road
Its full name says it all: Domo is a one-stop shop for delicious hibachi, ramen noodles, and more. Weekday diners pick up a lunch hour bento box with sushi, salmon, teriyaki chicken, teriyaki beef, sushi, or sashimi. Hungry patrons get fired up over numerous hibachi choices, succulent noodle bowls, and the Sake Bar’s wide selection of beer, wine, and spirits.

Comfort by the Cross-Eyed Cricket
Best Brunch
230 Main St.
Since opening in 2017, this restaurant has become a go-to spot for – what else? – comfort food. Brunch diners like to pair rum sauce-laden bread pudding French toast with a sweet mimosa or crispy white meat chicken and a Belgian waffle with a classic Bloody Mary. New since June is a special weekend brunch buffet at The Collective upstairs, which dishes eggs benedict, build-your-own breakfast tacos, and more straight from Chef Anthony Tong’s kitchen.

Colonial Classics Garden Center & Landscaping
Best Garden Center
3633 Epworth Road, Newburgh, Indiana
This family-owned retailer has been an oasis for plant lovers since the late 1950s. Owners Julie and J.T. McCarty have enhanced the shopping experience with planters, tools, and garden accessories. Don’t know where to start? Colonial’s expert team can craft a show-stopping landscape with you. It’s no wonder Evansville Living readers have named Colonial Classics to the Best of Evansville list for the fourth year in a row.

Seated Woman in Red Hat, by Pablo Picasso
Best Forgotten Treasure in a Closet ★ Editors’ Pick
411 S.E. Riverside Drive
Many a curious artifact has been found in the recesses of a dark storage space. But imagine discovering a piece of art by world-renowned Spanish painter Pablo Picasso. You, too, would need to take a seat, just like Marie-Therese Walter in this intricate glass mosaic. Gifted to former Evansville Museum of Arts, History & Science director Siegfried Weng in 1963 and rediscovered in 2012 in the museum’s archives, Madam Walter waited a decade for her grand debut. In June, the public finally came face-to-face with “Femme Assise Au Chapeau Rouge,” and the museum intends to display the 36-by-28-inch mosaic indefinitely.

Monte Skelton
Best Musician
It seems only right that Monte Skelton – a multi-talented musician who can play 30 different instruments – has earned the Best Musician award multiple times. In fact, try pinpointing a time that he hasn’t been hard at work producing new albums, performing around Evansville, and teaching a new generation of musicians at Evansville Music Academy. Whether building beats with drummer Dekar Justus or headlining his own show, Skelton’s performances always attract fans.

Mayor Stephanie Terry
Best Community Leader
She’s less than 12 months into her first term as mayor, but Stephanie Terry’s community work has been years in the making. The 1994 Benjamin Bosse High School alumna grew up singing in her father’s churches and connected with philanthropy through Delta Sigma Theta Sorority. Being deputy director at Carver Community Organization broadened her reach and introduced a passion for helping children, later leading her to the Koch Family Children’s Museum of Evansville. As mayor, she’s made volunteering, kindness, and connection paramount to her administration.

Jennings Street Social Barbershop & Lounge
Best Barbershop
14 W. Jennings St., Newburgh, Indiana
Old-school social barbershops aren’t going out of style any time soon, if Carlos Hernandez has anything to say about it. The owner of Jennings Street Social Barbershop treats clients to more than just a great haircut. Frequently praised for its inviting atmosphere, Jennings Street customers describe a flawless experience with skilled stylists who keep clients looking fresh.

BRU Burger Bar
Best Burger
222 Sycamore St.
The former Greyhound station is an iconic image, but it’s the thick patties that draw diners today. Traditionalists can down the Double Bacon and Mushroom & Swiss, while dairy fanatics sink their teeth into the Garlic Three-Cheese. Burger alternatives include the Black & Bleu Bison, Black Bean Burger, and Viking Farms Lamb.

Hacienda Mexican Restaurants
Best Ranch Dressing
Four locations in Evansville
As Midwesterners, we have many thoughts on ranch and double down on our expectations. This Northern Indiana-based Mexican food chain knows its audience and plays to our tastes – literally! – by offering an irresistible ranch dressing alongside its signature wet burrito and lineup of margaritas. How you enjoy it depends on your imagination, but we often prefer it as a dip with salty tortilla chips and sometimes even mix it with red salsa. Don’t just take our word for it – snatch an extra order to take home for yourself!

