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We asked for your favorite places to shop, eat and be in the Danville area and you came out in full force and voted for the annual Danville Readers Choice. We're back now to reveal this year's winners.

Around Town

Best auto dealership: Dirito Brothers
Picking out a new car - what fun! But it's also a bummer -- spending so much money! Dirito Brothers helps to make it painless, say our readers.

Best car repair: Auto Care of Danville
This Hartz Avenue business will keep that car running smoothly. Readers rave about George.

Best car wash: Sponges
Keep your car shiny, inside and out. Our readers say this San Ramon business does the best job and provides the best service.

Best real estate office: J. Rockcliff
Location, location, location -- this Realtor is on Railroad Avenue. Let them help you navigate the intricacies of home buying or selling.

Best golf course: Blackhawk Country Club
Fore! Plus four drinks at the bar for your favorite foursome after a fun day on this beautiful course.

Best kept secret treasure: Eugene O'Neill's Tao House/Museum of the San Ramon Valley (tie)
The old Train Depot is charming on the outside but those who venture inside discover a secret treasure -- the Museum of the San Ramon Valley. This location is also the stop for the free shuttle that takes visitors up the winding hills to the Eugene O'Neill National Historic Site with the Tao House, where O'Neill wrote his Pulitzer Prize-winning "Long Day's Journey into Night." It must be seen to be believed.

Best local mortgage broker: BT Investments and Loans
In this financial climate, mortgages have entered the world of the topsy turvy with a new lexicon of "underwater" and "upsidedown." Our readers like BT.

Best pet groomer: ShamPooches
Bring in Fido or Frisky for a professional washing or use the big tub to do it yourself. Either way, avoid a mess and end up with a fresh pet.

Best pet sitter: Pets Plus
Pet sitters do more than keep your pet from going into mourning during your absence -- they also water plants, take in newspapers and mail, and generally make the place look lived in.

Best place to get a traffic ticket: San Ramon Valley Boulevard
Strange question. Is there really any good place to get a traffic ticket?

Best place to have a first date: Bridges
Great idea -- when the conversation flags you can talk about Robin Williams and his portrayal of Mrs. Doubtfire. Is the guy or gal doesn't laugh, there should be no second date.

Best place to people watch: Starbucks on Hartz Avenue
This is more than a spot for people watching. It was also a ringside seat for the demise of the trees at the Veterans Memorial Building and will soon be the best place to watch its renovations.

Best senior living facility: Villa San Ramon
Lush and plush, this is a great place to relax and enjoy the fruits of a lifetime of labor.

Best tire store/service center: Big O Tires
Those four big O's are mighty important on each of our cars.

Best travel agency: Danville Travel
Apparently people do book trips without going online, and our readers most often chose Danville Travel.

Best tutoring school: On Track Learning
Need a little help? Check out On Track Learning in Alamo, which offers a variety of educational services to get your child on track academically.

Best veterinarian: Bishop Ranch Veterinary Center
Convenient hours, beautiful facility and great location -- but best of all, great doctors and staff. Bet you can't get out without buying a hilarious greeting card.

Personal care

Best Day Spa: Valeria Spa
A day -- or an hour -- of pampering is well worth the time and money. Our readers chose Valeria for a day of indulgence.

Best hair salon for men: SportClips
Guys: If your barber ain't cutting it, so to speak, check out SportClips.

Best hair salon for women: Tribez
Exit feeling beautiful - plus enjoying a great view of Mount Diablo. This spacious establishment offers great stylists and more.

Best manicure/pedicure: Bollinger Nails
Relax while receiving a mani and pedi, and leave with the world at your fingertips (and toetips).

Best medical spa: Blackhawk Medical
Get spa treatments to look and feel better using medical-grade products. Take care of the one body you will have in this lifetime!

Specialty retail

Best art gallery: Village Theatre Art Gallery
Danville's renovated theater on Front Street reopened Nov. 14 with Charlie Brown and "Peanuts at Bat," and it has kept up lively and interesting exhibits in the theater's spacious lobby.

Best athletic apparel: Forward Motion
Forward or backward, motion is good for us. And the right clothing is important, especially for feet.

Best bicycle shop: Danville Bike
How to choose from so many bikes? Let the knowledgeable staff help you then hit the road to Mount Diablo.

Best bookstore: Rakestraw Books
So many books, so little time. That's why you need to ask Michael Barnard and his mom Julie for recommendations. Its spacious new quarters make it a pleasure to browse or buy.

Best children's clothing: Snickerdoodles
Why spend more? Get designer togs for the toddlers - they're consignment but many still have the original tags. A nice place for toys and decorations for the kids rooms, too.

Best discount store: Tuesday Morning
"Never pay retail," was the mantra of one movie mom. Check out Tuesday morning often to catch the ever-changing merchandize as it arrives.

