Here at Tri-City Voice, it’s our job to cover what’s happening in the Tri-Cities and surrounding areas. In these pages, we take great pride in highlighting the local people, businesses, events, government affairs and issues that impact our daily lives in Fremont, Newark, Union City, Hayward, Milpitas, Castro Valley, San Leandro, San Lorenzo and Sunol.
But starting this year, we handed the mic to you.
This spring, we asked you, our dear readers, to nominate and then vote for your local favorites in categories including arts and entertainment, family and pets, health and beauty, restaurants and bars, services and shopping. From best charity event to best animal rescue group, best hair salon to best sandwich shop, you weighed in on the places you keep returning to, again and again.
The results are telling—they reveal a region that values both its institutions and its hidden gems. Readers chose beloved landmarks, parks and major gathering places, alongside independent neighborhood shops, cafés and vendors. These winners also reflect the area’s diversity, from Afghan and Filipino restaurants to Asian and international markets.
Some of the winners represent the “best” things that make a Saturday afternoon enjoyable—a hike, coffee, lunch, dessert, maybe a little shopping. Others are the people and places we rely on when life is less recreational: doctors, schools, banks, auto repair and health care. This is not just a guide for where to have a good time; it’s a map of the businesses and institutions that help a community function.
In that sense, this inaugural Best Of Tri-City issue is not only a list of “winners” chosen by the people who know this region best. It’s a celebration of our neighbors and friends, family and fellow community members who provide valuable services and enrich our daily lives with their dedication and hard work. We honor them with this crowd-sourced guide to what makes this region so special.
Congrats to all Best Of winners listed in these pages. Thanks for voting. Keep an eye out for next year’s readers poll—will this year’s favorites win again? Will we see newcomers in the mix? Even if your favorite didn’t win this year, that’s part of the fun—and a reason to vote next time. While we continue delivering the news that matters, the Best Of Tri-City readers’ poll is your shot to tell us what deserves attention. The stage is yours.