Bud’s Farm Market
Best Shopping Experience Off the Vine ★ Editors’ Pick
3501 S. Weinbach Ave.
Customers of Leo “Bud” Vogt’s farm stand have had the inside track on their produce since the ‘90s. Operating under an unassuming tent, Bud’s Farm Market bursts with garden gains like vine-ripened heirloom tomatoes, plumb bell peppers, and juicy watermelon. More respected than the produce is the grower himself, who has sustained the family business while partnering with Purdue University on organic food production. A longtime customer commented that Vogt has “a bumper crop on life.” We couldn’t agree more.

Pizza Revolution
Best Food Truck
If you see a bright red double-decker London bus in these parts, follow it! You’ve found an unmistakable sign that Pizza Revolution is cooking up delicious pies. One of the city’s earliest and most popular meals-on-wheels enterprises, Pizza Rev’s wood-fired pies are devoured at events like First Fridays, Farm 57’s weekly summer markets, Franklin Street Bazaar, and more. The owners also hit the road, peddling pizzas at events such as Louisville, Kentucky’s Bourbon & Beyond. But the revolution started in River City a dozen years ago, and hungry Evansville Living readers are still lining up for varieties such as the Fig N Pig.

Knob Hill Tavern
Best Catfish
1016 Hwy. 662 W., Newburgh, Indiana
They take catfish seriously here — the Newburgh restaurant’s “hot fiddler” sign is nearly as iconic as its hot, deep-fried, flaky fish. Diners have devoured the cornmeal-crusted fiddlers since 1943, pairing them with corn sticks and coleslaw, with a fishbowl of beer alongside. Catfish fiddlers have “always been the hook for this place,” co-owner Dan Kollker told Evansville Living in 2018. We’d laugh at the pun, but we’re stuffed to the gills.

Brinker’s Jewelers
Best Jewelry Store
111 S. Green River Road
It’s no surprise to find Brinker’s back on this list – it has earned the “Best Jewelry Store” honor for more than a decade. The 52-year-old family business’ reputation for high-class timepieces and fine jewelry, plus service and repairs, keep shoppers coming back for shiny pieces wrapped in that tell-tale little green box.

Wesselman Park Pickleball Courts
Best Way to Get on Your Feet ★ Editors’ Pick
602 N. Boeke Road
It was inevitable that pickleball would find legions of fans in Evansville, just as it seemingly has everywhere else. Now, enthusiasts of the fast-growing sport have top-notch amenities – spectator patios, timer-controlled LED lighting, and a spacious grandstand – for competitions across 16 sharp-looking courts at city-owned Wesselman Park. Players, no matter their age or ability, are free to pick up a paddle and start a volley.

Vanderburgh Humane Society and Evansville Rescue Mission
Best Nonprofit (tie)
VHS, 400 Millner Industrial Drive
ERM, 500 E. Walnut St.
For decades, these nonprofits have given a leg up to the area’s forgotten men, women, and animals. In 2022, VHS rehomed 3,103 animals in addition to offering spay and neuter services and a low-cost clinic. ERM showcases community love by helping people overcome addiction, poverty, and homelessness. A new shelter for women and children is in the works.

Gerst Haus
Best Draft Beer Selection
2100 W. Franklin St.
The German restaurant offers a whopping 34 rotating and seasonal choices in addition to 16 year-round drafts. Pilsners, sours, IPAs, and stouts from villages across Germany and all over the world are poured at Gerst. A longtime Evansville favorite for its ivy-covered patio and friendly waitstaff, downing Gerst’s frosty fishbowls – paired with authentic cuisine like schnitzel, goulash, and sauerbraten – feels like visiting a Bavarian beer hall from the comfort of the city’s West Side.

West Side Nut Club Fall Festival
Best Community Event
This autumn classic needs no introduction. The Fall Festival, presented the first full week of October, is one of the country’s largest street festivals. With a backdrop of carnival rides and more than 130 flavorful food booths offering an assortment of fried delicacies – all in the name of charity – we would say you can’t miss it, but who are we kidding? You’ll be there.

La Campirana
Best Latin American Restaurant
724 N. Burkhardt Road
La Campirana’s success story started nine years ago at Washington Square Mall and continues to impress with its “delicioso” Mexican cuisine. Everything is prepared fresh, including house-made salsas and guacamole, sopes, tacos, gorditas, burritos, and quesadillas. The Evansville area is chock full of savory Mexican fare, but for authentic south-of-the-border tastes and atmosphere, it’s hard to top La Campirana.

