Most Improved Dive Bar
The Lamplighter is a Midtown institution. It’s been in its Madison Avenue location for decades and gone through several different incarnations. Owners Chuck “Vicious” Wenzler and Laurel Cannito have kept the legendary dive’s decor and vibe largely intact since the days when Miss Shirley used to keep a swear jar on the bar, while expanding the footprint with a performance space and a comfy back patio. After a crowdfunding campaign to raise money for improvements, the owners added a new sound system and lighting, which have greatly elevated the musical presentation. In a city where a good place for local and small touring bands to play is becoming increasingly rare, The Lamp is a ray of light. — Chris McCoy
Best Film Series
With the Indie Memphis Film Festival missing in action this year and Black Lodge no longer with us, the mantle of non-mainstream film screening has fallen on Crosstown Theater. Their programming has included a mixture of beloved classics and art house selections. Among their upcoming programming is a 20th anniversary screening of Hustle & Flow on September 25th. — CM
Best Fan of Memphis Music
When the Soulsville Foundation recognized Public Enemy’s Chuck D with its new Power of Music Honors “Reverb Award,” he made it about more than his own innovation and activism, which the award aims to salute. Instead, he praised Stax Records and sat with Carla Thomas for a long spell after the ceremony. The two had a grand old time. “I grew up on my mom’s Stax records,” he said, “and to this day am still in total and complete awe of the talent, the genius, and the legacy that came out of the soul of Memphis.” — Alex Greene
Best Grown-Up Bar
There are a lot of places to get a drink in the 901. One of the most chill is Bar Keough on Cooper. If you’re looking for a no-fuss, no-muss beer or cocktail and some pleasant conversation, you could do a lot worse. — CM
Best group singing and swinging
When the Central High School Jazz Band visited Jazz at Lincoln Center to vie with dozens of other bands in the Essentially Ellington contest, they started each day singing together — as they walked up Broadway from their hotel each day. These student instrumentalists weren’t singers, per se, but they were laser-focused on their parts in the big band arrangements they would be playing. And it paid off: The Central team was named the best high school jazz band in the world. — AG
Best Crackers
Everything the Ginger’s Bread & Co. on Union Ave. makes is good, but their sourdough olive oil crackers will change your life. All other crackers will seem tasteless and inferior after you sample one of these crispy masterpieces. — CM
Best Dog in Healthcare
Officially the chief joy officer at Midtown Chiropractic, Dr. Lindsey Carr’s goldendoodle Divot Vokey Carr greets all the patients with enthusiasm and love. Divot favors friendly librarian glasses and sometimes sports a little tie, for that professional look. The little tail-wagger even has his own Instagram account: @dood_its_divot. — CM
Best Cranially Compromised Anthropomorphic Statues
Whenever I chance down the V&E Greenline, near North Watkins and North Parkway, I see my big little pals, those blissfully blasé blue people with gaping cavities in their craniums. The statues, portraying humanoid figures lounging on the lawn, have had the tops of their heads sliced off, poor dears, but for an excellent reason: Their noggins are the perfect vessels for cacti, decorative grasses, and other plantings that help keep the Greenline whimsical. — AG
Most Favorite Mexican Restaurant on Madison
Picking a favorite Mexican restaurant in Memphis is getting to be almost as difficult as picking a favorite barbecue joint. They’re everywhere, from Downtown to the furthest reaches of Shelby County. I’ve had a few favorites through the years, but lately I’ve found myself returning to Los Comales in Midtown. It’s tucked into a nondescript section of Madison, near Cleveland, but the place is surprisingly capacious. The real draw, aside from the strong and tasty margaritas, is the menu, which is wide and varied, offering authentic fare such as street tacos (try the carne asada) and excellent ceviche dishes. The staff is friendly and attentive, and frankly, supporting a Mexican/Latin American restaurant in these troubled times for the immigrant community is a good thing to do. You have dozens of choices. Pick one, amigo. — Bruce VanWyngarden