Best florist: East Bay Florists
Bring the outdoors inside with specially grown flowers and unique arrangements by this florist who's been in the Livery for 23 years.

Best framing shop: Richard's Arts and Crafts
The choice is wide, the work precise -- and flattering to the framed.

Best grocery store: Trader Joe's
Large organic selection and good prices -- what more could one want? Oh, yes, a wide selection of chocolates.

Best hobby/craft store: Richard's Arts and Crafts
From teensy beads to silk flowers to tissue paper, this place has it all. It's also a great spot to get ideas. Stop here early to prepare your home for any holiday.

Best jewelry store: Smith Jewelers
The Danville area has so many wonderful jewelry shops to choose from that this was a very competitive category. Jewelry is a good investment plus wonderful to enjoy.

Best maternity store: Snickerdoodles
One only needs to wear roomy clothing for so many months so consignment purchases make sense. You still want to look your best and capitalize on that pregnancy glow.

Best men's clothing: Patrick James
Patrick James at Blackhawk has men covered -- from swim wear to dress wear and everything in between. The shop is roomy and well appointed, an enjoyable place to shop.

Best place to buy a gift: Elegant Clutter
While you're there, we dare you to resist buying something for yourself. It's always fun to stop in and see what's new at the Clutter.

Best shoe store: Tootsies
This cute, reasonably priced footwear is the favorite. Sandals galore right now, and it also offers pedis to make them look even better.

Best store for pets: Molly's Pup-Purr-ee/Pet Food Express (tie)
These stores offer new unimagined ways to pamper your pets. They're fun to browse -- even for the petless.

Best wine store: Beverages & More
Can you say 5-cent sale?

Epicure

Best American food: Esin Restaurant & Bar
This eatery is doing well in its new location. Chef Esin DeCarion continues to please with his imaginative menu using the freshest ingredients.

Best bakery: Katrina Rozelle Pastries & Dessert
Stop in early to choose a delectable cake, tart or cookies from the display case in Alamo. And be sure to consider Katrina for a fabulous wedding cake.

Best breakfast: Vally Medlyn's/Katy's Korner (tie)
Breakfast out is a great tradition, rain or shine. The extensive menus at these two establishments have something for everyone. Both have outdoor seating for sunny mornings.

Best burger: Pete's Brass Rail & Carwash
Pete's offers the "American classic" hamburger, one-half pounders cooked flat on the grill for maximum flavor, served with french fries, lettuce, onion, pickle and pepperoncini on the side. Yum!

Best California Cuisine: The Peasant and the Pear
"Great food is fresh food" is its philosophy. Its fare slightly changes according to the season but the favorites remain.

Best Chinese restaurant: Uncle Yu's
The ambience at Uncle Yu's San Ramon location is soothing, perfect for enjoying the innovative choices it offers or the simpler, more traditional dishes.

Best deli: Domenico's
Domenico's offers delicious deli offerings in downtown Danville. What could be better? It also has a huge variety of freshly made salads.

Best dessert: Esin Restaurant & Bar
Esin takes desserts to a new level, from classic creme brulee to southern pecan tart to a bittersweet chocolate fudge brownie tort with vanilla bean gelato. The menu also suggests appropriate ports for after dinner.

Best French restaurant: Pascal French Oven
This delightful cafe offers breakfast and lunch pastries, croissants, eggs benedict, french toast and more. It reminds you that chocolate eclairs are from France and offers them in mini and regular sizes.

Best fresh produce: Danville farmers market
Seasonal produce at good prices - what could be better? Fresh flowers! Danville makes it pleasant, too, with live performances. And check out the latest display in the adjacent Museum of the San Ramon Valley.

Best ice cream/yogurt: Yogurt Shack
Soft yogurt and a choice of a million toppings -- a fun and delicious treat -- in hot weather or cold. The staff is uber enthusiastic.

Best independent coffee house: Peet's
Enjoy coffee and camaraderie - and many folks bring along their computers, too. A large outdoor seating area to relax, dogs at feet, after a jaunt on the Iron Horse Trail.

Best Italian restaurant: Piatti Ristorante and Bar
This spacious Livery eatery says "trattoria," with its open kitchen and stone pizza hearth that provide delicious Italian cuisine and warm Italian hospitality.

Best Mediterranean/Middle Eastern restaurant: Faz Restaurant & Bar
Kabobs and pomegranate chicken celebrate the origins of owner Faz Poursohi in Tehran. The Mediterranean combo platter is a favorite start to everyone's meal.

Best Mexican restaurant: Luna Loca Mexican Restaurant
It's about more than chips and salsa - meals here begin with chips and two salsas - red and green. The deck is fun and festive on summer nights.