Schön Boutique
Best Women’s Boutique
316 N. Wabash Ave.
The idea is that you enter a shop and leave with something new – a pair of earrings, perhaps, or a new dress – but at Schön Boutique, you also come away feeling like a friend. The retailer’s sunny yellow exterior brightens the former Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house and warms each shopping excursion, and its mix of polished, upscale casual wear, shoes, and accessories has legions of fans. Indeed, Schön lives up to its name; the moniker means “beautiful” in German.

Pigeon Creek Greenway Passage
Best Place to Go for a Run
When going for a run, nothing compares to putting shoe to pavement in the Great Outdoors. That was the idea behind the Pigeon Creek Greenway Passage, a 6.75 mile-long stretch of paved trails winding through the heart of the city. Along the way, runners pass flora, historic landmarks, and Instagram-worthy scenery to end up in Downtown Evansville along the Ohio riverfront.

YMCA of Southwestern Indiana
Best Group Exercise
516 Court St. and 6846 Oak Grove Road
At Evansville’s YMCA, group exercise goes well beyond the traditional classes. Members of all ages can attend basketball camps, self-defense workshops, youth swimming lessons, and aerial meditation in the Y’s two state-of-the-art facilities. The Y also takes group fitness on the road with running programs like Team 13 in preparation for the Evansville Half Marathon.

Zane Clodfelter and Tommy Mason
Best Mic Drops ★ Editors’ Pick
Sports calling is a side gig for Zane Clodfelter and Tommy Mason. Clodfelter began calling Evansville Otters games while attending the University of Southern Indiana and has risen through the Otters’ ranks to Communications Manager. He crosses the city’s collegiate sports scene, lending his voice to USI men’s basketball and baseball games, plus University of Evansville soccer and baseball and the NCAA Division II men’s Elite Eight tournament. Mason’s day job as a morning news anchor at Channel 44 WEVV-TV also translates well to sports calling. His voice is familiar to fans watching home games at the Ford Center. For nearly a decade, he has given voice to the play-by-play action of the UE men’s basketball team, and he’s added the Evansville Thunderbolts pro hockey team to his portfolio.

Cork ‘N Cleaver
Best Place for a Celebratory Meal
650 Hebron Ave.
With a cozy ambience, a celebration at Cork ‘N Cleaver feels that much more special. Celebrating 50 years – it originally opened under the Chart House umbrella and became locally owned in 2001 – The Cork welcomes diners with a dinner menu presented on a cleaver, so you know it means business. Expect to find slow-roasted prime rib, New York strip, filet mignon, teriyaki filet kabob, chopped steak, seafood, and more. With a raised glass of fine wine, consider this celebration complete.

Kanpai
Best Sushi
4593 Washington Ave.
This East Side spot is the place to get on a roll. The Sun Kiss packs some zing with spicy crab, spicy mayo, and citrus soy sauce. Another zesty option is the Chuck Norris, a tempura shrimp-based option with tuna, cream cheese, avocado, and eel sauce. Other Kanpai sushi delicacies are shout-outs to other locales (California, Philadelphia, and Boston), and there are a half-dozen deep-fried rolls to try, from the sriracha-drizzled Godzilla to the maki-style King Kong.

Chaser’s Bar & Grill
Best Place for Trivia
2131 W. Franklin St.
Self-dubbed “the largest country-themed sports bar in the ‘Ville,” Chaser’s provides way more than what’s served on the menu. Offerings include live music and sports watch parties, but Evansville Living readers sharpen their pencils for trivia. Everything from summer blockbusters, “Harry Potter,” Taylor Swift, and true crime has been on the lineup. In August, it was an Olympics-themed academic decathlon. What’s next? Grab your friends and find out.

Heather Vaught
Best Evansville Brand Ambassador
The city’s identity is stamped with Heather Vaught’s energy. River City Coffee + Goods, her gift and regionally made goods shop, helped rejuvenate Main Street when many Downtown storefronts sat vacant. Seeing a need for a safe, accessible recreation spot for skaters, she led the charge that developed Sunset Skatepark – the state’s largest – on the Ohio riverfront last December. Vaught, a graphic designer, channels her love for her hometown into quirky postcards – sold at River City and its sister stationary shop, Memo – T-shirts, and other Evansville-centric merch – all beaming with pride for her hometown.

Blue Grass Fish & Wildlife Area
Best Place to Go Fishing
11699 New Harmony Road, Elberfeld, Indiana
What once was a strip mining site just over the Warrick County line now is a popular destination for fishers, hunters, and wildlife enthusiasts. Covering more than 2,500 acres, Blue Grass provides an excellent space to angle for one of the area’s many fish species, like largemouth bass, catfish, bluegill, and crappie. Be on the lookout for raccoons that might swipe a snack from your stash.

