We Have an Issue: “Best of Austin” Finalists Revealed

Rendering courtesy of Rolf Spalio Design Firm (Photos via Getty Images)

In this issue, we unveil this year's finalists for our "Best of Austin" Readers Poll. Tens of thousands of votes were cast in the first-round ballot, narrowing the field down to nearly 900 nominees across 174 categories, chosen by Chronicle readers as representing the very best of our town.

Ironically, as I tap this column out, I'm hours away from fleeing the city for my first proper vacation in two years. But I know exactly what I'm going to do when I get back: Dive into the finalist ballot and sample some new (or new to me) places. These finalists truly run the gamut: from legacy institutions and creatives who've helped define Austin culture to up-and-coming artists and brand-new businesses hatched during the pandemic.

Find the Readers Poll ballot on p.7 of this week's print edition. You can mail that ballot in to us – postmark deadline is April 18 – or vote online at vote.austinchronicle.com. While you're there, leave a testimonial about who you're voting for. We'll print our favorite comments alongside the winners in our "Best of Austin" issue, on newsstands and online on Thursday, May 19.

We have a well-documented habit of breaking big news around the beginning of every April, and this year is no different. Check out Publisher Nick Barbaro's column, about a historic collaboration between state and scruffy alt-weekly – and an exciting new revenue opportunity to boot!