Best outdoor dining: Faz Restaurant & Bar
Enjoy fine dining in the Faz redwood grove, right in the middle of Danville. Floor to ceiling glass brings the outdoors in to other diners, too.

Best pizza: Zachary's
Zachary's sells Chicago-style pizza, thin, stuffed, half-baked, seasonal -- all with 19 toppings to choose from.

Best place for a business lunch: Bridges
Quiet enough to talk business, bustling enough to keep your synapses firing - and wonderful food.

Best romantic restaurant: Bridges
One recent evening, three couples were celebrating their anniversaries at Bridges. It's romantic and it's special so enjoy its delicious offerings and good service under the bridge mural or near the gardens.

Best salad: Peasant and the Pear
Organic greens are always a good start. Add a roasted peer, candied walnuts and Point Reyes blue cheese with balsamic vinaigrette for a Bishop Ranch salad at Peasant and the Pear, just one of several.

Best sushi/Japanese restaurant: Kane Sushi Japanese Cuisine
Kane has made itself part of the community by using customers' suggestions for rolls that everyone can enjoy.

Best take-out restaurant: Tower Grille
Maybe it's the pizza that earned it this honor but all of its delicious food should survive a trip home.

Best Thai restaurant: Thai House Restaurant
The Thai chef combines the subtleties and spices of this popular cuisine quite well, then it is presented beautifully and with the friendly smiles for which Thailand is famous.

Best wine bar: The Vine
The Vine at Bridges has really caught on since opening a couple of year ago. It carries 350 wines from around the world in its retail shop and has 35 wines by the glass, taste or bottle. Musical events help draw a crowd.

Let's get physical

Best health club: ClubSport San Ramon
Great place to get in shape, from state-of-the-art machines to fun, exhausting workout classes to the tennis courts halfway to the stars and the heated Olympic-sized pool.

Best marital arts studio: Martial Arts America
With a modern approach to self-defense, this studio lets students progress quickly toward their personal goals.

Best place to bike/jog/walk: Iron Horse Trail
Oh, yeah! When completed, the 33-mile trail will reach from Suisun Bay to Livermore but the part we like best is the beautiful miles that stretch through Alamo, Danville and San Ramon.

Best yoga/pilates: IM-X Pilates Studio
IM=X updates the fitness methods begun by Joseph Pilates 60-70 years ago. These modern advances are a hit with our readers.

At home

Best antique store: Cottage Jewel
The store itself is a jewel, thousands of treasures waiting to be discovered. Drop in often to peruse the eclectic, every changing inventory.

Best flooring store: First Choice Abbey Carpet of Danville
Fashionable flooring and experts to help - takes the pain out of updates to your home. There are so many choices today - easy to care for and stunning to behold.

Best hardware store: Alamo Ace Hardware
What a journey it's been in that Alamo location from Yardbirds to Home Depot to Ace Hardware. It seems they've got it right.

Best home consignment shop: Home Consignment Center
At these prices, why not add something new to your tired old home - or new old jewelry to your personal accoutrements? It started in Danville in 1994 and now has 15 locations.

Best home furnishings: Elegant Clutter
Room by room, Elegant Clutter offers many ideas for how to furnish and finish the rooms in your home. And the assistants are so darned nice, they make you feel right at home in the story.

Best interior design: J. Hettinger
Jerry Hettinger knows about decor -- and his staff is knowledgeable and easy to work with. They can help whether you're building a house from scratch or redoing an existing space.

Best landscaper/designer: CK Landscaping
Landscapers can help turn any yard into a lovely park, based on the owner's tastes and lifestyle. Check out CK.

Best nursery: Navlet's
Navlet's isn't just a good place to buy plants, it's a fun place to stop in occasionally to see what's new. Gnomes anyone?

Best remodeling contractor: Gayler Construction
There are remodels and remodels. It's important to work with a contractor who has great ideas and gets it right.

Stepping out

Best happy hour: Bridges
Get happy not just with special drink prices but with small plates for $6. Altogether delicious and fun.

Best place for a picnic: Mount Diablo
Pack up that picnic basket and head for the mountain. The winding drive up offers spectacular views and the state park has picnic tables if the ground doesn't beckon.

Best place for dancing: ShBoom
ShBoom Night Club in San Ramon features Throwback Thursdays, Rewind Fridays and Saturdays at ShBoom. Go for it!

Best place to get together with friends: Pete's Brass Rail & Car Wash
Spacious and friendly and welcoming to kids, this bustling place is great for beers, friendship and food, not necessarily in that order.

Best public event: 4th of July Parade
It's grown from a hokey trot down Hartz Avenue 50-plus years ago to a full-fledged red, white and blue extravaganza, drawing folks from miles to celebrate Uncle Sam's birthday. See you there!

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