Honey Moon Coffee Co.
Best Coffee Shop
Four locations in Evansville and Newburgh
The honeymoon is far from over for Evansville Living readers’ favorite coffee brand. Zac and Jessica Parsons founded their first shop in 2016; now, patrons can sip at four locations. Try signature drinks like the lavender-infused Purple Ace and cinnamon-topped Beekeeper lattes. Rotating beverages are introduced seasonally, like a honey rose confection celebrating spring that is sprinkled with edible petals, and a “Sweater Weather” fall blend of espresso, honey, and peanut butter flavoring topped with marshmallow whipped cream.

Direct flights to Chicago from Evansville Regional Airport
Best Comeback ★ Editors’ Pick
7801 Bussing Drive
It became a running joke: To fly north, travelers out of Evansville Regional Airport first had to jet south. It also was a frequent complaint as more than two years passed without a direct route north; United Airlines already had pulled its Chicago route from EVV two months before American Airlines suspended its service in March 2022 due to decreased demand from the COVID-19 pandemic. So, many were excited to see American restore its direct-flight access to Chicago O’Hare in September. It had been a long 30 months without daily service to the Windy City, or any other northern destination. But those days are past, and the future looks bright, indeed.

Noche Cantina & Cocina
Best New Restaurant
2215 W. Franklin St.
Noche said “Hola!” in January, and its reputation quickly spread as a trendy spot known for its modern atmosphere and Mexican cuisine. Whether sitting indoors, at a sidewalk table, or on the second-floor balcony, feast on any of 14 tacos or a burrito, rice bowl, or quesadilla made your way. Don’t miss the cantina’s beer, wine, and seltzer menu, plus craft cocktails featuring premium tequila, smooth rum, and bold flavors.

Lic’s Deli & Ice Cream
Best Milkshake
Five locations in Evansville and Newburgh
Locally owned and operated Lic’s has served this creamy, delicious treat since 1950. More than 20 ice cream flavors can be whipped into a rich, old-fashioned shake. For those who prefer a spoon over a straw, Lic’s offers an extra thick malt variety. Among specialty shakes to check out on your next Lic’s run are the Dream Shake, an orange-flavored blast of cold ice cream.

Helfrich Hills Golf Course
Best Public Golf Course
1550 Mesker Park Drive
Renowned golf course architect Tom Bendelow is credited with around 600 courses, including this 101-year-old West Side landmark. A year ago, this sprawling, 6,000-plus-yard course was essentially in an unplayable condition. Freshly restored in 2023, Helfrich again welcomes golfers to its crisp 18-hole, par-71 grounds.

Smitty’s Italian Steakhouse
Best Restaurant for Outdoor Dining
2109 W. Franklin St.
Smitty’s Italian Steakhouse holds its own on Evansville’s food scene with a massive menu of choice steaks, pastas, salads, seafood, burgers, and sandwiches. Evansville Living readers like to enjoy their meals on Smitty’s patio overlooking the colorful West Franklin Street corridor.

Buffalo Wild Wings and Doc’s Sports Bar
Best Place to Watch Sports on TV (tie)
Buffalo Wild Wings, 715 N. Green River Road and 5405 Pearl Drive 
Doc’s Sports Bar, 1305 Stringtown Road 
National powerhouse Buffalo Wild Wings, consistently praised for its uniformly energized sports day atmosphere, offers a range of filling appetizers to complement its famous wings. Local favorite Doc’s has been a sports-centric watering hole since the former doctor’s office combined with Alibi Lounge transformed into “Evansville’s gameday palace” in 2002.

Evansville Vanderburgh Public Library’s Library of Things
Best-Kept Secret ★ Editors’ Pick
Have you ever wished you had a cake pan in the shape of Darth Vader’s helmet? You can, with a quick trip to the library to browse the Library of Things, a collection of everyday items as varied as it is vast. From a leaf blower, to an Oster fondue pot, to a rechargeable camping lantern, to a croquet set, to scores of musical instruments, the Library of Things keeps boredom (and one-time-use purchases) at bay. Everything is free to check out with a library card.

Turoni’s Pizzery & Brewery
Best Pizza
Three locations in Evansville and Newburgh
Evansville Living readers long have loved Turoni’s, where recipes are held close to the vest, decor is Italian eatery-meets-River City sports history, and the pizza crust is cracker thin. Turoni’s added its own brews of beer in 1996, attracting new fans. In a city with many outstanding pizza choices, Turnoi’s is still going strong after six decades. We’ll have a house special and Thunderbolt Red Ale, please.

Tracy’s
Best Home Decor Store
2233 W. Franklin St.
If you need a touch-up at home, call Tracy and Jennifer Watson. The mother-daughter duo has helped Tri-State shoppers refresh their home and office spaces since 2014. One of their favorite parts of interior design is learning their customers’ tastes, and each interaction involves a personal touch, from overhauling a room’s aesthetic with new home furnishings, to polishing off the overall look with chic wall decor and accents.

Wes Carroll
Best Sports Coach
Wes Caroll has lifted University of Evansville baseball to new heights during his 16-year tenure as head coach. A two-time Missouri Valley Conference Coach of the Year, the UE alum led his 2024 squad to Evansville’s first-ever NCAA Regional Championship and earned accolades for its Cinderella post-season. Producing major league prospects like Colorado Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland, Carroll also has spearheaded impressive renovations to the team’s practice facility, locker room, and stadium.

City of Evansville’s 2023 Christmas tree
Best Glow-Up ★ Editors’ Pick
Evansville’s holiday tree made a big impression last winter — just not the one anyone wanted. The city’s annual tree-lighting ceremony revealed a 30-foot spruce laden with haphazardly strung red and green lights. The tree was widely, even viciously, mocked online. Faced with a brewing public Scrooge, city officials quietly called in a professional — Wilde Horticulture ­— to clean up the display. Within a week, Christmas Tree 2.0 was expertly draped in cascades of soft white lights and lit without fanfare. This Christmas, we’re wishing for a pretty tree — and fewer Grinches.

Franklin Lanes
Best Bowling Alley
1801 W. Franklin St.
Whether you’re looking for competitive league play or just have some time to spare, follow locals’ lead to Franklin Lanes. This West Side recreation staple since 1942 is praised by fans for its well-kept lanes and affordable pricing. Between frames, head to the fully equipped arcade or 11th Frame Bar and Grill, offering 40-plus food items like Bosco sticks and breaded mushrooms.

BFit Gym
Best Workout Gym
Four locations in Evansville and Newburgh
With back-to-back Best of Evansville wins and more than 30 years in the fitness business, this local gym franchise has become a household name. Fitness enthusiasts are impressed by BFit’s range of exercise options, from free weights and basketball courts to swimming pools. Members can work one-on-one with a personal trainer and relax with BFit’s saunas and massage services. And the former Bob’s Gym keeps growing, with its latest state-of-the-art location opening on the East Side in late December 2022.

Mister B’s Pizza & Wings
Best Chicken Wings
1340 Hirschland Road
Since 2019, Evansville residents have learned what Henderson, Kentucky, residents have long known — Mister B’s is the place for great wings. A repeat Best of Evansville winner, the chain scores big for its mild-to-wild flavors on bone-in or boneless wings. There’s teriyaki, hurricane, beer mustard, honey barbecue, sweet habanero, garlic parmesan, and more.

Evansville Rescue Mission
Best Thrift Shop (Write-in Category)
1107 Washington Square
Evansville Living readers love shopping at Evansville Rescue Mission’s Thrift Store. Housed in Washington Square Mall, The Thrift Store stocks an impressive inventory of donated and gently used home furnishings, appliances, and other household items, plus stylish home decor, apparel, shoes, accessories, media, and more. Fuel up first with a steaming cup of joe from The Thrift Store’s popular Mission Grounds Coffee Shop.

Leroy’s Tavern
Best Place for Karaoke
2659 Mount Vernon Ave.
Come for the food, stay for the tunes. Known for tavern-style square-cut pizza, this West Side bar’s neon red and yellow signage illuminates the spot for fun that often extends into the early morning. Celebrating its 54th anniversary, Leroy’s welcomes aspiring warblers for its songbird karaoke nights. Down your beer and join in!

The Completion of I-69
Best Reason to Hit the Road ★ Editors’ Pick
Has an eight-mile stretch of road ever vexed Hoosier drivers so much? It felt like a public holiday Aug. 6 when the “finish line” portion of Interstate 69 opened, treating drivers to unobstructed lanes from Martinsville to the I-465 interchange in Indianapolis. The 142-mile interstate extension north took 16 years to realize, and the last stretch has been tantalizingly close to completion for ages. The orange barrels are finally gone, a less-than-pleasant memory in the rear-view mirror. Now, about that Ohio River crossing …